By: Akanksha
AIIMS Gorakhpur’s retired Executive Director, Major General Vibha Dutta, was shifted to a private hospital for a heart-related evaluation on Wednesday evening. The referral occurred because the Cath Lab at AIIMS Gorakhpur is not yet operational. After her health worsened, doctors first treated and stabilized her in the AIIMS emergency department before moving her to a private hospital with a Cath Lab as a precaution to check if she needed a pacemaker.
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The incident raised concerns that the institute does not have a working Cath Lab, especially since its own retired Executive Director had to visit a private hospital for a cardiac check-up.
On Wednesday, retired Major General Vibha Dutta faced some health issues and was rushed to the emergency department at AIIMS Gorakhpur. The doctors at the institute treated her and her health was stabilized.
However, around 5:00 p.m., she was referred to a private hospital with a Cath Lab to assess whether she required a pacemaker. The doctors assessed her and found that she did not require one. She was discharged home by 8:00 p.m. A senior doctor from AIIMS told the Press Trust of India (PTI) on condition of anonymity that she was fine after the initial treatment at AIIMS and went to the private facility purely as a precaution for further tests.
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Although the hospital was fully inaugurated in 2021, the installation and supply of equipment are still not complete.
After questions were raised regarding the lack of a Cath Lab, AIIMS Gorakhpur released a statement on Friday. It stated that almost 70% of the work needed to start the Cath Lab has been completed. The required medical equipment and machines are being supplied and will arrive shortly. A senior doctor at AIIMS told PTI that the remaining requirements are being completed to start the Cath Lab as early as possible, with the facility expected to become operational by December.
The foundation stone for AIIMS Gorakhpur was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 22, 2016, as a part of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The project sped up in 2017 after Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, helping overcome many obstacles. The OPD was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 24, 2019, and the full institution was inaugurated on December 7, 2021.
A Cath Lab, or Chattelization Laboratory, is a specialized medical facility used to diagnose and treat heart-related issues.
Once the Cath Lab is opened at AIIMS Gorakhpur, it will improve the available cardiac facilities. The Cath Lab will offer various tests and treatments, such as angiography and angioplasty. Patients from Gorakhpur and other districts in Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states will be able to receive specialist cardiac treatment locally.
(Rh/APC)
