Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu unveils 3 Tesla MRI at IGMC

Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday accused the previous BJP regime of financial mismanagement and neglecting the health sector, stating that years of underinvestment had left Himachal Pradesh without adequate advanced medical infrastructure. He asserted that his government is now committed to reversing that trend through large-scale investments and systemic reforms.

The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating a state-of-the-art 3 Tesla MRI machine at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), installed at a cost of around Rs 23 crore. The new high-end diagnostic equipment replaces an MRI machine that had been in service at the institution for nearly two decades. Sukhu said the state government is investing more than Rs 3,000 crore to strengthen healthcare infrastructure across Himachal Pradesh.

Highlighting the significance of the upgrade, he noted that similar 3 Tesla MRI technology is currently in use at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He said the government aims to replicate AIIMS-level facilities in state-run medical colleges to ensure that patients do not have to travel outside Himachal for advanced diagnostic procedures, thereby saving both time and money.

Sukhu said high-end technologies are being introduced in government medical colleges at Tanda, Shimla, Hamirpur and Nerchowk, as well as at the upcoming medical facility at Chamiyana. He added that the Orthopaedics Department at the IGMC would be upgraded to world-class standards and that the process to introduce robotic orthopaedic and spine surgeries has already begun. Advanced ICUs dedicated to medicine, paediatrics and respiratory diseases will also be established soon.

During his interaction with medical specialists, the Chief Minister directed that exposure visits be organised for doctors from all government medical colleges to leading institutions in India and abroad to keep them updated with the latest advancements. He also reviewed ongoing development works at IGMC and instructed officials to ensure their timely completion.