The Digital Cardiac Cath Lab in the Department of Cardiology, Kurnool General Hospital, celebrated its eighth anniversary on Tuesday. Hospital Superintendent J. Veeraswamy cut the cake to mark the occasion.
Principal Secretary of Health Poonam Malakondaiah had sanctioned Rs. 20 lakh for purchase of medicines and consumables on the lines of the Guntur General Hospital, Dr. Veeraswamy said. A. GO was issued to procure medicines and equipment for the cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery departments of the hospital, he added.
Head of Cardiology Palala Chandrasekhar said the Department of Cardiology was set up in 1971 and a full-fledged ICCU became operational in June, 2001. The Digital Cardiac Cath Lab was inaugurated on August 2, 2008 by the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Nearly 4,000 coronary angiograms were performed and 260 PTCA and 11 permanent pacemakers were implanted so far, Dr. Chandrasekhar said. The department was extending corporate-level treatment free of cost to the people of the Rayalaseema region with a limited qualified staff. A State of Art Cardiothoracic Surgery unit was commissioned recently, he said.
The superintendent, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery C. Prabhakar Reddy and Kurnool Medical College vice-principal Joji Reddy felicitated Dr. Chandrasekhar for his efforts to develop the cardiology department. Staff nurses and technicians were presented mementos.
