Endocrinology and neurology departments to give fillip to SSH

Nagpur: Although the directorate of medical education and research (DMER) and the medical education department (MED) have almost halved the posts proposed by the Super Specialty Hospital (SSH), yet accepting the majority teaching posts they have given a new opportunity for the hospital to grow in both existing super speciality branches and the two newly-sanctioned departments of endocrinology and neurology.The officer on special duty (OSD) at SSH Dr Manish Shirigiriwar considers the sanctioning of the teachers and senior residents posts as a big leap in the development of the SSH. It is for the first time that the MED has given a nod to certain essential posts like the medical social worker (four posts), operation theatre technicians (eight posts), matron (1 post), and chief pharmacist besides technicians in various other specialities.
In fact, a sanitary inspector’s post has also been sanctioned for the first time. “It is all thanks to the chief secretary of Maharashtra, the DMER and the MED’s efforts that these posts have been sanctioned. Adding the much needed neurology and endocrinology department will bring a fillip to the SSH,” said Dr Shirigiriwar.
Patients with neurological and endocrinological disorders till now were being treated only on OPD basis. But with creation of teaching posts of professor, associate professor and lecturer with the two departments, it will now be possible to admit patients and even perform surgery. Dr Sanjay Ramteke, neurologist (a private practitioner) who had been associated with SSH for many years on OPD basis, told TOI that neurology was a basic necessity for SSH.
“Running a speciality without an indoor facility is unthinkable. Due to increasing incidence of diseases like headaches, epilepsy, migraine, dementia, Alzheimer’s, stroke etc patients require prolonged treatments. In private sector it is very difficult to even get a neurologist’s appointment,” said Dr Ramteke. He said given a chance he would like to develop the department at the SSH.
Dr Sunil Ambulkar, city’s first endocrinologist who has been associated again on OPD basis for past 12 years at SSH was delighted to hear about the hospital getting an endocrinology department. He thanked the college dean Dr A Niswade and the OSD of SSH Dr Shirigiriwar for working hard to get the department sanctioned.
“It’s going to benefit in diagnosing patients with pituitary tumours (which form 5-10% of all brain tumours) and provide them pre and post-operative care once a department is there. Diabetes during pregnancy, childhood diabetes, diabetes after a heart surgery etc can also be better managed with a full-fledged department. Diseases of thyroid, adrenal, parathyroid glands can also be treated well if there is a team,” he said.