Defunct equipment at Fazilka hospital leaves patients in lurch

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, December 13

The equipment for investigation and treatment at the local district hospital has been lying defunct for long due to technical issues and staff shortage, leaving patients in the lurch.

Official sources said the dialysis unit here had been lying shut for the past about one year for want of a trained specialist to operate it. As a result, patients have to go to Sriganganagar to get dialysis done and shell a huge amount in the process. "I have to take my husband to Sriganganagar to get his dialysis done twice a week, for which I end up spending Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per trip," said Pooja, a sanitary worker. The ultrasound scan machine developed some technical snag about eight months ago and patients requiring the test are reportedly referred to private institutions.

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Pooja, Sanitary worker

Forced to shell out more

I have to take my husband to Sriganganagar twice a week to get his dialysis done for which I end up spending Rs 4,000 to 5,000 per trip.

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The main X-ray unit also went out of order some two months ago, as a result of which major X-rays were not being conducted at the hospital. Also, patients in need of CT scan have been caught in a piquant situation as their reports are received after one day due to unavailability of a radiologist. The reports are given by outsourced doctors. In case of emergency and accidental cases, the delayed report sometimes proves futile.

The issue of machines and equipment lying defunct was raised in the District Grievances Redressal Committee meeting held on November 6 under the chairmanship of Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, who then directed the Civil Surgeon to set the machines in order. Civil Surgeon Kundan Lal Pal said the out-of-order parts of the ultrasound and X-ray machines were being purchased and a specialist doctor was being trained to conduct dialysis.

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