Ultrasound machine lying unused, patients suffer

Sumeer Singh

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 1

The sole ultrasound machine at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Goniana, has been lying unutilized in the absence of a radiologist in the hospital for past two years. As a result, dozens of patients are either referred to the Civil Hospital, Bathinda, or asked to get ultrasound done at an exorbitant price from private labs.

The patients not only have to travel long way to Bathinda city to get the ultrasound test done but also spend extra money for it. In such a scenario, it is the pregnant women or patients with serious illness who bear the maximum brunt.

While for some patients it is the distance they have to travel to Bathinda city is the biggest concern for other patients it is the high rates varying between Rs 500 to Rs 900 that the private clinic charge for ultrasound. At a government hospital, ultrasound test is done for Rs 200.

There are four private centres in Goniana Mandi that conduct ultrasound tests but not every patient can afford to pay high cost charged by them. Patients from villages who are mostly poor, visit CHC Goniana for treatment therefore cannot afford to pay for high rates of treatment charged at private labs.

Patients from around 70 villages stretched around Goniana Mandi visit the hospital for treatment and there are patients who come from villages as far as 32 kilometers. But they are left disheartened when being asked to get the ultrasound done at Civil Hospital, Bathinda which is again 15 kilometers from CHC Goniana.

While 50 percent of the patients get their ultrasound test done at government hospital Bathinda rest of them are coerced to pay high rates at private labs.

A majority of patients while talking to the Tribune said that while they get every possible treatment at the Goniana Civil Hospital but ultrasound, a basic test is recommended for patients is not available here. They added that ensuring ultrasound would not only save them the trouble of travelling to Bathinda but also save money.

Husband of a pregnant woman from Bajakhana which is situated at a distance of 32 kilometers from Bathinda city said, “From the first month of pregnancy itself, my wife had some complications and she is on excessive medications and doctors want to conduct ultrasound on frequent basis to monitor her. But visiting Bathinda city each time is not an option for us as she has been denied to travel frequently so we are forced to get the ultrasound done from private labs in Goniana itself.”

Apart from gynecologist, pediatrician, medical specialist and surgeon of the hospital recommend ultrasound for 40 patients on daily basis. It accounts for around 1200 ultrasound tests on monthly basis.

HN Singh, Civil Surgeon, said, “There is no provision to appoint government radiologist and there is no private party interested to run the ultrasound unit of CHC Goniana.”

Senior Medical Officer, Community Health Centre, Goniana, Anil Goyal also had similar take on the matter.