Four-year wait of PIMS for MRI machine ends

Federal health minister attends inauguration

ISLAMABAD:

The federal caretaker health minister, Dr Nadeem Jan, on Friday inaugurated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Friday, ending the four-year wait endured by patients to get their diagnostic scans from the healthcare facility.

Addressing the inauguration, the minister said that health sector reform was his top agenda and mission. Without reforms, improvement and development in the health sector is not possible, he said. There were complaints that the MRI machine at the hospital had been out of order for the last four years and patients had to go to private hospitals for MRI, he continued. “Upon this, I gave a deadline to the administration to make the MRI functional,” he added.

The minister said he has directed the hospital management to take action against those responsible for the delay in making the machine operational. “There will be no compromise on merit, transparency and reforms.” He noted that between 10,000 to 12,000 people visit the hospital daily while urging doctors, paramedical staff and the management to treat patients with courtesy and to work with dedication.

He directed the hospital management to initiate a clinical audit system to improve facilities.

He added that the Pakistan Nursing Council, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) were taking steps to promote merit and transparency. Pims Executive Director Imran Sikander said they were trying to get a second MRI machine at the hospital but certain ‘elements’ were against the machine becoming operational.

“We will continue efforts to improve healthcare facilities for those visiting Pims.” With additional input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2023.