Madurai: PET-CT scan at all hospitals not feasible, government tells HC

MADURAI: Citing ‘functional’ difficulties, the state submitted before the Madurai bench of the Madras high court that it was not feasible to install a PET-CT (positron emission tomography-computed tomography) scan centre in every government medical college hospital and district headquarters hospital. However, the government said it had taken steps to establish PET-CT scan centre at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai in public private partnership mode and preliminary works in this regard had already commenced in Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), Madurai too.

Considering the submissions, a division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and G R Swaminathan noted that only two regions had been covered and asked the government to find out the feasibility of establishing PET-CT scan centres at Coimbatore and Villupuram. The state also submitted that the cost of the scanning at private centres would be anywhere between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 while in government hospitals, it would be only Rs 10,000. When a counsel pointed out that even that amount would be unaffordable for the poor, the court asked the government whether the said amount could be covered under the insurance provided by it.

The submissions were in response to a petition by B Karthee of Madurai who sought quick installation of PET-CT scan centre at the Government Rajaji hospital in Madurai for the benefit of cancer patients from southern districts. The court had asked the state government whether such a facility could be installed in all government hospitals in the state. In response, the dean of GRH submitted that commissioning of the machine started on March 31 and full functioning for clinical use would begin around April 20. The court also took note of the photographs of machineries imported through Tuticorin port. Further hearing on the petition has been adjourned to April 24.