Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) is all set to start its advanced cardiac centre from August.

The centre will be equipped with a 20-bed coronary care unit, 18-bed surgical intensive care unit and a 24-bed pre-and-post cardiac catheterisation ward.

"The advanced cardiac centre will be able to deal with all kinds of cardiac emergencies," said IGIMS medical superintendent Prabhat Kumar Sinha. "At present, the hospital's cardiology wing can only conduct angiography (a type of test through which blockage of the heart arteries can be ascertained) and angioplasty (surgery through which blocked arteries are widened). With the advanced cardiac centre, the hospital will be able to conduct valve replacements, bypass and other important cardiac surgeries, for which one has to pay around Rs 50,000-70,000 at the hospital as against Rs 1.25 lakh to 4 lakh at private hospitals."

The development assumes significance, as Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology (IGIC) is the only government hospital that conducts major heart-related surgeries.

Even the PMCH's cardiology wing is also not equipped. Among the government hospitals, only IGIC conducts bypass and valve replacement surgeries but was unable to do so for the past one year as the heart-lung machine was lying defunct. There are around 100 patients at IGIC who have to undergo bypass surgeries.

B.P. Singh, the head of the IGIMS cardiology department, said: "The heart-lung machine, an important equipment to conduct bypass and valve replacement surgeries, has arrived at the hospital. The construction work of the operation theatres and intensive care units for the advanced cardiac centre is under way and should be completed by August."

Singh said there were around 200 cardiac patients at the hospital who have to get their bypass or valve replacement surgeries conducted.

"One of the major achievements of the wing has been the addition of a combo machine (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator) that helps to treat arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) patients," said Singh.

"The machine keeps a tab on the irregular heartbeat condition of a patient and sends electric shocks to restore normal heartbeat condition in case irregularities are found. The hospital started its cardiac catheterisation laboratory last year. Till date, 300 angioplasty and 2,000 angiography cases have been conducted at the hospital. The hospital already has a state-of-the-art cardiac ambulance equipped with defibrillator, ventilator and other machines. We will purchase another cardiac ambulance soon," he added.