Dr AK Thakur (left) points at the C-pap machine at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital in Patna on Monday. Picture by Sachin
A retired doctor has decided to gift Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) something for the welfare of its patients.
Dr A.K. Thakur, former head of the paediatrics department of the health cradle, who retired from his post in December 2014, plans to gift the hospital a semi auto analyser machine that can carry out 18 types of tests at a time.
'It would take a week's time to install the machine which costs around Rs 2.5 lakh,' said Dr Thakur, who had earlier donated two C-pap machines to the hospital. A C-pap machine is called a mini ventilator, as it provides breathing support to the patient.
Elaborating the utility of the semi auto analyser machine, he said: 'The machine would help carry out 18 tests, including liver function, kidney function, thyroid profile, lipid profile and others, on babies at a time. At present, the NMCH paediatrics department does not have this machine. Though a private firm conducts these tests at the hospital, people have to shell out more money. So when the hospital gets its own semi auto analyser machine, poor people can get the tests done at the hospital for free.'
Thakur said he had formed a trust called Krishna Arun Thakur Memorial Trust before his retirement and the trust's funds were being used to buy the machines.
'I have an affinity for newborn care because I have been doing this job for decades. When I was the head of the paediatrics department at NMCH, I had asked the health department to provide us some machines, which were required. Some machines were provided but some were not. That is why I formed the trust to help provide the necessary machines to the department where I have worked for many years,' said Thakur.
Dr Thakur spent 37 years of his life handling newborn care. He was transferred from paediatrics department of PMCH to the one at NMCH in 1998.
NMCH superintendent Santosh Kumar hailed the initiative taken by Thakur. 'It is really praiseworthy that someone who has retired from an institution is giving back something to the institution. It is a very noble initiative. People should take inspiration from Dr Thakur,' he said.
