Lofty promises, broken reality: Cuttack’s SCB Medical College faces delays, staff shortages

Despite promises of AIIMS-like transformation, SCB, the state’s first med college, reels under challenges.

TOI

examines the problems & solutions

Despite lofty promises to outshine AIIMS, Cuttack’s SCB Medical College and Hospital remains trapped in decay, crippled by collapsing infrastructure, staff shortages and a trail of unfulfilled commitments.Orissa high court has repeatedly pulled up the authorities over the hospital’s deteriorating condition, raising questions about the pace and sincerity of its much-publicised upgrade.

According to a professor of the institution, patient attendance is nearly twice the hospital’s bed strength. The hospital has around 2,700 functional beds, but about 4,000 patients receive treatment at any given time. Many patients are unable to get beds and end up sleeping on the floor, he added.“Many critical patients are treated in general wards instead of the ICU because the number of ICU beds is insufficient to meet demand. The patient-doctor ratio is very poor, resulting in excessive workload for doctors, nurses, and staff,” said another faculty member.

Last year, water from an overflowing drain flooded the autopsy room at SCB, making it difficult to conduct post-mortem examinations. Diagnostic facilities are also inadequate to handle the volume of patients.

“The govt should add more MRI, ultrasound and CT scan machines to ease the pressure on patients,” said Pradyumna Behera, an attendant of a patient from Jagatsinghpur.In response, SCB superintendent Dr Goutam Satpathy said necessary steps are being taken. “We have already communicated the issues to the health and family welfare department. An increase in bed strength and manpower, along with the completion of redevelopment work, will solve most of the issues of the hospital,” he added.SCB’s redevelopment is divided into two parts: the clinical package and the residential package. Though work on the project began on Jan 10, 2022, construction is progressing at a slow pace.The clinical package comprises four clinical blocks, two utility blocks and a town centre. It was scheduled for completion by July 9, 2024, but the deadline has been extended to Dec 2025, health minister Mukesh Mahaling informed the state assembly last year.The residential package, which includes residential units and hostels for male and female students, was originally slated for completion by Jan 9, 2024, but its deadline has already been revised twice.Dr Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra, former superintendent of SCB, stressed that infrastructure construction and maintenance must be flawless and free of corruption. “The engineers must be brought under the administrative control of the dean-principal or medical superintendent,” said Mishra.He added that procurement of all instruments, equipment, drugs, consumables and disposables should be managed by an expert committee. “The outdated system of L-1 purchase (lowest-cost bidding) should be scrapped to ensure quality,” said Mishra.Orissa high court has recently heard multiple cases related to liver transplants, bone marrow transplants, kidney transplants, shortages of manpower and the arrangement of basic amenities for patients at SCB.On April 3, 2024, SCB became the first govt hospital in the state to conduct a liver transplant. The second procedure was carried out on Sept 9, but the process was stopped thereafter following the lapse of an agreement between the state govt and a Hyderabad-based hospital.On Aug 14, the high court directed the state to conduct an assessment to determine the most suitable institute to partner with SCB for liver transplants.

The govt is expected to submit a detailed progress report to the court on Sept 4.On Aug 20, the high court also directed the state to submit an affidavit detailing the steps taken regarding the alleged deaths of 125 patients who underwent kidney transplants at SCB. The directive came during the hearing of a PIL filed by a Bhubaneswar-based trust, which sought a high-level probe and compensation for the victims’ families.The court has also criticised the govt for delays in resuming bone marrow transplant (BMT) services at SCB. The dedicated BMT unit was established in Feb 2014, offering free treatment, from investigations to recovery, with all costs borne by the govt. Generally, the procedure costs between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 30 lakh.