Reports of HIV positive infections among six patients,while undergoing dialysis treatment at the state-run College of Medicine & Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital (JNMH) in Kalyani, Nadia has woken up health department to strengthen monitoring system of other 34 dialysis units on publicprivate-partnership (PPP) model that have come up in governments healthcare facilities.

The dialysis unit at the College of Medicine & JNMH was set up on a PPP model. Some members of the dialysis committee formed by the health department felt that the standard operating procedures (SOP) are not properly implemented by a section of dialysis units across the state.

The reason: Inadequate number of nephrologists and trained technicians. Only around 15 nephrologists attached with different government medical colleges and hospitals are not adequate to make regular visits to the 35 dialysis units weekly to verify whether SOPs are properly followed there.

Earlier, experts, mainly nephrologists, used to visit a minimum of two or three dialysis units in districts every week to monitor maintenance and operation systems, one of the members of the committee said.

Dr R N Pandey, former head nephrology department at the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGMER) as well as SSKM Hospital, who was the key member of the state government’s dialysis committee few years ago for installation, monitoring and procurement of equipment for setting up of dialysis units on PPP model in government hospitals, said, “SOPs must be followed by doctors.

Technicians and patients must be properly followed to prevent any kind of infections inside a dialysis unit.” “Cross-checking of medical records of patients is mandatory before they undergo dialysis treatment.

Proper measures should be taken so that patients do not require blood transfusions during the process because there might be chances of blood-borne infections among patients. Injections are given to patients who are vulnerable to blood loss to prevent blood transfusion,” Dr Pandey said. Ratnakar Rao, an IAS officer who is in charge of dialysis units on PPP model, did not respond to WhatsApp messages sent to him by this correspondent on Wednesday on the issue.

On the other hand, it’s learnt that the state health department is sitting idle despite the HIV infected patients informed the matter to the Swasthya Bhaban seeking its intervention.

Eight patients, who used to undergo dialysis treatment at the College of Medicine & JNMH wrote letters to the health department giving detailed reports on how the dialysis unit was on the verge of collapse owing to poor maintenance conveyed and human resource crisis during September in 2022. Six out of the eight patients were tested HIV positive.