Patients forced to seek costly treatment in Pvt Hospitals due to lack of Govt facility
Northlines Correspondent
Jammu Tawi: In a major boost to healthcare services, the much-awaited Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) will finally become operational at Super Specialty Hospital Jammu soon after the Holi festival. The Government of India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted approval for its radiation safety applications, paving the way for advanced cardiac care at a government-run facility in the region.
The absence of a government Cath Lab in Jammu has been a serious medical crisis for thousands of heart patients across the ten districts of the Jammu division. Due to the lack of such a facility, patients have been left with no option but to approach private hospitals, where treatment costs are exorbitant. The new Cath Lab at Super Specialty Hospital Jammu is expected to provide much-needed relief to cardiac patients, particularly those who cannot afford private healthcare.
At present, patients requiring procedures like angiography, angioplasty, pacemaker implantation, and stent placements are forced to travel to private hospitals, where treatment costs range from ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh—an amount beyond the reach of many families. Every day, at least 5 to 6 heart patients from GMC Jammu are referred to private hospitals like ASCOMS Hospital Sidhra because of the non-availability of a government-run Cath Lab.
With cardiovascular diseases on the rise in Jammu and Kashmir, the demand for a Cath Lab has been growing for years. Unhealthy lifestyles, stress, pollution, and lack of awareness have significantly increased heart-related ailments. Jammu’s healthcare infrastructure, however, has failed to keep up with the rising demand.
Despite the establishment of new medical colleges in Rajouri, Udhampur, Kathua, and Doda, not a single one has a Cath Lab, making the Super Specialty Hospital Jammu the only hope for government-run cardiac treatment.
Once operational, the Cath Lab will handle around 20 to 22 cardiac procedures per day. It will be equipped to perform Angiography, Angioplasty & Stenting, Pacemaker Implantation, Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty (BMV), Emergency Heart Attack Interventions and many more.
In cardiac emergencies, immediate intervention is crucial, and the absence of a government-run Cath Lab has often led to delays in life-saving procedures. The opening of this facility will significantly improve survival chances for patients experiencing heart attacks.
The senior functionary of Government Medical College Jammu, said, “We are expecting to start the Cath Lab soon after Holi festival. A team of experts is arriving soon to oversee the initial procedures. This will be a game-changer for heart patients in the Jammu region, providing them with timely and affordable treatment at a government facility.”
The establishment of the Cath Lab at Super Specialty Hospital Jammu is being seen as a long-overdue step towards improving healthcare services in the region. However, experts believe that much more needs to be done to strengthen Jammu’s medical infrastructure.
If sources are to be believed a nexus between GMC doctors and private hospitals, compelling patients to seek costly treatment outside. Patients allege that doctors discourage government treatment, steering them toward private hospitals. The outdated CT scan machine at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu has frequently malfunctioned several times, disrupting patient care. Its obsolescence causes repeated breakdowns, leaving patients with no choice but to rely on private facilities, leading to delays and inconvenience in critical diagnostics. This unethical practice turns healthcare into business, burdening poor families with unaffordable medical expenses.
With the ever-growing burden of non-communicable diseases, rising medical costs, and lack of advanced government healthcare facilities, it is high time the administration takes more proactive steps to bridge the gap.
The upcoming Cath Lab is a sign of progress, but many more such facilities are needed to meet the healthcare demands of Jammu’s growing population.
