MARGAO
At a time when experts warn women to have regular checkups to avoid the chances of cancer developing and spreading, Hospicio no longer conducts mammography screening in the hospital.
Despite the growing incidence of breast cancer cases, the mammography machine installed at Hospicio is lying idle. Reason: The room where the mammography machine is installed is not air tight, with experts saying the room is unfit to carry out mammography screening fearing radiation leakage.
For months now, the machine has been lying idle after it was repaired by the authorities and installed in the hospital. And the reason why the room is not done up as per the requirements is simple “ that the exercise may cost the exchequer around Rs 3 lakh. And, Hospicio authorities find themselves in a tight spot whether to renovate the room to meet the requirements by spending the huge amount of money, more so when the long-delayed South Goa district hospital is set for tentative commissioning by the year-end.
Inquiries by The Goan have revealed that the mammography machine was shifted to Hospicio from the dedicated mobile bus parked at the Margao Urban Health Centre after the vehicle was disbanded months ago. After the machine was found out of order, Hospicio authorities got it repaired through a Mumbai-based agency, but actual operation of the device has been put on hold after the representatives of the agency suggested to the hospital doctors to re-do the room to plug radiation leakage.
When The Goan called up Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Ira Almeida to shed light on the absence of mammography screening facility at the government hospital, she attributed the delay to the requirements in the room where the machine is installed.
“I am writing to the Director of Health Services how to go about the work. One, the Mumbai-based agency has given certain specifications to re-do the room, which will cost the government around Rs 3 lakh. Secondly, whether it would be prudent to spend the money on the room when Hospicio will be shifted to the new hospital building under construction by year-end,” Dr Almeida said, adding ‘let the government take a call’.
To a query, how Hospicio deals with patients approaching the hospital for a breast cancer check up, she said the hospital handles all such cases, with those requiring attention was told to undergo an ultra sound test. “It’s only when further check is required, the patients are adviced to undergo a mammography screening at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim,” she added.
Director of Health Services, Dr Sanjeev Dalvi said he would check up with the Hospicio authorities on the condition of the mammography machine.
Mammography screening is a low-dose X-ray examination of a woman’s breasts used to detect breast cancer when that cancer is too small to be felt as a lump. Screening mammography is carried out on women who do not have any symptoms of breast disease, information revealed.
Experts say that Goa normally sees around 200 cases of breast cancer every year on an average, and which is more prevalent amongst the female urban population.
