LANDIKOTAL
Residents have expressed concern over the prolonged non-functionality of two advanced diagnostic machines at the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, blaming official negligence for depriving patients of essential healthcare services.
According to health sources,two United States made Electromyography (EMG) and Electroencephalography (EEG) machines were provided to the hospital in 2013. A health staff said the Electromyography (EMG) machine is used to diagnose neurological disorders, including sciatica, muscle weakness, numbness in the limbs and other nerve-related conditions, while the EEG machine is essential for diagnosing epilepsy, seizures, unconsciousness, brain tumors, stroke and other neurological diseases.
Despite being installed for more than 13 years ago, the machines have reportedly never been made operational at the hospital,hospital spurces said. Residents and civil society members alleged that successive Medical Superintendents (MS) and relevant authorities failed to take serious steps to activate the equipment.
They further claimed that when the setting Medical Superintendent Dr,Jameel attempted to restore the machines, it was discovered that several key components and softwares of the unused machines were also missing.
According to health officials a handsome amount of money was now required to procure the missing parts and softwares to make the equipment functional again.
The incident has raised questions about how critical components of newly supplied medical equipment disappeared and who should be held accountable for the alleged negligence or possible mismanagement.
Local residents and civil society members have demanded a transparent investigation into the matter, action against those responsible and the immediate restoration of the machines so patients in the region can benefit from modern diagnostic facilities.
When contacted MS Landikotal district headquarters hospital Dr, Jameel told this scribe that NCS machine was smoothly functioning while Electroencephalography (EEG) and Electromyography (EMG) machines’ software were outdated.He said though the said machines have also developed techincal faults due rust and nonefunctional states which could be removed with less amount of money. Dr Jameel further said that he had already requested high ups for the replacement of these machines with new ones but they were waiting for its provision.He said they were also searching for updated softwares of these machines which would cost not more the 0.2 million rupees. He said soon they would either replace the machines or repair it till the new ones arrived.
