BMC may adopt no-touch scan

After deciding to turn Nair hospital into a state-of-the-art cancer care facility, the civic body may also introduce a ‘no touch’ breast scan machine for city patients.

Civic health committee chief Geeta Gawali held a meeting of deans of major civic hospitals at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters to discuss the use of the machine. Gawali said a proposal in this regard will soon be drafted.

“Breast cancer patients need to do a mammography, which makes most women feel uncomfortable or shy. There is also pain involved in the procedure. Hence, we discussed the possibility of such a machine’s use at civic hospitals,” she said on the occasion of National Cancer Awareness Day.

The ‘no touch’ breast scan machine, developed in the US and installed at private facilities in Thane, Pune and Ahmedabad, is likely to cost the BMC up to Rs75-80 lakh. It gives the report in 20 minutes along with details such as the size, nature and location of the cyst. While treatment at private hospitals may cost a patient Rs1,000 to Rs5,000 per test, if installed at a civic hospital, patients can avail the services at Rs100 to Rs150 per test.

“To give a glimpse of the machine, we plan to hold a two-day camp for testing patients after Diwali,” Gawali said.