Archive
Healthcare for the needy: Opinion
The announcement by the Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar while inaugurating the Primary Health Centre at Kakwa to initiate the process for the recruitment of 270 doctors is yet another much needed move towards making health accessible to the general public. With liberal funding from the centre, the state did see some development in terms of strengthening health delivery system, a number of Primary Health Centres (PHC) and Community Health Centres (CHC) in various parts of the state came up during this period. But there have been numerous complaints from the people of the localities where they have been set up about the non- functioning of the same. While the building stands, these centres are sometimes without the most basic component of any health delivery system – doctors and nurses. The most oft repeated answer from the government in answer to non posting of doctors to these remote and rural areas is the inadequacy of doctors at its disposal. Hopefully this latest recruitment of doctors will be able to address the problem to a great extent. And if this proves insufficient the state government should go in for recruitment of more doctors, there should not be any compromise on ensuring access to health care to the most needy. But even after the government has the adequate number of doctors at its disposal to man the various health centres and district hospitals, the problem of absentee doctors and nurses would still persist. This, our past experience tell us. Most of the doctors who get posted to rural and remote areas try their level best not to go there and use every means at their disposal to avoid going to these places. And in most cases, an open secret here, this works to the advantage of those at the helm of affairs who can affect these transfers. There have been numerous cases of transfers being revoked, transferred doctors getting deputed to some other duties, some going on study leave etc. On the ground people are still deprived of the services of the doctors even after their posting at their concerned health centres. To ensure doctors are present where they are needed, the government or those in charge of the Health department should work out effective policies so that doctors posted in rural and remote areas do not view these posting as discriminatory or punishment. For starters, those who passes out from the state medical college, JNIMS can be made to serve for a certain number of years as part of their internship. Along with this, it should be made mandatory for all the doctors in the service of government of Manipur to serve in rural and remote areas for certain number of years for certain number of times, the exact modalities can be worked out by an expert committee. Whatever means the government adopts, the important thing is to ensure health care services is available to the people. But here again, it is clear that no policy will bring any relieve or pan out advantageously for the public, if those who are responsible for implementing the same are not sincere. Side by side, the practitioners of the medical profession usually termed a noble profession for its ability to give life and hope to the sick and infirm, should reignite the willingness to come to the aid of the most needy and not be perpetually distracted by considerations of career and financial returns.
Sources:- Hueiyen Lanpao
XXVII AMAMECON – 2011 INVITATIONS & PROGRAMMES SCHEDULES, Manipur
XXVII AMAMECON – 2011
INVITATION
Dear Colleagues & Friends, The Indian Medical Association, Manipur State Branch’s Medical Conference (XXVII AMAMECON – 2011) will be held on 10th & 11th December 2011 at IMA House, Lamphelpat, Imphal. The organising committee warmly invites all the members of IMA and all doctors in the state for their active participation in the conference. This year’s IMA theme is “Be in health. Be active in public health.” In tune with this the conference aims to integrate various specialities in the field of medical sciences by the way of interactive deliberations and discussions for the common goal of “Health for all” We will strive to make the conference more meaningful, deeply scientific and interesting with a wide array of Award Sessions, Guest Lectures, Orations, Mediquiz & Colourful cultural programmes etc. We look forward for your timely registration as Delegates and take active participation in the conference and make it a grand success. With warm regards. Dr. Kh. Palin Dr.S. Gojendra Singh Chairman Organising Secretary The Details of XVII AMAMECON – 2011 including the programmes schedules and registration needs can be downloaded from here :- http://on.fb.me/t1Lm3kUNC’s Economic Blockade Leads To Health Care Crisis In Manipur
UNC’s Economic Blockade Leads To Health Care Crisis In Manipur, as the two major hospitals in Manipur have suspended normal surgical works for the last three days as stock of oxygen in the hospitals is alarmingly low resulting from the ongoing economic blockade along National Highways 37 and NH-2, sources from the two hospitals said today.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) hospitals have limited stock of oxygen and the stock has been kept for emergency use only, the sources said and added that even some medicines prescribed for diabetes, blood pressure, etc. for daily use are not found openly in the markets.
The biggest private hospital in the state, Shija also reportedly faces depleted oxygen stock though the hospital is continuing normal operations to patients. But, how long the stock will last is a question of uncertainty, sources from the hospital said.
The counter economic blockade called by the UNC against creation of Sadar Hills District which started from August 21 has completed 83 days today. Notably, Economic blockade called by SHDDC had called off after signing an MoU with the state government after nearly 100 days of blockade.
Sources:- The Sangai Express
Dengue officially declared as epidemic outbreak in Churachandpur District of Manipur
Dengue is due to a flavivirus transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito
Symptoms and Signs of Dengue infection
IMPHAL, Nov 11: Follo-wing outbreak of an unknown disease suspec-ted to be dengue in Churachandpur, the State Vector Borne Disease Control Society under the State Malaria Officer has collected blood samples from seven infected persons and sent the samples to RIMS laboratory which has been accredited by the Government of India.
It is reported that more samples would be collected from different places of Churachandpur starting from tomorrow for further laboratory test.
Talking to The Sangai Express, State Malaria Officer Dr Ibochouba said that contentment measures like fogging and awareness programmes about Tiger mosquito species Ades, the carrier of Slavirus which causes
dengue have been taken up.
However, there is no specific method of treatment if the samples being tested in RIMS laboratory turn out positive.
Though there is no specific drug for treatment of dengue, there is no reason to panic, Dr Ibochouba said.
Dengue was first discovered at Moreh in 2007, and there was no case of death due to infection by dengue, he said.
Symptoms like fever and ache in different parts of the body do not always mean dengue.
The symptoms include retrobulbar pain (acute pain within eyes) and growth of greenish spots on body parts, Dr Ibochouba explained.
Out of 12 different cases which were tested by the District Malaria Officer, Churachandpur, only one was found dengue-combo positive.
Dengue-combo is not exactly dengue. At the same time, it cannot be said that dengue-combo is not related with dengue.
When blood samples of 1000 people are found positive for Slavirus which causes dengue, only one or two persons may be infected by dengue.
As there is no specific method for treatment of dengue, the general practice is, injection of IV fluids and providing other supportive treatments in order to strengthen immune system of patients.
Growth of purpuric rash (greenish spots) on body parts could be observed on people infected by dengue seriously.
When the condition worsens, the greenish spots would start bleeding and this is an indication that platelet counts have decreased.
In such situation, the patient with be injected wit fresh platelets.
Incidentally, RIMS has the facility to remove RBC and WBC from blood and concentrate only platelets in blood, informed Dr Ibochouba.
Sources:- The Sangai Express
IMA joins issue with health ministry on short-term medical course
NEW DELHI: A day after TOI reported on the Union health ministry’s plans to roll out the 3.5-year medical degree, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) asked the Medical Council of India (MCI) not to compromise on patients’ safety.
Reacting to the three-week ultimatum given by Union health minister Ghulab Nabi Azad to the MCI on the BRM (Bachelor of Rural Medicine), national president of IMA Dr Vinay Aggarwal on Tuesday said the MCI would not bend before the government and refused to endorse the course. IMA called for more debates ahead of falling in line with the government’s directive. “IMA is willing to cooperate with the government to find a solution on rural health,” the letter said.
It added, “There are better ways to overcome the shortage of modern medicine professionals in rural area. Lowering the standard of medical education and producing low-quality professionals is not the solution.”
Dr Aggarwal said, the MCI is mandated to upkeep certain standards and cannot be bullied. “It is duty bound to consider patient safety and cannot obliviously reverse a process initiated by the Bhore Committee report of 1946 to abolish such mediocre short-term courses.” IMA says it is not convinced about the government’s intentions on BRM.
“The notion that over 30% of primary health centres do not have a MBBS doctor is not supported by statistics. Only 5.3% of PHCs are without a qualified doctor. For whatever small shortfall that exists, compulsory rural health posting of MBBS graduates for one-year after internship would make available 30,000 MBBS graduates every year. The National Human Rights Commission has come out against such a course, and has termed it as discrimination,” IMA said.
TOI on Tuesday had reported that Azad set the MCI a three-week deadline to endorse this new course, failing which the ministry will issue a directive to the MCI to recognize and roll out the course. Azad had said that the course had enjoyed the backing of all the state governments for long, and attributed the tardiness to MCI’s apathetic attitude.
“We have made up our mind to introduce the Bachelor of Rural Medicine degree. Sometimes the MCI gets influenced by its own fraternity. With doctors unwilling to serve in rural areas, even after being given incentives, we are left with no choice but to introduce a new cadre of health workers,” Azad had told TOI.
He had added, “We want an MCI stamp on the degree so that it is universally recognized. The syllabus of the course is ready and it is need based. If MCI endorses it, students will get the confidence that the degree has a standing. If MCI does not agree, we will send them a directive which they have to adhere to.”
Union health secretary P K Pradhan had added, “They will be rural public health officers and will look after primary and preventive healthcare. They will not carry out surgeries.”
Sources:- Times of India
Doctors of Manipur Health Services furious over due salary
Imphal, October 27: The newly absorbed 282 medical officers and dental surgeons of Manipur Health Services, who were recruited through MPSC, have not been paid their salaries for the last 9 months. Highly agitated over this negligence of the state government, they are all set to approach the High Court.
Speaking to media persons at a press conference held at Manipur Press Club, Dr Noren, President, Medical Officers and Dental Surgeons Association, said that the salary of the 282 newly recruited Medical Officers and Dental Surgeons of Manipur Health Services have not been given for the last 9 months on the ground of non completion of MGEL.
The doctors and surgeons have been posted in different CHCs and PHCs of the state and have been performing their duties hence. But, they have not paid their salaries so far. They have lodged a complaint with the CM in this regard and the CM had given a one time relaxation on MGEL and arranged the salary for 6 months. However, the salary was also not given based on the status of an employee, but on a lump sum basis as wages.
He further went on to say that after a writ petition was filed in the Gauhati High Court, the court had directed the state government to complete the formation of MGEL for the doctors by March 31. Concern officials never gave a satisfying answer when they were enquired about the non completion of MGEL. On some occasions, they said that it would be completed in a month’s time and on other occasions the officials said that the documents furnished by the doctors are insufficient for its completion.
There were even instances where the office doors of the Health services remained closed from inside and the concern staffs were busy playing cards inside, keeping aside the work for the completion of MGEL, he further alleged.
He further informed that the process of MGEL is not completed till today and the salary of the doctors have not been released because the Health services is not under the organized services recognized by the state government. Manipur Finance Services, IAS, IPS, MCS and IPS etc are all under the organized services. Hence, even police constables, as soon as they get recruited, receive their salaries without any problem. So looking at all these, the Health Services need to be placed under organized services recognized by the state government and the MGEL of doctors be completed at the earliest possible time.
Sources: Hueiyen Lanpao
Medical Officers’ and Dental Surgeons’ Association, Manipur to approach Court
IMPHAL, Oct 27 : Peeved with the failure of the State Government to allot MGEL (Manipur Government Employees’ List) number till date, doctors and dental surgeons appointed in Health Services in January this year have decided to approach law Court.
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, president of the Medical Officers’ and Dental Surgeons’ Association Manipur Dr Noren said that 282 medical officers and dental surgeons were appointed in January and they were posted to different places by an order issued by the Health Directorate in February this year.
However, MGEL numbers have not been allotted to the medical officials and dental surgeons till date. On account of this, the doctors and dental surgeons have been facing many inconveniences while drawing monthly salaries.
An order passed by the Guwahati High Court on March 30 this year directed the State Government to allot MGEL numbers to all the medical officers and dental surgeons within one month of joining service, Noren said.
Repeated appeals to the relevant authorities on the matter have yielded no positive result till date.
In case the MGEL numbers are not given at the earliest, the association would take help of law Courts, Dr Noren said while urging the Government to bring Health Services in the organised service sector.
Sources: The Sangai Express
HIV/AIDS Scenario in JN Hospital—A perspective
HIV/AIDS Scenario in JN Hospital—A perspective
Dr K Priyokumar Singh
HIV/AIDS once a dreaded and fatal disease to start with has now become a chronic manageable disease. This disease which was detected from the gay persons in LOS Angles in 1981 has been showing continuous and progressive medical achievements in regards to its effect on human body on diagnosis of complications and in its treatment modalities. With the availability of ART/HAART (Anti-retroviral Therapy/Highly active anti-retroviral treatment) from 1996 onwards this disease has changed from a medical challenge to a socio-economic human problem.
Manipur had the first HIVV/AIDS in the year of 1989-90 from a female IDU patient. The spectrum of the disease was then very confusing. There was no proper awareness of the disease amongst the medical professionals and the health authorities. There were no proper NGO/CBO’s working in HIV/AIDS. NACO gradually came into being and then the disease has been put under its strict vigilance.
To start with the management of this disease came up first for its awareness and to manage the various O.I’s (Opportunistic Infection) specific to HIV/AIDS. And many OI’s were not diagnosed properly leading to many avoidable deaths in Manipur and elsewhere. The diseases like Cryptococcal meningitis, Penicilliosis, Toxoplasmosis, Pnenmocystis Carinii Pneumonia (P.C.P), Cytomegalovirun retinitis (CMV-retinitis), malignancies lilie Kaposis Sarcoma, Lymphoma, Progressive muItifocal Leucoencephalopathy, (PMLE), etc were not properly diagnosed due to lack of knowledge and awareness, leading to many deaths which nowadays are being cured or prevented.
With the coming of ART, first with Zidovudine and followed by other drugs which are able to control HIV multiplication by various combinations of them called the HAART (Highly Activc Anti-Retroviral Treatment) has changed the very outlook of HJV/AIDS from fatal disease to a chronic manageable disease ARV drugs in the beginning was scantily available and were very costly. It was beyond the reach of common people and many persons succumbed to the disease. With the effort of various NGO/CBO’s and the NACO (National Aids Control Organization) started free ART roll out from April 2004. In Manipur, the first centre of free ART was at RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences). Then the free ART came to J.N. Hospital in the Dec. 2004. Since then this dreaded disease has been under medical control, but many new areas came up for further attention by various Government and NGO’s.
From the hospital records of J.N. Hospital Porompat a 5 year data was prepared which shows the trend and challenges in the management of HIV/AIDS in Manipul’.
Table 1 Hospital Admission 2003-2007
The table shows the decrease in male admission from78.68% in 2003 to 64% in 2007 whereas the female admission increasing from 21.32% in 2003 to 36% in 2007. The trend shows the importance of HIV/AIDS in the whole population particularly to the female population.
Table 2. Risk Factors
In Manipur, the most common mode of HIV transmission is through sharing of injecting equipments by people who inject drugs. Manipur being on the cross road of “Golden Triangle” of drugs trafficking route, it became the main route of transmission. Other routes of HIV transmission are also prevalent in the State as given in the table 2.
Manipur shows the heterosexual route being from 20.32% in 2003 to 27% in 2007, an increasing trend showing the importance of this route in HIV/AIDS transmission. The IDU spread has shown a downward trend from 62.08% in 2003 to 52.11 % in 2007. This shows the various importance of AIDS Awareness programmes by the Govt. & various NGO’s. But a lot more are to be done to bring down the rate of transmission.
Another serious situation in Manipur is about the Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) which has shown rapid upward trend from 1.89% in 2003 to 11.1 % in 2007. This area should be given proper attention and the PPTCT programme need more effective application so as to bring down this rapid increase.
The mode of transmission by Blood transfusion has considerably declined in the coming years from a figure of 4.26% in 2003 to a figure of 0.79% by 2007. This is due to mandatory testing of blood for viral bodies before Blood transfusion.
Another area where we need a closer counseling for all patients of HIV-reactive route of transmission-“Non-specific” where no reason was given by the person. The figure varies from 10.2% in 2003 to 8.20% in 2007.
Coming to deaths from HIV/AIDS in J.N. Hospital, it is seen comprising from a figure of 18.95% in 2003 to 17.46 % in 2007, showing, no apparent increase in deaths, but a slightly decreased ratio. The figure is only from the Hospital records but the unreported deaths after discharging from hospital when terminally ill, are not in the record. This high death rate is mainly from the HIV/HCV co-infection which is a major challenge nowadays.
The opportunistic infection (O.I) in HIV/AIDS, which has seen recorded in the Hospital admission are shown as below:
1) Tuberculosis (both nulmonarv & extra-pulmonary)Table 3.
It shows that T.B. infections vary from 38.3% in 2003 to 32.27% in 2007. It is seen that TB is the commonest O.I. in HIV/AIDS as found by other outside studies. The programme needs more effective application to bring from the % of infection.
2) Cryptococcal Meningitis:
The figure shows that cryptococcalmeningitis is the O.I. next to T.B. and the % has shown a slight downward trend, but still very persistent in our Hospital.
3) P.C.P (Pneumocytis Carinii pneumonia)
This O.I. once a serious problem often confused with pulmonary tuberculosis has been decreasing from a figure of 18.48% in 2003 to 5.55% in 2007. The main reason for this decreasing trend may be due to HAART and the primary prophylaxis of co-triamoxazole.
4) Penicillosis (P. marneffii)
Penicilliosis is also common in HIV/AIDS in Manipur. For the first time in India, Penicilliosis was diagnosed from Manipur in J.N. Hospital. This is mostly a skin manifestation, previously misdiagnosed as molluscum contagiosum because of its similarity in skin lesion. If not diagnosed in time, it is a fatal disease. The treatment by Intraconazole is very satisfactory.
Table 3
The figure shows a decreasing trend in Penicililosis infection from 5.69% in 2003 to 4.76% in 2007.
The main reason for this trend may be due to the timely initiation of ART before the patients CD4 count falls much below 200 cells/cumm.
The cerebral toxoplamosis found in PLHA as an 0.1. is not that urtcommon. Cases with headache or seizure disorder in the young must be looked for this disease and treated properly so that no residual neurological deficiets which can handicap them occur. The primary prophylaxis of co-trimoxazole has prevented cerebral toxoplamosis to a great extent.
Other O.I’s like cytomegalorium retinitis (CMV-retinitis), Kaposis Sarcoma and progressive multifocalleucoeucephalopathy(PMLE), have become much rarer after the advent of ART.
HIV/HCV & HIV/HBV
These co-infections are now a major negative prognosis factor in the management of HIV/AIDS. They have the same route of transmission – IDU and transfusion of infected blood. Transmission by heterosexual and mother to child in rare, but also seen’ in MSM. The latest figure of these co-infection in J.N. Hospital as on the 12th July, 2011 is as follows. (3983 ART Patients)
Sex wise Distribution
The figures shows that HCV co-infection comprises 18.52%, HBV co-infection of 3.33% and both HCV/HBV co-infection is 0.62% indicating the HCV co-infection is far more than others. Amongst the sex factors, male comprises much more than females having 89.83% in HCV, 77.44% in HBV and 76% both viruses.
Risk Wise Distribution
(From personal series from 2005 – 2008)
The figure show the main route of HCV infection both with or without HIV is IDU- having a figure of 94.02% is co-infection and 62.5% is mono-infection. B.T. incidence is present but is getting decreased nowadays.
In J.N. Hospital the total death from HIV/AIDS patients as on 31/08/2011 is as follows:
The figure shows that HIV/HCV and HIV/HBV co-infection comprises 22.31% amongst the total deaths in our ART centre. The figure indicates the importance of having HCV & HBV treatment in order to bring down the deaths from the co-infection.
As on today, there is no Govt or NGO/CBOs programme to diagnose & treat these co-infections. The treatment of HIV is too costly to be affordable. This is leading to increased deaths in PLHA’s. Nowadays, people are no longer dying from HIV become of ART. Hence need for HCV treatment.
The latest figure of PLHA admission in Pre-ART and On ART as on 31-08-2011 is shown as follows:
The figures indicate the increasing number of female PLHA as compared to male PLHA’s though males are still more infected. The pediatric figure is not mentioned here because of having a separate paediatric ART centre. But the increasing trend of paediatric HIV/AIDS is a matter of great concern which needs a better effective and preventive strategies.
A very significant issue in ART programme is about the increasing number of clients who are LFU (Lost to Follow-up). The figure in our centre is about 248 clients on ART since the beginning of ART ie from Dec 2004. This may lead to increased number of first line ART failure as well as the increased transmission of resistant viruses in the community. The main back bone of ART success is the adherence factor. Once this is not kept, a lot of unwanted complications may come up which may hamper ART success. Every effort should be done to make minimurn number of LFU in any ART centre.
Conclusion and challenges
ART is now a success story in India and elsewhere. Nowadays, people are not dying from HIV/AIDS. It is seen that the number of deaths from HIV co-infection in our ART centre is increasing day by day because of the simple reason of not having HCY treatment. More people are dying from these co-infections. As on today there has been no commitment either from the Govt or the NGOs for HCV/HIV & HBV/HIV as regard to its diagnosis & treatment.
Management of HIV/AIDS must be a holistic approach. The ART drugs are to be available all the time. The CD4 testing and Hb% & ALT are also necessary for a proper follow up of this disease. The CD4 testing is far from satisfactory in the two ART centres of Imphal E & W. The CD4 testing at Urkhrul, Chandel, CCpur & Thoubal are also having a lot of difficulties—it is either not done because of lack of infrastructure or lack of manpower. PLHA’s are suffering a lot in these centers.
The MTCT (Mother to Child transmission) needs to be geared up. There is lack of awareness about ART initiation in pregnant women in-respective of CD4 count. The prescription of Nevirapine both to the mother and infant is not properly followed. Moreover the institutional delivery of pregnancy is very low. It is known that mother to child infection is mostly during the birth of the baby less so during the pregnancy and at breast feeding. Thus the increasing number of MTCT should be brought down to a minimum.
The management of side effects of ART drugs has to be improved. The early detection of side effects of drugs and its timely replacement by the alternative drug has to be properly implemented. So also for the management of first line ART failure patients need proper functioning without any inconvenience to the client.
Now time has come for the treatment necessity for HCV/HIV co-infection. The treatment is too costly to be done by the majority of PLHA’s. This is giving an increased number of deaths from the co-infection, rather than HIV alone. For HCV/HBV, there is need for HBsAg screening for all risk persons as well as the general population because HBV vaccination of 3(three) doses in the HBsAg negative person will prevent future infection. The programme is not yet fully practiced but stress is necessary for proper vaccination.
To conclude, all the treating doctors, nurses, the public health workers and the NGO/CBOs are to be fully aware of the various factors and co-factors regarding HIV/AIDS so that the people remain free of any HIV or Hepatitis viruses in our population.
Sources:- The Sangai Express
All India Public Health Service Cadre: Special cadre for health services mooted
NEW DELHI: India must put in place a new army of health workers – the Public Health Service Cadre – to fight the public health threats.
The Planning Commission’s high-level expert group (HLEG) on universal health coverage (UHC) says, a national and state-level Public Health Service Cadre and a specialized state-level Health Systems Management Cadre needs to be put in place. This will help provide greater attention to public health and also strengthen the UHC system’s management.
A new cadre, comprising public health professionals with multi-disciplinary education, would improve the functioning of the system by enhancing the efficacy, efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery.
“We recommend the creation of an All India Public Health Service Cadre that should be responsible for all public health functions starting at the block level and going up to the state and national level. This cadre should be supported by a state level public health cadre. This would be akin to the civil services, which provide for both all India and state-level officers,” the HLEG’s final report, submitted to the government on Saturday, said.
The state-level cadre will provide the operational framework of public health services, the All-India cadre will not only health strengthen state services with a high level of professional expertise, but also provide strong connectivity between state and Central planning.
The HLEG has recommended the creation of a new Health Systems Management Cadre.
Quality assessment and assurance for health facilities will be a key function for the cadre. The health system managers would take over many of the administrative responsibilities in areas such as IT, finance, human resources, planning and communication that are currently performed by medical personnel.
“We further recommend the appointment of appropriately trained hospital managers at sub-district, district hospitals and medical college hospitals so as to improve the managerial efficiency and also enable medical officers to concentrate on clinical activities. Appropriate training of these new cadres is likely to significantly enhance the management capacities at all levels and end the practice of untrained personnel being assigned to manage health institutions,” the report added.
India faces an acute shortage of allopathic doctors. HLEG’s estimates say the number of allopathic doctors registered with the Medical Council of India has increased since 1974 to 6.12 lakhs in 2011 – a ratio of 1 doctor for 1,953 people or a density of 0.5 doctors per 1,000 population.
It will take India at least 17 more years before it can reach the World Health Organization’s recommended norm of one doctor per 1,000 population.
The HLEG has predicted the availability of allopathic doctors to one doctor per 1000 population by 2028, which can be achieved by setting up of 187 medical colleges in 17 high focus states during the 12th and 13th Five Year plan.
Sources:- Times Of India
Bad weather affects routine operations in JN hospital, Porompat, Manipur
Imphal, October 20: Routine operations in JN Hospital could not be conducted today, the reason? As the sun god refused to come out, washed clothes which were to be worn by the doctors, patients and other staffs during an operation, could not be dried. No dry cloths no operations, as simple as that.
The incident came to light when the family members of a patient whose operation was cancelled without giving proper reasons spoke to Hueiyen Lanpao.
Hueiyen Lanpao to its dismay found that the reason for cancelling the operation was because the clothes which were to be worn by the doctors and patients during the operation were still wet due to the cloudy weather which prevailed today.
When this reporter enquired about the incident, Okram Kirankumar, Supervisor of the Laundry, JN Hospital said that the clothes that are to be used in an operation are washed and sterilized and then passed on to the operation theatre after drying them up. The clothes are being dried in a drying comber machine. But unfortunately, this machine has been non-functional for the last three years as the transformer for this machine is out of order.
He further went on to say that there are no trained persons for the maintenance of the machine and spare parts are also not available in the state. Complaints to concern authority have not brought any positive response till today. And when the the whether is cloudy and on rainy days the problem of cloths not drying comes up, leading to the cancellation of operations. But for emergency operations new cloths are being used.
The situation will get worse during the winter season as the clothes which usually dry in a day will take two days at least.
Due to the non completion of the newly constructed room of the Department of Mechanised Laundry, the Rs 90 lakh machine is still being kept unused for the last three years, he added.
Speaking to this reporter, Dr L Khomdon, Medical Superintendent, JN Hospital said that such type of case has never occurred in his term and is really a matter of shame.
He asked for Okram Kirankumar, Supervisor of the Laundry, JN Hospital and discussed the matter openly. A bit of verbal argument erupted among the MS and the staffs of the Department of Laundry.
Later on the MS gave instructions for buying a big washing machine which has got a drying facility and place it in the Laundry. He further assured that there will be routine operation from tomorrow itself. Ten operations which was scheduled for today have been cancelled due to the problem.
Sources:- Hueiyen Lanpao
ManipurHealthServices 