Sambalpur: Power Outage Disrupts Ultrasound Services at Sambalpur Sadar Hospital; Pregnant Women Face Increased Hardship
Sambalpur: The Sambalpur Sadar Hospital lacks proper ultrasound facilities for general patients. Even the ultrasound services available for pregnant women fail to function during power outages. On Saturday, from 7 AM to 5 PM, a power outage disrupted the ultrasound services, leaving pregnant women who had traveled long distances stranded and distressed.
Women Travel Far for Ultrasound Services
Pregnant women from distant areas like Jamankira, Kuchinda, and Naktideul, as well as Sambalpur city and its suburbs, visited the hospital for ultrasounds. Many had traveled over 150 to 200 kilometers, hiring auto-rickshaws or private vehicles. Several women were from labor-class families, with some in critical conditions requiring immediate attention. However, when they arrived at the maternity and gynecology department, the ultrasound machine was non-functional due to the power outage.
Hours of Waiting Yield No Results
Hoping for the power to return, many pregnant women and their families waited patiently. Despite hours of waiting, the machine remained non-operational, leaving them disappointed. Frustration grew among the patients and their families, who were eventually asked to return on Monday for further tests.
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Authorities Promise Reliable Arrangements
The Sadar Hospital has a dedicated Maternal and Child Health (MCH) wing for treating pregnant women. Hospital authorities have consistently claimed that all necessary facilities are in place to ensure smooth health checks. However, Saturday’s incident highlighted a significant gap in preparedness. The ultrasound machine, despite having a backup system, malfunctioned due to a technical issue precisely during the power outage. Repairs took time, and by the evening, it was too late to resume operations.
Hospital Assures Action
Dr. Byasadev Hota, the MCH in-charge, confirmed that the hospital typically ensures uninterrupted ultrasound services for pregnant women, even during power cuts, thanks to a separate machine. However, on Saturday, a rare technical fault occurred, coinciding with the power outage. He added that such disruptions had never happened before and assured that all pending tests would be conducted on Monday.
This incident highlights the urgent need for better maintenance and contingency planning to avoid such inconveniences in the future.
