Vijayawada: The state government introduced the TIFA (Targeted Imaging for Fetal Anomalies) scanning facility for the first time in seven secondary hospitals across the state for early detection of congenital abnormalities in unborn babies.

Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav announced here on Monday that TIFA 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 at Parvathipuram, Tenali and Anakapalli. He said the functioning of the equipment is currently being reviewed and full-fledged scanning services will be made available to pregnant women from January 1.

The minister said that each TIFA scanning unit has been procured at a cost of Rs 30.48 lakh, with a total expenditure of around Rs 2.13 crore for all seven hospitals. Keeping in view the heavy rush of pregnant women, three of the selected hospitals are located in North Andhra, which will significantly benefit tribal and remote-area women by bringing advanced medical services closer to them.

Explaining the importance of the facility, Satya Kumar Yadav said TIFA scans, conducted between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, help in detailed examination of the fetus, including the brain, spine, heart, limbs, abdomen, placenta and umbilical cord and aid in the early detection of abnormalities. With the introduction of these seven scanning units, it is estimated that nearly 1,000 pregnant women per month will benefit.

Currently, TIFA scanning facilities are available only in government teaching hospitals, forcing women from distant areas to travel long distances. In private hospitals, the scan costs between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000, depending on local demand.

To address these challenges, the government decided to provide the facility at secondary hospitals, thereby reducing both travel hardship and financial burden on expectant mothers.

Director of secondary health K V N Chakradhara Babu said the initiative would offer greater reassurance for newborns and improved care for pregnant women, noting that one out of every 100 babies is born with some form of congenital anomaly, highlighting the need for timely screening and intervention.