How feasible is it to set up PET-CT scan in Kovai govt hospitals: Madras high court
Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the state government to find out the feasibility of establishing PET-CT scan centres in government hospitals at Coimbatore and Villupuram.
A division bench comprising Justices N. Kirubakaran and G. R. Swaminathan gave the directive and posted to April 24, further hearing of a contempt petition relating to providing CT scan centres in government hospitals.
The bench said pursuant to the orders of this court, the government has stated in its status report as to the works which have been done and the works required to be done.
This court also taken note of the photographs of the machineries imported via Tuticorin Port. It has also been stated in the status report that the preliminary works have already commenced and by April 20, the PET-CT scan centre at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, could be put in use. The statements in the status report dated April 2 were placed on record, the bench added.
The bench said with regard to the queries raised by this court, as to the installation of PET-CT scan centre in every government medical college hospitals and government district headquarters hospitals, it has been stated that it was not feasible since there were financial difficulties involved in that process. However, it was stated that the government has taken steps to establish PET-CT scan centre at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, Chennai, under PPP mode by awarding the work for establishing a PET-CT scan to M/s Anderson Diagnostics, Chennai.
The original cost of PET-CT scan was stated to be about Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000.
However, if installation of PET-CT scan centre was successful in government medical college hospitals under PPP arrangements, the cost will be only Rs 10,000, the bench added. The bench said R. Alagumani, counsel for the petitioner submitted that even Rs 10,000 cannot be paid by the poor people.
“Therefore, this court would like to know from the government whether even the said amount of Rs 10,000 can be covered under the insurance provided by the government and if so, the poor people will also be benefited. However, taking into consideration the installation of PET-CT scan centre at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, Chennai and Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, only two regions alone have been left out, namely West and East. Therefore, the government has to find out the feasibility of establishing PET-CT scan centres at Coimbatore and Villupuram”, the bench added.
