Helium supply disruption hits MRI services at Wenlock Hospital
MRI services at Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru are currently limited to emergency cases due to a helium supply shortage linked to the US-Iran conflict. Hospital officials are working to procure new supplies and plan to install a more modern MRI machine to prevent future disruptions.
Why it matters
Global geopolitical conflicts can have direct, unforeseen impacts on local healthcare infrastructure and patient access to diagnostic services.
The operation of the MRI centre at Wenlock District Hospital in Mangaluru has been affected due to disruption in the supply of helium, used to cool the superconducting magnets in the MRI machine, because of the ongoing US-Iran war.
This came to light at a meeting on Saturday, chaired by Health and Family Minister U.T. Khader to review projects and address issues concerning the hospital.
At the meeting, Arogya Raksha Samiti member Khaleem Gerukatte pointed out that the MRI machine, operated by Hindlabs in the hospital premises, had been affected for over a fortnight.
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