Kashmir Trade Alliance advocates for PET Scan facility at SMHS Hospital

Srinagar, July 19: The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) has called upon the Lieutenant Governor's administration to install a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan machine at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar. This plea comes as part of efforts to improve healthcare accessibility for cancer patients in the region.

KTA president Aijaz Shahdhar, in a statement released today, acknowledged the recent commissioning of a PET Scan facility at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu. However, he emphasised the urgent need for a similar facility in Srinagar, particularly at the SMHS hospital.

Shahdhar highlighted that while the health sector has seen significant improvements under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's administration, the absence of a PET Scan facility at SMHS hospital is forcing numerous cancer patients to seek this essential diagnostic test at private facilities, incurring substantial costs.

"It would be in the interest of the community as well as for better healthcare facilities if the PET Scan facility is commissioned at the SMHS hospital," Shahdhar stated. He further explained that PET Scan is an advanced imaging technique crucial for detecting cancer, heart conditions, brain disorders, and other diseases.

The KTA has appealed directly to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to consider their request and issue directives for the installation of the PET Scan facility at SMHS hospital. The organisation argues that “providing this essential diagnostic capability at the premier government hospital would significantly alleviate the burden on cancer patients and other critically ill individuals in the Kashmir region.”