Madurai
The State government on Tuesday informed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that the Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scanner at Government Rajaji Hospital here will fully function by April 20, following approval by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. The installation process has began, the State said.
The State, however, informed a Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and G. R. Swaminathan that it was not feasible to install PET-CT scanners at every government medical college hospital and district headquarters hospital due to operational difficulties.
Apart from the PET-CT scanner at Madurai GRH, steps had been taken to install a PET-CT scan centre at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai, under public-private partnership, submitted Additional Advocate General K. Chellapandian.
With the installation of PET-CT scanners at government hospitals, the cost of scan would be reduced to ₹10,000 from ₹40,000 to ₹50,000, he added. However, advocate R. Alagumani submitted that even ₹10,000 may not be affordable by the poor.
Taking note of the submissions, the court asked the State to respond to whether the cost of ₹10,000 can be covered under the Chief Minister’s comprehensive insurance scheme and if similar PET-CT scan centres could be established at Coimbatore and Villupuram, thereby covering each zone in the State. The court adjourned hearing to April 24.