Senthil Kumar & Sarthak Kanjilall
Rangat, July 14: The Thyroid Function Test is not being carried out in the Rangat Community Health Center as the Air Conditioner in the lab is defunct since almost a year. As the hospital authorities have failed to rectify the Air Conditioner till now, several patients who come to the CHC Rangat for Thyroid Testing are left with no choice to spend a huge sum in the private labs for the Thyroid Testing or travel till Mayabunder Hospital for testing.
This ain’t the end of the misery for the patients, electrolyte tests are also not happening in the hospital for months as the reagents are out of stock in the CHC.
“We have to pay Rs. 1120 for the Thyroid Test in private labs or had to travel till Mayabunder Hospital to get the test done, despite having the Thyroid Testing facilities, the Doctors don’t conduct the test of the patients and are giving some of the other excuses for reasons unknown,” said an old Patient on condition of anonymity.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, a resident of Rangat said that it is almost a year the Thyroid Test is not being carried out in the CHC Rangat, whenever we ask the reason, the staffs in the hospital say that the Air Conditioner in the lab is not working, “Does repairing an Air Conditioner takes a year?” he questioned.
Residents allege that the problem is not only with the Thyroid Function Test and Electrolytes Test Equipment in the CHC, the Digital X-Ray machine of the hospital are also having trouble as a result of which for taking an X-Ray also, they either have to go to Private Labs or travel till Mayabunder.
After receiving several complaints from the residents of Rangat, Andaman Sheekha contacted a senior most doctor of the hospital, who on condition of anonymity has confirmed that only the Thyroid Function Test is not happening in the CHC due to the non-availability of Air Conditioner.
“An estimate of 24 lakhs for 23 Air Conditioners at CHC Rangat has already been sent to the Department for sanction and the file is probably with the Chief Engineer’s Office for further necessary actions,” the Doctor said.
He added that the Electrolyte Test will commence soon as the CHC is expecting to receive the reagents by next week.
