All Delhi govt hosps set to get MRI services by Mar ’26

By March 2026, all 36 Delhi government hospitals will offer MRI and CT scans at subsidized rates through a public-private partnership, health minister announces.

All 36 hospitals under the Delhi government will have radiological diagnostic facilities, including MRI and CT scan services, by March 2026 under a public-private partnership (PPP) model that will offer tests at subsidised rates, health minister Pankaj Singh announced on Friday.

Only three hospitals run by the Delhi government – LNH, GB Pant, and Indira Gandhi Hospital – offer MRI and CT scan services. (HT Archive)

The announcement came during the minister’s visit to Lok Nayak Hospital (LNH), a day after an HT report highlighted that MRI and CT scan services at LNH – one of the Capital’s largest and busiest government hospitals – had been suspended since September 23 following a breakdown of its digital imaging system. The malfunction halted access to stored scans and triggered a shortage of CT/MRI films, forcing patients to wait years for appointments. A ground check by HT found that some patients were being given MRI dates for as late as 2028.

Addressing the shortage, Singh said, “We are planning to start diagnostic services at Lok Nayak Hospital by January, and by March 2026, all 36 Delhi government hospitals will have MRI facilities.”

To be sure, the plan to expand CT/MRI services at other hospitals is now new. The health department had earlier announced plans to expand diagnostic services through the PPP model in June 2025. Under this system, MRIs will be offered at ₹2,500 per scan, compared with ₹8,000- ₹15,000 at private centres across Delhi.

During his inspection on Friday, Singh also addressed reports that ventilators at LNH were lying defunct. “Out of 80 ventilators, almost all are functional,” he said, dismissing claims of large-scale breakdowns.

The minister further acknowledged delays in the supply of medicines from the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) and directed hospitals to use local procurement in the interim to prevent shortages. “Till the time there is a delay in getting medicines through CPA, hospitals can buy them locally to ensure uninterrupted patient care,” he said.