Mumbai: Don’t let medical equipment fall into disuse, say experts

Health experts have raised concerns about medical equipment from defunct jumbo COVID care units stating that the state government should ensure they are put to use before they become unusablemidday in its article lsquoDid political rally drive BMC to raze BKC jumbo centrersquo dated October 20 highlighted how medical equipment and consumables from the Bandra Kurla Complex COVID centre were shifted to dismantle the entire structureBMC health department sources informed midday that 90 per cent of the furniture and fixtures at the centremdashincluding linen beds cots and side lockersmdashbelongs to the MMRDA The remaining items medical equipment and consumables belong to the BMC Some of these items were kept at Somaiya jumbo centre and the others in a storeroom at SevenHills Hospital where they are yet to be put to use Some items were given to the civicrun Sion KEM Nair and Cooper medical collegeslsquoNot left to rotrsquoDr Wiqar Shaikh professor of medicine Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals said that plenty of medical equipment was purchased for jumbo centres such as ventilators patient monitors CPAP BIPAP machines defibrillators infusion pumps syringe pumps and laboratory equipment for blood tests The BMC had announced that this equipment would be transferred to municipal medical colleges and peripheral hospitals He questioned whether this was indeed the case or whether the items are rotting in godowns ldquoThis is worrisome because unseasonal rains have resulted in an increase in atmospheric moisture content and the approaching winter will result in a drop in temperaturerdquo he saidAlso Read Mumbai Did political rally drive BMC to raze BKC jumbo centreHe added that equipment need to be compulsorily stored in a controlled environment that is airconditioned and has adequate pest animal and dust control lest they get damagedIndia imports equipmentDr Shaikh explained that although India ranks among the top 20 medical device markets in the world nearly 80 per cent of its medical equipment is imported and India remains heavily dependent on foreign suppliers He said that India imported medical equipments worth 63200 crore in 2021 He added that it is extremely important that expensive and imported equipment be utilised for the benefit of the poorTons of medical consumablesDr Subhash Hira professor of global health at University of Washington Seattle and an adviser to WHOTDRGeneva said ldquoCOVID19 jumbo centres in Mumbai were stocked with items like hospital beds surgical tables and ventilators and had tons of medical consumables and equipment that are designed to last for the next 510 years In fact with constant innovation happening every year new models are making old ones obsolete quickly This poses two problems forhospitals when they decide to restart health facilities with or without ICUs paying to upgrade equipment that was stored away some time ago and getting rid of outdated stuff that poses compatibility problems Hospitals canrsquot throw used equipment in landfillsrdquoDevices become outdatedldquoWhile infrastructure and furniture can be preserved in a facility that is downsized during the lean period of the current pandemic electronic and digital devices are likely to get outdated if they are stored away and will need spare parts to be rehabilitated They can be kept in a lowfunctional state at infectious disease facilities or auctioned or donated to other hospitalsrdquo said Dr HiraldquoHospital staff trained in emergency care of pandemic patients is a valuable resource and should not be laid off in a rushrdquo he addedPermanent damageDr Santosh Bansode head of department emergency medicines Wockhardt Hospitals said ldquoWe have equipment and consumables from shut COVID centres which were used during the initial two waves and subsequent cases of hospitalisation Now that the COVID numbers are low this equipment is not being used If it remains unused chances of it getting permanently damaged cannot be ruled outrdquoldquoI firmly believe that we can instead give this equipment to health centres where it can be used and taken back if COVID patients increaserdquoWhat to do with items once COVID centre is shutAccording to Dr Subhash Hira hospital and lab consumables and fragile pharmacy and lab supplies have expiry dates They can be auctioned or donated to nearby hospitalsHospital furniture and infrastructure can be stored and reassembled later Electronic devices ICU installations ventilators and radiology equipment can be stored for a short time It is preferred that they are installed in nearby hospitals Autoclaves sterilisers vehicles like ambulances oxygen and waste management plants should be shifted to nearby hospitals or auctioned