Cabinet to Consider Plan for Free MRIs at All Govt Hospitals Today

Plugging the gap Govt plans to equip more of its hospitals with MRI machines amid a glaring dearth

- Ridhima Gupta

NEW DELHI: To address the acute shortage of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines in Delhi's 36 government hospitals — a gap that often pushes patients toward expensive private diagnostics — Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh said on Wednesday that a proposal to roll out MRI services across all state-run hospitals will be placed before the cabinet on Thursday.

If cleared, the health department will float tenders for procurement and installation of MRI machines, enabling patients to access the crucial scans free of charge.

Around 20 hospitals are expected to receive the machines in the first phase. More details will be shared following the cabinet's approval, the Delhi health minister said.

"We have prepared a proposal to introduce MRI machines in government hospitals. Once approved, tenders will be issued for procurement and installation," Singh told HT on Wednesday.

Senior officials at Delhi government's health department confirmed the plan, and said it aims to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses for patients on diagnostic tests.