ECMO Treatment Begins At AIIMS Bhubaneswar From Today

After a long wait, the life-saving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) treatment facility is all set to begin at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar from today onwards (July 15). The machines were previously not available with the state, which forced the doctors to suggest airlifting of critically-ill Covid-19 patients to other states for treatment. The critical treatment facility, which will be the first in a government hospital in Odisha, was launched on the occasion of the hospital’s ninth Foundation Day today. Back in June, AIIMS Bhubaneswar had placed an order for procurement of two ECMO machines which were delivered on June 29. After the installation and the training of medical personnel to operate the machines, the treatment facility was finally made operational today. Recently, additional chief secretary of the health department had informed that the SCB Hospital in Cuttack will soon receive nine ECMO machines which will be operational by August 15. Apart from this, the state government has also decided to install ECMO machines at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar.