New Delhi: Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Thursday inaugurated a Centre for Advanced Bladder Diagnostics and PET-CT and SPECT-CT facilities at VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital here, aimed at strengthening specialised diagnostic services at an affordable cost.
The Centre for Advanced Bladder Diagnostics, set up in the Department of Urology, integrates Video Urodynamics (VUDS) with Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)-based brain mapping — an approach being attempted for the first time in India, according to the health ministry.
Besides enabling diagnosis of urinary disorders, including complex cases associated with neurological conditions, the newly inaugurated facilities are also expected to support postgraduate education and training.
The integration of VUDS with NIRS-based brain mapping will allow doctors to assess changes in cerebral blood oxygenation during bladder filling and emptying, potentially helping determine whether a bladder disorder is bladder-related, neurological or a combination of both, the ministry said.
The centre is expected to cater to around 5,000 patients annually.
The PET-CT and SPECT-CT facilities, established under the Department of Nuclear Medicine, are expected to further expand advanced diagnostic services at the hospital.
The SPECT-CT facility will support diagnosis of cardiac, renal, endocrine, orthopaedic and gastrointestinal conditions. The nuclear medicine services are expected to benefit around 600-700 patients annually and will be available at an affordable cost.
During his visit, Nadda also inspected the Heart Command Centre and Sports Injury Centre and reviewed their services and activities.
While reviewing the functioning of Safdarjung Hospital and ongoing projects, the health minister stressed the need for regular reviews and periodic inspections of projects in the pipeline.
He also emphasised setting practical and achievable timelines to ensure that projects are completed on schedule.
Nadda appreciated the distinct identity and reputation that Safdarjung Hospital has built over the years and said the institution had established its own standing in the healthcare sector.
