CUTTACK: Only a little over a month since it started functioning, and two accidents later, the Trauma Care Centre at the SCB Medical College and Hospital has flunked a reality check. The unit to provide multi-specialty emergency treatment to accident victims with multiple trauma and injuries was set up under a Central Scheme and opened formally on January 6 this year. But it seems to have been reduced to just another ward without its core functionality and the victims of the accidents are being treated, as usual, in different departments such as Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery.The situation prevails in spite of repeated commitments made before the Orissa High Court by not only the Superintendent of the SCB Medical College and Hospital but also the State Health Secretary and Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET). On February 16, five persons died in a bus accident at Tangi, about 20 km from Cuttack, while 34 injured were shifted to the SCBMCH. As per the norms, they should have been admitted to the Trauma Care Centre. But they were sent to different departments on the basis of the nature of injuries. Today, about six are admitted to the Neurosurgery wing while five others are being treated at the Orthopaedics Department. Only four are being looked after at the Trauma Care Centre.Non-provisioning of adequate infrastructure, equipment, facilities and manpower coupled with acute lack of coordination between the departments concerned has proved to be the bane. The six-bed ICU set up in the first phase has not been made fully operational owing to infrastructural shortcomings like lack of oxygen pipeline and central gas chamber. The OT has also suffered the same problems due to lack of equipment and non-availability of staff at times of emergency, the High Court-appointed advocates committee comprising amicus curiae PR Das and advocate Tarananda Patnaik on Monday found.“There is no interdisciplinary coordination for better management of the facility. As a result, the centre functions for namesake only and accident victims continue to be put in different wards. The Court would be apprised of the status of the centre and the inaction of the Government and hospital authorities in making it fully functional to serve the people better,” Das said.
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