Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial (SSKM) Hospital, a reputed healthcare institution in Kolkata, has dedicated its general surgery department solely for the purpose of completing the backlogged gallbladder stone surgeries. The instution, which comes under the West Bengal state government, has suspended all other elective procedures aiming to address the heap of 400 gallstone cases of the hospital. The week-long surgical drive, scheduled to be conducted from February 10-16, is a noble initiative to ensure convenient healthcare facilities to the common folks.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday congratulated the state-run SSKM Hospital and the health professionals there for successfully performing 175 gallbladder surgeries in a span of five days. Appreciating this remarkable feat, CM Mamata Banerjee posted a post on X.

"I also urge all hospitals to follow this model of mission-mode interventions to clear waiting-in-the-queue cases.", CM Mamata Banerjee further added.

Over 30 doctors, led by senior surgeons, executed the drive with them performing around 30-40 surgeries per day. Besides the special gallstone surgeries, several other major surgical operations were also conducted.

All the gallstone surgeries were successful, receiving appreciation from many. The hospital's achievement has been well received by the patients' relatives, and many of them expressed their relief at getting proper care. Moreover, the initiative has made many hope that this trend continues for the sake of improving the state of government hospitals in the future as well. One of the major challenges faced by common people is regarding the accessibility of medical care in government hospitals. All over the country, it is quite difficult to get access to healthcare, especially in government institutions.

Gallstones

Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your gallbladder and it can range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. Some people develop just one gallstone, while others develop many gallstones at the same time. ^[1] Though in most of the cases, it may not cause any symptoms, if it lodges in a duct, it can show severe symptoms. The symptoms include sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the center or upper right portion of your abdomen. Other symptoms are nausea, vomiting and pain on right shoulder .^[1]

_{Note: This content is purely informational and isn’t medical guidance. It shouldn’t replace professional medical counsel. Always consult your physician regarding treatment risks and benefits.}

References:

1. “Gallstones - Symptoms & Causes - Mayo Clinic,” Mayo Clinic, August 20, 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gallstones/symptoms-causes/syc-20354214. (Accessed on February 16, 2025)

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Jithin Paul/MSM)