Patients Hit Hard by MRI, Mammogram Machine Breakdowns at State-Run Kidwai Memorial Institute

Swift Summary:

• cancer patients at the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology are facing delays as MRI and mammogram machines have been non-functional for several days.
• The MRI scanner broke down ten days ago, while the mammogram machine has been out of service for over two weeks.
• Many patients traveling from rural areas rely on the subsidized services at Kidwai but are left seeking costly alternatives due to equipment failures.
• Doctors report severe bottlenecks in patient care, although urgent cases are being prioritized, and repair efforts are taking longer than expected.
• Alternate arrangements were made with NIMHANS and Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics to conduct MRI scans via an MoU agreement.
• The State government has approved a new MRI machine purchase, while efforts to repair the current mammogram machine continue.

Indian opinion Analysis:
The disruption in essential diagnostic services at Kidwai Memorial Institute highlights vulnerabilities commonly faced by public healthcare systems reliant on specialized machinery.While interim solutions such as referral partnerships ensure continuity of care, rural and economically disadvantaged patients remain disproportionately affected by delays or relocation costs-notably evident thru patient accounts shared in this report.

The approval for new equipment is a positive development but raises questions about preventive measures that could mitigate future breakdowns or avoid extended outages altogether. This situation underscores the need for streamlined maintenance protocols across public hospitals to safeguard patient welfare efficiently without placing excessive demand on private institutions or satellite arrangements.

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