Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 18 July 2025
Rakeshwar Lall, State President of Hindu Rashtra Shakti, has written to the Union Health Minister urging immediate action for the installation of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine and the deployment of a full-time ECG technician at the Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital in Sri Vijaya Puram, the premier government healthcare facility in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In the letter, Lall emphasized the ongoing hardships faced by residents due to the unavailability of in-house MRI services. At present, patients requiring MRI scans are either referred to private diagnostic centers—often unaffordable for many—or to INHS Dhanvantari, a military facility where civilians reportedly face long waiting periods and delayed reporting due to high demand.
Quoting internal hospital sources, the letter noted that over 50 patients are referred for MRI scans each month from GB Pant Hospital, with many unable to receive timely diagnoses due to logistical, financial, and procedural constraints. These delays can have serious consequences, especially for patients suffering from critical conditions such as strokes, spinal injuries, and cancers.
The letter also raised concerns about the absence of a full-time ECG (electrocardiogram) technician at the hospital. In emergencies, patient families are reportedly forced to arrange transportation to pick up the technician from their residence—causing life-threatening delays in cardiac care.
“This is not only a severe compromise on patient safety but also an unacceptable burden during critical health emergencies,” Lall stated, urging the Ministry to ensure the round-the-clock presence of a qualified ECG technician at the hospital.
Calling for the urgent procurement and installation of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine and appointment of a full-time ECG technician, the letter appeals for the personal intervention of the Union Health Minister to bridge the glaring healthcare gaps in these remote islands.
Lall concluded his appeal by stressing that the provision of these essential medical services would significantly enhance timely diagnosis, improve patient outcomes, and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare across the islands.
