GUWAHATI, Aug 10 - A majority of the regional laboratories in the State are either closed or only partially functioning.
Replying to a call attention in the Legislative Assembly by AGP MLA Keshab Mahanta, Health and Family Welfare Minister Nazrul Islam said that while three regional testing centres located in the medical colleges are functioning normally, two laboratories located in Nagaon and Dhubri have been closed for some time now.
In the Nagaon laboratory, both the CT scan machine and the X-ray machine are not working, while in Dhubri there is a problem with non-availability of technicians.
The remaining six regional laboratories too are facing some problem or the other. The State government has sought help from the Centre to fully operationalise all the laboratories again.
The Minister added that presently 380 108 emergency ambulances are operating across the State and all are in functioning condition.
Besides, a total of 316 102 ambulances, used for ferrying patients between hospitals, are also operating.
Regarding Japanese encephalitis (JE), the Minster said that incidence of JE in Assam was declining each year. �The number of JE patients so far this year is less than the number which contracted JE by this time last year,� Islam said.
He said that JE vaccination is on in all districts for kids below 15 years of age and vaccination of adults has been undertaken in 10 districts.
Islam said five ICUs have been reserved in all the medical colleges of Assam for JE patients and the government would look at making ICU stay for JE patients free of cost.
�I have ensured that those who have approached me have got 50 per cent rebate for stay in ICUs,� he said.
He said free testing and medicines for JE are being provided.
Regarding complaints that many JE patients have not found place in ICUs, the Minister said that there are limitations in the number of ICU seats. �In GMCH, 15-16 JE patients are now in ICU. Doctors in peripheral regions generally refer many JE cases to GMCH and other medical colleges and so the number of patients is more than the availability of ICUs,� Islam said.
Earlier, raising the issue, AGP�s Mahanta cited media reports stating that many ambulances in government hospitals are out of order and there is no provision of repairing them.
He said that the user money of the hospitals has been reduced and there is no additional funding.
