The Medical Council of India, after an inspection of facilities in all the 16 Government medical colleges in the State, did not make a negative comment on the equipment and infrastructure available with them, Director of Medical Education G. Shanta Rao said here on Saturday.
Having equipment is not enough but they must be made to work without a hitch and ensure that the people enjoyed the benefit, Dr. Shanta Rao said while talking to reporters after launching a laser lithotripsy unit at the Department of Gastroenterology of King George Hospital and Andhra Medical College here.
KGH is likely to get important equipment, as efforts are being made to get sanction for the single photon emission tomography unit for the nuclear medicine wing. The equipment costing Rs. 4 crore to Rs. 5 crore would help in cancer detection. The Chief Minister has given an assurance to sanction the unit in the past.
Dr. Shanta Rao is on a visit to AMC and KGH as part of the State-wide verification of the state of laboratories in medical colleges and their teaching hospitals.
The State government was planning to strengthen the laboratories. Government’s wish was that medical colleges and hospitals should conduct quality research apart from providing medical care to the patients. Superintendent of KGH M. Madhusudhana Rao, Principal of AMC S.V. Kumar, HoD of Gastroenterology P. Murali Krishna and others were present.
Laser lithotripsy unit
A laser lithotripsy unit, costing Rs. 25 lakh was commissioned at the Department of Gastroenterology of King George Hospital and Andhra Medical College here. This was first such facility available in a government institution in the State and second in the country.
Only three other institutions – AIIMS, New Delhi; Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad and another institution in Mumbai – have this unit. The unit would be aligned with Rs. 25 lakh spy glass cholongioscope, (launched by the then District Collector V. Sheshadri during August) for treatment of bile duct and pancreatic duct stones, HoD of Gastroenterology P. Murali Krishna said.
While spy glass cholongioscope avoided biopsy, the laser lithotripsy would blast the stones in a non-surgery method. Stones not corrected through surgery could be removed with the help of this equipment.
Patient is not admitted in the hospital for treatment and can leave the hospital same day. This procedure would cost Rs. 80,000 in a private hospital. The unit was purchased with the help of donations from former students of AMC P. Radha Rani and P. Ravi Mohan and the local branch of Association of Physicians of India.