Due to a severe reagent scarcity, open heart surgeries have been suspended for the past four months at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital in Raipur, the largest government hospital in Chhattisgarh. This is a concerning development. Patients from low-income backgrounds have been severely harmed by this scarcity, with many being forced to look for expensive private treatment alternatives.
Particularly in cardiac treatments where monitoring is crucial, reagents are necessary for conducting tests both before and during surgeries. Patients in terrible condition include Madan Gopal, a security guard from the Korba district, as a result of their inability to obtain essential goods. Gopal’s family had to take out loans to pay for his operation at a private facility after he was directed to another hospital, demonstrating the extreme financial strain placed on individuals who depend on government healthcare facilities.
One of the poorest states in India, Chhattisgarh, is experiencing a wider crisis that is reflected in Gopal’s circumstances. Ankush Kumar, his son, highlighted their urgent need for emergency medical attention and expressed dissatisfaction over the numerous referrals and protracted waiting times. A reagent scarcity has hindered the 30 to 40 heart surgeries that the Ambedkar Hospital normally performs each month, forcing patients—many of whom are financially beyond the means of the impoverished—to private hospitals.
The chief of the advanced cardiac department, Dr. KK Sahu, went into further detail about the risks associated with this reagent scarcity. He pointed out that the heart-lung machine, which keeps patients alive during surgery, cannot function dependably without appropriate monitoring through reagents, endangering their survival.
The state administration of Chhattisgarh has promised to address the reagent shortage within a week in response to this situation. The procurement procedure is now under way, according to a statement made by Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, who also revealed that required equipment approvals had been given. The hospital’s dean has been given the authority to make emergency acquisitions, allowing for the acquisition of equipment up to ₹25 lakh, with an additional ₹5 lakh set aside for emergencies.
Even while the government wants to improve the quality of treatment provided in public hospitals, the fact that a major facility is stopping its procedures raises serious questions about how well healthcare is provided throughout the entire state. Experts caution that the situation in Chhattisgarh’s rural districts may be much more unstable if the capital’s infrastructure is susceptible to such disturbances. The event emphasizes how urgently institutional changes must be made to guarantee that all residents have continuous access to vital medical care.
SOURCE :
NDTV
