Indian Express
25 May 2010
By Vidya Krishna
New Delhi, India

SUSHRUTA TRAUMA CENTRE Patients suffer in the absence of specialists and standard equipment
HEN he came in with a pelvic fracture and head injury, 14–year–old Yogesh Kumar was assured by his father he was in the best hospital in the city. A week later, Yogesh disagrees.

With no neurosurgeons, only one anaesthetist and defunct ultrasound and CT scan machines, problems are rife at the Delhi government’s only medical centre for acute trauma care — the Sushruta Trauma Centre.

On May 17, Yogesh was taken to Tirath Ram Shah Hospital, and then to Sushruta Trauma Centre as the former did not have a CT scan machine. "I was under the impression that a trauma centre will have these basic equipment.

Instead, I have been taking my son out for tests in the family car despite his fracture. He has been in excruciating pain but there is no neurosurgeon to have a look at his head injuries," Yogesh’s father Mukesh told Newsline. "I have already spent over Rs 30,000 for MRI and CT scans and ultrasound tests," added Mukesh.

Incidentally, the hospital building will soon undergo reno vation — nearly Rs 10 crore has been allocated for the project, sources say. "They should be spending money to buy equipment and machines and hire personnel instead of renovating a building that is perfectly fine.

The Delhi government has turned a blind eye to the plight of the patients," said a senior doctor working at the trauma centre.

The authorities maintain that orders have been issued to purchase ultrasound machines, CT scan machines and hire more personnel. "I agree that patients have to face inconvenience. The machines being used at present are very old as a result of which there are frequent breakdowns. We will be replacing them soon. We will also hire more people soon," added Dr Ajay Gupta, Medical Superintendent of the Sushruta Trauma Centre.