Six X-ray machines out of order at Services Hospital

Six X-ray machines of different departments of the Services Hospital are in a state of disrepair after being operated upon by unqualified technicians. Hospital sources said on Sunday that only six out of the 230 technicians working in different wards and operation theatres were qualified to handle the expensive machines. The large number of unqualified technicians had misused the costly medical equipment, including X-ray machines, and had rendered the machines useless. According to sources, one X-ray machine in New X-ray Block, two X-ray machines in the main X-ray Department, one in Outdoor Patients Department (OPD), one CR X-ray machine of Emergency Department and a C-Arm machine of orthopedic operation theatre have been dysfunctional for the last two years and patients were being directed to go to private labs to get their X-rays done. The main reason of faults in the machines was being handled by unqualified and inexperienced technicians. It is important to mention here that for a technician, the basic requirement was FSc with one year diploma from the Punjab Medical Faculty, but mostly matriculate persons were operating the X-ray machines and other expensive medical equipment. Patients had to pay Rs 400 for an ordinary X-ray and Rs 700 for digital X-ray to private labs which would otherwise cost Rs 100 and Rs 150 at the public sector hospitals respectively. It was also learnt that some new machines have also developed faults due to handling by unqualified technicians. When contacted, the hospital officials blamed power fluctuations and shortage of funds for the bad condition of the machines. They further said that an enquiry had also been ordered to ascertain facts.