Many patients are being deprived of CT scan service at Chattogram Medical College Hospital for a month as the hospital's lone CT scan machine has been out of order since October.

CMCH is the only government hospital that provides CT scan service in the greater Chattogram region, serving around 100 patients daily.

At CMCH, the service can be availed for Tk 2,000-4,000, greatly benefiting poor patients as private diagnostic centres offer it for Tk 6,000-15,000.

Doctors advise for CT scan to diagnose suspected brain stroke, head injury, complications in chest or abdomen, or any injury or lesion in the body, said Prof Dr Sujat Paul, former head of medicine department at CMCH.

CMCH began CT scan service in 2006. After its first machine stopped working in 2014, the service remained halted till 2019.

A new Hitachi machine was then commissioned for Tk 7 crore, which worked seamlessly until it went out of order on October 24.

"The machine first malfunctioned on June 6 and service remained halted for 17 days. As the warranty of the machine is till 2026, we informed the local agent Meditel Private Limited as they are responsible for its maintenance until the warranty expires," said Prof Subas Majumder, head of Department of Radiology and Imaging at CMCH.

"They fixed the problem and the service resumed on June 24. The machine, however, went out of order again on October 24," he said.

"Meditel officials said a tube of the machine needs replacement, but they are yet to replace it," he added.

"Our enquiry found that someone cut the earthing cable from outside the CT scan room, which caused a tube of the machine to malfunction when it was turned on," said Babul Miah, technical manager of Meditel.

"They fixed the problem and the service resumed on June 24. The machine, however, went out of order again on October 24"

— Prof Subas Majumder Head of Department of Radiology and Imaging at CMCH

Now the company said they would not replace the tube unless CMCH authority buys it, as the damage was due to a security issue which is not under the purview of warranty conditions, he said, adding, "We have informed the CMCH authority about it."

"Two Meditel staffers have been working at the CT scan room every day for the machine's maintenance so they would know better. Two other earthing cables are still there, why would the machine's earthing cable be damaged?" said CMCH director Brig Gen Shamim Ahsan.

"Actually, they are dilly dallying to fix the machine. I sent the company a letter on November 15 for taking immediate steps to solve the issue," he added.