By Sr. Journalist Luwangthoi
Imphal, July 11:
Reliable sources have confirmed that the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Lamphel, is set to inaugurate two significant facilities — a VIRTOPSY Centre and a Cold Room — on July 14, marking a milestone in the region’s forensic medical infrastructure.
According to officials, the Cold Room has already been fully assembled and will considerably expand the mortuary’s capacity. Previously, the RIMS mortuary could accommodate only six bodies with a single freezer. The newly installed facility will now enable the storage of up to 40 bodies, addressing a long-standing capacity constraint.
Sources said the VIRTOPSY Centre will introduce non-invasive, high-resolution postmortem examinations through advanced technologies such as Computed Tomography (CT) Scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These tools will allow forensic experts to conduct virtual autopsies without the need for traditional surgical procedures, which is expected to save considerable time and offer better clarity in complex cases, including those involving burn injuries or suspected firearm wounds.
It was also learnt that while the machines have been installed, full operation of the VIRTOPSY Centre will commence once trained doctors, who have recently undergone specialized instruction at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong, are deployed.
Manipur will become the second state in Northeast India to house a VIRTOPSY Centre, following Meghalaya, where a similar facility is operational at NEIGRIHMS, Shillong.
In a notable development related to the project, RIMS Director Dr. Guruaribam Sunil Kumar Sharma had reportedly attended an Advanced Virtual Autopsy Training in Leicester, United Kingdom, from February 24 to 28 earlier this year, in preparation for the introduction of this cutting-edge forensic system in the state.