The Advocates’ Committee, constituted by the Orissa High Court to inspect the quality of healthcare services at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack, has found severe space shortage, inadequate manpower, and scarcity of equipment at the burn and newborn care units of the premier state-run facility.

Quoting Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery department’s Dr Biswajit Mishra, the committee, in its fact-finding report, informed the HC that each burn patient should ideally be kept in an isolated cabin as there is a significant possibility of infection among them. There is also an acute shortfall of essential manpower, such as nursing officers and dressers. “The unit has been functioning in a very limited space and has only nine intensive care unit (ICU) beds. Out of the nine be

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