Karaikal General Hospital to set up MRI Scan Centre at cost of Rs 9 crore

Regional Medical Officer Dr R. Parthibavijayan emphasized the technical expertise required to operate and maintain the MRI scan machine, ensuring that trained technicians will be appointed for the task. He told The New Indian Express, “The machine, which alone costs Rs 8 crore, will be installed within three months."  

Usually, patients needing MRI scans are referred to Vinayaka Mission Medical College Hospital and Nagapattinam Government General Hospital due to the absence of MRI scan facilities at Karaikal General Hospital. Established in 1908, Karaikal General Hospital is already equipped with X-ray, Ultrasound, and Computed Tomography (CT) machines. The Public Works Department (PWD) has completed the necessary infrastructure work for the new scan centre, costing around Rs 3 lakh, reports the Daily.

Given the high power consumption of the MRI scan machine, a separate power pillar will be installed to meet its electrification needs. Karaikal South MLA, A.M.H. Nazim, expressed confidence that the MRI scan centre would be operational by December. During his meeting with the hospital's Medical Superintendent, Dr S. Kannagi, on Wednesday, he reiterated the urgency of the project.

Nazim said, "A national highway passes through the district, making Karaikal prone to accidents. Thus, an MRI scan is a necessary service required at the local hospital. A critical care unit planned at the hospital should also be set up soon." The new MRI scan centre is expected to significantly reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for scans, providing a much-needed local solution for advanced medical diagnostics.

The district will get a significant boost in medical services, as last year, it was announced that a new government medical college and hospital would come up in the Karaikal district of the Union Territory. The medical college would be constructed at a cost of Rs 850 crore. Already a model was selected and now NBCC will prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and submit it to the UT Government.