Once heart care hub, Kasturba hospital's cardiac wing nearly defunct

BHOPAL: BHEL's Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, which had a multi-specialty cardiac centre with a state-of-art cathlab and was the most-sought after heart care centres in the state capital after conducting bypass surgeries, is now practically defunct. The cathlab with diagnostic imaging equipment lies shut since 2002 and all critical heart cases are referred out to private hospitals.And here's the shocker - the hospital doesn't have a full-time cardiologist for five years and the department exists only on paper.
Though invasive surgeries were outsourced to other hospitals for more than a decade now, the cardiology department till about two years ago had a devoted set-up, a dedicated ward and a functional OPD where diagnosis and post-surgical complications were efficiently handled. Now, the cardiology wing has been merged with the medicine department and lone heart consultant, Dr Aarti Singh, has been given a part-time profile. Several doctors have quit their jobs and the hospital is grappling with high attrition rate, sources told TOI.
When TOI visited the hospital on Thursday, it was a dismal picture of dilapidated infrastructure and disillusioned patients. The cardiology OPD was shut and patients' kin were running errands in premises or trying to locate the ward.
"Kasturba Hospital was a centre of repute in Bhopal for clinical cardiology. And this centre of excellence has over a period been deliberately diluted due to unavoidable and avoidable reasons. There was a regular OPD till 2012 and patients could fall back on doctors for diagnosis and after-care treatment," said Gyan Chaturvedi, former head of department, cardiology.
Till about two years ago, basic super-speciality services, including non-invasive procedures like eco-cardiography with colour doppler were provided. "Now, facilities have shrunk and only a few ECGs and TMTs are done. Even for a second opinion, we are asked to visit Chirayu Hospital," said a patient.
Khalid Nafees, who was rushed to Kasturba Hospital by his family after a cardiac problem last month was referred to Chirayu by doctors within minutes after admission. "This hospital was once proficient in cardiology care. Now, it has nothing to offer," said Khan.
Speaking to TOI, Dr Vineeta Behl, AGM, Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, said, "A dedicated cardiology wing will be set up at the new medical wing being planned at the hospital. This will be done in the second phase. Currently, we don't have a 24x7 cardiologist. Patients who need surgery are referred outside as we don't have a cath lab."