Chandigarh, October 23:- Dr. Sumita Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana’s Health and Family Welfare Department, on Friday inaugurated modern medical equipment installed at the MLA Hostel Dispensary in Chandigarh at a cost of Rs. 1.20 crore. With these facilities becoming operational, patients will have access to advanced diagnostic and treatment services at the dispensary. This will enable residents of the tricity, legislators from two states and government employees to receive better healthcare services at a single location.
With the introduction of these new facilities, patients visiting the MLA Hostel Dispensary will have less need to visit other healthcare institutions for routine tests or wait because of the unavailability of machines. The dispensary will now offer facilities such as 4D ultrasound imaging, fetal heart examinations, digital X-rays, modern physiotherapy and ECG.
A state-of-the-art ultrasound colour Doppler system costing Rs. 77.15 lakh has been installed at the dispensary. The machine is equipped with facilities such as 4D imaging, fetal echocardiography and advanced elastography for examining conditions related to the liver, breast and thyroid. The system can perform imaging at up to 1,500 frames per second and examine structures at a depth of up to 40 centimetres.
The machine also features specialised software for clearly visualising needle placement, enabling doctors to receive more precise guidance during various procedures. It can store up to one lakh digital images. In addition, DICOM and HIS/RIS connectivity, along with artificial intelligence-based features, will help make diagnostic procedures more effective.
These facilities will benefit pregnant women, patients requiring cardiac examinations and people suffering from conditions affecting the abdomen and soft tissues of the body. In many cases, they will reduce the need for patients to visit larger hospitals for advanced diagnostic tests.
A digital radiography system costing Rs. 11.01 lakh and a 300 mA X-ray machine costing Rs. 7.66 lakh have also been installed at the dispensary. These facilities will help diagnose conditions such as fractures, chest-related diseases and spinal injuries. Digital technology will enable X-ray images to be obtained more quickly and reduce dependence on traditional film-based systems.
To provide modern physiotherapy services, a deep oscillation pulsed electrostatic field therapy unit costing Rs. 14.90 lakh and a shockwave therapy unit costing Rs. 8.70 lakh have been installed. These devices will help treat patients suffering from chronic pain, swelling and difficulties in movement. Depending on medical requirements, these technologies can support tissue recovery, reduce pain and improve mobility.
In addition, a new ECG machine costing Rs. 68,320 has been installed. It will enable the immediate examination of patients’ electrical heart activity and assist in the preliminary assessment of those experiencing chest pain or other heart-related symptoms.
Dr. Sumita Mishra said this was the first phase in developing the dispensary into a fully modern healthcare centre. She added that the procurement process for additional medical equipment worth Rs. 48.60 lakh was also underway. This equipment includes a five-part haematology analyser, a semi-automatic urine analyser, a three-part haematology analyser, a semi-automatic biochemistry analyser, an immunoassay analyser and a benchtop ESR analyser.
She further stated that Rs. 2 lakh had been earmarked for purchasing the necessary equipment related to physiotherapy and dental treatment. Once available, this equipment will expand the range of healthcare services, including blood tests, urine tests, biochemical tests and dental treatment.
Dr. Mishra said strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving citizens’ access to essential medical facilities were among the government’s priorities. She added that the availability of modern equipment would enable patients to receive timely diagnostic tests and treatment and improve the quality of healthcare services. This initiative will expand the facilities available at the MLA Hostel Dispensary and help thousands of patients access various diagnostic and treatment services at one location.
