Tue Apr 22 15:22:19 UTC 2025: ## Sivaganga Hospital’s MRI Machine Malfunction Leaves Patients Stranded
**Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, April 22, 2025** – Patients in Sivaganga are facing significant delays in receiving vital MRI scans due to the prolonged malfunction of the MRI machine at the Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital. The machine, operated by a private contractor, has been plagued by frequent breakdowns for the past year, leaving the facility closed for extended periods.
The aging, ten-year-old machine requires extensive and time-consuming repairs, often resulting in two-month-long outages. During these periods, patients are referred to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, a considerable distance away. This poses a significant hardship for many, forcing them to seek costly private scans within Sivaganga instead.
The situation is further complicated by the approaching end of the private contractor’s contract in September. The contractor is reportedly hesitant to invest in a new machine, exacerbating the problem. While a shortage of helium gas, crucial for the machine’s operation, is cited as a contributing factor, the overall issue highlights the lack of readily available and reliable MRI services for patients in the region relying on the public healthcare system. The approximately 10 patients who used the free service offered under the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme, along with those who pay ₹2,300 for a scan, are disproportionately affected by this ongoing issue.
First Piper 