Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, July 2: Despite coming into existence three years back, patient care at the Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag remains hit due to the absence of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan machine apart from other several tests which are not being carried out there.
Due to the absence of an MRI machine at the hospital, the patients are either forced to travel to get the test done at GMC Srinagar, or, are made to get the same done from the private diagnostic centers in the district.
In such a scenario, there has been a mushrooming of private diagnostic centers which are conducting the MRI scans and are charging a good amount from the patients who are in dire need of treatment.
“If we had a facility at GMC Anantnag, we would not have been compelled to get the same done from the private sector—and those who cannot afford it are left with no option but to get the same done from Srinagar,” a local said.
The locals said that in case of an emergency, the treatment witnesses a delay in case the patient needs to get the MRI scan done. “In such cases, the treatment is often delayed; there remain only two options to get the scan done and if the patient is facing financial issues, then they are caught in a difficult situation.”
Apart from the absence of an MRI Scan, the hospital is conducting only baseline investigations along with only a few other important investigations.
As per details available with Excelsior, the tests which are not being conducted at GMC Anantnag include ERCP, MRCP, EEG, Bronchoscopy, PET scan, and Bone scans while as basic blood tests like blood culture, pus culture, PSA, Coagulogram, CpK, as well as important Biomarkers like CEA 125, CRP, RF, ANA, Iron Profile, Hormone Profile are also not carried out as of now.
The baseline tests which are being carried out are CBC, KFT, LFT, blood sugar, triple serology, blood grouping, Trop-T, Lipid Profile, BG, Electrolytes, Pleural Fluid Analysis, ECG, ECHO, PFT, CT, USG, Doppler and X-Rays.
Dr. Tariq Qureshi, who is the Principal of GMC Anantnag told Excelsior that they have put in the requisition for the MRI machine with concerned authorities and that they are hopeful of getting it by November end. “We have been assured that we will be given the MRI by November,” he said.
Concerning the non-conduct of tests, he said the majority of the tests are being carried out at the hospitals while in some, he said, there were a few issues that have been sorted out.
“We are carrying out. T3, T4, Trop-T, Hep-C, Hep-C, HIV; we had some issues with regard to the technicians for the ERCP test; the technicians have been trained now, and the issue has been resolved; for Biomarkers, some are done some are not. For essentials, we will have to get an extra analyzer. As of now, we are not doing the upgraded biomarkers,” he said.
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