18 district hospitals in UP to have MRI units

Meerut: In a move that is likely to benefit the poor, as many as 18 district hospitals in Uttar Pradesh are set to get Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) units, including P L Sharma district hospital in the city. A proposal has been made by the hospital authorities here to be sent to the state government. MRI facility is unavailable in many district hospitals, forcing patients to visit private facilities.

“We have prepared a proposal to be sent to the higher authorities. The principal secretary of UP had earlier asked the director general of Medical and Health Services, UP, to conduct a meeting and finalise space in each district hospital for setting up the system,” read the letter issued by Padmakar Singh, director general of medical and health in UP.

Around 2,000 patients, visiting the PL Sharma district hospital every day, are recommended MRI scans. But absence of this facility often forces patients to either visit the Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial (LLRM) Medical College or other private facilities where they have to shell out a lot of money.

“The MRI facility here is likely to start in January 2018. We have prepared an estimate map as well as the budget required to run it. We have also informed authorities about lack of space inside the hospital premises for the unit,” said Dr P K Bansal, superintendent-in-chief, PL Sharma district hospital.