Cuttack SCB Medical College & Hospital’s sterilisation unit gathers dust

With many advanced healthcare facilities available, Cuttack’s SCB Medical College and Hospital is considered one of the most preferred and sought-after hospitals across the State. Surprisingly, the premier health institute’s sterilisation unit is now gathering dust.According to sources, out of the seven sterilisation machines, only one is functional at the hospital. Despite a private firm being outsourced to look after the machines, six of them remain out of service, sparking questions about hygiene standards.The sterilisation unit, which caters to over 50 operations theatres of 18 departments, is now lying in neglect, forcing patients to wait longer for surgeries, raising concerns about infection control and overall safety.”The six machines which are not functioning did not develop snag on a single day. Why are they not being repaired? Neither the hospital authorities nor the Health Department is concerned over the matter. The house that stores the machines worth crores also lies in dilapidated condition,” alleged Achyuta Kumar Sahoo, a social worker.Meanwhile, hospital authorities have assured that repair work will be expedited, but the current state of affairs has left patients and their families worried about the quality of care.Prashant Kumar Dehuri, area service manager of KTPL, the outsourcing agency looking after the maintenance, said, “The machines have had problems since their warranty period. The suppliers even could not fix them. I think this will be resolved in two to three days.”“There is a pharmacist and two attendants in the sterilisation department. The malfunction of the sterilisation unit has not affected patient care. However, the machines will be repaired in two to three days,” said Dr Abinash Rout, Registrar Administration, SCB Medical College and Hospital.