Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 13: Two 64 channel Digital Electro Encephalogy Graph (EEG) machine and the only Electro Myo Graph (EMG)/Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV) Machine, which together amounts to Rs 90 lakh are gathering dust in Neurology Department of prestigious Government Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu for last about two years due to the suspicious attitude of HOD Neurology, attitude of hospital authorities as well as lack of technicians.
According to the sources, the two EEG machines were purchased in 2007 under Pradhan Mantri Swasth Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) project at an approximate cost of Rs 36 lakh each to help doctors of Neurology Department to diagnose epilepsy, type of seizures occurring, to check for problems with loss of consciousness or dementia, help find out a person’s chance of recovery after a change in consciousness and study sleep disorders such as narcolepsy in patients so that patients can be given proper treatment and medicines after diagnosing their diseases accurately.
“However, not even a single test was conducted on these machines till date. What to talk of installing the machines and conducting tests on them even the packings of the machines have not been opened till date after they were shifted to GSSH in 2013, from GMCH where they were gathering dust from 2007 to 2013,” sources said adding the warranty period of these machines has already expired but these costly machines could not be installed due to the delaying attitude of hospital administration and suspicious attitude of the concerned HOD, who allegedly always created hurdles in installation of machines whenever the engineers were called for the purpose, as a similar machine he has kept in his diagnostic laboratory, which he runs from his residence.
Sources further said, “Same is the case with EMG machine of the hospital, the approximate cost of which is Rs 15 lakh. The machine, which is used to conduct tests for detecting abnormal muscle electrical activity in many diseases and conditions, including inflammation of muscles, pinched nerves, damage to nerves in the arms and legs, disc herniation and degenerative diseases, was installed in Neurology Department of GSSH in April 2013 and till October 2013 doctors conducted many tests on it but since then it is also gathering dust and even a single test was not conducted on it during the last about two years though the machine is in good working condition”.
They further said that as all these tests are conducted by specialized doctors or trained technicians therefore keeping in view this fact four posts (one of EEG Technician Supervisor, One of EMG Technician, One each of EEG and EMG Technicians) were created in GSSH by the Government in its Order No 223-HME of 2010 dated March 4, 2010 and about five to six candidates applied for these posts which were advertised on October 30, 2013 in leading local newspapers but till date neither interviews of the candidates were conducted nor the posts were filled on merit basis, reasons best known to the concerned authorities.
However, when contacted Dr BR Kundal, acting Head, Department of Neurology, refuted the charges of creating hurdles in installation of EEG machines and instead trained gun on hospital administration saying that he wrote many times to the hospital administration to provide a suitable room for installation of the machines, as the room provided by them is very small and does not meet all the requirements but even after several reminders they failed to provide adequate space for installation of the same. He further added that even the engineer of the company from which the machines were purchased had clearly told the administration that room provided by them is not fit for installation of the machines.
“As far as EMG machine is concerned, we do not have any technician for the same and the only post of EEG Technician created by the Government in 2010 could not be filled till date”, he said adding it is true that we conducted some tests on it but only on trial basis.
When contacted, Medical Superintendent, GSSH, Dr Ramesh Gupta and Principal, GMCH, Dr Ghansham Dev Gupta, said that they have already provided the space for the installation of the machines but Dr Kundal always created hurdles in installation of the machines for some hidden interest.
Dr Ghansham maintained that even the engineer of the company unofficially admitted many times that the machines could be installed in the given room but officially didn’t approve the same reasons best known to him and the acting Head, Department of Neurology.
When asked why the posts of EEG and EMG Technicians created in the year 2010 for GSSH were not fulfilled, he said he is not aware of the same, as he had taken charge only last year.
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