Visakhapatnam: Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) received `21 crores from the National Health Mission (NHM) for a state-of-the-art diagnostic wing but one year on the centre is far from opening.
Procurement of necessary equipment at good rates seems to be the biggest problem.
When Deccan Chronicle contacted the director of VIMS, Dr. K. Rambabu, he said, “The Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMSIDC) is the entity responsible for addressing the delay.”
The central government has sanctioned three city diagnostic centres for the state, one established at VIMS and the others in Vijayawada and Tirupati.
These centres are intended to provide free computed tomography (CT) scans magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other essential tests for diagnosing chronic diseases to underprivileged patients, alleviating their financial burden.
The delay in establishing the VIMS centre has led to the continued reliance on facilities in Mumbai for diagnostics mostly in cases of cancers.
The city diagnostic centre was expected to benefit residents of North Andhra.
This would also significantly reduce the burden on the existing medical infrastructure, particularly at King George Hospital.
Another building is under construction at VIMS which will serve as a regional drug store.
With an estimated construction cost of Rs 9 crore, this facility is intended to store and distribute medicines and injections for north Andhra districts.
While the construction of these facilities progress, the procurement of necessary equipment for the city diagnostic centre remains pending, prolonging its operational readiness.
