Orissa high court orders expedited installation of CT scan machine for paediatric patients

Cuttack: Orissa high court has directed the state govt to expedite the installation of slice CT scan machine at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP), Cuttack, which was originally meant for SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH).

The court said it would monitor the progress after four months.A division bench of Justices S K Sahoo and V Narasingh passed the order on Thursday after taking note of affidavits filed by superintendent of SCB, Dr Goutam Kumar Satpathy, and managing director of Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd (OSMCL), Dr Poma Tudu.In their affidavits, both had informed the court that the equipment, “which is ready for delivery, was actually intended for the SCB redevelopment site and that the delivery of the said CT scan machine will be taken and the machine shall be installed based on on-site readiness after completion of the redevelopment programme of SCBMCH, Cuttack”.Noting that the Rs12-crore machine was lying unused while “patients from SVPPGIP better known as Sishu Bhawan are referred to SCBMCH for the purposes of scanning due to non-availability of slice CT scan machine at the paediatric hospital”, the bench explored the feasibility of shifting it to Sishu Bhawan. Dr Pravakar Mishra, superintendent of Sishu Bhawan, had informed the court that space “would not be a deterrent factor” and that the machine “can also cater to the needs of the paediatric patients”.

The court was later informed through written instructions on Oct 23, from the deputy secretary, health and family welfare department, that a meeting chaired by the commissioner-cum-secretary found that “SVPPGIP, Cuttack presently lacks site readiness for installation of the slice CT scan machine”. The superintendent has been “directed to take immediate steps to ensure that the site is made ready”, and “considering all necessary regulatory clearances, the tentative period for infrastructure readiness is six months”.However, the court was told that the ancillary infrastructure work would be “expedited... and is likely to be completed within a period of four months hence”. The state counsel clarified that “the state govt has no objection for installation of the slice CT scan machine in Sishu Bhawan...keeping in view the welfare of the paediatric patients”.OSMCL’s counsel S Tripathi assured the court that procedural aspects would be looked into so that there is no delay.

“This court expects that all the stakeholders would take proactive steps to ensure that the slice CT scan machine is installed at the earliest in the Sishu Bhawan,” the bench observed.The court also took note of the advocates’ committee’s suggestion to appoint more qualified technicians for operating high-end machines like CT, MRI and ultrasound. The additional govt advocate assured that the issue of manpower would be addressed to “reduce the time consumed for conducting the tests”. The bench listed the matter for further hearing on Feb 12, 2026.