CT Scan machine worth Rs Two crore inaugurated at Gandhi Hospital

A Rs 2 crore high-end Computerized Tomography (CT) scan machine for taking an array of cross-sectional images of the body for various medical departments was inaugurated at Gandhi Hospital by Health Minister T Harish Rao here on Saturday. With Gandhi Hospital being converted into a standalone critical care facility for Covid patients during the pandemic, the State government has also kickstarted developmental works within the campus of the State-run tertiary teaching hospital. As part of these initiatives, the Health Minister on Saturday said that in the next two months, authorities would be able to complete installation of high-end State-of-the-art medical equipment worth Rs 19 crore.

“Within two months, patients at Gandhi Hospital will be able to have free access to an MRI facility worth Rs 12.5 crore and a CATH lab facility worth Rs 6.5 crore, which is vital for conducting emergency heart procedures including angiograms,” Harish Rao said after inaugurating the CT scan facility at Gandhi Hospital.

The State government has also expedited works to establish an exclusive 200-bedded Mother and Child Health (MCH) facility on the Gandhi Hospital campus. The new MCH facility will augment the overall bed strength for pregnant women and children at Gandhi to 500 beds. “We are hoping that the MCH facility will be available for pregnant women in another 6



months. These developmental activities are vital for the overall development of healthcare facilities at Gandhi Hospital and to provide free quality tertiary health care services to urban poor,” he said.

Interacting with healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and non-clinical staff at the hospital, Harish Rao appreciated their efforts during the two waves of the pandemic. “The healthcare workers at Gandhi Hospital saved the lives of 84,217 Covid patients in Telangana. No private hospital in the State has been able to match this kind of service during the pandemic,” he said.

“Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is very keen to take up developmental activities at Gandhi Hospital. In fact, because of his active involvement, we have been able to complete civic works worth Rs, 100 crore at Gandhi Hospital while works worth Rs. 76 crore are ongoing,” the Minister added.

In view of the Omicron variant, Harish Rao urged people to ensure all precautions including extensive use of masks and physical distancing in the next few months. “At present, there are no cases of Omicron in Telangana. There are two international travelers, whose blood samples have been sent for genome sequencing and results are awaited. However, people must take precautions and get vaccinated at the earliest,” he said.