KARGIL: Significantly strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the region, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, Wednesday handed over a state-of-the-art AI-enabled 128-slice CT Scan Machine to the Community Health Centre (CHC), Sankoo, in Kargil district under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.
Under this CSR project, POWERGRID has provided the advanced CT scan machine along with the construction of the required supporting infrastructure at CHC Sankoo.
The initiative aims to enhance diagnostic capabilities in one of the most populous sub-divisions of Ladakh and reduce dependence on the District Hospital, Kargil, which currently has a single CT scan facility.
The handover ceremony was held in the august presence of Hon’ble Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Kargil, Dr. Mohd Jaffer Akhoon. The CT scan machine was formally handed over by Shri Tarun Bajaj, Executive Director, POWERGRID Northern Region-II, to the Health Department.
Also present on the occasion were Excutive Councillor Aga Syed Mujtaba, Councillors Aga Syed Ahmad Rizvi and Ghulam Haider, CMO Kargil Dr Liyaqat Ali, Medical Superintendent District Hospital Kargil Dr Mohd Abass, Executive Engineer SVD Sankoo, Block Medical Officer, Chairman Anjuman Sahib Zaman, and other religious heads, senior officers of POWERGRID; medical fraternity; and officials.
Valued at approximately ₹9.45 crore, the advanced diagnostic equipment is expected to significantly enhance healthcare delivery in Kargil district and adjoining areas. The installation of the CT scan machine at CHC Sankoo is projected to save around ₹55 lakh annually by reducing patient referrals and will serve as a crucial alternative to the District Hospital facility. It will greatly strengthen emergency care by enabling faster diagnosis during the critical “golden hour” and improve overall patient outcomes.
The installed SOMATOM go.Top 128-slice CT Scan system, equipped with advanced artificial intelligence features, is one of its kind in the region. The machine offers ultra-fast rotation time of 0.33 seconds, AI-based image reconstruction for enhanced image quality with reduced radiation exposure, and a maximum table load capacity of 307 kilograms, making it suitable for all patient categories, including critical emergency cases.
Hon’ble Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Kargil, Dr. Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, along with the Chief Medical Officer, Kargil, and the Block Medical Officer, Sankoo, expressed deep appreciation to POWERGRID for this valuable contribution. Dr. Akhoon stated that the installation of the CT scan facility at CHC Sankoo will significantly boost healthcare services in the Sankoo Sub-Division, the most densely populated area of Ladakh, and reduce the burden on the District Hospital, Kargil.
Dr. Akhoon informed that healthcare facilities in Kargil have reached near world-class standards. He said that a latest MRI machine has recently been installed in Kargil and will soon be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. He further revealed that a proposal for installation of a CT scan machine at CHC Drass has been taken up with the Government of Maharashtra through Deputy Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde, which has already received in-principle approval.
Addressing concerns regarding medical manpower, Dr. Akhoon said that despite challenges in regular recruitment, the shortage of doctors in Ladakh has been effectively managed under the National Health Mission (NHM) through contractual recruitment with attractive incentives.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Tarun Bajaj, Executive Director, POWERGRID Northern Region-II, stated that the project reflects POWERGRID’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure, especially in remote and border areas.
He added that POWERGRID will continue to undertake CSR initiatives across sectors such as health, education, renewable energy, and sports for holistic social development.
Under its CSR mandate, POWERGRID accords high priority to the health sector, particularly government hospitals in rural and urban areas. In the Union Territory of Ladakh, POWERGRID has implemented CSR projects worth approximately ₹11.5 crore, covering health, education, rural development, sanitation, and renewable energy. Notable initiatives include cold-chain equipment during the COVID-19 vaccination programme (₹23 lakh), a water tanker for Degree College Kargil (₹27.20 lakh), and the CT Scan project at CHC Sankoo (₹9.4 crore). In Leh district, CSR initiatives include ambulances and hearse vans, sanitation projects such as RO systems and incinerators, renewable energy installations, and solar lighting for nomadic communities.
