BENGALURU: For the first time, a government hospital in the state will have a tele-radiology facility to deal with shortage of radiologists in rural areas. The project, called ‘e-Kirana’, will provide expert radiology advice to doctors at district and taluk hospitals.
Specialists at Victoria Hospital, a part of the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), will read the CT scan images sent to them online and assist doctors in treatment through ‘e-Kirana’. It will provide a route-map to surgeons and physicians on how to proceed with treatment, including surgery. Initially, the facility will connect three district hospitals — Hassan, Chikkaballapur and Mangaluru — with the Institute and, in next stage, it will be extended to other hospitals at Lingasagur, Bidar, Kalaburagi.
The brain behind this initiative is Dr K R Vijay Kumar, Associate Professor, BMCRI. “I am happy to say that e-Kirana has become a reality because of the support of Dean/Director Dr P K Devadass, BMCRI. I was appointed as Nodal Officer of the facility,” he told Express.
Dr Vijay Kumar, a radiologist and BMCRI alumnus, said district and taluk hospitals, where CT scan facility is available, don’t have experts who can give their opinions. They have to go to private hospitals with the scan images, he said.
“This facility is in great demand as the state is facing a shortage of radiologists. There are a few seats for this course in the state and some aspirants pay up to Rs 4 crore to get a paid seat for radiology. Those who have done the course are spending so much money and even those who got government seats, don’t serve rural people. Therefore, e-kirana is ‘Ashakirana’, a ray of hope,” another doctor at Victoria Hospital said.
6-slice CTCT scan to 128 slice CTCT scan:
Victoria Hospital, which presently has only a 6-slice CT Scan, will have a new facility, ‘Premium end State of Art 128-slice CT Scan’, which is available in a few private hospitals. The cost of this machine is Rs 4.5 crore. It completes a body scan from head to toe in less than 20 seconds and produces high definition images. In private centres, the cost varies from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000. Now, it will be available at affordable rates,,” hospital authorities said.
Haemophilia Care Centre
A Comprehensive Haemophilia Care Centre (CHCC) was launched at Victoria Hospital on Tuesday. The treatment for haemophilia is a costly affair with a patient needing Rs 2-3 lakh a year. Now, BMCRI has been made the nodal centre for haemophilia treatment. “My two brothers and I have haemophilia. Earlier, we used to travel more than 500 km to Davangere from Yadgir, for treatment. Recently, I joined a company in Bengaluru. Now, I am getting better treatment at CHCC,” said 24-year-old Saidappa, a patient.