Latest news with #PostGraduateInstituteofMedicalEducationandResearch
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
147 medical equipment at PGIMER lying unused: Health ministry
As many as 147 of the total 1,096 medical devices purchased by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in the last five years have been lying unused, the Union health ministry informed Parliament in response to an unstarred question from Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari. In the last five years, the grant-in-aid for PGI to create capital assets has increased from ₹ 250 crore in 2021-22 to ₹ 350 crore in 2024-25. (HT File) The MP had asked whether medical equipment worth crores, including those procured for the Mother and Child Care Centre, was lying non-operational due to incomplete infrastructure. The Ministry revealed 93% of the Mother and Child Care Centre's civil works are complete, and delays were caused due to Covid-19, revision in building plans to meet site and user needs, and compliance with fire safety norms. The Ministry revealed that the highest number of idle equipment are in the neurosurgery (55) and paediatrics (33) departments, followed by the advanced paediatric centre and anaesthesia which have 20 each. In neurosurgery, the unused devices include intensive care unit (ICU) beds costing ₹2–3 lakh each. The neurosurgery purchased 479 devices in all while the paediatrics department bought 110. The Ministry did not reveal the total cost of the unused equipment. In the last five years, the grant-in-aid for PGI to create capital assets has increased from ₹250 crore in 2021-22 to ₹350 crore in 2024-25. There was no response from the PGI administration despite multiple attempts to reach them.
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: PGI mulling video consultations for follow-up patients to ease OPD rush
To ease the overwhelming patient rush during OPD hours, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is planning to introduce tele-consultation services for follow-up patients. PGIMER sees a daily OPD footfall of 8,000-10,000 patients, of whom two-thirds visit the hospital for follow-up. (Ravi Kumar/HT) The telemedicine department has circulated a proposal to all departments, seeking their participation. During their OPD visit, if follow-up patients opt for online consultation, they will be given a specific date and time for a video call with the doctor. Each clinic or OPD will need to allocate a separate room for these tele-consultation sessions. If implemented, the initiative will save patients, especially those travelling from far-off places, time, money and effort, allowing them to consult doctors from the comfort of home. Currently, PGIMER sees a daily OPD footfall of 8,000-10,000 patients, of whom two-thirds are follow-ups and one-third are new patients registering for the first time. Managing this rush has been a long-standing challenge for the institute. One initiative in this direction is the Digi Seva system, already implemented in the department of hepatology. It allows follow-up patients to register online, bypassing long queues. Patients using online registration are also given priority, further cutting down wait times. The telemedicine department has been offering tele-consultation to doctors of Haryana, who require expert opinion on various cases, through a memorandum of understanding between the institute and the Haryana government. Since 2021, the department has provided 2.5 lakh consultation to various government hospitals doctors. However, direct doctor-to-patient tele-consultation is currently not offered at any government hospital in the region. If PGIMER manages to roll out this service, it will be the first government institution to do so, said a professor at the hospital, not wishing to be named. A meeting involving stakeholders from various departments was held last month, following which a formal proposal has been circulated. So far, internal medicine, nephrology, neurosurgery, endocrinology, obstetrics and gynaecology, and gastroenterology departments have shown interest. Adequate manpower a challenge While the project is in its initial stage and technical modalities need to be worked out, adequate manpower remains a major challenge in implementing the proposal. Each department will need at least one data entry operator to schedule appointments and an assistant for the doctor during video calls. Departments will either have to spare staff from their existing pool or fresh recruitments will have to be done. At present, the telemedicine department has 25 staffers, of which 23 are working under two health ministry-funded projects. PGIMER itself has provided only two contractual staffers for cleaning and sweeping. Other than tele-consultation, the department also creates educational content, including video lectures and training modules for MBBS students, under the health ministry's learning management system. The department has no sanctioned faculty posts. It has long been demanding the creation of such posts to strengthen its tele-consultation, academic and research work. The proposal for faculty positions was tabled in the institute's 131st Standing Finance Committee meeting last month and sent for review. The head of the telemedicine department declined to comment, citing the proposal's early stage. The next meeting will be held once responses from all departments are in.
Hindustan Times
29-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
World Hepatitis Day: Half of acute liver failure patients admitted in ICU had Hepatitis A, say PGI doctors
On the occasion of world hepatitis day, the department of hepatology of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on Monday organised a viral hepatitis screening and information camp at the liver clinic in the OPD. Accompanying attendants of the patients were encouraged to participate in the screening and were provided information about viral hepatitis and its importance, the routes of spread and methods of prevention. Officials said that the activity will continue throughout the week. Hepatitis B and C are silent killers that surreptitiously damage the liver over many years, leading to serious conditions like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), end-stage liver disease and even liver cancer. (Shutterstock) World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28 to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, a group of diseases that can severely damage our liver. This year's theme, 'Hepatitis: Let's break it down' is to understand the silent threat, remove barriers to care including misinformation, and work together towards a hepatitis-free future. Dr Madhumita Premkumar of hepatology department at PGIMER highlighted that according to an observation, the last few years saw an increase in numbers and severity of hepatitis A virus infection. 'Almost half of the acute liver failure patients, admitted in the Liver ICU in the last two years, have been due to Hepatitis A, a serious cause for concern,' she added. Dr Nipun Verma, of the department of hepatology, said, 'Hepatitis A has also been presenting typically with prolonged jaundice and itching which may require steroids and even plasma exchange (a form of blood filtration).' Ajay Duseja, head of hepatology department said that around 800-1000 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) are seen each year at the outpatient liver clinic at PGIMER. 'All of these patients are referred from various parts of the country,' he added. While highlighting how neighbouring states, particularly Punjab, is a high burden state for Hepatitis C possibly due to intravenous drug abuse, Dr Sunil Taneja of hepatology department, said, 'Punjab has been at the forefront of the fight against Hepatitis C and its approach of decentralising diagnosis and treatment using a hub and spoke ECHO model has been replicated not only nationally but has garnered much international attention.' Dr Duseja explained hepatitis refers to an inflammation of the liver. 'Liver is a vital organ, performing hundreds of essential functions, including filtering toxins, producing proteins, and aiding digestion. When the liver is damaged by hepatitis, these functions are compromised, affecting our overall health and well-being. Viral hepatitis is caused by viruses predominantly Hepatitis A, B, C, and E. Hepatitis A and E are spread through contaminated food and water (feco-oral route). Infection with these viruses causes acute onset jaundice which is usually self-limiting but can sometimes progress to acute liver failure which is potentially life threatening,' Dr Duseja said. Hepatitis B and C are silent killers that surreptitiously damage the liver over many years, leading to serious conditions like cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), end-stage liver disease and even liver cancer. Prevention: The first line of defence Hepatitis A and B vaccines are safe and highly effective Newborns should receive the Hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth to prevent transmission from mother to child Consult your doctor to see if you need to be vaccinated against Hepatitis A or B Safe practices Wash your hands thoroughly Ensure safe drinking water and food Practice safe injections Safe piercings and tattoos Practice safe sex Free treatment is available A significant step forward in our fight against viral hepatitis is the availability of free testing and treatment. The government of India, through the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP), offers free services for diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis patients, informed Dr Naveen Bhagat.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Amid complaints, PGI delays uploading Amrit medicine rates online
1 2 Chandigarh: Despite a year passing since the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) announced its decision to upload the rates of medicines supplied by Amrit (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) on its website to prevent overcharging, the initiative remains incomplete. Sources indicate that the PGI administration is still in the process of implementing this crucial transparency measure, even as complaints of Amrit stores overcharging patients compared to the open market continue to surface. PGI boasts the largest network of Amrit stores in the country, with nine outlets operating within its premises. A significant point of contention arises from the allocation of a prime retail space at the PGI emergency. This space, which previously commanded a monthly rental of Rs 2 crore, was reportedly shut down and re-allotted to Amrit two years ago at a significantly reduced rental of not more than Rs 1 lakh per month. A faculty member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, "The rental to Amrit is not more than Rs 1 lakh per month. Consequently, the drug prices should be the lowest, or any profit generated by these stores should benefit PGI and the patients." The absence of real-time drug rates displayed publicly has seemingly created an environment where several drug stores within the hospital are allegedly taking advantage of the high patient footfall, leading to instances of overcharging. "Patients, often in vulnerable situations, are left without a clear reference point for fair pricing, making them susceptible to inflated costs. The delay in uploading the rates online exacerbates this issue, leaving patients without the promised safeguard against fleecing," said a faculty member. The PGI administration has yet to provide a concrete timeline for the completion of the online rate upload. MSID:: 122840824 413 |
Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: New trauma centre at GMCH opens by month-end
The patient load on Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research's (PGIMER) trauma centre will likely reduce with another emergency-cum-trauma centre set to be inaugurated at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, by month-end. Until now, the trauma centre at PGIMER had been bearing much of the load of emergency patients, with their numbers consistently rising over the years. (HT photo) The hospital administration has issued a circular regarding a Sukhmani Sahib path at the new trauma centre building on July 27. Though the hospital administration has not confirmed the date, sources revealed that the 283-bed trauma centre will be opened on July 28. The authorities are awaiting confirmation of the Union Minister's availability before announcing the date. GMCH-32 director principle Dr AK Atri said, 'The building is ready and a circular regarding Sukhamni Sahib Paath has been issued for July 27. The equipment has been installed and all emergency services will be shifted to the new building in a phased manner.' Until now, the trauma centre at PGIMER had been bearing much of the load of emergency patients, with their numbers consistently rising over the years. GMCH already has one trauma centre in Block-A, with 45 beds. But the rush here goes up to 400 on a daily basis. On several occasions, there were reports of patients being treated on trolleys due to shortage of beds. The new emergency-cum-trauma centre, with 283 beds, will cater to patients needing immediate care, including natural and manmade disasters, road accidents, etc. The facility also has over 40 ventilator-support beds. The new emergency-cum-trauma centre building has two basements for parking, operation theatres, CT scan, MRI and other services in the building. The ₹52.77 crore project had received approval in 2019 and was supposed to be complete within 18 months but it faced numerous hiccups, causing delay. Due to pending environment clearance certificates, Covid and other reasons, the project has seen multiple delays. On December 16, 2024, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had gone on a surprise visit to the hospital and inspected the construction work of a new emergency-cum-trauma centre building. He had then ordered to complete the work by March 31 and operationalise the building by April.
