Public services of the lone Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) remains suspended for nine months causing immense sufferings to patients.
The MRI machine of the largest public hospital has remained suspended for nine months. According to DMCH authorities, MRI services has been stopped due to fears of possible coronavirus transmission.
Some patients said that they are forced to have MRI done from private diagnostic centres at much higher cost. It costs them twice as much. It is quite surprising to know that MRI has been suspended in such a hospital where hundreds of MRI reports are required.
Some attendants of admitted patients said that MRI could be done at DMCH for about Tk 3000 only. It costs up to Tk 10,000 to do it in a private hospital-diagnostic center.
Kamrul Hasan from Narayanganj brought her father to DMCH for treatment. He said, “This hospital is the last hope of ordinary patients. But services of an important diagnosis machine at the hospital has been shut down for 9 months. Those who have money can afford a private diagnosis but it is quite impossible for people like us who are very poor.”
MRI is a modern diagnostic test. Through this machine a very clear picture of the internal organs of the human body is taken to find out the specific disease or abnormal condition. MRI is done to examine the brain, spine, joints (such as: knees, shoulders, wrists and ankles), abdomen, breasts, blood vessels, heart and other parts of the body.
An official of DMCH, who did not want to be named, said, "The MRI machine has been shut down due to coronavirus. If the corona is not positive, MRI can be done according to the hygiene rules. But I can't say why the authorities took such a decision.”
He added, “Around 20-25 patients would get MRI services everyday at the hospital before. The government would earn at least Tk 70,000 per day. In the last nine months, the government has been deprived of income of 20 crore taka. It is often seen that if it is closed for a long time, the machine may malfunction or even break down.”
DMCH Radiology and Imaging Department Head MA Noman Chowdhury said, “I have informed the hospital authorities on several occasions to resume services in the interest of the patients. But authorities said it is closed for coronavirus.”
