Without DLCO testing at SKIMS, CD Hospital, lung patients face delays, extra costs

Srinagar: Hundreds of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses are facing hardship due to the absence of advanced lung function assessment facilities at Kashmir’s premier tertiary care respiratory centres — SKIMS Soura and Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital, Srinagar.

The patients who are suffering from respiratory illnesses such as interstitial lung disease (ILD), pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary hypertension are usually advised to undergo, Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO) test, an important investigation used to assess how efficiently oxygen passes from the lungs into the bloodstream.

However, with the facility currently unavailable at these major government hospitals, many patients are being compelled to undergo the test at private centres at considerable cost, while others continue to wait for the service to be restored, leading to delays in diagnosis and timely treatment.

At SKIMS, technicians associated with the laboratory said the specialised gas required to conduct the DLCO test is currently unavailable. “We have already informed the administration, but the requirement has not been fulfilled so far,” a technician said, requesting anonymity.

Patients, however, alleged that shortages of the gas are not uncommon and claimed that the test often remains unavailable, forcing them to approach private diagnostic centres and incur additional expenses.

Notably, a DLCO test costs Rs 50 at the government hospitals while the private centers charge Rs 2000.

Pulmonologists consider it an important diagnostic tool for evaluating conditions such as ILD, pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, post-COVID lung damage and pre-operative respiratory assessment.

At CD, hospital Kashmir’s primary respiratory care facility, the machine for conducting the test has developed some technical snag and is lying defunct for the last two weeks.

A pulmonary function technician at CD Hospital said the existing DLCO equipment frequently develops technical issues and does not function reliably, adding that the hospital urgently requires a replacement machine to ensure uninterrupted testing services.

It is pertinent to mention here that the OPD at CD hospital still operates at the old building even though authorities claim the same has been shifted to old GB Panth hospital at Sonwar, Srinagar.

Hospital officials, acknowledged to a Srinagar based news agency, that the existing DLCO equipment has been facing recurrent technical problems and is presently out of service, and the institution urgently requires a replacement or upgraded machine to ensure uninterrupted diagnostic services.

Patients and attendants said the absence of the test in government tertiary hospitals has added both financial and logistical burdens.

A patient from North Kashmir, who has been under evaluation for persistent breathlessness and suspected ILD, said doctors advised a DLCO assessment and he paid the fee for the same at SKIMS, but was informed that the gas required for the facility was unavailable.

“This is not the first time that the gas hasn’t been available, I have to usually hear this from the pulmonary technician,” said Javid Ahmad, a patient.

Ahmad, an ILD patient, said that although he managed to afford the test at a private diagnostic centre, accessibility remained a major challenge as the facility was located on the fourth floor of a building on Residency Road, Srinagar.

“How is an ILD patient, who already struggles to breathe and often requires oxygen support, expected to climb to the fourth floor?” he said.

Several patients undergoing long-term respiratory treatment echoed similar concerns, saying that while routine pulmonary function tests are available, advanced diffusion testing remains inaccessible.

A senior doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that without DLCO capability, physicians sometimes have to rely on indirect assessments or refer patients elsewhere.

Healthcare observers note that respiratory illnesses are becoming increasingly common in Kashmir due to changing disease patterns, air quality concerns, smoking-related illnesses and post-infectious complications.

They argue that establishing DLCO testing at tertiary centres would strengthen early diagnosis and reduce dependence on outside referrals.

Patients and caregivers have urged authorities to introduce the facility at both SKIMS and CD Hospital and integrate it with existing pulmonary diagnostic services.

Director, SKIMS, didn’t respond to phone calls despite multiple attempts.

Medical Superintendent of CD Hospital, Dr Sameena Saba, said that Pulmonary Function Tests are currently being conducted at the hospital and that operation theatre equipment is available. She also informed that the process for obtaining administrative approval for the proposed Biosafety Level laboratory is underway.

Confirming the disruption in DLCO services, Dr Saba said: “The DLCO machine has developed a technical snag and the test is presently not being conducted. Efforts are underway to rectify the issue, and the facility will be restored soon.”

With inputs from KNO