Panel visits hospital for gas tragedy victims, not happy with facilities

The monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court for medical rehabilitation of Bhopal gas victims visited Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre to take stock of the facilities.

The monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court (SC) for medical rehabilitation for Bhopal gas victims visited Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) on Thursday to take stock of the various facilities available for the victims.

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The BMHRC is the super-specialty hospital meant for the treatment of Bhopal gas tragedy victims, but is afflicted by various problems itself. The committee reviewed the situation at the nephrology department, in view of the constant complaints about unavailability of specialist doctors and dialysis units — one of the basic requirements for the kidney patients. The committee left unsatisfied as it found that the problems continue to exist.

The five-member committee headed by chairman Justice VK Agrawal found the hospital was unable to make arrangement of a full-time nephrologist who could monitor the dialysis and other kidney-related ailments of the gas victims.

Kidney complications are among the most common diseases affecting the gas victims.

Member of the committee Purnendu Shukla told HT that the hospital has made arrangement for a nephrologist, who visits BMHRC twice a week, but this was totally inadequate.

Also there is no separate dialysis machine for HIV positive patients as required.

The committee members also visited the Cath Lab and were told that the machines would be installed within ten days.

The members would submit its report on the situation to the high court as part of its routine reporting.