Hardly a week had elapsed since it was repaired, the error prone Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine of associated hospital of Doon Medical College (DMC) again broke down on Wednesday. The hospital authorities are blaming the leakage of helium gas from the chamber of the machine for the malfunction.
The in charge of the machine, Mahendra Bhandari said that the company responsible for maintenance of the machine is informed about the breakdown. It is learnt that the engineers this time are planning to change the magnet assembly of the sophisticated machine so that perennial problem of leakage of helium gas is corrected.
The machine developed snags three times in last years and has broken down twice this year. The regular breakdown of the important diagnostic machine is bad news for the patients. The radiology department of the Doon hospital is the only facility in the government sector in Dehradun where the MRI machine is installed. More than 25 MRI are done on an average in a day in the hospital at a subsidized rate.
The Phillips India limited installed the Rs 7 crore and 1.5 Tesla MRI machine in the hospital in year 2009. The aforesaid company also holds a ten year maintenance contract of the machine. While the patients who visit the hospital from all parts of the state face problems due to its regular breakdown, the private diagnostic centre rejoice in such a situation as the patients of the hospital are diverted to them.
These private centres charge about Rs 7000 to 10000 for an MRI which is available for only Rs 3500 in the associated hospital of the DMC. The MRI of the Below Poverty line (BPl) patients is done free of cost in the government hospitals.