Post News Network
Cuttack, Feb 23: The SCB Medical College and Hospital authorities have purchased a thoracoscopy machine to ensure quality health service to patients suffering from tuberculosis (TB) and lung ailments.
According to sources, around 50,000 patients across the state are being diagnosed with TB every year.
Ganjam, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh have registered a rise in the number of TB patients in the past several years. Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation are believed to be the main reasons behind rise in TB cases. Besides, smokers are vulnerable to TB, said SCB emergency official Bhubanananda Maharana.
Expressing concern over the rising TB cases, SCB authorities had decided to procure a thoracoscopy machine for pulmonary department. Thoracoscopy is a medical procedure involving internal examination, biopsy or resection of disease or masses within the pleural cavity and thoracic cavity.
SCB is the first government-run hospital in the state to possess thoracoscopy machine which helps cure complex TB cases. Plans are afoot to come up with an intensive care unit at pulmonary department, said the department head Jyoti Patnaik.
According to data available from SCB, the indoor ward registered footfall of 4,358 patients between April 2013 and March 2014 of which 2,366 were TB patients Besides, it was learnt that as many as 30 patients die of TB every month. In January 2015, around 36 patients have died at pulmonary department.
It is also alleged that patients are being inconvenienced due to dearth of beds at pulmonary department. The department has 75 beds of which 45 are meant for TB patients.
