Jahangeer Ganaie
Anantnag, Feb 20: The Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag has become the first among the newly set up Medical Colleges to have its own Cath Lab. The lab was inaugurated by Health and education Minister Sakeena Itoo on Thursday.
Speaking to the reporters after inaugurating the lab, Sakeena said that whenever they held any meeting in Anantnag, demand for Cath Lab was every time being raised and today it has been dedicated to the people of South Kashmir.
She said that people are expecting a better treatment from the doctors, but it can be possible only when the adequate infrastructure is available with them.
Sakeena said that doctors have been doing a commendable job but they further need to remain soft with patients and make every effort to save precious lives. She said that the Omar Abdullah led government is committed to upgrading the health infrastructure wherever required and every step is being taken for providing better health care facilities to the public.
She said that health care must be the first priority to all. She added that doctors and other health care workers must uphold the trust of people and asked them to work selflessly for the patient care 24×7.
She acknowledged that there is a shortage of manpower but assured that the government led by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will remove all the shortcomings in the near future.
She further said that it was her dream to become a doctor and offer her share to relieve the pain and sufferings of the patients. She added that she could not realise her dream of becoming a doctor because of a tragedy but God has given her the opportunity to play a bigger role and to realise her dream of relieving the sufferings of the people.
She thanked the engineering department for completing the works at Block A that made its inauguration possible today.
Meanwhile, officials said that cardiac catheterization lab, also known as a “cardiac cath lab,” is a specialized area in the hospital where doctors perform minimally invasive tests and advanced cardiac procedures to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease.
They said that the cardiology unit is functional at GMC Anantnag but in the absence of the cath lab they had to refer patients with minor or major heart attack to Srinagar but such facilities are available at GMC Anantnag now.
The first hour after a heart attack is known as “the golden hour.” Taking appropriate action within this first hour can save a patient’s life, they said, adding that most deaths due to cardiac arrest happen during this period.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 47% of deaths occur due to sudden cardiac arrests before an individual reaches the hospital.
“If a patient who has suffered a heart attack reaches the hospital within the golden hour, cardiologists and trained emergency physicians are in a better position to run the appropriate tests and scans to confirm the occurrence of a heart attack and take the patient to the catheterization laboratory (simply called ‘cath lab’), where an interventional cardiac procedure called a primary angioplasty is performed to clear the cause of most heart attacks — plaque build-up that blocks the artery/arteries,” they said.
However, in the absence of the cath lab, patients from South Kashmir most of the time lose their golden time in reaching SKIMS or SMHS hospital.
Doctors said that the establishment of the cath lab at GMC Anantnag can help in saving lives of dozens of patients who lose their golden period in travelling to Srinagar.
They added that this facility can help us in easing load on Srinagar hospital as well.
Principal and Dean of GMC Anantnag Prof Dr. Rukhsana Najeeb described the event as historic and gave a detailed powerpoint presentation to highlight the work done and achievements of GMC Anantnag in front of the August gathering.
She praised the leadership and commitment of Cabinet Minister Sakeena Itoo and thanked the Government of Jammu and Kashmir for providing remarkable support at every step to GMC Anantnag for upgradation of manpower and infrastructure.
She congratulated people of south Kashmir for getting the best possible medical care close to their doorstep. She thanked all the departments of GMC for working with zeal and dedication day in and day out for the upliftment of patient care and academics at GMC Anantnag
Medical Faculty Forum GMC Anantnag presented a token of respect to the Cabinet Minister and thanked her for the support especially of adjusting reporting times to hospitals during harsh winters. They hoped that the Minister shall play a positive role for the betterment of the Medical fraternity in future as well.
The Coordinator New Medical Colleges and Director family welfare, MCH and Immunisation gave the vote of thanks and praised Dr Syed Abid Rashid, Secretary Health and Medical Education and District Development Commissioner Anantang Dr Syed Fakhruddin Hamid (IAS) for their efforts to make this inauguration possible.
He showered special praises on the Cabinet Minister and described her as the one of the Deedawar (highly foresighted) who are born once in a lifetime.
