Good news for heart patients
Cardiac patients now have much to cheer about as the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases is enhancing its healthcare facilities, including the allocation of a lifesaving drug for acute heart attack victims.
The free supply of Streptokinase injection, which is used for dissolving coronary blocks, was earlier limited to only 100 patients every month. From this month, the authorities have started to give the drug to all the patients who need it at the hospital.
Besides, to overcome the accommodation crisis at the hospital, a project has been approved for the vertical extension of the institute building where 18 new wards with around 450 beds will be set up.
"Earlier, we used to provide the injection to maximum 100 patients every month. Now there is no limit to it. Whoever needs it, will get it for free," said Prof Dr Afzalur Rahman, director of the NICVD.
Any hospital staff, if found advising patients to buy the drug from outside, will face punitive actions, he added.
Dr Afzal said six to 12 hours following the onset of heart attack symptoms is considered golden hours. The first and foremost task then is to bring the patient to the hospital and dissolve the coronary blocks. Streptokinase is very crucial for such patients.
On May 7, the authorities issued a notice reading that from now on, the injection has to be supplied as needed by the patients admitted to the hospital.
The move comes as the brokers and a section of hospital staff are found making money taking advantage of the helplessness of patients.
They supply the injection to the relatives of patients, charging far more than the market price. Sometimes they sell expired ampoules, said hospital insiders.
According to the director, around 500 patients need the injection at the hospital every month.
Professor AHM Enayet Hussain, additional director general at the Directorate General of Health Services, said the initiative by the NICVD is even more laudable because it has expanded services with its own funds.
"Public hospitals get block allocations of money every year. It is the hospital's decision how the fund will be spent. We had a suggestion that the allocation be used mostly for patients," he told this correspondent.
"It is a great achievement for the health sector as the NICVD is utilising the allocation for saving lives."
In February, the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a Tk 82 crore project for building new wards.
Currently there is a severe bed crisis at the state-run hospital where around 500 patients are treated lying on floors every day.
“The building expansion is set to start from July and once the project is completed, the bed crisis will be over,” said Dr Afzalur.
The hospital currently has 414 beds in 18 wards.
“There is only one ward for women and children. The authority is now focusing on setting up more wards for them,” the director added.
The hospital has three cath labs and another two will go into operation from the next month.
Besides, the NICVD authorities have introduced a practice to avoid misunderstanding between patients and the hospital.
A patient undergoing angioplasty or cardiac device implantation now has to fill in a form describing what sorts of medications and medical devices were being used.
“It has to be signed by cath lab sister-in-charge, cath lab technologist-in-charge and consultant cardiologist, and we provide one copy to the patient, one copy to the company authority and preserve one copy at the hospital. The measure has been taken so that the company can charge for only what it has delivered,” he said.
Comments