The functioning of the radiology department of the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) has got adversely affected with the lone radiologist of the hospital going on a leave. In absence of the radiologist, the state health department has asked the radiologist of Coronation Hospital, Dr S K Jha to conduct radiological examination of the patients visiting the associated hospital of GDMC for two hours a day. However this arrangement is proving to be ineffective due to the huge patient load the hospital has. In absence of the radiologist, the patients visiting the hospital for radiological examination like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound are affected the most. Dr Yatindra Singh went on a seven day leave on October 26 and since then the patients visiting the department are facing problems. One of a staff members of the department informed that Dr Singh used to conduct about 150 Ultrasounds but nowadays only 20 such tests are being done. He added that ideally the hospital should have four radiologists considering the huge load of the patients in the department but the health department should be sensitive enough to depute at least two radiologists here so that the bare minimum services are provided to the patients at the radiology department of the biggest hospital of the state in case any one of the doctors is on leave.
To add to the woes of the patients one of the digital X ray machines of the hospital has become dysfunctional and the company entrusted with its maintenance has refused to renter into the contract this year. The hospital is now waiting for a new machine to replace the old one.
The Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital Dr K K Tamta said that the health directorate has deployed Dr S K Jha to the hospital. He said that Dr Singh would return to duty on Wednesday.
The hospital data suggests that the radiology department of the hospital does about 150-200 X rays, 100-150 Ultra Sounds, 45 CT scans and 25-30 MRI daily apart from some bone marrow densitometry and mammography tests .The hospital authorities admit that considering huge load of patients the department should have at least four radiologists.