I expect I understand more than you imagine, Sudhir. I really included the link for the benefit of others who may not have yet ventured to work overseas. There are
many such links. And that really is my point; difficult as things may appear, at least you have access to this forum, and indeed the rest of the internet. That’s a
big plus and a giant’s step forward, Mate!
Like many other greybearded biomeds, I can remember places in certain parts of the world without even a telephone. We would just do our best (from “first principles”), often just making a list of spares needed, in the hope that these could be sourced (and purchased) and fitted by the next visiting technician. Sadly, these were often not purchased, and the next poor guy went through it all again, with disappointment all round, needless to say.
For at least the last thirty years, there have been countless papers written by (for example) the WHO and others about the (lack of) repair and maintenance of medical equipment in the “developing world” (…not a term that I like to use, by the way – I prefer the more accurate “disorganized world”). There have also been millions donated for equipment and its technical support. Not to mention countless
pro bono visits by well-meaning medics, nurses and techs. So why are we still in such dire straits (…I’ll leave that one unanswered, but I expect that most of us could come up with a couple of good reasons)?
My “solution” to this problem is this:- there needs to be a properly funded international technical services organization. Not another charity, but a cost-effective company contracted to the ministry of health (or whatever), and thereby
contractually committed to providing the service required. It’s the only way, otherwise you just get a never-ended procession of different faces (visiting techs) and a ever-growing pile of unservicable equipment.
There still are a few of us about who would be willing to
sally forth to carry out repair programmes in distant parts. A great Englishman once famously said “give us the tools, and we will finish the job”. Well, we’ve got the tools, but what we need is the
funding. And that’s my challenge to the big players (ie, manufacturers, and others with the deep pockets that we don't have) …
