John Wilbert & Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Jan 19: Screening for breast cancer through mammogram at G B Pant Hospital, Port Blair, remains inaccessible to the patients for past nearly one year now due to a fault in the machine.
Breast cancer takes its toll mostly on women above 40 years of age. Mammography is a screening and diagnosis method to identify the malignant tissues causing breast cancer.
As far as A & N Islands are concerned, G B Pant hospital is the only government hospital equipped with the facility to cater the entire region. The patients visiting G B Pant are often referred from around the Islands to undergo mammography.
The facility has been unavailable for the past nearly one year now, forcing the patients to consult private centres where the facility would cost abnormally high.
“I was surprised when I was asked to undergo mammography from a private testing unit. I can afford the cost but can a lady from low income group afford it? When Government has purchased such machine spending Tax Payers’ money, it should be maintained and repaired properly,” said a patient, who does not want her name to be quoted.
Surprisingly when contacted the Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital, Dr. SP Burma said that he has no knowledge about it yet and no patient has also complained about it.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha, the Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital, Dr. SP Burma said that he has received no complaints about the out of order machine from patients as well as the staffs.
“I will ask about the machine to the HOD Radiology and as soon as possible repair it for the patients,” Dr Burma assured.
Sadly even after several visits by Andaman Sheekha reporter the HoD of Radiology did not find time to meet media person to answer questions in this regard.
Hope soon the Hospital Administration may make the machine fit for the use of patients so that patients may not be forced to spend hefty amounts in Private Clinic.
