GUNTUR: A state-of-the-art PET-Scan machine worth Rs 18 crore has been inaugurated at the NATCO Cancer Centre in Guntur Government Hospital.
The facility was launched on Thursday by Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, along with Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav, MLAs Mohammed Naseer Ahmed and B. Ramanjaneyulu.
Chandrasekhar highlighted that in the past two years, development works worth Rs 140 crore have been initiated at Guntur Government Hospital. These include a Rs 100 crore Maternity and Child Block, additional facilities funded through Rs 40 crore of government allocations and CSR contributions, and nearly 800 new beds.
He noted that while PET scans in private hospitals cost around Rs 25,000 per patient, the service at NATCO Cancer Centre will be provided free of charge. “This advanced technology can detect cancers that regular scans fail to identify, and patient inflow has already doubled,” he said. Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav expressed satisfaction over the launch, stating that NATCO has now evolved into an L-1 Cancer Centre. He credited Pemmasani’s initiative for bringing in Rs 30 crore worth of LINAC machines.
He added that 1.20 lakh free cancer screenings have already been conducted for breast and cervical cancers.
MLA Mohammed Naseer Ahmed pointed out that nearly 400 patients had to rely on private hospitals for PET scans in the past year, but the coalition government has now made such advanced facilities accessible to the poor.
MLA B Ramanjaneyulu praised the government’s ‘Aarogya Andhra’ initiative, noting that under the Chief Minister’s leadership, healthcare facilities worth hundreds of crores are being provided.