TURA, Feb 22: Giving immense hope to patients with cardiac problems from the Garo Hills region, Tura Civil Hospital has become the first government hospital in the state to install a hi-tech Catheterization Lab that will allow cardiologists to surgically place Stents for heart attack patients, conduct device closure operations on children born with a hole in their heart and even undertake Pacemaker installations.
It will also help lessen the immense financial burden borne by patients and their families who earlier had to rush to Shillong, Guwahati and other cities for cardiac treatment.
The Catheterization Lab consisting of hi-tech equipment imported from world renowned US company General Electric (GE) has come about at a cost of almost Rs 6 Crore for the Tura Civil Hospital.
Speaking to the media, Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Jacob Abraham Ruram said “This equipment can now save lives in Garo hills as well as do the necessary tasks for emergency cases.”
He added that once the Lab begins operational they can conduct as many as six medical interventions for cardiology in a day.
“I will be conducting the medical interventions with support from a team that will include 2 technicians and 1 Nurse,” said Cardiologist Dr Ruram.
Superintendent of Tura Civil Hospital, Dr Inbert C Marak termed the establishment of the Catheterization Lab as a big achievement for the hospital.
“It’s a big achievement for all of us and I am very thankful to the government for taking the initiative. This will certainly cater to the people of Garo Hills as there are many patients who can’t afford costly treatment at Private hospitals outside the state,” said Dr Marak.
According to Dr Marak, this is the only Catheterization machine owned by a government hospital in the entire state of Meghalaya and soon Tura Civil Hospital will be installing the much needed Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI for the benefit of patients across Garo Hills.
