Cuttack, Feb 2: The Orissa High Court on Thursday directed the state government to inform it within a week till when PET-CT scan machines will be operational in MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital in Balasore and Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital.
The High Court had directed the Odisha government on April 4, 2023 to set up PET-CT scan machines in the three hospitals. However, the state government was delaying to implement the court's order.
The petitioner apprised the court this matter on Thursday following which the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Dr. Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi and Justice M S Raman directed the state government to reply in this regard within the next one week.
Earlier, the state government had apprised the Orissa High Court about the difficulties in setting up PET-CT scan facility in the three hospitals.
The state government in its affidavit had said that radio isotopes, a key component of PET-CT scan, are short-lived. The radio isotopes are tansported from Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata which takes around four hours from despatch point.
After reaching Bhubaneswar, it will take over three hours to reach the three hospitals. Thus, it will be delayed by seven hours altogether which will affect the viability of isotopes.
However, the petitioner in the reply informed the court that it is possible to set up PET-CT scan machines in the three hospitals. The court had directed the state government to set up PET-CT scan machines in the hospitals accepting the petitioner’s affidavit.
