Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan directs SAIL to put in ECMO machine at Rourkela Ispat Hospital

By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR:  As the demand for extracorporeal strategy of offering each cardiac and respiratory help to crucial Covid-19 sufferers to save lots of life is rising, Union Minister for Petroleum and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday directed the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) to put in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machines in 5 hospitals underneath its jurisdiction.

Pradhan gave the route to SAIL Chairperson Soma Mondal throughout dedication of a 114-bedded oxygenated Covid care facility in Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) in Chhattisgarh.

The Ispat Post Graduate Institute (IPGI) and Super Speciality Hospital (IPGI-SSH) at Rourkela which has been augmented with an ICU and ventilator facility to supply therapy to Covid sufferers can have one ECMO machine. This well being care facility with 100 beds was inaugurated by Pradhan lately.

He additional directed the SAIL authority to make needed preparations for working the machine which requires specialised coaching.

The Union Minister assured that SAIL will maintain the households of its staff and employees who died of coronavirus.

“There have been demands from different quarters including employees and labour unions for a compensation package to the families who lost their bread earners. SAIL has never abandoned its responsibility during any crisis. I assure on behalf of SAIL that a decision on the issue will be taken by its board soon,” Pradhan mentioned.

Similarly, the BJP has requested the State authorities to put in ECMO machines in all of the Medical Colleges and Hospitals of the State. In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, State BJP vice-president Brugu Baxipatra mentioned media reported that the State authorities has positioned orders for six ECMO machines for SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. 

He mentioned western and southern Odisha districts are distant from Cuttack. There is not any air ambulance facility to carry critical Covid sufferers in want of ECMO respiratory help from distant Malkangiri or Kalahandi districts.

Besides, over-dependence on SCB MCH will add strain on the prevailing infrastructure of the premier hospital. He requested the Chief Minister to supply such crucial amenities in hospitals in different elements of the State which can go a great distance to supply well timed well being service to crucial sufferers.