Mammography unit

• Function: It is used to detect breast cancer. From the mammograms or photographs taken through the machine, an oncologist can assess the danger level, and accordingly, the patient is treated 
• Lying defunct since: 2005
• Reason: Absence of specially trained radiologist to operate the machine. Hospital authorities have written to the donor of the machine — the Mumbai-based Nargis Dutt Foundation —to carry out a maintenance of the equipment
• Patient turnout (every week): Prior to March 9, no one turned up for screening 
• Cost of test at private nursing homes: Rs 1000 for single breast and Rs 1900 for both 
• When will it become operational: Once repaired, the machine will be shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital for better use 

Breast cancer has become a major concern for urban women and the Capital Hospital unit should be made functional at the earliest 

Jasaswini Mohapatra
Patient’s kin

Orthopantomogram (OPG)

• Function: Through an OPG, one can take the picture of the entire teeth range of both the jaws. An OPG photograph can also resolve problems with jawbones and their joints
• Lying unused since: 2007
• Reason: Absence of radiologists. The hospital has two permanent and three contractual radiographers. But, five more contractual radiographers are required to run the unit
• Patient turnout (every week): More than 20
• Cost of test at private nursing homes: Rs 600
• When will it become operational: No till additional radiographers are appointed

Capital Hospital was the first hospital in the city 
to have an OPG in 2007, but the machine is lying unused and we are forced to spend more money at private facilities

Akshaya Rath
Patient’s kin

Mobile ultrasonogram

• Function: Mobile ultrasonogram helps to know position of baby in mother’s womb or the criticality of the situation as the mother-to-be cannot come to the ultrasound room walking or on a wheelchair
• Lying unused since: 2010
• Reason: Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act makes it mandatory for all such machine is to be registered in the name of a gynaecologist or sonography specialist. But, the registration is yet to be done
• Average patient turnout (every week): More than 30
• Cost of test at private nursing homes: Rs 1000, while the hospital will charge Rs 500
• When will it become operational: After the registration process gets over

Women in advanced stage of pregnancy face major inconvenience as there is only one ultrasound machine at the hospital. The mobile ultrasound machine should be made active

Bandita Mohanty
Patient’s kin

Dialysis Unit

• Function: The machine does the work of an artificial kidney as the patient fails to use his or her organ for the purpose 
• Lying defunct since: Past three years after its inauguration in August 2010
• Reason: Bad maintenance. Service engineers told the hospital authorities that the cost of repairing the defunct machine would be the same as purchasing a new one. Also, there is no nephrologist to manage it
• Average patient turnout (every week): 30
• Cost of test at private nursing homes: Rs 2200, while hospital used to charge Rs 300 when it started in 2010
• When will it become operational: Authorities have no answer to it

The dialysis unit should be made operational as it can be big help for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease or awaiting transplant

Pabitra Mohan Sahoo
CKD patient

"We have initiated steps, so that the mammography machine will be available for the patients. However, as decided it will be shifted to the SCB hospital in Cuttack. On the other hand, purchase order will shortly be issued for a new dialysis unit. As for other issues, steps for better service will be initiated shortly"

BB Patnaik
director, Capital Hospital