Rs10-crore machine lying unused at Rajindra Hospital

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 23

A biplane digital subtraction angiography (DSA) machine, a radiological equipment used for screening blood vessels in the body, has been lying unused for over two years at the super-specialty block of the Government Rajindra Hospital.

The DSA machine costing Rs10 crore facilitates clarity of pictures of arteries, veins and four chambers of the heart. This technique is said to be widely used in interventional radiology.

The entire set up, including the machine, was installed at the super-specialty block in 2019. However, it has never been used since its installation.

Sources in the department informed that the room where machine was installed remained locked.

Dr Navkiran Kaur, head, Radio Diagnosis Department, said they would soon start using machine for the treatment of patients. “Our staff needs training to handle the machine. Only the AIIMS, Delhi, and the PGIMER, Chandigarh, can train our staff. However, after the installation of the machine, Covid pandemic spread in the city. Now, we are planning to train our staff,” she added.

“I have already held a meeting with the Principal of Government Medical College over the issue. They will soon seek permission from the AIIMS or the PGIMER for training our staff, she said.

It has been learnt that owing to non-availability of the trained staff patients are referred to the PGIMER, Chandigarh.

“Neurological intervention through the DSA machine costs between Rs3 lakh to Rs4 lakh in private hospital. However, it is free at Rajindra Hospital. So, poor patients are at the receiving end,” said experts.

Radiology experts informed that the machine could also be used for stroke patients, poly-trauma cases and for arterial stenosis.

Many machines worth crores are lying unused at the newly constructed super-specialty block of the Government Rajindra Hospital.