Patients suffer due to indecisive administration
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 9: The general public of Jammu is continuously suffering due to the indecisive administration in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu as due to their incompetence a 3 Tesla Upgraded MRI Machine worth crores is awaiting installation for last three months in the Medical College.
Official sources said that taking cognizance of the numerous complaints regarding long waiting time for MRI Scans in GMCH Jammu as the lone 1.5 Tesla MRI machine in the Hospital was failing to cater to the huge rush of patients from whole Jammu region, the Health and Medical Education Department in February 2017 accorded sanction to procurement of one 1.5 Tesla MRI Machine for installation and use in Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu to ease rush on the existing machine installed at GMCH Jammu.
“However, in minutes of meeting dated 18-01-2019 chaired by then Advisor to Governor, Health and Medical Education Department, Vijay Kumar, it was resolved that procurement of 3 Tesla MRI Machine will be procured instead of proposed 1.5 Telsa as in Kashmir, three 3 Tesla MRI Machines are in place while no such upgraded machine is in Jammu,” sources said.
Sources said it was also resolved in the meeting that the machine will be installed at Old Medical Record Section near Department of Radio-diagnosis and it was directed to then Principal, GMCH Jammu to do correspondence with JKMSCL, for the procurement of 3 Tesla MRI Machine for which an amount of Rs 6.5 crore was already sanctioned in Capex Budget for GMC Jammu and it was assured by the then Advisor that balance amount shall be released subsequently.
“In compliance to the directions received from then Advisor, then Principal wrote to Managing Director JKMSCL, with reference to then Professor and Head Department of Radio-diagnosis vide letter dated 28-05-2018 and requested for procurement of 3 Tesla MRI Machine for GMC Jammu,” they said.
Accordingly, sources said, tenders were floated by JKMSCL for procurement of 3 Tesla MRI Machine and team of experts comprising senior faculty from Department of Radio-diagnosis finalized tender specifications and the same was submitted to the then MD JKMSCL. Further, the technical feasibility matching the specification of MRI machine was also worked out and GMC Jammu was finalized as suitable site being near to parent department for installation of the MRI machine.
“Finally, following all procedures JKMSCL under rules placed order on 26-09-2019 to Philips Medical Systems Nederland BV through Philips India Limited after the approval of State level purchase committee on 1-08-2019,” sources informed and added that the concerned company for the last three months has been struggling for the necessary permission of incumbent Principal GMC Jammu to install the MRI Machine but no final decision has been taken yet by him in spite of five reminders by the company.
Sources said the concerned company is facing a bitter experience at GMCH Jammu as the company engineers were called twice during COVID times but Principal GMC Jammu failed to take final call on installation of the MRI Machine, irrespective of the fact that patients have been suffering immensely.
“The lone existing MRI Machine in GMCH Jammu often found non-functional for one or other reasons and public have to wait for the days to get an MRI Scan which compels them to shift to private setups for their urgent MRI, which costs them almost three times the actual cost of MRI at GMCH Jammu,” sources rued.
They said that when public and whole nation is affected economically by the current COVID pandemic, paying three times from pocket by general public increases their sufferings but the Principal GMCH Jammu failed to take decision on this urgent issue of public health.
Sources further disclosed that the Incumbent HoD Radio-diagnosis want the MRI Machine to be installed at GMCH but Medical Superintendent of the Hospital is opposing it while stating that any modification of the existing structure will be deviation of initial order for installation of MRI and it will not only be violation of original orders of the authority but can also threaten the safety of exiting structure in GMC hospital if infrastructure modification are allowed. Further, the MS said any compromise with MRD Department will be violation of Regulatory authorities.
“It is very unfortunate that even after the timely supply order by JKMSCL, the GMC authorities fail to install critical machinery and equipment at the desired site, which is totally against the patient care,” sources regretted and asseterd that the Government should immediately intervene and sort out the issue in the interest of patient care.
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