The cardiology department was developed with the Rs 12 crore sanctioned by the state government in January 2014
Dr T K Jayakumar, head of Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery dept
KOTTAYAM: Dr T.K. Jayakumar rewrote the history of heart transplant in the state by conducting it for the first time in the government sector at the medical college hospital here.
When the patient Podimon received a donor's heart on September 15, the team of doctors led by Dr Jayakumar, head of the department of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at the MCH, was making a point that a government hospital with all its inadequacies could come to the aid of poor patients in critical conditions.
Though Podimon died due to liver and kidney failure on October 4, the initiative was unique. Dr Jayakumar had worked for a year to convert the medical college cardiology block into the most advanced facility for conducting the heart transplant. Donor Vinayakumar's relatives agreed to donate his organs after he was declared brain dead following an accident.
Dr Jayakumar, who hails from Kidangoor in the district, said that conducting a similar transplant in a private hospital would cost at least Rs 8 lakh to 10 lakh in addition to the expenses of the medicines and other facilities. At the MCH, the patient was charged only Rs 1.25 lakh, of which a major portion was reimbursed through the Karunya scheme.
According to the statistics available with the Kottayam MCH, 1,200 open heart surgeries and 500 major thoracic and vascular surgeries cardiac surgeries were conducted in 2015.
The cardiology department was developed with the Rs 12 crore sanctioned by the state government in January 2014 . Three modular operation theatres and an 18-bed ICU were constructed and supporting equipment were set up.
Some 140 temporary staff were appointed and their salaries were paid from the income generated through the surgery.
The licence for conducting the surgery was received in early 2014. Right now three patients are waiting for heart and lung transplant and another for heart transplant.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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