The decision of the associated hospital of the Doon Medical College (DMC) to start round-the-clock facility of radiology department services has put additional burden on the department already plagued by staff crunch. The hospital started the 24x 7 facilities like X-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT scan and Ultrasound recently.
The decision is of immense help to the patients and their relatives as these facilities are now available at their disposal anytime and at a much cheaper rate than in private hospitals and radiology centres. However, the staff shortage in the department is a cause of discomfiture for those working in the department.
The department has only two radiologists Dr Yatindra Singh and Dr S K Jha and one Senior Resident. Apart from radiologists the department has nine technicians. It is worth mentioning here that these doctors were posted in the erstwhile Doon Hospital before it was converted to associated hospital of the DMC.
The associated hospital was created by merger of Doon hospital and Doon women hospital. Hundreds of patients avail the facilities like MRI, X rays, Ultra sounds, digital radiography and CT in the Doon hospital daily.
The hospital data suggests that the radiology department of the hospital does about 150-200 X-rays, 100-140 Ultra Sounds, 45-50 CT scans and 15 to 25 MRI daily. The MRI machine of the hospital is though not working for last fifteen days.
It is learnt that at present in absence of proper publicity of the facility very few people are turning in the hospital after the normal hours. One a staff members of the hospital said, “It is good that 24x 7 radiology facilities are initiated but the authorities should increase number of posts in the department so that the purpose is actually served,’’.
The Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital Dr K K Tamta told The Pioneer that the department has nine technicians which are enough to handle things as of now. He accepted that one sanctioned post of Associate Professor is vacant at present which is expected to be filled soon.