Harish Janartha has expressed gratitude to CM Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for the installation of a state-of-the-art 3 Tesla MRI machine at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla. He termed the development a historic step towards modernising and strengthening Himachal Pradesh’s healthcare system.
He stated that IGMC had been operating with an outdated MRI machine for nearly 20 years despite rapid technological advancements. The newly installed 3 Tesla MRI machine will significantly improve diagnostic accuracy with its superior imaging capabilities, enabling doctors to detect complex and subtle medical conditions more precisely and enhance treatment outcomes.
Janartha noted that such advanced technology is currently available at premier institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. With this facility now available in Shimla, patients will no longer need to travel outside the state for specialised diagnostic services, saving both time and financial resources.
He also appreciated the state government’s broader efforts to upgrade diagnostic infrastructure. As part of a Rs. 95 crore investment, five high-resolution MRI machines are being installed across the state, including at IGMC Shimla and Chamiyana Hospital. Additionally, advanced ultrasound machines worth Rs. 14 crore, ceiling-suspended digital radiography (DR) X-ray systems worth Rs. 14 crore, and eight Imaging Archive and Retrieval Technology systems costing Rs. 40 crore are being set up in seven medical colleges and at Kamla Nehru Hospital.
The MLA further welcomed the establishment of an L-1 Trauma Centre at IGMC Shimla at a cost of Rs. 30.90 crore, which will significantly strengthen emergency medical services across the state.
Highlighting human resource strengthening, he said the government has increased remuneration for technical staff such as radiographers and X-ray technicians, and approved recruitment of 200 medical officers, 38 assistant professors in super-specialty departments, and 400 staff nurses as job trainees to improve healthcare delivery.
Janartha also lauded the expansion of super-specialty services at Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialities (AIMSS) Chamyana, along with the development of bone marrow transplant infrastructure and smart laboratories. He described the introduction of robotic surgery facilities — a first for Himachal Pradesh — as a landmark achievement. Robotic surgery services have already commenced at AIMSS Chamyana and at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, and will soon begin at IGMC Shimla.
He further noted that the upgradation of Primary Health Centres to Community Health Centres in Shimla district, along with the deployment of specialist staff, will help ensure quality healthcare closer to people’s homes.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhu, Janartha said, Himachal Pradesh is steadily advancing towards world-class healthcare standards, ushering in a new era of accessible, modern and high-quality medical services for its citizens.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
