Secondary Hospitals Perform Complex Surgeries, Cut Referrals: DSH

Vijayawada: Government secondary hospitals across Andhra Pradesh are increasingly emerging as centres for advanced medical care, with doctors successfully performing several complex surgeries that earlier required referrals to major teaching hospitals.

According to the directorate of secondary health (DSH), 32 complicated surgeries were successfully conducted in secondary government hospitals between January 31 and recent weeks this year. Eighteen hospitals were also recognised for effective implementation of national health programmes.

Director of secondary health K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu issued 50 appreciation letters to medical teams and hospitals for exceptional services. State health minister Satya Kumar Yadav praised doctors, nurses and healthcare staff for strengthening public confidence by providing quality treatment locally.

Officials said the initiative had reduced referrals, treatment costs and travel burdens for patients while ensuring timely treatment and quicker recovery.

Among the notable cases, doctors at Rampachodavaram Area Hospital in the tribal region successfully performed a total knee replacement surgery, while Chintapalli Area Hospital conducted surgeries for rectal prolapse and massive fibroid hysterectomy.

Rajampet Area Hospital in Annamayya district enabled a woman, whose first delivery was through Caesarean section, to have a successful normal delivery during her second childbirth. Doctors at Anakapalli District Hospital also reported the natural birth of a 4.8-kg baby.

At Narsipatnam Area Hospital, doctors performed a rare skin transplant surgery by removing and transplanting 26 per cent of damaged skin. The hospital also conducted rare hernia repair surgeries, including Spigelian, obturator and sciatic hernia procedures.

Doctors at Araku Area Hospital removed a nine-kg tumour from a woman’s abdomen, while orthopaedic specialists at Tenali District Hospital performed life-saving surgeries on two women injured in separate accidents.

In another achievement, ophthalmologists at Emmiganur Area Hospital completed 511 cataract surgeries during the past 16 months.

The DSH also highlighted improved implementation of programmes such as ABHA, NQAS, NBSU, SNCU and NCD services. Hospitals at Dharmavaram, Parvathipuram, Adoni, Anaparthi, Peddapuram and Anakapalli were among those recognised for their performance.

Dharmavaram Area Hospital has also introduced advanced laparoscopic surgeries using equipment worth `37 lakh. Four minimally invasive surgeries were conducted in the past 10 days, helping patients recover quickly without major stitches.