Chandigarh: The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has taken a major technological leap with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) system, significantly enhancing its diagnostic capabilities.
The advanced machine was inaugurated on Monday by Mandip Singh Brar, Home Secretary-cum-Secretary of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh Administration, at the hospital’s Department of Biochemistry.
With this installation, GMCH joins a select group of government medical colleges in India—and one of the few centres in North India—to be equipped with this high-precision diagnostic technology.
Boost to Newborn Screening & Drug Monitoring
The biochemistry department will now expand its services, starting with an extended newborn metabolic screening programme. With just a single dried blood spot, the LC-MS/MS system can detect over 40 inherited metabolic disorders, allowing early diagnosis and timely interventions for high-risk infants.
The technology will also support therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of anti-epileptic drugs, enabling highly accurate assessments that will support optimal patient care across departments, TOI reported.
Additional Diagnostic Expansion
This upgrade comes alongside GMCH’s broader efforts to improve diagnostic services. Recently, the hospital announced plans to introduce CT scan and MRI facilities under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, aimed at reducing waiting times and providing dedicated equipment for medical student training.
Sharp Rise in Patient Load
According to Prof. G.P. Thami, Director Principal of GMCH-32, the hospital has experienced a significant surge in patient volume. OPD visits increased from 5.22 lakh in 2014 to 6.53 lakh in 2024. Departments such as general surgery, medicine, and orthopaedics continue to record the heaviest rush, with daily footfalls ranging from 2,200 to 2,500 patients from across the region.
