VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla

Sambalpur, March 21: The VSS Medical College and Hospital in Burla, the biggest government health care facility in west Odisha, does not provide 24-hour ultrasound service in the hospital and the authorities concerned blame staff crunch for this.

Though the hospital here provides round-the-clock X-ray and CT scan service, the ultrasound facility is only available to the patients from 10am to 6pm.

“Emergency patients, who come to hospital at night, have to depend on the private clinics for this test and spend a lot of money,” said local resident Bhuban Biswal.

A doctor at the hospital said: “The 24-hour ultrasound facility is essential at the hospital. Emergency patients of abdominal and labour pain, who visit the hospital at night, face severe problems.”

Associate professor at the radio diagnosis department of the hospital B.B. Panda said: “The hospital is unable to provide the round-the-clock ultrasound facility because of staff crunch. The sanctioned strength of the department is 15. However, we are running the department with four doctors.”