Patnaik inaugurates ECMO facility

Cuttack: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday inaugurated eastern India's largest ECMO facility in Cuttack for providing free treatment to critically ill COVID-19 patients.

The facility, having nine ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machines, was set up at the SCB Medical and College Hospital.

"The patients of Odisha now need not be airlifted to other states for the ECMO treatment," Patnaik said, launching the facility as the state readies to fight the possible third wave of the pandemic.

"Though it is a costly treatment, the people of Odisha will get the service free of cost. The state government will bear all the expenses," he said.

Patnaik said the ECMO facility in Cuttack is the largest such facility in eastern India as nowhere nine ECMO machines are available in one place.

"The second wave of the pandemic was very much painful. Even as the lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, the pandemic is not yet over. We have to remain more cautious for the impending third wave," he said.

In a video message, Patnaik said health experts have predicted that more children will be infected in the possible third wave.