Odisha CM dedicates Eastern India’s largest ECMO unit at SCB

Cuttack: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated 9 ECMO machines, the largest ECMO unit in eastern India, to people of Odisha at the SCB Medical College & Hospital here ahead of imminent COVID-19 third wave.

With operation of the medical equipment at the State-run hospital, the critical COVID patients will no longer travel to other States for ECMO treatment as the State Government will bear all the expenses towards expensive treatment of the patients.

“The ECMO treatment is very costly. But, the State Government will provide the treatment free of cost to critical COVID patients,” Patnaik said in a video message after inaugurating 9 ECMO machines at the State-run hospital in Cuttack today.

Speaking on the devastation caused by COVID-19, he said, “The second wave of the pandemic was much painful. Even as the lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, the pandemic is not yet over. We have to remain more cautious for the impending third wave.”

According to medical experts, children will be affected severely during the third wave, the CM stated urging citizens to adhere to COVID safety protocols to save children from deadly virus.

The State Government has recruited highly qualified medical professionals for the ECMO unit at the SCB.

Worth mentioning, many COVID patients require ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) treatment post their recovery. The Government has decided to keep 9 machines in two units.

Source said that a large unit using 6 ECMO machines will be made available for COVID recovered patients and another small one using three ECMO machines for the infectees at the hospital.