Telecobalt machines found lying idle for months: CAG
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India observed inordinate delay of 15 to 19 months in identification of sites for construction of bunkers in four government medical college hospitals (GMCH) for the purpose of installing telecobalt machines for the treatment of cancer.
Inordinate delay in undertaking turnkey works resulted in non-installation of telecobalt machines - the new imported machines delivered at Dharmapuri and Tiruvannamalai GMCHs were lying idle for 15 months and 36 months respectively and the machine for Pudukkottai GMCH had reached Chennai Port in November 2021 but was not delivered to the hospital as of June 2024.
In its audit report (compliance audit) for the year ending March 2023 that was tabled in the Assembly, the CAG said that to ensure sufficient treatment facilities for patients diagnosed with cancer, the National Health Mission sanctioned ₹57 crore in three installments (in 2018 and 2019) to the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) for replacement of telecobalt machines in 10 GMCHs and for establishing four new telecobalt centres with bunkers in four GMCHs. In addition, the State government, in 2017, sanctioned ₹3 crore for purchase of a new cobalt therapy unit to Government Arignar Anna Memorial Cancer Hospital, Karapettai.
The TNMSC placed orders for supply and installation of the machines in 15 medical institutions of which 10 were commissioned and patient treatment commenced between August 2021 and October 2023. In the remaining institutions, machines supplied to four hospitals - Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, GMCHs in Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri and Karapettai facility - between February 2021 and March 2023 - were not installed, while the machine for GMCH Pudukottai was not supplied till June 2024.
It also observed that TNMSC had failed in ensuring supply of the Treatment Planning System - an essential part of radiation treatment planning - by the supplier resulting in non-commencement of life-saving treatment for patients in five institutions.
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