HC seeks report on MRI and CT scan machines in SCB med college | Bhubaneswar News
Cuttack: Orissa high court has fixed June 19 to take further stock of progress in installation of an MRI and two CT scan machines among other high-end equipment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) had provided Rs 46.34 crore under its CSR initiative for procurement of the MRI machine for the neurosurgery department and CT scan machines for the radiodiagnosis department in Dec last year.The HC was hearing a PIL on the problems in SCB on Friday. Informing about the status of procurement of equipment, senior advocate Bibhu Prasad Tripathy, representing the Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd (OSMCL), informed the court that the purchase order for 3T MRI machine and two slice CT scan machines was issued on Jan 29. “Timeline for supply of the machines to SCB is by the end of May,” Tripathy said. Taking it on record, the two-judge bench of Justices Sangam Kumar Sahoo and V Narasingh directed the superintendent of SCB to file an affidavit “regarding status of operation” of the MRI and CT scan machines when the matter is taken up for next hearing on June 19.The bench also directed the SCB superintendent to file by then an affidavit “regarding status of operation” of visual perimeter machine for the ophthalmology department.Though the ophthalmology department has received the recognition of Regional Eye Institute, the visual perimeter machine has not been functioning for the past five years as it needs repair or replacement. It is an essential tool for assessing the visual field of patients, particularly for diagnosing and monitoring conditions such as glaucoma.Dr Goutam Satapathy, superintendent of SCB, who was present in virtual mode, stated that the purchase order for procurement of visual perimeter was issued on Jan 29 and the machine has already been supplied. “The machine has not only reached, but also has been made functional,” Dr Satapathy added.On the court’s query about procurement of computerised ultra-brief electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) machines for the Mental Health Institute, it was stated that the purchase order for 14 such machines will be issued by May 17 and timeline for supply will be third week of Aug.ECT is a treatment for severe mental health conditions that involves passing an electrical current through the brain to induce a controlled seizureManaging director of OSMCL, Dr Poma Tudu, who was present through virtual mode assured the court that “the procurement of such machines will be expedited”.The bench further directed Tudu to file by the next date “an affidavit relating to the status of procurement of two echo machines” for department of cardiology “for patient care”.
