ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) is likely to get its Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine in the first week of December this year with a delay of 60 days, The Nation learnt on Thursday.
Hospital Director Dr. Ejaz Qadeer informed the Senate body on health that the MRI machine will be delivered by December 4th 2021 with a delay of 60 days adding that the delay will also be charged a penalty of 0.1pc of the price of the machine per day. 
He also informed the Senate body on health that an order for the MRI machine was placed, LC was opened on 4th June, and the payment was duly made.
“The company delayed the procurement process due to Covid-19 restrictions and delayed the order by 60 days. Consequently, a fine of approximately Rs2 crore is being imposed on the company,” he said.    
PIMS head also said that the previous machine had completed its duration the month of February and the new machine has been procured by Siemens company which is considered high quality.
Committee Chairman Dr. Humayun Mohmand remarked that the company has not delivered the machine despite taking 180 days while it had asked to provide it in 90 days.
He also said that three new MRI machines were asked for capital hospitals and they will start likely working soon. 
“Every hour is important especially when it comes to health. Complete the process as per the procurement law as soon as possible in the larger interest of the public,” he remarked.
Dr. Humayun said that above seven thousand patients daily visit hospital OPD and there is only one MRI machine for them.
Senator Behramand Tangi remarked that the committee delayed delivery of the MRI machine so who is responsible for this delay?
For around a year, the MRI machine of PIMS has been out of order. The MRI is used by health professionals to diagnose a variety of conditions, from torn ligaments to tumours and is considered very useful for examining the brain and spinal cord.
The radiology department technical staff informed The Nation that the machine has been dysfunctional for more than a year and there is no big technical fault in it.
The technicians informed that the hospital management installed the MRI machine under a contract with a company and under which it was bound to pay charges to the company doing its maintenance.
The official said that this machine had quality efficiency and strength of working round the clock and was able to conduct around 50 tests in a single day. However, in six working hours, the machine was performing around 20 to 25 tests daily only.
Officials said that average cost of an MRI in private set-up ranges from Rs8000 to Rs11000 and at PIMS it was free for the poor patients, adding that an MRI machine market value is above Rs20 million, and this equipment is out of order in the hospital for around a year.