Too few patients, but too much equipment

Pune Mirror: Pune: Friday, 25 July 2014.

Existing mammography machine at PMC-run hospital used just 140 times in 6 yrs, but civic body demands yet another variant be bought; RTI raises doubts over purchase of the original machine

Despite the resident analog mammography machine at the civic-run Kamala Nehru Hospital being used a mere 140 times over six years, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has courted controversy by initiating a demand for yet another such machine, this time, of the digital variety.

Very few patients require such a service on a regular basis in fact, the Mammography department at the hospital is often kept under lock and key. Moreover, several discrepancies have cropped up in the purchase of the existing machine as well.

As per documentation available with Mirror, PMC had sent a proposal for a new digital mammography machine in 2008, on the recommendation of the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur a resolution passed by the State had authorised this later. Thereafter, Rs 34 lakh was earmarked for it, as per a tender by M/s Allenger Pvt Ltd from Chandigarh. However, the actual machine purchased was an analog model.

Subhash Jadhav, the citizen who filed an RTI application raising these questions, elaborated, "Several doubts could be raised around the transaction - Allenger authorised dealer Oswal Enterprises to provide the machine for Rs 32,93,400. Where is the remaining amount? PMC's Health department later said the cost of the purchased machine is Rs 29,27,460 more discrepancies. In February 2011, another mammography machine was demanded by the civic-run Naidu Hospital. Only one radiologist covers all PMC hospitals, so the utility of yet another machine is questionable. Seeing all this, I filed a complaint with the police and Municipal Commissioner last week."

Assistant Medical Officer at the Health department, Dr Sunil Tore, refuted, "We do not know why an analog machine was provided instead of a digital one back then I was not there at that time. Very few mammographies are usually done here. The machine we have needs a particular solution, which lasts just for 15 days. This gets wasted because of less patients. So, we are demanding a digital machine. Once we get it, we will ensure that it is used fully, by also holding check-up camps and creating awareness. We will also ensure that the analog machine does not go waste. All things are considered, including feasibility and utility, before buying the new machine."

Medical practitioner and activist Dr Yamini Adbe opined, "These days, nobody uses a digital mammography machine unless they have 25-30 patients per day. It cost Rs 35 lakh six years ago, and around Rs 55 lakh now. Another variant, the Computerised X Ray plus Analog Mammography Machine, gives equally clear results, and most radiologists use it nowadays it costs around Rs 25 lakh depending on the vendor. An analog machine would definitely have been cheaper than this, that too in 2008. If there were so few patients, PMC should have outsourced them to other diagnostic centres, which would have been cheaper. This is a sheer waste of money."