Patients suffer as lone X-ray machine lies idle for years
The lone X-ray machine at Mohalchhari upazila health complex in Khagrachhari district has remained inoperative for years due to inadequate power supply at the centre, much to the worry of treatment seekers.Photo: STAR
The lone X-ray machine at Mohalchhari upazila health complex has long been lying idle allegedly as it cannot be operated due to low voltage of electricity. The 300mm X-ray machine was installed in 2004 but it could not be used due to low power supply, said radiographer of the health complex, Bathun Chakma. "The machine needs 220 voltage and uninterrupted power supply for operation while we get around 170 to 180 voltage at the health complex," he said adding if the X-ray machine lies idle for a few more months, it will rust away. Orthopaedic patients are now referred to Khagrachhari Adhunik Sadar Hospital for X-ray. They often undergo immense sufferings due to financial constraint and bad communication. Because of this, many poor patients are forced to take help of quacks, said Residential Medical Officer Suipruchi Chowdhury. "There is only one X-ray machine for 50 thousand people of Mohalchhari upazila. It is really sad that they are not getting X-ray service despite presence of the machine and operator", said Mohalchhari upazila parishad chairman Sona Ratan Chakma. He said, due to the financial crisis and communication problem, the poor people of the area had been suffering a lot for the last several years. Besides, there is no private X-ray machine operator in the upazila. We informed the situation to the authorities concerned several times but to no effect, the UP chairman said. Sona Ratan also urged the authorities to take immediate steps to activate the X-ray device. Contacted, Civil Surgeon of Khagrachhari Dr. Hasan Imam Chowdhury said, "We wrote to the higher authorities several times about the problem but we did not get any positive response".
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