PRAYAGRAJ: At Prayagraj’s Moti Lal Nehru Divisional hospital, also known widely asColvin Hospital, nearly a dozen orthopedic patients are left waiting indefinitely for their surgeries because the hospital’s C-arm machine has been lying defunct for two months.
With no immediate solution in sight, patients are being referred to private hospitals, where the costs are far beyond the reach of most.
The C-arm is vital in orthopedic procedures, providing live X-ray images of bones to guide surgeons with precision.
Colvin Hospital once had two machines, but one had already become nonfunctional earlier. The second breakdown has brought surgeries to a standstill.
Patients have raised concerns that shifting to private hospitals not only forces them to spend several times more on surgery but also compels them to undergo repeat tests already performed at Colvin—adding to both cost and suffering. Complaints have been raised, but no corrective action has followed.
Doctors say replacing the machine requires ₹15–20 lakh, but what’s equally worrying is the absence of a readily available repair mechanism or a specialized team of biomedical engineers who can maintain such critical equipment.
In government hospitals, where the poorest seek care to avoid the crushing bills of private facilities, such systemic gaps have devastating consequences.
The orthopedics OPD at Colvin treats 150–200 patients every day, and about 60–70 surgeries are performed every month. Until a replacement arrives, surgical care for hundreds of patients remains uncertain.
Dr. S.K. Chaudhary, Chief Medical Superintendent, confirmed that a request has been sent to the government, and surgeries will resume only once a new machine is installed.
This situation highlights the urgent need not just for new equipment but for a permanent maintenance and repair framework in public hospitals, so that poor and middle-class patients do not continue to suffer due to administrative inertia and technical neglect.
Key Points
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Equipment Malfunction | C-arm machine nonfunctional for two months; surgeries on hold. |
| Lack of Repair Mechanism | No in-house engineers or urgent repair system to restore broken machines. |
| Patient Impact | Poor patients are referred to costly private hospitals; repeat tests are required. |
| Financial Constraint | Replacement costs ₹15–20 lakh; repair teams could reduce such expenses. |
| Service Load | OPD sees 150–200 patients daily; 60–70 surgeries each month. |
| Government Response | Letter sent for new procurement; no timeline for resumption of surgeries. |
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