Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 20: The lone CT scanner at Capital Hospital has conked out after authorities failed to renew a contract for its periodic maintenance.
Hundreds of patients visiting the hospital daily can no longer get a CT (computed tomography) scan at the hospital till the scanner is either repaired or replaced, sources said. CT scans are routinely recommended by doctors for medical imaging to supplement X-rays and medical sonography.
The scanner, donated anonymously to the hospital in 2003, was a complex piece of machinery and needed maintenance at least thrice a month.
Sources said the CT scanner was maintained by a private company with which the hospital had an agreement. The company charged `20 lakh every year for the maintenance. The agreement expired mid-June, and the company stopped its maintenance, leading to the scanner becoming defunct earlier this week.
Hundreds of patients depending upon the lone scanner put a heavy burden on it, resulting in its defunct condition, said an official. “At least 10 to 15 patients approach here regularly for CT scans as prescribed by doctors. The machine often malfunctions due to this heavy rush,” said an official here seeking anonymity.
Patients are charged Rs 1,000 for a CT scan at Capital Hospital, much less than the `2,000-5,000 that one has to pay at private clinics. “My wife is suspected to have a tumor in her brain, and was referred by a doctor here for a CT scan. As the service is not available at the hospital anymore, I spent almost `3,000 to avail the service at a nearby private clinic,” said Brahmananda Biswal, a resident of Nayagarh who had approached the hospital for his wife’s treatment.
Malfunctioning of expensive equipment is nothing new at Capital Hospital. Many hi-tech machines here are lying defunct for a long time, including mammography and dialysis machines to name a few.
“We have written to the government seeking to float fresh tenders for providing maintenance. The problem will be resolved soon. Patients can soon re-avail the CT scan service here,” said Capital Hospital director BB Mahapatra.
