E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, MAY 04 -

Valuable medical equipment is languishing in a room of TU Teaching Hospital (TUTH) for years, but the hospital seems blind to its maintenance. Equipment like Electron Microscope and Cryostat are on the blink, much to the shame of the government’s commitment to develop a research based education system.

Electron Microscope is used for research purposes and Cryostat in carcinogenic cells operation. Cryostat is a microtome (mechanical knife) used for sectioning frozen tissues. The knife and all accessory parts are maintained inside a chamber at temperatures below freezing point, usually around minus 20 C.

The Electron Microscope (EM), which was gifted to the hospital by Japanese doctor Yuzi Kimula in 1998, was used till 2001 March. Since then, it has been rarely used. “We don’t have the materials needed to use the ultracot microtome of the EM,” said Geeta Syami, Head of TUTH’s Department of Pathology. “Though we talked to hospital authorities repeatedly, they all said there was no money for its maintenance.”

However, Ram Chandra Subedi, who learned how to operate EM from Kimula and was even sent  to Chandigarh, India, for two months to study specimens used to view EM, said he had asked the hospital authorities to provide materials required for the preparation of specimens, but to no avail.

“I heard that the authorities rejected my proposal and instead asked me what the hospital will get in return,” he said. “It’s used for research, I can’t give them any output immediately,” was his answer.

Currently, the EM lies in a room of Basic Science building of TUTH, where its instruments are coated by a thick layer of dust. The room is opened only when students of TUTH or of other universities come to have a glimpse at it. “The students would certainly feel glad if we can show them the specimens, which they have  seen only in textbooks,” said Dr Bharat Mani Pokherel, head of TUTH’s Microbiology Department.

A senior surgeon, preferring anonymity, said the Cryostat is out of order. “We had sent a sample for checks some 10 years ago, but we didn’t get any result,” he said. “However, that does not mean the equipment doesn’t completely work. We are performing surgeries smoothly even without it. But it would be a great help if the Cryostat was maintained and brought into use.” 

According to a TUTH staff, the Cryostat doesn’t maintain the required temperature-minus 20 C—and has been producing a lot of noise of late. “My duty is to look after management of the hospital, not after the equipment,” said TUTH Executive Director Dr KP Singh. “It’s the duty of the campus chief to take care of the equipment.”

 

Posted on: 2011-05-04 08:24

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