"Consumption of tobacco in Barak Valley is higher," Cardiologist Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal after checking patients at SMCH 

Man on a mission who agreed to treat patients for no money in the absence of a cardiologist in Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal has spent a day in the city. After landing yesterday morning, the eminent cardiologist went straight to SMCH and started treating patients. 57 patients took an appointment before the doctor’s visit and today each one of them was attended by him personally.

Adjunct Professor of Cardiology, The Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, Dr. Rakesh Gopal is a Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiologist Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. He is also the Director Cardiac Catheterization Services and Interventional Cardiology at Hindu Mission Hospital. Apart from that, he is the Lead Cardiologist, Center for OncoCardiology Apollo Speciality Hospital Teynampet, Chennai and was the former Cardiologist to Governor Tamil Nadu State, India.

Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal will visit once in a month along with his team. While the cardiologist won’t charge any consultation fee for his service in SMCH, an estimated budget of Rs 1.5 lakh per month has been earmarked to reimburse the team’s travel and stay.

“This will be borne out of the fund available in the Hospital Management Society, Silchar Medical College Hospital. The above-mentioned arrangement is approved in the larger public interest for the initial period of 3 (three) months and may be extended by the Government depending upon the outcome/ experience, as reported by Principal-cum-Chief Superintendent, Si!char Medical College & Hospital,” stated he department of Health and Family Welfare.

After treating about 60 patients on day one, the cardiologist said, “Consumption of tobacco is far higher in Barak Valley compared to Kerala or Tamil Nadu.” He added, “60% of the heart attacks are caused due to smoking. It is important to educate people about morbidity. If they die they are gone, but what if they survive a heart attack. They have to undergo bypass surgery, angioplasty… people need to understand the cost of smoking.”

This arrangement between the government of Assam, Silchar Medical College and Hospital and Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal was triggered by a social media group called ‘Thousand Sayantan.’ After Sayantan Chakraborty died last year, his friends and acquaintances formed the group. They went from pillar to post in search of a Cardiologist. Their demand is to build an infrastructure that can facilitate angioplasty here in Silchar. The group was introduced to Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal by Padma Shri, Dr. Ravi Kannan. After that, the principal of SMCH Dr. Babul Bezbaruah got into the discussion and formal plan was sent to the government for approval. After vetting it for six months, the government approved it. The state has also invited tender to build a catheterization laboratory (Cath-lab).

Cath-Lab is an examination room in a hospital with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualize the arteries of the heart and the chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found. Cath-Lab is necessary for angioplasty and stenting which performed by guiding tools through the body’s arteries.

“It is important to build something that helps people here. You cannot build a stupid Cath-Lab and ask the doctor to do something brilliant, it is just not possible,” says, Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal. “The infrastructure we create should be conducive to do a good job,” he adds.

The doctor said, it is important to seek consultation from the experts in the field. “I can tell what the need is but at the end of the day, experts who specialise in building Cath-labs must be roped in. It is important to not cut down on essentials, otherwise, it won’t help the cause. There is no point wasting money, what is the point of having a lab if you still need to travel to other hospitals,” added Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal.

Principal Dr. Babul Bezbaruah said the lab will be built in consultation with Dr. Rakesh P. Gopal and his inputs will be taken at every level. Bezbaruah also informed that Dr. Gopal was supposed to deliver a lecture, which won’t be possible as he needs to return back within 48 hours. The rules in Tamil Nadu is such that if a traveler does not return within 48 hours, he or she will be placed under quarantine for at least 14 days.

There is a lot of joy among the people of Barak Valley as they finally have an Interventional Cardiologist treating patients in SMCH albeit once a month. However, the expectations are high too. “If you tie my hands (by not providing adequate infrastructure) I won’t be able to deliver,” says Dr. Gopal. “I am here for a purpose, it is not that a government hospital has lured me in. After the order of approval was made public, four private nursing homes here in Silchar offered to hire me at my terms, but I am not here for money, I am here to benefit the people and if the infrastructure is produced, it is possible,” he concludes.