BHUBANESWAR: As the demand for extracorporeal technique of providing both cardiac and respiratory support to critical Covid-19 patients to save life is increasing, Union Minister for Petroleum and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday directed the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) to install Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machines in five hospitals under its jurisdiction.
Pradhan gave the direction to SAIL Chairperson Soma Mondal during 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 provide treatment to Covid patients will have one ECMO machine. This health care facility with 100 beds was inaugurated by Pradhan recently.
He further directed the SAIL authority to make necessary arrangements for operating the machine which requires specialised training.
The Union Minister assured that SAIL will take care of the families of its employees and workers 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 said.
Similarly, the BJP has requested the State government to install ECMO machines in all the Medical Colleges and Hospitals of the State. In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, State BJP vice-president Brugu Baxipatra said media reported that the State government has placed orders for six ECMO machines for SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack.
He said western and southern Odisha districts are far away from Cuttack. There is no air ambulance facility to lift serious Covid patients in need of ECMO respiratory support from far away Malkangiri or Kalahandi districts.
Besides, over-dependence on SCB MCH will add pressure on the existing infrastructure of the premier hospital. He requested the Chief Minister to provide such critical facilities in hospitals in other parts of the State which will go a long way to provide timely health service to critical patients.