GMC Anantnag to soon install MRI scan

Srinagar, Apr 14: Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag is set to install a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine, which has already been sanctioned and ordered, which is expected to significantly enhance patient care services across South Kashmir.
A senior official of the medical college said that MRI Scan machine order worth Rs 20 crore has been placed by Power Grid under Corporate Social Responsibility for GMC Anantnag.
He said the GMC Anantnag has been diligently working on this initiative for a year and it is expected to provide a major boost to healthcare services in South Kashmir.
“This much-needed addition is expected to bring immense relief to the underprivileged sections of society, who often struggle to afford expensive diagnostic services in private clinics and hospitals,” the official said.
Once the machine is installed, patients will no longer have to travel long distances or pay hefty fees for MRI scans. The move is being hailed as a major step toward strengthening public health services in the region.
The lack of an MRI machine for public hospitals of four districts in south Kashmir is causing inconvenience to hundreds of patients who are daily referred to Srinagar hospitals.
Patients from Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama and Anantnag suffer problems including delayed diagnosis to patients who cannot afford such type of scanning at private diagnostic centres.
Currently, there are five MRI machines in government hospitals in Kashmir that include one each at SKIMS Soura; Super Speciality Hospital, Shireen Bagh; SKIMS MC&H Bemina; IMHANS Srinagar, and Bone and Joints Hospital, Barzulla.
“At GMC Anantnag, the establishment of MRI facility was need of the hour which will have advantages for both medical practitioners and the community at large,” said Shakeel Ahmad a resident.
Hundreds of patients from south Kashmir are compelled to visit Srinagar hospitals for the MRI scan facility which is unaffordable for many patients.
The hospital administration at GMC Anantnag has already earmarked a dedicated space for the installation of a MRI scanner in A-Block, underlining their unwavering commitment to elevating diagnostic services.
GMC Anantnag and its associated hospitals stand as the beacon of hope for a population exceeding 40 lakhs in south Kashmir.
Established five years ago, GMC Anantnag has grown from a district hospital into major healthcare facility serving patients from South Kashmir, including the districts of Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, and Anantnag, as well as patients from areas beyond the Jawahar Tunnel.
The hospital attends to around 3,000 outpatients daily across its affiliated facilities, including Sherbagh Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Mirza Muhammad Afzal Beg Hospital in Janglaat Mandi, and additional units in Brakpora and Sagam.
Earlier, in February this year, GMC Anantnag launched Cath Lab services, becoming the only peripheral medical college in India, and the first among the eight new medical colleges in Jammu & Kashmir, to offer this critical facility to its patients.
Officials stated that several significant advancements have been made at the medical college, including the introduction of Non-Operating Room Anesthesia (NORA), FibroScan, and Bronchoscopy, all of which aim to strengthen healthcare delivery.
Additionally, GMC Anantnag has become the first hospital in Jammu & Kashmir to introduce Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA). This minimally invasive pain management technique uses radio waves to generate heat, effectively destroying or disrupting nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals.