GUNTUR : The Government General Hospital (GGH), Guntur, would soon become the first hospital in the state to perform open heart surgeries on regular basis. At present open heart surgeries are done on selected days but with upgrading of GGH, it would be done on regular basis. The state government has given permission for the purchase of heart lung machine, which is a must for open heart surgeries, and to purchase several other required equipment by sanctioning funds of Rs 5.36 crore.
In January 2015 the government had sanctioned Rs 1.13 crore for development of GGH but the open heart surgeries were conducted under public private partnership (PPP) mode.
The government has now increased the funds to provide high quality healthcare to common man.
AP government issued GO RT No: 344 on June 20 sanctioning the funds for developing GGH, Guntur. With latest, high-end equipment akin to those in corporate hospitals, GGH would be the first state hospital to perform open heart surgeries on regular basis. The heart lung machine worth Rs.75 lakh, high end live 3D/4D echocardiography system worth Rs 48, 000, CT surgery instruments worth Rs 72 lakh, two high-end ICU ventilators of Rs 1.50 lakh, fibre optic bronchoscope of Rs 22 lakh, intraaortic balloon pump of Rs 28 lakh, ABG machine of Rs.11 lakh and other necessary equipment would be soon available in the GGH.
The Sahrudaya Health, Medical and Educational Trust (SHMET) started heart surgeries in GGH under PPP mode on March 18. An ultramodern operation theatre is available in the Podila Prasad Millennium Block with all required equipment except for the heart lung machine.
Dr S. Raghunath said that heart lung machine is used primarily to provide flow and respiration to the patient while stopping of heart during surgery. He added that the upgradation of GGH would surely help the public of AP. GGH superintendent Dr T. Venugaopala Rao said that GGH would soon become like a corporate hospital offering multi-specialty treatments to common people in AP.
