For the last 2 months, 12-yr- old machine is defunct; technicians blame govt
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Patients at Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital of Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, battling serious respiratory and chest-related conditions, are facing difficulties as the hospital’s Rs two crore CT scan machine is non-functional for over two months. However, the private scan centres are making huge profits as the situation has left hundreds of patients in distress, with many forced to seek expensive imaging services at private diagnostic centres in Jammu.
Insiders confirmed that the machine developed a technical fault in March this year and since been out of order. The 12-year-old machine has suffered extensive wear and tear from years of uninterrupted use, making both diagnosis and repair a challenging task.
Experts have recommended the replacement of core components, if not the entire unit, but no action has been taken by the administration so far. Many attendants raise questions that why it has been kept out of order. It needs probe as many private centres are being benefited with this.
“Every day, many patients suffering from tuberculosis, chronic pulmonary diseases, and other thoracic conditions are advised CT scans. With the machine down, we are left with limited options,” said a technician at the hospital, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “We are referring some to the GMC’s Bone and Joint Hospital, but that’s already overloaded. Many patients end up visiting private labs, where costs are often beyond their means.”
Raising the problems being faced by the patients and their families, RTI activist Balwinder Singh said that the financial burden on patients has been immense. “A CT scan at a private diagnostic centre in Jammu can cost anywhere between Rs 3,000 and Rs 7,000-an amount many lower- and middle-income families cannot afford. The result is delayed diagnoses, prolonged suffering, and in some cases, worsening of medical conditions due to the lack of timely imaging,” Singh said.
Families and patient have voiced their anger and disappointment over what they describe as administrative apathy. “It’s unacceptable that such a critical machine has been defunct for months. Poor patients are being pushed into debt or forced to compromise on their healthcare,” said an attendant, whose father has been waiting for a scan for over three weeks.
A technician at CD Hospital admitted the delay in repairs and attributed it to bureaucratic hurdles and budgetary constraints. “We have sent multiple requests to the higher authorities, but the approval and procurement processes are slow,” he said. However, he acknowledged that the issue needs urgent attention and that replacement of the aging machine would be a more sustainable solution in the long run.
RTI activist Balwinder Singh has demanded immediate intervention from the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Education and Health Department. They are urging the government to allocate emergency funds to either repair or replace this CT scan machine without further delay, and ensure that public healthcare facilities are equipped to provide essential services to all.
“Until then, the lack of a functional CT scan machine continues to leave vulnerable patients in a state of uncertainty, pain, and financial distress, raising serious questions about healthcare infrastructure and accountability in one of Jammu’s key government hospitals,” Singh said.
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