No MRI, CT Scan facility at IHBAS since a decade, CM directs complete overhaul

Expressing displeasure at the conditions, Rekha Gupta said all medical and administrative gaps would be closed within the current financial year

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday ordered a complete overhaul of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) after a surprise inspection revealed the premier mental health and neurosciences institute in Dilshad Garden has had no MRI or CT scan machine since 2012. Calling the lapse “shocking”, Gupta said work on a new IHBAS building with a large outpatient block will begin soon, and equipping the facility with modern diagnostic tools is her government’s top priority.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta during a surprise inspection at IHBAS in Dilshad Garden on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

IHBAS, an autonomous Delhi government institution, provides advanced care in psychiatry, clinical psychology, neurology and related disciplines. It also plays a key role in research, training and public awareness. Combining clinical care with academic work, it is among India’s leading mental health centres but currently has only 317 beds.

“In a further significant step towards providing better healthcare services to the citizens of Delhi, our government has decided to completely revamp IHBAS. Under this initiative, new infrastructure, advanced medical facilities and machines such as MRI and CT scans are being installed. Additionally, a new OPD section will be set up to enable timely, quality treatment. This will strengthen IHBAS’s capacity and transform it into a reliable, accessible, high-quality treatment centre for Delhi residents,” Gupta said.

Officials said the inspection reviewed hospital facilities. Expressing displeasure at the conditions, Gupta said all medical and administrative gaps would be closed within the current financial year. Her office later noted that X-ray and ultrasound facilities remain severely limited and doctors in such a sensitive field are working without essential equipment. “Even under such circumstances, attending to patients and addressing their problems is a remarkable achievement. The issue lies not with the medical team but with the lack of governmental support the hospital has received so far,” she said.

Gupta pointed out that IHBAS occupies 111 acres but uses only 20%. The new complex, she said, will include a larger OPD and additional departments. Gaps in services—MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound and staffing—will be filled this financial year.

The CM’s office added that IHBAS has only ten ventilator beds, far fewer than required, but praised doctors and staff for their dedication. “The previous government boasted of its so-called health model and made tall claims about constructing new hospitals but left projects incomplete. Our government is now completing those unfinished hospitals on priority,” Gupta said.