Major changes in State’s health sector: Minister

Hindlabs’ MRI, CT Scan Centre opened at SAT hospital

K.K. Shylaja, Kerala Health Minister.

The health sector in the State is witnessing a major transformation through the works under the Aardram mission, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has said. She was speaking after inaugurating the new HLL- Hindlabs’ MRI and CT Scan Centre at Sree Avittom Thirunal (SAT) hospital on the Medical College campus on Wednesday.

Health centres

“We aim to develop self-sufficient, excellent, and patient-friendly Primary Health Centres and medical colleges. The PHCs are being converted into Family Health Centres for better disease prevention and detection at initial stages. Such family health centres will be started in 120 places in the State. Currently, at least two such centres have started functioning in each district. 650 new posts have been created for this purpose.”

“The government is considering the creation of 680 posts to strengthen the taluk hospitals. Various public sector institutions and others with the financial capability have come forward to improve the facilities in hospitals,” she said.

She lauded HINDLABS, an initiative of HLL, for the new MRI and CT Scan Centres at SAT which would provide diagnostic services at affordable cost.

Fifth centre in State

“This is Hindlabs’ fifth MRI and CT Scan Centre in the State and the 10th in the country. We have already established MRI Scan facilities in Kozhikode, Thrissur, Alappuzha, and Kottayam,” said HLL CMD R.P. Khandelwal.

The new 3,000 square feet centre, with an investment of ₹11.30 crore, is equipped with 1.5 Tesla MRI scan machines, and CT Scan, with 128 slices. It will provide essential diagnostic services to the patients of Medical College Hospital, SAT, Regional Cancer Centre, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), and other outpatients.