By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: City K.R. Hospital’s Radio-Diagnosis unit, which plays a very crucial role in detection and diagnosis of diseases, is in need of an urgent upgradation with all necessary infrastructure to meet the growing demands.

The unit has the task of issuing reports of patients of all Hospitals coming under MMC&RI, namely ­— K.R. Hospital, Cheluvamba, PKTB, Super Speciality Hospitals and Trauma Care Centre — with the last three of them, located on KRS Road.

The K.R. Hospital’s Radio-Diagnosis Unit has just one CT Scanning machine, catering to the needs of 100 to 120 patients a day and 7 Ultra-Sound scanning machines that can collectively diagnose 150 to 200 patients a day. Besides higher level of tests such as Doppler scanning, Elastography procedures, Biopsy, FNAC etc., too are being done using these equipment. As regards X-Ray, the X-Ray scanning is being done with the help of an X-Ray machine in K.R. Hospital and 9  bedside Portable X-Ray machines, with hardly 400 patients, including both in-patient and out-patients, benefiting from it. 

Meanwhile, doctors are of the opinion that a Digital Radiography facility is the need of the hour as they give reports almost instantly after scanning.

The Hospital is in need of a MRI Scan facility. In the absence of an MRI Scan facility of its own, the K.R. Hospital is running the facility on a PPP model for the past 10 years, after having tied up with Medall Diagnostics, for which patients are charged depending upon the type of scanning. Though the 10-year agreement with Medall ended a year ago, the agreement has continued as the Medical Education Department has not taken any measures for installing an MRI scanner.

Apart from infrastructure and equipment, K.R. Hospital is facing a crisis on other fronts too such as shortage of doctors, specialists, technicians  and para-medical staff, in order to meet the rush of patients at this over-a-century-old Hospital, which is popularly known as ‘Doddaspatre’ among the rural masses.

Apart from the Radiology Department, faculty that comprise HoD Dr. C.P. Nanjaraj, Professor Dr. Pradeep, Associate Professors Dr. Manu Pratap, Dr. K.B. Hemanth, Dr. C.N. Pradeep Kumar and Dr. K. B. Umamaheshwari, Assistant Professor Dr. P. Sanjay and Senior residents Dr. R.K. Nishanth and Dr. B.G. Jagath, there are only four other permanent staff and 8 technicians who are outsourced. As per the present requirement, the Department needs 30 more technicians, staff nurses and D Group employees to meet the health needs of growing number of patients.

Meanwhile, out of the sanctioned 708 posts in MMC&RI, there are only 382 staff, while 326 various posts are lying vacant for long. The vacant posts include 120 staff nurses, 13 Nursing Superintendents – Grade II, 14 Nursing tutors, 38 Second Division Assistants and 4 Radiographers, while the rest include Group C and D posts.

With increasing number of patients, the Hospital needs added facilities such as trolley ways, a Dharmashala for caretakers of patients, drinking water and sanitation facilities to cope up with the growing needs. With all these shortcomings, it is high time the authorities wake up and take measures to address all the issues that the century-old K.R. Hospital is battling, at a time when the MMC&RI is getting spruced up for its centenary celebrations. The improvement of infrastructure will largely help the poor patients who look up to K.R. Hospital as ‘Doddaspatre’.

MMC&RI braces up for centenary celebrations

Meanwhile, the oldest Medical College of the State, MMC&RI, is gearing up for its centenary celebrations to take place in 2024. According to MMC&RI Dean and Director Dr. H.N. Dinesh, K.R. Hospital and all other four Hospitals coming under MMC&RI, will be developed as part of the celebrations. Pointing out that the State Government has earmarked funds for development of Infrastructure in K.R. Hospital, he said that measures will also be taken to improve the facilities in the Radiology Unit. Noting that the tender process is on for the installation of MRI Scanner, he said that the delay in the installation is because of the confusions over the configuration of the machine to be supplied by the manufacturers. The issue will be resolved and the MMC&RI will soon have its own MRI Scanning facility, he added.

Continuing, Dr. Dinesh said that a DPR (Detailed Project Report) for the repair of dilapidated portion of the buildings, construction of a new OPD Block and other works is being prepared, which will be submitted to the Government for urgent consideration.

Maintaining that people representatives such as MP Pratap Simha, MLA L. Nagendra, District Minister S.T. Somashekar and others have extended their full co-operation and assured all help  for the improvement of the Medical College and attached Hospitals, Dr. Dinesh observed that the Super Speciality and Trauma Care Centre can be better managed, provided there are more staff.