With Contracts Expiring, CT, MRI at Agra Medical College may come to close

Agra: With the contract of CT and MRI staff expiring soon, patients coming to Agra Medical College for computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may have to find new moorings. The College administration has yet to make up its mind on the recruitment of fresh staff or renewal of the contract of the present, with the installation company, which provides the machines on an annual contractual basis.

These tests have till now been provided at subsidized rates. The new MRI and CT machines were installed a year ago. The staff’s contract comes to an end at the end of this month.

According to college officials, there are no clear guidelines on staff recruitment in these departments.

Dr Shailendra Chowdhary, Spokesperson of S N Medical College, in conversation with the TOI said, "We have two different technicians for both CT and MRI. These technicians are from the company from whom we bought these machines. Their contract will expire this month.We will ask headquarters to recruit technicians at the earliest as we are not clear about the recruitment policy in this department or we will ask help from social service organizations to provide us technicians to operate these machines."

Meanwhile, the new financial controller appointment for the medical college on Friday seems to be boosted possibilities of pending bills, irregular supply of medicines and instruments being looked into.

Earlier, there were problems being faced by the college with its pharmaceutical supplier companies, which had decided to abstain from supplying medicines to the health hub over non-payment of bills amounting to more than Rs 40 lakh. The medicines are distributed free of cost to patients visiting the hospital’s OPD.

Of the 2,000 patients visiting the OPD daily, approximately 700 benefits from free medicine distribution by the hospital.