CT scanner at Goa Medical College breaks down

The usually crowded corridors of the CT Scan centre at Government Medical College and Hospital wore a deserted look on Thursday. The reason: Intermittent breakdown of the sole Computerised Tomography (CT) Scan machine there on Wednesday. However, by Thursday evening the problem was rectified. “There was a cable wire that needed to be replaced. Once that was done, we started the machine”, said medical superintendent Dr Rajan Kunkolienkar.

At least 40 to 50 patients undergo scanning at the CT scan machine at GMC each day. With the machine out of order, the patients were either being diverted to private hospitals or asked to wait till the machine was repaired, said sources.

There is usually a huge rush to GMC for CT scans as the service is free. Hospital sources said the failure was due to lack of maintenance and overworking of the machine. “Any machine needs to be maintained and repaired on a regular basis. But the CT scan is being used 24X7, thus making it difficult to ensure that the machine is well-maintained,” said a GMC official. tnn Said a patient’s relative, “The doctor at GMC advised us to go for a CT scan for my grandmother. However, when we reached the CT scan centre we were told that the CT scan is not working and it would be two or three days before it is repaired”.