Chandigarh: The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research’s (PGIMER’s) new ₹490-crore Advanced Neuroscience Centre will begin phased inpatient admissions early next year following the installation of a high-end MRI machine, hospital authorities confirmed.While a CT scan machine has already been installed, the MRI unit will be operational by January. “CT scan has been installed and the MRI will soon be there by January. We shall start the inpatient in phased manner with the CT scan in place and gradually enhance the numbers,” said PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal.Virtually inaugurated by the Prime Minister on July 17, the 300-bedded centre has been running outpatient departments (OPDs) since April. Matching top national standards alongside AIIMS New Delhi and NIMHANS Bangalore, the facility integrates neurology and neurosurgery services under one roof.The centre features 300 general ward beds, 30 private ward beds, 61 specialised ICU beds, 10 high dependency unit beds, and a cutting-edge complex with 10 modular operating theatres. A key highlight is the dedicated “Brain Suite,” an operation theatre equipped with real-time intraoperative imaging and surgical optics for complex cranial and neurological procedures.Approved in 2017 with construction commencing in 2020, the facility will offer subspecialty care in cerebrovascular surgery, skull base surgery, and spinal functional neurosurgery. Meanwhile, PGIMER’s existing gamma knife and trauma centres will continue operating from their current old buildings.
