RAWALPINDI: The Holy Family Hospital (HFH) will get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine within three months.

Dr Mohammad Aslam, the chairman of the Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) board of directors, told Dawn that the provincial government had released Rs150 million for the installation of the MRI machine in the hospital.

He said the government had also released Rs100 million for the refurbishment of the operation theatres in the three government-run — HFH, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

The condition of the hospitals will be improved soon after which the citizens will get better medical facilities.

He said C.T. scan machines were already installed in the three hospitals.

A senior doctor of the HFH said due to the absence of the MRI machine, doctors had no option but to recommend the patients to get the test done from private laboratories.

He said many patients suffering from head injuries, stroke and other complications needed the MRI test.

But most of the patients cannot afford the high fees of private laboratories.

He said an magnetic resonance imaging machine was installed at the HFH in 2008 at a cost of Rs80 million but it developed faults within a few months. Since then, the government has failed to repair or replace the machine, he said.

In reply to a question about the out-of-order magnetic resonance imaging machine, Dr Mohammad Aslam said its spare parts were so expensive that the government preferred to purchase a new machine.

He said the government had released funds for the procurement of the machine which would be installed in the hospital soon.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2015

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