Archive · 22 Aug 2025
Odisha Hospital Admits Patients Face Death Risk Due to Equipment Shortage
A major hospital in Odisha, India, is facing serious problems.
The hospital doesn't have enough life-saving machines and backup equipment for heart surgeries, putting patients at risk.
The hospital officials have told the court that patients could die if a machine fails during surgery.
They haven't bought important tools for a long time.
There's also not enough staff.
The court is upset that the different parts of the government health system aren't communicating well and haven't fixed the equipment shortages, which is endangering patients' lives.
Odisha's SCB Medical College & Hospital faces critical equipment shortages in its cardiothoracic vascular surgery wing.
Hospital authorities admitted patients face potential death due to lack of backup equipment.
The hospital hasn't procured essential equipment for open heart surgery for a decade.
There's a shortage of manpower in both CTVS and ECMO units.
The High Court expressed dismay over the lack of communication within the Health Department.
- Who
- Patients undergoing cardiothoracic vascular surgery at SCB Medical College & Hospital.
- What
- Critical shortages of medical equipment and manpower in the cardiothoracic vascular surgery wing of SCB Medical College & Hospital.
- When
- Equipment procurement requests have been made since 2017-2018 and letters were sent from March 2023 onwards.
- Where
- SCB Medical College & Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha.
- Why
- Due to lack of backup equipment and lack of communication within the Health Department.
Hospital Administration
Health Department
Equipment Supply
Hospital Administration
The hospital is facing critical shortages, and patients are at risk due to lack of equipment.
Health Department
The Health Department is indifferent towards the issue of equipment supply.
- Hospital
- SCB Medical College & Hospital (SCBMCH)
- Location
- Cuttack, Odisha
- Department Affected
- Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery (CTVS) and ECMO Unit of Cardiology
- Daily OPD Patients
- 6,000 to 7,000
- Equipment Procured (Last time)
- 2015
- Items requested
- 46