Punjab turns to private sector for radiology diagnostic services
Chandigarh: In a move to bridge critical gaps in diagnostic infrastructure, the resource-constrained Punjab govt has decided to collaborate with private players under a public-private partnership (PPP) model for the operation and maintenance of radiology imaging centres in 18 district hospitals.
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With several govt hospitals in Punjab lacking essential radiology services such as MRI and CT scans—vital for the diagnosis and monitoring of numerous medical conditions—the new initiative aims to ensure timely access to diagnostic tools for patients in the public healthcare system.
The Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) has floated tenders seeking private participation in the development, installation, and round-the-clock operation of diagnostic centres across three proposed clusters — Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, and Sangrur.
The selected private partner will be responsible for equipment procurement, infrastructure upgrades, staffing, and service delivery.
Under the Gurdaspur cluster, MRI scanners will be installed at district hospitals in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, and Ropar, while CT scanners will be placed in sub-divisional hospitals in Ajnala, Batala, and Dasuya. The Ferozepur cluster will see MRI scanners in district hospitals at Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Moga, Faridkot, and Muktsar, and CT scanners at sub-divisional hospitals in Patti, Malout, and Abohar.
In the Sangrur cluster, MRI centres will be set up in district hospitals in Mansa, Barnala, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Malerkotla, and Muktsar, and CT facilities in sub-divisional hospitals at Rampura and Nabha.
Each MRI centre will operate 24/7 with at least one radiologist physically present from 8 am to 6 pm, and available on-call during other hours. Every scanner will also be staffed with one radiographer/technician and one attending nurse at all times.
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As per the guidelines, scanned images must be made available within 45 minutes, with digital copies provided securely to patients on request. Diagnostic reports are expected within six hours for scans conducted before 2 pm, and by 10 am the following day for scans after 2 pm. Poor-quality scans must be re-issued at no extra cost.
The guidelines mandate the private entity to meet strict performance benchmarks, including minimum staffing, equipment uptime, and report turnaround time—differentiated for emergency and non-emergency cases.
The Punjab and Haryana high court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Bhisham Kinger, a resident of Malerkotla, and the Punjab govt has informed the court of the project's details. In its affidavit, the govt submitted that the objective is to ensure diagnostic availability in public healthcare settings, even through PPP mode, while continuing to offer free services to eligible categories.
It further stated that the rates at these centres are nominal and comparable to those at premier govt institutions such as PGIMER and GMCH, reaffirming the state's commitment to delivering affordable and accessible healthcare to all citizens.
Dr Akhil Sarin, president, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), stated that any initiative aimed at reducing out-of-pocket healthcare expenses for the poor and underprivileged should be welcomed.
"While the ideal scenario would involve the govt establishing its own diagnostic facilities, until such infrastructure is in place, offering affordable diagnostic services through a hybrid public-private partnership model appears to be a practical and necessary solution at this stage," he said.
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