Times of India
30 Aug 2011
City radiologists allege they are being victimised, while State hospitals have a free run
City radiologists have alleged that the State authorities are targeting them, while turning a blind eye to anomalies in government hospitals. Over the past few months, authorities have seized more than 260 sonography machines from private radiology centres. Most of the machines seized were because of ‘clerical errors’ such as not recording patients’ details. Mumbai Mirror has found out that authorities at public hospitals too don’t list details of the patients coming for sonography.

Mumbai Mirror has a copy of two such forms wherein in the patient’s details were not recorded properly. As per the Pre–Conception and Pre–Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, form ‘F’ should be filled with none of the options left blank. However, in the two forms of a pregnant woman who had come for sonography at Parel’s KEM Hospital, the radiologist has made more than five errors.

In the forms, there is no mention of the number of children the woman has, address of the patient is missing, name of the referring doctor is not listed, no mention of the result of sonography, and the patient declaration section has no name of the patient.

To top it all, the form has no signature, and no name or registration number of the doctor conducting the sonography, which is mandatory under the Act. KEM Hospital Dean Dr Sanjay Oak remained unavailable despite of repeated calls, nor did he reply to text messages.

Members of Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA) have taken up the matter with the civic officials. Jignesh Thakker, general secretary, IRIA said: “ Many machines from private centres have been seized for the similar clerical errors (those mentioned above). But why is the government not acting against their hospitals flouting the same norms?”

Dr Asha Advani, special officer, BMC family welfare unit said, “We regularly monitor public hospitals to ensure they follow PCPNDT guidelines. I will conduct enquiries in KEM Hospital to verify whether the authorities there are flouting the norms.”