Telangana to roll out free MRI services in Government Hospitals under PPP model

Hyderabad: To improve access to advanced diagnostic facilities across the state, the Telangana government has decided to introduce Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) services under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in government hospitals. Mahbubnagar Government General Hospital (GGH) will be the first to implement the initiative as a pilot project.

Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha issued directions to senior health department officials during a review meeting held at the Telangana Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TGMSIDC) office on Friday. He instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan for the phased rollout of MRI services.

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The Health Minister clarified that MRI scans at government hospitals would continue to be provided free of cost to patients under the proposed PPP arrangement.

A senior health department official said the proposed model could reduce government expenditure by nearly 20% compared to the existing system. It would also address issues related to the procurement and maintenance of MRI machines and equipment breakdowns, helping ensure uninterrupted services, reports TNIE.

At present, MRI services are available at selected government healthcare institutions in Telangana.

These include Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, NIMS, TIMS and MNJ Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad, along with MGM Hospital in Warangal, RIMS Adilabad and Bhupalpally Government General Hospital.

However, several district headquarters, including Karimnagar, Khammam, Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda, do not currently have MRI facilities in their government hospitals.

Before finalising the initiative, a team comprising doctors and health department officials studied existing PPP-based MRI service models in other states, including Tamil Nadu.

The team submitted a report highlighting the financial and operational advantages of adopting such arrangements in Telangana's public healthcare institutions.

Rajanarsimha stressed that the involvement of private partners must not affect the quality or accessibility of diagnostic services.

He directed officials to ensure timely maintenance of MRI equipment, uninterrupted scanning facilities, and prompt delivery of scan reports.

The government will also ensure that contractual agreements clearly define the responsibilities of private partners and protect the interests of patients referred from government hospitals.

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