Exposition of medical gadgetry

An international exposition dubbed Meditex Banglasdesh -actually the 7th version of the same -to be held from today (May 7) should give an opportunity for the country's healthcare facilities to go for a reality check. Hospitals and health complexes have before them challenges of various kinds. In a country where doctor-patient ratio is one of the most dismal with one physician for 3,500 patients, the problem gets further complicated for maldistribution of resources and deliberate absence of doctors from their workplace. When such basics of a system cannot be righted, it is almost futile to argue in favour of procurement of sophisticated medical gadgetry and equipment. But the few state-run hospitals in the capital and a number of specialised private healthcare facilities interested in developing their capability surely gain from such expositions.

Medical science has advanced phenomenally over the years, so has the technology for bringing perfection to machines, equipment and instruments required for precise diagnosis to highly subtle clinical operation. It is a continuous process and unfortunately low income countries like Bangladesh have hardly any participation in the elaborate scheme of research and experiment with disease or medical equipment. Even innovation in providing medical service is not a plus point for such countries. So here is an opportunity for healthcare providers to familiarise them with the latest types of medical gadgets and services that will be on show at the exposition. This will, of course, depend on the array of participants from abroad. If the famed companies showcase their latest inventions, medical practitioners will be able to form an idea of their utility.

Sadly, the experience of procuring the latest medical gadgetry at a high cost has not always been happy. Reports have often exposed hospitals' inability to make good use of such imported machines or equipment. Sometimes they were even left to gather dust in the open or rust without ever setting them to operation. In some other cases, no technician was trained to operate them. These are irregularities and lack of coordination on the part of the authorities of public hospitals. If they really mean business, they must give attention to every detail in order to take advantage of the latest medical technology.

Infrastructure for healthcare is highly important. There is no point concentrating the best medical hands -- both doctors and nurses -- and the common medical equipment in a few healthcare facilities of the capital. Overcrowded and dirty with cats and cockroaches freely moving around, no hospital can give the best of medical attention to patients. The environment even in a best run government hospital is forbidding and at times nauseating. Unless this can be improved and post-operation medical attention standardised, the country's hospitals will fail to better serve patients seeking treatment there. Some of the private healthcare facilities are known for their state-of-the-art medical service but they are so costly that the majority of patients cannot afford treatment there. In a situation like this, decentralisation of government medical facilities manned by at least a few expert medical consultants can take the pressure off from the few in the capital.