BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa High Court has directed the Health secretary and superintendent of SCB medical college and hospital (SCB MCH), Cuttack, to file separate affidavits relating to the proper functioning of the bone marrow transplant unit (BMT) at the haematology department by August 12.
The bench of Justice SK Sahoo and Justice V Narasingh on Thursday sought the affidavits on implementation of the suggestions given by the advocates’ committee, which recently visited the department and examined its condition.
On July 11, the HC after taking into account the TNIE news report titled ‘State’s only free BMT service at SCB on death bed’ had passed a specific order asking the secretary and medical superintendent to file affidavits on the functioning of the BMT as well as the department. The court had asked the advocates’ committee to visit the department and submit a report.
The order came after Health secretary Aswathy S informed the court that the government has received the consent of Dr Prabodh Kumar Das, who has retired from AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, for supervising the bone marrow transplant at SCB MCH and the department has proposed to enter into institutional partnership with top institutions in the country for all transplant related operations.
However, after visiting the haematology ward, the advocates’ panel observed that around 100 patients were lying on the floor with saline on and taking chemotherapy as there were only 20 beds available.
The committee informed the court that assistant professor Dr Rajiv Kumar Nayak, who was present in the department, said during the tenure of Prof Rabindra Jena, a trained BMT physician, the transplant was being conducted regularly. After his retirement, he was given extension by the state government and he continued to conduct BMT till his extension was discontinued.
“Dr Nayak said a doctor needs to undergo special training for conducting the BMT. After completion of the special training and obtaining the certificate, a doctor can conduct BMT and such special training takes some months. After Dr Jena’s departure, they are unable to conduct BMT as they are not trained,” the committee stated in its report.
The panel members also met Dr Das, who has been appointed to supervise the BMT. They found that his appointment to supervise the BMT work at SCB MCH may amount to conflict of interest as he is working in SUM Hospital, a private hospital.
The committee has called for resuming services of Prof Jena to immediately restart the BMT unit until the new doctors are trained.