EMG machine comes to Patna, India

[Guest guest]

(Sameer and Reema, this is especially for you)

IGIMS yet to acquire EEG and EMG machines

SACHCHIDANAND JHA

TIMES NEWS NETWORK SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2004

PATNA: Established 20 years back as a specialised centre of treatment on

the pattern of All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Delhi,

350 bed Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, is

yet to acquire electro encephalogram (EEG) and Electromyogram (EMG)

machines required for the diagnosis of patients suffering from seizure,

muscle diseases or other neurological ailments.

The two aforesaid instruments together cost only about Rs.47 lakhs and

state government had sanctioned Rs.40 lakh to IGIMS four years back to

purchase the same. During the past five years the institute had invited

tenders three times to purchase the two instruments but on each occasion

it failed to place order for supply of the same on technical grounds.

The last tender was invited in the year 2001.

Incidentally, IGIMS owns a CT scan and several other sophisticated

equipments including those required for treatment of cancer and eye

ailments.

The failure of IGIMS authorities to purchase the two instruments is

surprising as the neurology department of the institute was established

in 1996 and about 100 new and old patients reach the out patient

department(OPD) everyday in connection with their treatment.

With the institute yet to acquire the two instruments, neurophysician

has to advise patients suspected to be suffering from seizure or other

related ailments to undergo EEG and EMG at Patna Medical College

Hospital(PMCH) before deciding on a line of treatment. Obviously, it

causes a lot of hardship to the concerned patients as it prolongs the

process of diagnosis as PMCH is a few kilometres away from IGIMS.

A senior functionary of IGIMS said that board of governor (BG) is yet to

decide on the priority of the institute as far as purchase of some

instruments were concerned. They include EEG, EMG, Extracorporeal

Shockwave Lithotriptor (ESW) and Auto Analyser.

ESW is required for removal of kidney stone while Auto Analyser is

required for simultaneous investigation of different kind of blood

samples.

While admitting that the institute was yet to acquire EEG and EMG, IGIMS

director Dr D K Yadav said that the two instruments would be purchased

by July.

Let alone purchasing EEG and EMG, the government is yet to sanction the

four posts of four technicians required to handle to the two instruments

as and when they are purchased. Interestingly, Neurology department has

only one faculty member while Nuclear Medicine, Histopathology,

Endocrinology, Pulmonary medicine and Internal Medicine departments do

not have a single faculty members.