Abbasi Shaheed's MRI gathers dust for a decade

The MRI facility at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, one of the KMC major healthcare facilities, has remained non-functional for the past 10 years, depriving thousands of patients of an essential diagnostic service.

The MRI machine installed at the hospital broke down in 2016 and has not been repaired or replaced since. The hospital administration has confirmed that the facility has remained out of service for years despite repeated inspections and correspondence with the KMC.

According to the administration, the machine developed a fault in 2016. Several technical teams and experts subsequently visited the hospital to inspect the equipment and explore ways to restore it. However, the problem could not be resolved.

The teams that inspected the machine informed the KMC about the fault and the repairs required, the administration said. Hospital officials also wrote several letters to the Karachi mayor, seeking intervention and restoration of the MRI facility. However, no practical progress has been made so far.

With the machine remaining out of order, the MRI department has effectively been shut down. Patients requiring scans for urgent or detailed diagnosis are being referred to other public-sector hospitals, including JPMC and Civil Hospital.