Kathmandu, July 30, 2005

Though the hazards of radiation from machines used for diagnostic purposes and treatment may prove fatal, most clinics that provide such services are run by quacks. Dr Ganesh Bahadur Pokharel, Associate Professor at the Department of Radiology, Teaching Hospital, said the majority of the personnel in such clinics are just button pushers and not radiographers. “Here, 50 per cent of total services are provided by quacks,” said Dr Pokharel. There are only 215 skilled radiologists while there are altogether 800 X-ray machines in the country. Of these machines, 90 per cent operate at 100 MA (milli amperes) while only 10 per cent operate at more than 100 MA, up to 1,000 MA. The regulation on private hospitals and nursing homes clearly states that the wall thickness needs to be nine inches with Plaster of Paris or six inches with 0.2 mm lead barrier and the radiographer needs to wear a lead apron of at least 0.5 mm thickness. DP Neupane, general secretary of Nepal Radiological Society said 80 per cent of such service providers in the valley do not follow rules and regulations. Skilled radiographers can use a 10-day rule about married women, which means they can carry out X-rays during the first 10 days of the menstruation period in order to help minimise the rate of abortion. X-rays and radiation are harmful during pregnancy. “These button-pushers do not know the rules,” said Neupane.

Bourse stays on growth path

Commercial banks group has, for yet another week, helped Nepse index register a growth. This week the index posted a growth of 3.92 points. According to the figures, the Nepse index opened at 291.97 points on Sunday, and closed up at 295.89 on Thursday, the last day of the share transactions under the regular lot. The share trading had recorded a growth of 2.98 points last week. The commercial banks group, the largest scrip by volume at the Nepse floor posted a healthy growth of 7.21 points. The group, which had gained more than six points last week, opened at 313.33 points and closed up at 320.54 points on the closing day. The commercial banks group’s healthy trading was supported by the hotel and insurance groups as well. The manufacturing, the other, the finance and the development bank groups, however, posted a loss this week. The total weekly transaction value also increased this week and stood at Rs 139,299,608 from 2,178 transactions of 400,846 share units. The last week’s total trading value was of Rs 27,551,064 through 1,510 transactions of 109,161 shares. Out of the total 66 listed companies, 57 companies saw their transaction this week. The insurance group posted a growth of 1.63 points. The group’s index that opened at 321.24 points on Sunday closed at 322.87 points.