Bhubaneswar: Amid increasing demand for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment for critically ill COVID-infected patients, AIIMS-Bhubaneswar has decided to start the facility by procuring two machines.
At least one machine is expected to be installed at the premier healthcare institute by the end of this month.
According to hospital sources, the Indian agency of a foreign company with which it has placed the order has assured to deliver the machine within three to four weeks.
“Some faculty members are currently being trained in handling ECMO machines and the institute is hiring more skilled technicians to operate the life-saving machine,” informed Medical Superintendent, Sachhidanada Mohanty.
It will help the patients who are being referred to healthcare facilities outside the state for ECMO support, he added.
The AIIMS had earlier floated an e-tender in November last year following the outbreak of COVID-19 but received no response from any vendor as these machines are not manufactured in India.
Meanwhile, the state government has also initiated a tender process for procurement of six machines to start an ECMO unit at SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack.
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