HC rescues SKIMS: Orders it to start operating PET scan
Srinagar: As the closure of the PET scan led to crisis at SKIMS and affected the cancer patients in particular, the High Court has ordered status quo on the objections that were raised by the AERB, letting SKIMS to start the machinery all over again.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Dr Farooq Jan told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that the High Court has ordered to maintain a status quo regarding the objections raised by the regulatory board.
“The court has said that it should work as it has been, as the matter was already in the court regarding the objections that were raised by the AERB,” he said.
Earlier, AERB has shut the machinery, by not renewing the procurement of radioisotopes, demanding adherence to the guidelines in order to run the machinery at SKIMS.
The board has been demanding that a person who can be authorized to overlook the function of the PET scan must have an MD in the Nuclear Medicine. The SKIMS has been saying that the MCI and AERB guidelines were in contrast with each other, while terming it as “a special case.”
Notably, the current head of the Department of Nuclear Medicines is having an MD in Radiotherapy, which is fine as per the MCI guidelines, and against the AERB directives.
While demanding compliance to its directives, the AERB in November had refused to renew the procurement of radioisotopes, asking the head of the department to comply with the guidelines.
The AERB’s Radiological Safety Division (RDS) had said that the permissions of procuring the radioisotopes may be considered on complying with the regulatory requirements and submission of the report on radiological safety status of the department for the year 2018.
After the crisis, the High Court ordering a status quo has once again kept the issue of contrasting guidelines as it is, with SKIMS likely to resume the procurement of radioisotopes in few days.
“In coming few days, the machine will be functional,” Dr Jan said.
Irfan Tramboo
