Aiming to improve and expand diagnostic facilities, the Punjab health department has decided to introduce MRI, CT scan and other radio-diagnostic services at all 23 district hospitals and some of the 42 sub-divisional hospitals.
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Confirming the development, Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh told HT that the new MRI machines were already being installed in all district hospitals and a few sub-divisional hospitals, located close to national and state highways, ensuring accident victims receive life-saving scans during the critical Golden Hour.
He assured that the radio-diagnostic services will be provided to patients at subsidised rates, with the government reimbursing the remaining amount to the hired agency.
Explaining the rationale behind bringing in a private player, Dr Balbir Singh said there was an acute shortage of radiologists, needed to operate diagnostic equipment, due to the vast pay gap between private and government sectors.
Not a first: Punjab again turns to private players
The decision marks a continuation of the health department’s increasing reliance on private hands to bridge gaps in healthcare.
Amid a dire shortage of specialists, the government has already hired private specialists for district and sub-divisional hospitals, community health centres, Aam Aadmi Clinics and Pind Clinics.
Specialties covered under the empanelment scheme include medicine, surgery, paediatrics, psychiatry, dermatology, chest & tuberculosis, gynaecology, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology (ENT), anaesthesia, radiology and pathology.
Under the framework, empanelled private doctors are paid for specific services, including OPD consultations, emergency calls and surgeries.
While the public health infrastructure is grappling with nearly a 50% vacancy in sanctioned specialist posts, the health department has not conducted regular recruitments since 2022.
In April, the government also handed over the community health centre in Sangrur’s Lehragaga to a private trust under a charitable partnership model.
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The move, being rolled out through public-private partnership mode, is expected to fill a longstanding gap in advanced imaging facilities at government hospitals. This will allow patients to get high-quality, affordable diagnostics in-house without the burden of extra travel and expensive private lab fees.
Health department officials said the initiative will enable earlier diagnosis and treatment while also reducing referrals to higher centres.
Under the proposal, private agencies have been engaged to install and operate the equipment in government hospitals, sparing the government from making a large capital investment.
