After a lull, the state’s first ever MRI scanning centre under the public health sector installed at the Ernakulam General Hospital has started receiving patients. The reluctance of private doctors to refer their patients to the MRI scanning centre at the hospital coupled with the lack of awareness on the cost-effective centre left the MRI Centre in the dark.
An MRI scan in the hospital costs between Rs 1,800 and Rs 3,000 whereas it is between Rs 7500 and Rs 10,000 in private hospitals.
P Rajeeve MP who also funded the project worth Rs 5.25 crore said a meeting of the superintendents of Taluk hospitals was held to discuss the matter after which patients were referred to the scanning centre. “Besides, MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) have been signed with Kalamassery Cooperative Medical College and Thrikkakara Cooperative Hospital,” he said. The MP said that they have also approached private hospitals such as Lissie and the authorities who have also responded favourably.
The most modern 1.5 Tesla MRI scan machine with 16 channels was set up at a cost of Rs 5.25 crore. Rs 1.5 crore was met from P Rajeeve’s MP fund. Ex-MP Kapila Vatsayanan and Cochin Shipyard contributed Rs 1.5 crore each.
He noted that if the full potential of the centre is utilised, it can diagnose about 20 to 25 patients a day. If night shift is introduced, about 30 scans can be undertaken. “About 10 to 12 cases were taken up. But now is has slightly increased to 14 to 15 cases,” he said.
Dr Resmi T R, RMO, of the hospital said that when the scanning centre opened, there were hardly any cases referred by the private hospitals.
“Now we get about four to five cases from private hospitals,” she said.
Rajeeve said that lack of awareness on the scanning centre leaves the centre under-utilised at a time when people are waiting for months for scanning in the Thiruvanathapuram Medical College.
“Now we have asked hospitals under the private sector to display the rates of scanning as well as facilities offered such as telephone numbers for booking and emailing the result after scan,” he said.
The MP said that the scanning centre has been operating with two radiologists. “It could be of immense help if the government appoints one more radiologist,” the MP said.