10 years on,equipment,facilities at Kalavati hospital lie unused

A fully equipped ear-nose-throat (ENT) operation theatre is currently used as a storeroom for equipment of other operation theatres. Since its inauguration,not one operation has taken place at the ENT facility.

A hemodialysis machine purchased in 1998 has not been used even once,and sources said the hospital is now in the process of declaring it ‘officially non-functional’.

According to hospital sources,the machine could never be used as the hospital failed to appoint a dialysis technician,despite creation of a special post by the ministry.

An X-ray machine with a 1000 milli ampere per second resolution,meant to provide high-quality images with minimum radiation exposure,has also been declared unfit for use,after functioning for barely six months since 2000. “Regular X-ray machines have resolutions between 100-500 milli amperes per second and cost between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. This machine was procured for around Rs 60 lakh,” said an administrative official.

While the machine was procured in 1998,it was installed at the hospital in 2000. Then it was found faulty. Sources said the machine has gone for repairs twice in the last 10 years.

A microtome machine and a tissue processor — expensive equipment of immuno-hematology and histopathology labs — have been dumped in the storage without being used a single time. A film and an inverted microscope are also lying unused. A deep freezer meant for storage of blood units is used for storing a few odd samples.

There are also three unused Nikon cameras,meant for recording scientific materials.

Despite trying for three days,Newsline could not solicit an official reason for waste of equipment and facilities. Additional MS of the hospital Dr Anita Kulsreshtha,however,did confirm that the machines and ENT operation theatre had never been used.

Director of LHMC Dr Atul Murari,meanwhile,refused to comment. “We come under the Health Ministry. Such problems should be addressed there,” he said.

The office of Director General of Health Services,on its part,suggested Dr G K Sharma,former director of LHMC and present Deputy Director General (Medicine),as the point person to address the queries to.

Dr Sharma,however,said: “I am no longer the spokesperson of LHMC. Such things should be clarified from hospital authorities.”

After receiving a formal authorisation from the ministry to comment on the matter,Dr Anita Kulsreshtha told Newsline: “I have received the ministry authorisation today. I am still new here,so I will try finding out why the facilities are non-functional.”