Neurological problems are on an increase and the number of patients in this category is also on the rise. Two diagnostic machines are of considerable importance in handling neurological patients. These are 16 Channel Electro-encephalograph (EEG) machine and EMG Machine. Though they are of vital importance in dealing with patients of neurological disorder, both of them are lying non-functional in the GMCH Jammu. These are time tested machines helping doctors to establish the nature of neurological disorder and the impact of neck muscle disorder afflicting a patient. The EEG machine is lying non-functional for more than a year while the EMG is running sixth month of its dysfunctional status. Nobody owns the responsibility of taking any step to make both the machines functional in the Diagnostic Block in GMCH, Jammu.
The EEG machine is of obsolete model and even if it is repaired its results are not as reliable and trustworthy, as compared to outcome of digital machines, which are more prevalent now. The question is why should important and expensive machines be let out of function and not repaired in time? The usual practice is that at the time of purchasing such machines a contract is signed with the supplier who is enjoined to take care of services to the machine and also repair it if need arises. Why did not the department fulfill that requirement and now is lamenting that the parts of the machine are not available in the market. A machine is bought, put to little use, develops a snag, is left unrepaired for years at end and then become obsolete because a new and more effective machine has been invented, is the sordid story of these machines. It speaks of incompetence of those who are at the helm of affairs in the hospital and medical college. Ours is a poor state and we have to make the best use of our limited resources. We cannot afford wanton waste of our resources. There has to be accountability. It is not the State of affairs with these two machines only. There are other machines also in the GMCH that are lying unused and dysfunctional for a long time. We have spoken of them in these columns previously. Why the department is loath to hold functionaries responsible for this rank inefficiency is not clear to us. The Minister in charge of Health and Medical Education should take note of it.
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