Power failure during surgery triggers panic at MKCG Medical College in Odisha’s Berhampur

A major power disruption during a surgical procedure at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur has raised serious concerns over infrastructure maintenance and patient safety.

According to reports, an operation was underway in the Surgery Department when a sudden power failure plunged the operation theatre into darkness, causing panic among the medical team. 

Although power supply from the generator was restored shortly after, electricity reportedly failed to reach the operation theatre for some time, leaving the surgical procedure affected.

Sources said the patient undergoing surgery hails from Padmapur area of Rayagada district. The disruption allegedly occurred due to a malfunction in the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) system meant exclusively for the operation theatre.

It is alleged that the UPS systems have not been properly maintained, leading to the unexpected power failure at a critical moment. The responsibility for maintenance of the UPS and electrical infrastructure lies with the hospital’s General Electrical Division (GED). However, the lack of timely repair and routine maintenance is being cited as the primary reason behind the incident.

While no official response has been received from the GED authorities, Professor Durga Madhab Satapathy, the Superintendent of MKCG Medical College and Hospital, has acknowledged the power disruption. He stated that the incident occurred due to a technical issue in the UPS system and assured that necessary repair and maintenance work has been initiated.

Hospital authorities have said that steps are being taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur and that the issue will be resolved at the earliest.

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“The doctors were preparing for surgery when the power went off. However, the power was restored using generators within around 1 minute and 6 seconds. We are now trying to repair the UPS systems. We have requested the concerned departments for their approvals,” Satapathy said.