The sole X-ray machine in the Chest Diseases Clinic of Gaibandha Modern Hospital has been out of order for the last four years, against the expectations of the district’s financially insolvent tuberculosis patients requiring chest diagnosis and treatment.
According to sources, the government has taken up an initiative directed to completely eradicating TB from the country and has accordingly strengthened district-level monitoring to identify TB suspects and patients.
After confirming the disease through diagnosing their cough with microscopes in government and NGO run health centres, TB patients are advised to take proper medications as suggested by registered physicians.
In many cases, however, it is not possible to detect the disease through cough diagnosis and TB suspects are then advised to X-ray their chests. The machine is also necessary for photographing the inside of other body parts.
With the X-ray machine out-of-order at CDC, patients are being forced to consider costlier options in private health clinics and diagnostic centres. The consultants of CDC are advising them to go there and have X-rays done at higher rates.
Experts say such a situation may work as a deterrent for people in the grassroots, where awareness about the disease is poor.
Mohammad Shajahan, a TB patient of Mohuripara area, said he had to do all his X-rays at a higher cost from a private medical facility run by a government hospital doctor.
If the machine of the CDC had functioned properly, poor patients could have had their chests X-rayed and treated at a nominal cost and would not have to go through the strenuous processes in private clinics, he added.
Many TB patients have opted not be diagnosed at private clinics due to lack of money. Being undiagnosed and untreated in case of tuberculosis patients can potentially mean spread of the TB germ in others also.
Dr SMA Jalil, a junior consultant at CDC, said he had informed the district’s civil surgeon of the matter and urged him to take necessary measures as soon as possible.
Civil Surgeon Dr Ahad Ali conceded that he had heard of the problem and said they had sent letters to the higher authorities seeking permission for installation of new X-ray machines in the clinic, but there has been no response yet.
