Residents demand advanced MRI machine for GMC Rajouri

Rajouri, Sep 13: Residents of Rajouri have welcomed the government’s decision to sanction an MRI machine for Government Medical College Rajouri but urged authorities to approve a more advanced 3 Tesla or 5 Tesla model instead of the sanctioned 1.5 Tesla, citing long-term diagnostic needs.

Hailing the decision as a “historic step” that fulfils a long-pending demand of the masses, locals recalled that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier promised to sanction both an MRI and a Cath Lab for GMC Rajouri—out of which only the MRI has now been approved.

However, residents argued that the current sanction does not fully address modern diagnostic needs.

“The sanctioned project accounts for the installation of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, but the need of the hour is a 3 Tesla or 5 Tesla machine, which are advanced variants,” said Uplaksh Sharma, a local social activist.

Echoing the sentiment, Jahangir Hussain remarked, “No one in government will upgrade the MRI in GMC Rajouri during the next ten years once it is installed. That’s why we demand the installation of a 3 Tesla or 5 Tesla MRI instead of a 1.5 Tesla.”

Another resident, Satish Chander, emphasised that a higher-capacity machine would better serve trauma cases and critical care patients. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide the people of Rajouri with cutting-edge medical diagnostics,” he said, joined by several others from the community who voiced similar concerns.

Locals believe that upgrading the project before installation would save future costs and ensure that Rajouri’s patients receive advanced diagnostic care without needing referrals to distant hospitals.