Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda on Thursday inaugurated two high‑technology diagnostic units at the combined Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital campus in New Delhi. The first, the Centre for Advanced Bladder Diagnostics, is housed within the Department of Urology, while the second comprises PET‑CT and SPECT‑CT scanners installed in the Department of Nuclear Medicine.
The Centre for Advanced Bladder Diagnostics brings together video‑assisted imaging and other cutting‑edge tools to improve the detection and staging of bladder conditions, including cancer. By integrating real‑time visualisation with laboratory analysis, clinicians aim to reduce the need for invasive procedures and accelerate treatment decisions.
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The PET‑CT (Positron Emission Tomography‑Computed Tomography) and SPECT‑CT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography‑Computed Tomography) facilities add a nuclear‑medicine dimension to the hospital’s diagnostic repertoire. These scanners combine functional imaging with anatomical detail, enabling physicians to locate tumours, assess metastasis and monitor therapy response with greater precision than conventional scans.
India’s public health system has long grappled with limited access to advanced imaging, especially in government hospitals that serve the majority of the population. The addition of these modalities at a premier teaching hospital is intended to bridge that gap, offering free or subsidised services to patients who would otherwise travel to private centres or metropolitan hubs.
Minister Nadda highlighted the government’s commitment to modernising medical infrastructure under the National Health Mission, noting that similar centres are planned for other regional hospitals. He also stressed the importance of training medical staff to operate the new equipment, ensuring that the technology translates into tangible health outcomes for citizens across the country.
