Bhubaneswar: The Advocates’ Committee, constituted by the Orissa High Court to inspect the quality of healthcare services at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack, has found severe space shortage, inadequate manpower, and scarcity of equipment at the burn and newborn care units of the premier state-run facility.
Quoting Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department’s Dr Biswajit Mishra, the committee, in its fact-finding report, informed the HC that each burn patient should ideally be kept in an isolated cabin as there is a significant possibility of infection among them. There is also an acute shortfall of essential manpower, such as nursing officers and dressers. “The unit has been functioning in a very limited space and has only nine intensive care unit (ICU) beds. Out of the nine beds, one has been arranged in a cabin structure, another five in a separate room, and the remaining beds are placed in the open space. For nine beds, there is only one dresser. There is an urgent need to appoint four more dressers,” the report said. The report further noted that at night, only one nursing officer manages the entire unit.
Despite requests for necessary equipment, little has been done so far. The committee also recommended that burn patients need to have their dressings changed at least four times a day, depending on their condition and the percentage of burns. Given the limited space between the five closely placed beds, the committee suggested separating them using plywood partitions and glass fittings. It also recommended the immediate appointment of at least three additional dressers on an urgent basis. The committee’s report also highlighted similar issues of space shortage, inadequate manpower, and scarcity of equipment at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the premier government medical college and hospital. “Due to shortage of space and a lack of sufficient manpower and equipment, two newborn babies are being kept in a single tray for investigation and observation,” the report stated. It further observed that there is no dedicated ICU facility available for newborns immediately after birth or surgery. Instead, newborn babies were found to be accommodated in rooms designated as SNCU-II, Neonatal Care Unit-I, and the High-Risk Ward, while some of the medical equipment was stored outside the available space in a glass enclosure.
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The report added that despite multiple requests from the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department to the authorities, no action has been taken to provide adequate space, manpower and equipment.
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