Teleradiology facility at B'lore Medical College in 2 weeks

A teleradiology facility named ‘E-Kirana’ is set to open at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) in two weeks. It will connect government hospitals across Karnataka, enabling immediate reading of X-rays, CT scans and ultrasound images from rural areas by experts at the BMCRI.

“Optical fibres for the project have already been laid and connectivity to hospitals will be achieved in phases starting from the districts and then taluks. In fact, just a few days ago, the first images were sent from Chikkaballapur. I would like to call the project E-Kirana,” said Dr P K Devadass, Director/Dean, BMCRI.

He was speaking at the celebration of the BMCRI’s diamond jubilee here on Friday. Dr K M Srinivasa Gowda, Chairman, Bangalore Medical College Development Trust (BMCDT), felt that X-ray machines and other equipment might be available in rural hospitals, but there was a shortage of specialists and radiologists.

“This teleradiology project will connect all hospitals and primary health centres in the State. X-rays, CT scans or ultrasound images can be read in the BMCRI within a matter of minutes. A dedicated team will be present 24/7 for this purpose. The facility is set to be inaugurated within the next two weeks,” he said on the sidelines of the programme.

Gowda also said that 30 per cent of X-rays from hospitals in the US were read in Bengaluru, so this was something that was waiting to happen.

In April, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader had spoken about how shortage of radiologists was rendering radiology machines and equipment in government hospitals useless. The announcement of a teleradiology facility was then made.

Dr K Lakshman, member, BMCDT, who is leading efforts to make the recently announced BMCDT-Infosys Bone Marrow Registry a success, sought support from one and all.

“It’s a project of mammoth proportions and we need all of you to make it successful,” he said. The registry was announced as part of the diamond jubilee celebration.

He called for donors, especially since bone marrows are scarcely available and transplants expensive.

“The cost of a bone marrow transplant is around Rs 20 lakh. The registry would definitely bring the cost of such procedures down,” he said. He said it would also be easier to treat people with diseases like Thalassemia, Aplastic Anaemia and Leukemia.  The institute felicitated five of its alumni — Dr Ajith Huilgol (1969 batch), Dr B A Anantharama (1964), Dr K Lakshman (1970), Dr Rajam Ramamurthy (1959) and Dr T Rajeshwari (1967). ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar was the chief guest.