RNA or Ribonucleic acid, in technical parlance, is one of the three major biological macro-molecules that are essential for all forms of life including DNA with proteins. DNA makes RNA and RNA makes protein. In a number of clinically important viruses, RNA carries the vital genetic information and RNA Extraction equipment, therefore, is of great importance for conducting sensitive pathological tests. An equipment or a machine procured after spending a good amount of money with intent to have the sensitive critical tests conducted and results obtained speedily was provided for necessary use in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura Srinagar. This equipment, we are told, was procured to resolve two main issues. One – in respect of there being shortage of trained workforce and, second- to overcome the ever increasing concerned workload at the Institute. The said equipment is reported to be loaded with the properties of doing testing etc more than double as much as otherwise would be manually possible hence its utility. In other words, that amounts to halving of the workload on the existing workforce.
The interesting part of the matter is that although it is more than a month since the equipment was procured, it is still not put to use and is idling, defeating the very purpose of its procuring. The authorities of the Institute for reasons not known, have not arranged for its functioning. In addition to mitigating and lightening the pressure of conducting tests etc on the available workforce, this equipment even saves the time taken in respect of giving results of different levels of testing which normally takes four hours for a few samples only. RNA equipment would reduce the time by as much as half. In other words, prolonging process puts extra pressure on the Doctors and technicians and at times, they have to work for extended shifts running into long hours without breaks. That exhausts the workforce while enough testing too is not done. Second shift or night shift at times gets extended to even 16 hours without any respite. The concerned Doctors and technicians, cannot under such circumstances, be expected to give in their best and that is tantamount to underutilization of the capacity of output from the overloaded Doctors and technicians since there was a limit to human endurance when it comes to working for hours without breaks. The issue of extended shifts for longer duration needs resolution which the authorities of the Institute must look into.
The other facet of the matter is that when an asset is created by purchase or otherwise involving precious and scarce funds, it should be put to optimum use and not kept idle. However, it is learnt that the machine is defective and matter has been taken with the Company which supplied it. However, while payments etc have already been made by the Medical Institute, it has not reportedly asked for a demonstration test of the equipment from the supplier company before making the payments. That was purely faulty planning. We often reiterate in such purchases and installations that post sales services should be adequately ensured. In fact, that should form one of the major terms and conditions of sale and purchase. Under the circumstances, either the machine should be replaced or it should be repaired to the satisfaction of its ultimate operators and handlers which we hope would be done within a couple of days.
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