"CM Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma will inaugurate the Cath Lab," Dr, Babul Bezbaruah; PG Hostel to be unveiled too

The demand for a Cath Lab at the Silchar Medical College and Hospital has been a demand for a very long time now. From time to time, different organisations and forums have demanded for the advanced health care facility and wrote to the CM on several occasions. Last year in the month of June the proposal for this lab was given approval by the Department of Health, Government of Assam. Dr. Babul Kumar Bezbaruah, the Principal cum Chief-Superintendent of the hospital has also processed this demand last year and the demand was sanctioned accordingly by the Chief Minister.

An amount of Rs 5.39 crores was sanctioned and the construction began in the month of October in 2021 which now stands almost complete. The good news is that, CM Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma will inaugurate the Cath Lab on January 22, 2022.

Speaking with Barak Bulletin, Dr. Bezbaruah said, “This demand for Cath Lab for the valley was for a very long time. I have written to the government stating this demand and finally the Lab is ready. Tomorrow that is 21st January, CM Sir will inaugurate the Cath Lab at our hospital and dedicate it to the people of this valley. This Cath Lab will cater to the treatment of so many patients of this valley.”

He further mentioned that, “Our PG doctors are mostly married couples and there is no provision for their accommodation, so we have built one residential building with 1 BHK apartments for married PG Doctors. This building has the capacity for 100 such doctors or 50 couples and this complex will also be inaugurated tomorrow by the CM.”

Other than that on the issue of Cardiologist the Principal said, “The issue still stands, we have vacancy but no permanent doctors, Dr. Rakesh Gopal visits twice every month but that’s not the permanent solution. I will request the CM to appoint a cardiologist from Guwahati to visit SMCH at least twice every week. Only then we will be able to run the Cath Lab full fledged.”

The lab has been built by a team of engineers and technicians from Philips Healthcare, a Dutch multinational conglomerate. While this development and operation can surely save the lives of patients from the three districts of Barak Valley and other parts of North East, the issue of having a permanent Cardiology team still remains unsettled. Hopefully the day is not far when heart attack patients won’t have to rush to Shillong or Guwahati for angioplasty and further treatment.