Pune: Stress Testing Machines Gather Dust At Aundh District Hospital, Activists Demand Immediate Action

Two stress testing machines at Aundh District Hospital (ADH) have been gathering dust, remaining unused for the past two years. Due to this, activists have expressed their frustration over the machines not being utilised for public benefit. They allege that the machines were bought merely to exhaust available funds.

Health Activist Sharad Shetty said, "Two stress testing machines were purchased—one using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds during the Covid pandemic and another using funds from the National Health Mission (NHM) in 2023-2024, However, the machines have not been put to public use and are kept in the Covid ward at ADH, gathering dust. The authorities should make these machines available for public use. Patients frequently face difficulties, yet these machines are not being used. These machines were likely purchased to use up the funds and are not serving the purpose for which they were purchased. It's been more than two years, and they still are kept in storage. I believe that the administration did not even provide the necessary training for the doctors and nurses."

"People from rural areas come to the district hospital, and it should be well equipped with all the machines and equipment. It's not even a matter of buying the machines or waiting for funds—they are already there; they just need to be put to use. Many times, due to a lack of services at ADH, patients are transferred to Sassoon General Hospital, which increases the workload there. The negligence by the authorities needs to be addressed, and I demand strict action in the case," added Shetty.

However, when The Free Press Journal tried contacting the authorities at ADH, they said that the machines were in use.

Dr Nagnath Yempalle, the civil surgeon at the district hospital, said, "These two machines are being used, and the cardiologists are already using them."

When Yempalle was asked to show the data to validate his claim, he said that it would take another day to fetch the data.

What is a street testing machine?

Stress testing machines, like treadmills and exercise bikes, are used to evaluate how the heart responds to physical activity, helping diagnose and monitor heart conditions like coronary artery disease and arrhythmias. 

How do stress tests work?

- Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG): During the test, electrodes are placed on the chest to record the electrical activity of the heart. 

- Blood Pressure Monitoring: Blood pressure is also monitored throughout the test. 

- Exercise Intensity: The intensity of the exercise is gradually increased to assess how the heart responds to stress.

- Image Interpretation: Doctors analyse the ECG, blood pressure readings, and any images taken during the test to determine if there are any abnormalities.