Aster Hospital to provide free MRI, CT scan services to poor

Bengaluru: Aster Hospitals has announced to provide around 1,500 free MRI and CT scans for the needy in the next one year. The free medical investigations are being offered as part of Aster DM Healthcare's 34th Foundation Day, under which the healthcare group has committed to providing 10,000 free medical investigations to the underprivileged people across India and GCC.

As a part of this initiative, it has also collaborated with four hospitals namely General Hospital, Yelahanka, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur and Nelamangala in North Bangalore and Sri Krishna Seva Ashrama, Sevakshetra Hospital and RV Institutes in South Bangalore and will provide free MRI and CT scans to the underprivileged patients referred by these hospitals.

The initiative will be run by Aster Volunteers, the CSR arm of the organization, and aims to tackle the immediate need for diagnosis and accurate treatment needed by many patients, underprivileged or under financial distress.

Appreciating the initiative, Dr Manjula Devi, District Health Officer, Bangalore rural district, Devanahalli, said, "The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the critical importance of accurate testing and reporting, something that has been advocated for multiple areas of public health. Early detection of diseases can enable early treatment and favourable outcomes."

"MRIs and CT scans are some of the expensive diagnostic tests that can impose a huge burden on the underprivileged. Because of their poor economic and financial background, many people are unable to afford these essential tests. We hope that other private hospitals also come forward to help the underprivileged people get access to proper diagnosis," said AVS Murthy, honorary secretary, Rasthriya Sikshana Samithi Trust.

Sharing his thoughts on the launch of the initiative, Dr. Prashanth N, Chief Operating Officer, Aster RV Hospital, said: "Under our new initiative, patients are free to consult doctors of their choice for treatment and are not required to visit our hospital after undergoing diagnostic scans.

The service is open only to people below poverty line and the patients will have to approach the hospital with prescription for scans issued by a registered medical practitioner (allopathy) along with documents as proof of their income."

Detailed list of the medical investigations has been provided by Aster Hospitals on the Aster Freein website along with the details of the application process.

Any needy patient seeking to avail an investigation can approach the respective facility in the city and also apply on the website, along with supporting documents.

At the same time, needy patients can be referred by doctors (internal & external), NGOs, support groups, medical colleges/ authorities to the nearest Aster unit offering the free investigation.