CT Scan machine in SMCH is defunct, patients should rush to Civil, informs VP, Bhaskar Gupta

People of Barak Valley are saluting the efforts of Silchar Medical College and Hospital which has successfully cured and discharged a COVID19 positive patient and is currently treating another one. However, there is a huge section who are facing immense problems with regards to healthcare, many of them even lost their near and dear ones.

Recently, industrialist Ranadhir Tarat lost his wife untimely. The 60-year-old National Highway road resident was allegedly rushed to Silchar Medical College and Hospital where the emergency ward did not have a single doctor to treat the patient. Relative of the Tarats said that after running for some time they managed to find a doctor who asked to get a CT Scan done. They then discovered that the CT scan machine in SMCH is not functioning and they immediately rushed to private nursing homes, which did not even bother to open the gate. Eventually after losing precious time she was taken to Silchar Civil Hospital where she succumbed before getting a CT scan done.

Today during the media briefing, Dr. Bhaskar Gupta, vice-principal of Silchar Medical College and Hospital and the official spokesperson during COVID19 was asked about the recent complaints. Gupta replied, “The CT Scan machine in Silchar Medical College is out of order. It encountered a major technical fault and a part needs to replaced. We don’t have this part available in Guwahati and it needs to be shipped from Delhi. Due to the ongoing lockdown, we are unable to get this part delivered and that is why the machine is not functioning.”

It is worth mentioning here, that the government of Assam has signed a memorandum of understanding with the private nursing homes according to which they should treat each and every patient following the Ayushman Bharat rate card. But if they don’t open the gate where should patients go? “Civil Hospital” is what Bhaskar Gupta suggested. He said, “In case of emergency, people can rush to the Civil Hospital Silchar where there is a functional CT Scan machine. For the patients admitted in Silchar Medical College and Hospital the administration, they will be stretchered to the Civil hospital for CT scan and then back to the SMCH.”

Silchar Medical College and Hospital currently has a COVID19 patient admitted and that is consuming a lot of resources due to which the regular activities are suffering, informed Gupta. He said though SMCH has already transitioned to a normal hospital from being a dedicated destination for COVID19 cases, they have still imposed certain restrictions and admitting only critical patients.

“Many of our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff are under quarantine. Whoever is treating the COVID19 positive patient in SMCH will have to go for a compulsory hiatus. The longer he remains positive the more the number of staff will be and keeping that in mind, we have imposed the restriction,” Gupta informed.

The patient from Karimganj is still admitted, his samples are yet to test negative. Dr. Gupta said as the patient is suffering from blood cancer and diabetes, the recovery is taking longer.