MKCG Medical College in Berhampur dilapidated, authorities in slumber

By Sisir Panigrahy

Wide cracks in walls of various departments, insufficient infrastructure and lack of equipment plague MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MKCG MCH) here. While tobacco spit marks on the walls and unbearable stink from the blocked toilets portray a poor picture of the premier medical college, the patients admitted here also have to fight the mosquito menace.

Set up in 1961, the 1,081- bed MKCG MCH is the referral hospital for 10 southern districts and caters to patients from Andhra Pradesh as well. While lack of infrastructure is commonplace in this  hospital, the least expected of the authorities is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene on the hospital premises to prevent infection. However, what you get to see at the MCH is a testimony to the fact that the authorities concerned are in deep slumber.

Walls in various departments of the 51-year-old structure have developed deep cracks sans maintenance, portions of the roofs chip off every month and need to be repaired on priority. At any given point of time, as many as 800 patients and 4,000 people, including patients’ attendants and hospital staff, can be found in the wards.

Locals alleged that although the hospital higher-ups are well aware of the unsafe condition of MCH’s buildings, they spent money on just plastering the cracks and fixing of floor tiles.

Amenities to patients too are non-existent. While the hospital is supposed to provide most of the medicines to the in- patients, except the normal saline no medicines are provided to them. Patients are allegedly asked to purchase all the required medicines, including cotton. Beds in most of the departments are damaged.

In Gynaecology department, due to shortage of beds pregnant  women and newborn are accommodated on the floor, notwithstanding the risk of infection.  While some departments do not have important equipment, some have them but are sparingly put to use.

One of them is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment which can be used to conduct various tests. The PCR equipment, worth ` 1 crore, was provided to the Microbiology department six months back. But on the pretext of non-supply of testing kits, the machine is lying unused.

In many operation theatres, air conditioners don’t work. Rasananda Mangual, HoD of Surgery department, said even as the department has facilities to operate four patients simultaneously, all the four air conditioners in the OT have become defunct.

“The department is supposed to conduct 3,000 general operations and another 1,500 emergency  operations a year. Though the target of emergency operations is achieved, the number of general operations falls much short of the target. Doctors in other departments said although the officials concerned have been informed about the unsafe buildings in the MKCG, no proper action is being initiated.  

Source: New Indian Express

Radiation study centre at Berhampur varsity

The Berhampur University (BU) is all set to have a Gamma Chamber-5000 to study plant response to ionising radiation. The facility is being developed as a component of the research project on plant responses to ionising radiation, which is currently in progress at the department of botany. This is the first time that the state will have such as facility, said Brahma Bihari Panda, head of botany department. A team of experts from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) had visited the university recently and approved the building site after thorough inspection. “We constructed the building as per the guidelines of Barc. But with the onset of monsoon, the delivery of the equipment from Barc has been delayed and we are hoping it will reach us by October or November. The research has been going on since two years,” said Panda. Barc is looking after research components while the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (Brit) will provide the equipment. He said Barc has provided the Gamma Chamber-5000, which is worth Rs 40 lakh, free of cost to the university. An MoU to this effect was signed between the director, health safety and environment group of Barc and registrar of Berhampur University on August 19, 2008.

The botany department of BU is one of the four centres located in different agro-climatic zones of the country chosen under the 11th plan period to conduct the mega research project of Barc. The other three zones are Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) at Pusa in New Delhi, Barc in Mumbai and Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. “The chamber is the source of radiation from cobalt system which can be used for experimental purposes and scientific investigation. We have already constructed a building, Gamma House, at an isolated area in the botanical garden on the campus. The rest of the equipment will also be installed as soon as they reach us,” Panda said. In addition to the chamber, Barc has also provided other research tools and two research scholars and one field assistant for this purpose. The entire cost would come to around Rs 70 lakh, he said. The departments of chemistry, physics, zoology, marine and pharmaceutical sciences can also use this equipment for an inter-disciplinary approach. “The gamma centre has several applications. We can see the effect of radiation and use it for improvement of crops, sterilisation of medical disposals. Radiation helps preserve food materials. Seeds treated with radiation are not infested by insects. So it is useful for storage of material and aseptic conditions. This is also being considered as a source of income for Berhampur University because it can be used outsourced to researchers and research institutions,” Panda said. He said the importance of radiation was increasing daily with the depletion of natural bio fuel or hydrocarbons. “Radiation will be a perennial and safe source of energy. Because here the regulations are very stringent and there is no pollution from radiation,” he added. The radiological safety division is looking after the safety aspect. “It is a research programme and is well protected. The persons who will work here will be given proper training about how to operate it. A radiation monitor will measure if there is any radiation. The radiation level of this region is slightly high because of the Monazite belt and the black sand at Arjipalli. But we are looking into the safety concerns,” Panda said.

Source: The Telegraph