Patients face needle risk

The conventional method, however, puts the patients at risk of infectious diseases. 8220;Various diseases are communicated through blood. And there are chances that such diseases could be passed through glass syringes,8221; admitted a doctor.

Assistant Professor in the department, Dr Nimish Shah, however, said the syringes are properly autoclaved and only disposable needles are used. 8220;We take adequate care of the patient. Chances of blood-related diseases are absent as only disposable needles are used,8221; he claimed. He said the sheer number of patients makes it difficult to meet the demand-supply ratio of disposable syringes. Hospital management officials, however, said every department, including surgery, is provided with adequate supply of disposable syringes. 8220;It is sheer carelessness on part of the doctors, particularly the Resident Medical Officer, if they are not using them,8221; said a senior official.

Although Dr Shah said the glass syringes are properly autoclaved, but several doctors admitted that it is often difficult to ensure non-infectious syringes in view of the patient inflow. Although there are no official cases to suggest that infectious diseases have been passed from one patient to the other due to the glass syringes, doctors admitted that there is a huge risk factor.

8220;There is a chance that these syringes would not be rendered non-infectious at times and that is where the risk lies. Infection can pass from one patient to another if the syringes are not properly autoclaved,8221; admitted a doctor in the surgery department.