JAMMU, Mar 6: Nearly ten months after CT scan services collapsed at three major government hospitals in Jammu, the crisis remains unresolved, leaving hundreds of patients in medical and financial distress.
The CT scan machines at Super Speciality Hospital (SSH), Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital, and Chest Diseases (CD) Hospital are still non-functional, with no new installations despite repeated assurances from authorities.
At SSH Jammu, the only CT scan machine has been out of service since July 26, 2024. Hospital authorities had earlier declared the machine “beyond repair” and assured that a replacement had been ordered through the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL). As of March 2026, however, no new machine has been installed.
The absence of CT scan services is severely affecting patients, especially those needing urgent neurological, cardiac, or trauma-related imaging. Many are being referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Jammu and the Bone & Joint Hospital, both already burdened with high diagnostic demand.
At CD Hospital, which primarily treats patients with severe respiratory conditions, the lack of CT scan services has hampered the diagnosis of critical pulmonary issues, leading to referrals, treatment delays, and higher out-of-pocket costs.
Similarly, at SMGS Hospital — the largest mother and child care facility in the region — the CT scan machine has remained non-functional for months after temporary repairs failed. The warranty had expired long ago, and despite repeated requests, no replacement has been procured. With 20–30 patients daily, including pregnant women and children requiring emergency scans, the breakdown has severely disrupted services.
The prolonged failure has created a ripple effect across Jammu’s healthcare system. Economically weaker patients are forced to visit private diagnostic centres with higher charges. Families report spending thousands of rupees on tests previously available at minimal cost, and delays in diagnosis have postponed surgeries and extended suffering.
Earlier, officials cited fund constraints as the main cause for delays. Although partial funds were released in March 2025 and orders claimed for new machines, no installations have occurred, raising concerns about systemic bottlenecks in healthcare infrastructure management.
As the crisis enters its second year, healthcare professionals warn that the absence of CT scan facilities in these three key government hospitals is compromising patient care standards.
JKMSCL Managing Director Tariq Hussain Ganai said that Letters of Credit for the CT scan machines at SMGS, CD Hospital, and SSH have been opened, and the machines are expected to arrive within two to three months.
Meanwhile, at GMC Jammu, Principal and Dean Dr. Ashutosh Gupta said the non-operational MRI machine, which went out of order on January 10, has now been repaired. The delay of about 45 days was due to the import of helium gas for refilling. Final trials will be conducted soon, and the machine is expected to be operational by the day after tomorrow. (Agency)
