Bhubaneswar, Aug 27 (FN Representative) The biggest ECMO unit in the entire eastern region of the county was inaugurated on Friday in SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) unit with nine machines set up at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for the benefit of the people.
The ECMO unit set up at the SCB Medical College and Hospital is the first in the country to provide expensive ECMO treatment free of cost to the people. Inaugurating the unit, Mr Patnaik said the patients would not have to spend a penny as the entire treatment expenses will be borne by the government. He hoped that the ECMO unit would play an important role in saving lives and the seriously ill patients would not have to move to other states anymore to get such treatment. ECMO treatment is also available in AIIMS Bhubaneswar and SUM hospital, Bhubaneswar.
Mr Patnaik said the second wave of the Corona had created a serious situation in the country but Odisha could keep the situation under control due to advanced planning and proper management. He said the government is giving importance to the treatment of children at the Covid hospitals and making necessary arrangements at the district level after experts apprehended that the children would be more affected by the possible third wave. The Chief Minister said though lockdown restrictions have been relaxed the covid threat is far from over. He appealed to people to remain alert and follow all covid appropriate behaviour to protect the children from corona infection. Mr Patnaik appealed to people to wear masks, regularly wash their hands, maintain social distance and stay away from crowded places to protect the children from the virus.