JNM journalist Hardeep Jamwal, Jammu
A long-standing problem in government hospitals in the Jammu division is now on the verge of ending. To provide relief to patients, the government has expedited the installation of new and modern CT scan machines in three key hospitals—Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital, Super Specialty Hospital, and Chest Diseases Hospital.
For the past one and a half years, the old CT scan machines in these hospitals had been out of order, causing significant inconvenience to patients. For serious medical tests, people were forced to either go to GMC Jammu or the Bone and Joint Hospital, or undergo tests at expensive private centers.
According to information received from the hospitals, the machine at the Super Specialty Hospital was discontinued in July 2024, while the CT scan facility at the SMGS Hospital has been discontinued since January 2025 and at the Chest Diseases Hospital since March 2025. These hospitals provide critical medical services such as neurology, cardiology, nephrology, gynecology, and chest, and receive a large number of patients daily.
Now, the news of relief is that the installation of new machines has begun at the Super Specialty and SMGS hospitals. The purchase of a new machine for the Chest Diseases Hospital has also been approved and the process is underway. Officials say that CT scan services will resume at these hospitals in the coming weeks.
Dr. Rehana Khurshid, Medical Superintendent of the Super Specialty Hospital, stated that the installation work is in the final stages and patients will soon begin to benefit from it. Dr. Rakesh Sharma, Medical Superintendent of the Chest Diseases Hospital, expressed hope that the new machine will be available within a month or two. Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Ittoo also clarified that the government is committed to strengthening the health infrastructure. She stated that while MRI machines have been repaired, malfunctioning CT scan machines are being replaced with new ones to provide better services to patients.
It is noteworthy that despite the opening of new medical colleges in the Jammu division, GMC Jammu and its affiliated hospitals still face heavy patient pressure. A large number of people from the Kashmir division also come here for treatment. Therefore, the installation of new CT scan machines will not only facilitate diagnostic testing but also save patients both time and money.
Experts believe that this step will increase trust in government hospitals and provide affordable and timely diagnostics to the general public, which is considered a major improvement in healthcare services.
