Cuttack: Expensive open heart surgeries may grind to a halt at the SCB Medical College and Hospital here from January due to shortage of cardiac surgeons.
Sources said an experienced perfusionist of SCB is retiring on December 31. The other perfusionist here is not well experienced in surgery. If the government does not look into the matter open heart surgeries will stop at SCB. The head of the cardiothoracic and vascular (CTV) surgery department, Professor Manoj Kumar Patnaik, had written to the health secretary regarding this November 29. He had also submitted a copy of the letter to SCB superintendent Shyama Kanungo.
The issue has triggered concern among SCB authorities. The authorities held meetings for two days on how to fill the posts of perfusionists. Finally, they decided to borrow specialists from private hospitals associated with patient welfare schemes of the government like OSTF and BKKY. The authorities have not taken any decision so far on how the salaries of the hired specialists would be paid and who will pay it. SCB superintendent said, “We will not stop open heart surgery under any circumstance. We are holding talks with the government and will find a solution soon.”
Meanwhile, there are allegations that the government’s indifference towards the health sector led to the problem at SCB.
Open heart surgery started in SCB in 1987 and is regarded as a significant milestone in state’s healthcare. Earlier, patients had to go to New Delhi or Mumbai and depend on private hospitals for open heart surgery spending huge amounts. The costly surgery was being performed at SCB free using the patient welfare fund.
Last year, the SCB performed 145 open heart surgeries. As the other two government-run medical college and hospitals —VIMSAR, Burla and MKCG Berhampur — do not have facilities, BPL patients stand to benefit substantially at SCB.
Although surgery started at SCB 30 years back the hospital does not have a permanent perfusionist. The posts of specialists are being filled through contract appointments.
At least 12 heart surgeries are done at SCB every month. Accordingly, the hospital needs two to four perfusionists. But the government is ignoring the issue.
PNN
