Ludhiana, Feb. 8 -- Though the district administration on Thursday announced that two new mobile medical vans would be introduced to provide free-health checkups for the public, a mobile medical unit (MMU) parked at the civil surgeon's office complex has been gathering dust for years. It was bought in 2009 at a whopping cost of Rs.1 crore, said a health official, seeking anonymity.

He said it was last used during the Covid-19 pandemic for the vaccination drive. It has been equipped with an X-ray machine, electrocardiogram, pathology laboratory and an examination room.

The crew operating the MMU included a doctor, a radiographer, a lab technician, staff nurses, a helper and a driver. The doctors' post is vacant at present, and interestin...