VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Health, Medical & Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav has said that Targeted Imaging for Foetal Anomalies (TIFFA) scanning facility being available in seven secondary hospitals across the State.

In a release issued on Monday, Satya Kumar Yadav said that TIFFA scanning units have been set up at the Area Hospitals in Narsipatnam, Tuni and Nandigama; the Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) in Ongole; and the District Hospitals in Parvathipuram, Tenali and Anakapalli.

He said that the functioning of these units is currently being reviewed and that full-fledged scanning services for pregnant women will be available from January 1, 2026 .

The minister informed that each TIFFA scan unit costs Rs 30.48 lakh, with a total expenditure of Rs 2.13 crore for all seven units. Keeping in view the heavy patient load of pregnant women, three of these hospitals have been selected in North Andhra. With this initiative, advanced medical services have become more accessible to tribal women as well, he observed.

The Minister said that TIFFA scanning is extremely useful for closely examining the foetus between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, including the brain, spine, heart, limbs, abdomen, and for detecting any abnormalities. It is estimated that around 1,000 pregnant women will benefit every month from these seven TIFFA scan units.

At present, TIFFA facilities are available only in government teaching hospitals, forcing pregnant women from remote areas to travel long distances for scans.

In private hospitals, TIFFA scans cost between `3,000 and Rs 4,000, depending on local demand. Considering these difficulties faced by pregnant women, the coalition government decided to provide this facility in secondary hospitals.

This will reduce both travel inconvenience and financial burden for pregnant women in these regions, said Director of Secondary Health Dr. Chakradhar Babu.