PET-CT scan facility to come up at RGGGH in two months

The installation of the facility, expected by the end of June, has been initiated by the Health Department under a public-private partnership mode in association with Anderson Diagnostics.

PET-CT scan is required during cancer diagnosis and treatment, as it detects changes in the cell at an early stage. This would help ascertain the stage of cancer, find right place to do biopsy, check the effectiveness of the treatment and plan radiation therapy. The cost of PET-CT scan ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 in private centres. However, the cost in government hospitals will be less than Rs 10,000. The cost of screening facility will also be covered under the CMCHIS scheme after approval from the consultant oncologists.

For many poor patients who visit government hospitals, the cost of screening facilities – like PET-CT that costs Rs 10,000 – is beyond what they can afford. Taking this into consideration, talks are on to revise the regulations for these screening facilities under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), said Dr R Ravi, director, Barnard Institute of Radiology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

“Though the facility was not available free of cost for those covered under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), the consultant oncologists can analyse the condition of the patient and recommend for the approval under the scheme,” he said. “We have requested the authorities who approve the amount under the insurance scheme to broaden the eligibility criteria so that more people can benefit from it,” added Dr Ravi.