KOZHIKODE: Machines are there, but not men to serve the needs of patients in the Medical College Hospital here. An imported, modern CT scan machines installed at a cost of Rs 1. 76 crore in February this year has no radiologist to operate it. Similarly, an ambulance bought to shift patients for CT scanning has no driver.
The computed technology (CT) scan machine was installed in the advanced clinical and research lab under the Kerala Health Research and Welfare Society (KHRWS) at the MCH to give '24-hour' service. But it is not fully available for the patients to the absence of a regular radiologist.
The ambulance facility which was flagged off by Health Minister K.K. Shailaja is also lying idle.
An MCH official told DC that there not enough number of regular radiologists and radiographers. "Though the health minister had promised to appoint a radiologist and radiographers from the radiology department, it has not happened," he said.
According to KHRWS, the authorities have not provided a radiologist to the lab. Since it does not work at night, quarrels occur between patients and staff frequently.
At present, a temporary radiologist is running the lab along with three radiographers. The CT scan machine, manufactured by Philips Medical System (Netherlands), was installed as part of the 1,000 days' programme of the state government on February 20. The total cost of setting up the facility is around Rs 4 crore.
The advanced ambulance facility of Mahindra & Mahindra approved for the lab also was flagged off on the same day, but it is not in use. The first CT scan machine was installed at the hospital in 2000 and the second in 2013.
