Patients of MGM Medical College Hospital in Jamshedpur, can now get X-rays and ultrasound tests done at the state-run hospital itself, thanks to a private healthcare agency that will provide the services at subsidised rates.

Inside MGM hospital in Sakchi, the cost of an X-ray starts from Rs 60 and the rate keeps increasing depending on the part of the body that needs to be put under scanner. The cost of an ultrasound is Rs 323.

The minimum rate of X-ray is Rs 150 and ultrasound Rs 600 in private clinics.

Though Manipal-based HealthMap Diagnostics has been conducting X-ray and ultrasound tests on the Sakchi hospital premises for a few days on a trial basis, the facilities were formally launched on Thursday.

The private agency has set up a clinic on the ground floor of the hospital's administrative building as part of an agreement with the state government.

Chief technician of the agency Anuradha Laxmi said they planned to launch the CT scan facility soon.

"About 30 patients are turning up for X-ray and 18 for ultrasound daily. Patients even from outside the government-run hospital are reposing faith in us," Laxmi said.

Superintendent of MGM Medical College Hospital Ashok Kumar Singh said the tie-up between the hospital and the private agency would go a long way in providing quality and affordable services to patients.

Chandan Prasad, uncle of a young patient at the orthopaedic ward of the hospital, said they were happy that a subsidised X-ray unit had been set up on hospital premises.

"Earlier, we had to get X-rays done from a clinic outside the hospital every fortnight for my nephew. The X-ray facility at the hospital was almost non-functional," Prasad said.