Anantnag, Feb 20: A cardiac catheterization lab (cath lab) and Block-A of the hospital were inaugurated on Thursday at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag. The facility is expected to enhance patient care by providing advanced cardiac procedures closer to home for patients in South Kashmir.
The cath lab and Block-A of Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beigh Memorial (MMABM) Hospital were inaugurated by Sakina Masood (Itoo), Cabinet Minister for Health and Medical Education, in the presence of MLAs from Anantnag district and Prof. (Dr.) Rukhsana Najeeb, Principal GMC Anantnag.
Block-A of the hospital had been pending for years and was finally inaugurated. It is expected to ease the patient load on GMC Anantnag and its associated hospital, MMABM.
The minister said that the cath lab was a much-needed facility, as cardiac patients previously had to travel to Srinagar, facing difficulties due to overcrowded hospitals.
“The government of Omar Abdullah is committed to the welfare of the people. We are working for them and will continue to do so,” she said.
She further added, “This Rs 2 crore project had been delayed for years. When I visited Janglat Mandi Hospital, I saw the difficulties patients faced. I took up the matter with the concerned departments, urging them to expedite the work. Despite delays, the R&B, Engineering, and Mechanical departments worked hard over the past four months to complete it. Now, patient care will significantly improve.”
Speaking about the cath lab, she said, “Patients had to go to Srinagar, where hospitals were overcrowded, and many couldn’t get timely treatment. Now, with this facility at GMC Anantnag, we can provide essential cardiac care locally. I am grateful to all who supported this initiative.”
According to Dr. Showkat Hussain Teli, Media Coordinator at GMC Anantnag, the institution is the first among newly established GMCs to have a cath lab.
He said that previously, heart attack patients and those needing pacemakers or other cardiac treatments had to travel to Srinagar. With the new facility, patients from South Kashmir can now receive treatment closer to home.
“Acute cardiac care is now at our doorsteps,” he said.
Dr. Syed Maqbool, Incharge head of the cardiology Unit, GMC Anantnag said that cath lab has an important role, “It is crucial for cardiac emergencies, offering procedures like pacing, angiography, and stenting. These life-saving interventions are essential in the critical first hours of a heart attack, helping restore blood flow and stabilize patients.”
