The data also showed that 29 of the state’s 33 districts do not have a government MRI facility.

Hyderabad: Telangana government hospitals have only nine MRI machines, according to data presented by the state health department in the Assembly.

With a population of around 3.8 crore, Telangana has about one government MRI scanner for every 42 lakh people.

The data also showed that 29 of the state’s 33 districts do not have a government MRI facility.

Hyderabad has six government MRI machines

The nine MRI machines are available across eight government institutions in only four districts.

Hyderabad has the highest number, with six machines located at Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, NIMS, TIMS Sanathnagar and MNJ Hospital. NIMS has two machines.

The remaining facilities are located at MGM Hospital in Warangal, RIMS in Adilabad and Government General Hospital in Jayashankar Bhupalpally.

Nine more MRI machines announced for government hospitals in Telangana

The Telangana government has announced plans to add nine more MRI machines. These facilities are proposed for Nizamabad, Siddipet, Suryapet, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar.

Additional machines have also been announced for Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad, Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital.

Though doctors and healthcare experts welcomed the proposed expansion, they said new equipment alone may not be enough to improve access to MRI services.They pointed to staff shortages, as nearly 50 per cent of sanctioned posts are vacant across the healthcare system. The shortage of trained radiologists and MRI technicians could also affect the use of additional machines.