Srinagar, Jul 2 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir is set to receive 275 AI-enabled portable handheld X-ray machines, nine MRI (1.5 Tesla) units and four digital mammography units under the Prime Minister’s Fund, significantly strengthening the Union Territory’s diagnostic healthcare infrastructure, officials said on Thursday.
An official spokesperson said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Jammu and Kashmir government for implementation of the project.
The equipment will be installed in identified government health institutions across the Union Territory to improve diagnostic services, support AI-enabled tuberculosis screening, facilitate early disease detection and enhance breast cancer screening, the spokesperson said.
According to officials, the procurement, installation and commissioning of the equipment will be carried out by the Government of India through its designated agencies, with supplies expected to begin in the coming months.
The Health and Medical Education Department will ensure timely site readiness, deployment of the required manpower and early operationalisation of the equipment to make the facilities available to the public at the earliest, they said.
Officials said the allocation follows sustained efforts by the Health and Medical Education Department to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and expand access to advanced diagnostic facilities across Jammu and Kashmir.
They added that Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo has been closely monitoring health sector reforms, focusing on modernising healthcare infrastructure, improving diagnostic capabilities and ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services across the Union Territory.
The initiative is expected to enhance diagnostic capacity in government hospitals, reduce patient referrals, enable early diagnosis and treatment, and improve overall healthcare outcomes, officials said.—(NVI)
