While we achieve new milestones in technology everyday, there are some things that we can’t really replace for ‘convenience’. Because well, that’s not how technology works. So, if someone at a hospital tells us that we can only take pictures of an X-ray or a scan, instead of the print, our first reaction would be to check if the facility can be trusted at all.
This is exactly what’s happening at the Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital, which is a district facility in Patiala. The hospital has a policy where they ask patients to take pictures of the scan, given that they’re usually out of films to print the radiograph.
Like that isn’t bizarre enough, patients are even told that they’re ineligible for the X-ray if they do not carry a phone with a camera that can take clear pictures. This is what happened with Fuljaria Devi, a construction worker in the district. As a result, patients cannot get a diagnosis without the scan.
My son works near the Focal Point. Only he has a smartphone. Now, I will have to get my son to get my X-ray done
Fuljaria Devi
While this might come across as a bizarre incident at first, it’s also quite reckless because patients can’t expect a treatment if they do not have a clear idea about the diagnosis. And not all patients come from the same privilege, to be able to carry a smartphone at all times.
