Lack of test kits prolongs suffering of ESIC patients

Indore: Dearth of testing kits are hampering pathological tests at Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospital, Nanda Nagar delaying diagnosis for last one week.

The hospital authorities are unable to perform vital pathological testing for Thyroid, B3, Vitamin D, D12, B2L, HBIC (Blood sugar), Australian Antigen, Hepatitis, Serum Electrolyte.

The testing couldn’t be done as the hospital ran out of testing kits a week ago. This is not the only issue that is troubling the patients. The hospital authorities are unable to provide X-ray reports to patients due to unavailability of films with them.

The authorities are asking patients to click photographs in their mobile phones and show it to consultants. Earlier, the X-ray machines were out of operation for weeks and patients were running for pillars to post for getting it done.

ESIC superintendent Dr Sushil Bharti told TOI, “The hospital being a Union government facility purchases kits and instruments through Government e Marketplace (GEM) portal. There are delays sometimes in deliveries on placing orders through the portal.”

“The department is required to maintain a buffer stock of testing kits for diagnostic services. I will re-instruct them to make the testing facility available to patients,” added Dr Bharti.

The hospital — a Union ministry of labour and employment facility caters to patients from across the state with at least 1400 walking to out-patient department daily, showed records.

The 300-bed hospital averagely has 75% occupancy in its in-patient department including those rushed to emergency medicine and casualty department.