TIMS Sanathnagar to Introduce Pneumatic Sample Transport, Set Up Food, Water Testing Centre

Hyderabad: The 1,000-bed Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (Tims) at Sanathnagar, to be inaugurated on Ugadi, March 19, will have dedicated centre for testing food and water samples as well as a pneumatic system to transport samples to laboratories during emergencies.

Mahaboob Khan, nodal officer of Tims, said the pneumatic system is an automated network of pipes. During emergencies, blood samples collected by nurses or other staff will be placed at designated points and sent directly to the laboratory through the pipeline system. Lab technicians will receive the samples immediately, conduct tests, and send reports digitally.

There are 45 such points in emergency areas. In cases such as head injuries or cardiac arrest, immediate lab investigations are required. At present, staff or technicians have to physically carry samples, which may cause delays. The new system is intended to reduce this time.

The health department has also made it mandatory to establish a dedicated centre for testing food and water samples in view of the rise in food poisoning cases. The centre will function with one or two rooms and will conduct tests for forensic laboratories, government hospitals, and research scholars, among others.

Recruitment for both initiatives is under process. The testing centre is likely to include doctors from the Social and Preventive Medicine (SPM) department.

Health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha recently conducted a review meeting at the Aarogyasri Trust office in Hyderabad to assess civil works, equipment installation, and recruitment. He directed officials to complete all pending works and equipment trials by the second week of March.

Officials informed the Minister that 16 operation theatres are ready for surgeries and that installation of CT scan, MRI, and digital X-ray machines has been completed.