No angioplasty due to mismanagement: LRH’s Cardiology Dept faces shortage of cardiac cauterisation items

PESHAWAR: The Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) has stopped supply of essential cardiac cauterisation items to the ‘ill-equipped and overloaded’ Cardiology Department by shifting power of purchase from head of the department to new managers.

In the last five days, no major procedure of angioplasty was done at the Cardiology Department causing disappointment to the heart patients.

“It is the first time in my career that we aren’t undertaking any major procedure in Cardiology Department. The patients who were called from different areas for angioplasty returned home after the LRH administration failed to provide us essential cardiac cauterization items,” said a faculty member.

On Friday Dr Irfan, assistant professor, performed one emergency angioplasty procedure for which he brought the balloon catheter from private cath lab from his own pocket.

The same problem was faced on Thursday by another cardiologist, Dr Adil, also an assistant professor.

Pleading anonymity, a faculty member said? the hospital administration had been informed about the lack of essential cardiac cauterization items but it didn’t provide the required items.

The acting medical director called a meeting of hospital director, associate hospital director LRH, finance director and manager in his office two weeks ago to discuss these deficiencies.

A promise was made in front of medical director for fulfilling the deficiencies, but it didn’t materialize.

The minutes of that meeting are available with this correspondent.”Due to irregular supply of essential cardiac catheterization items, including balloons, stents, guide wires, and other essentials items, the cardiologists stopped important procedures such as angioplasty. These items are eternally deficient or not available. Because of the erratic supply of cardiac items, cardiology patients have a hard time to get the procedures done,” a senior cardiologist told The News.

“Several procedures were postponed. The stakeholders including chairman board of governors aren’t interested in solving these problems while the hospital administration is unwilling to help. The affluent patients visit private hospitals for treatment but the poor ones are left at the mercy of Allah,” remarked the cardiologist.

He feared that if similar situation persisted then they would have to close the cath lab because they were no longer able to face the desperate patients and their angry attendants.

The cardiologists in LRH complained that the patients and their attendants start quarreling and warning them by hurling threats that they would expose them in the media.

“Who will be responsible for the health complications and deaths of patients due to delay in treatment? It is for information of all concerned that today (28/5/18) we have no emergency PCI equipment for any cardiac patient. Even if a LRH doctor needs an emergency PCI he or she will have to go to a private hospital,” said the cardiologist.

According to sources, first Dr Hikmatullah Jan postponed angioplasty procedures on Monday and then Prof Adnan Gul, head of Cardiology Department, cancelled angioplasty procedure on Tuesday due to lack of essential items.

“It is ironic that everything is available in private cath labs but LRH lacks facilities,” complained the cardiologist.

He said the Cardiology Department had Rs240 million in its account and there was no issue of funds, but there was something wrong with the management.

“The cardiology unit is earning for hospital, but it is very sad that we are not getting its benefits. The patients don’t get smooth supply of these items and the doctors and technicians aren’t able to get their legal shares as radiation allowance since BoG has stopped the general shares. The KP government has issued notification of shares for doctors and technicians from Sehat card income for government as well as private hospital,” said the cardiologist.

He maintained that LRH BoG Chairman Dr Nausherwan Burki stopped providing due rights and shares to them, which is illegal.

Another story, which shows immaturity of hospital administration, is a cashier transferred to cath lab in LRH for receiving payment.

He and a female cashier did corruption by not depositing government money in bank. They were caught red-handed by head of Cardiology department. He wrote against both to the hospital director of LRH.

When reached, Hospital Director Dr Khalid Masud said the Cardiology Department was informed very late about the shortage of required essential items. He said orders had been placed and the necessary items would be provided to the department soon.