GUNTUR: Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH) has marked a significant achievement by performing more than 90 heart bypass and open-heart surgeries over the past five months. On Thursday, three patients who underwent bypass surgeries were discharged, highlighting the success of these life-saving procedures.
The hospital plans to perform 30-40 bypass and open-heart surgeries each month, along with keyhole heart surgeries, pending State government approval.
GGH Superintendent Dr SSV Ramana revealed that the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, under the NTR Vaidya Seva scheme, successfully carried out 90 surgeries, including aortic and mitral valve replacements, all at no cost to the patients.
Dr Ramana noted that the hospital has also become a preferred destination for patients seeking high-quality treatment, with many travelling from private hospitals.
Dr Harikrishna Murthy, head of the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, explained that the hospital had previously struggled with a lack of essential equipment for open-heart surgeries.
However, thanks to the support of the State government and Dr Alla Gopalakrishna Gokhale, founder of the Sahrudaya Trust, the hospital was provided with equipment worth Rs 20 lakh, significantly improving the success rate of surgeries. The skilled nursing and medical staff have also played a key role in these successful outcomes.
Heart bypass surgeries at GGH began in 2016 through a partnership with Sahrudaya Trust, which supplied equipment and expertise. However, after the MoU ended in 2019, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the surgeries were temporarily halted due to staff shortages.
The Sahrudaya Trust resumed its support after requests from the health department. Dr Ramana lauded the efforts of surgeons Dr Kuppuswamy, Dr Yogi, and Dr Pramoda for their exceptional contributions.