Leh, 25 December (H.S.): Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, today described the inauguration of the modern 3 Tesla MRI facility at District Hospital Kargil as a proud moment not only for the district but for the entire Union Territory of Ladakh.

The LG dedicated the state-of-the-art MRI facility to the people of Kargil in the presence of CEC LAHDC Dr Jaffer Akhoon; Member of Parliament Mohd Hanifa Jan; Executive Councillors from LAHDC Kargil; and special guests, including Chief Secretary Dr Pawan Kotwal, Principal Secretary Sanjeev Khirwar, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, SSP Nitin Yadav, Director Health Services Dr Tashi Thinles, Chairman Haj Committee Ali Majaz, senior officers, religious heads, district officials, medical staff, and students.

He said that the 3 Tesla MRI facility will enable faster and more accurate diagnosis and play a crucial role in detecting complex and serious diseases. Until now, patients from Kargil had to travel to Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh or Delhi for advanced investigations, causing financial burden, time loss and mental stress.

Providing details of ongoing projects, the LG said a proposal to increase District Hospital Kargil’s bed capacity from 100 to 200 beds has been submitted to the Government of India. Construction of a new hospital block to expand capacity to 300 beds at a cost of Rs 61 crore is underway. He added that quarters for doctos, staff and class-IV employees are nearing completion, along with an Administrative Block and a TB Hospital. The CHC Zanskar project, costing Rs 81 crore, is currently under tendering.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Akhoon termed installation of state-of-the-art medical equipment at the District Hospital, a major milestone in regional healthcare that will provide advanced diagnostics locally.

Dr Pawan Kotwal, in his address, emphasized that advanced medical infrastructure ensures timely, accurate diagnosis, reduces patient burden, and reflects the UT administration’s commitment to delivering quality healthcare in remote, challenging areas.

Earlier, Dr Mohammad Abbas, Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Kargil, informed that the facility empowers economically weaker patients spared from costly external tests, reduces burdens and enhances outcomes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar