Patients wait for years for valve replacement at Gangalal

KATHMANDU, Dec 13: Heart patients thronging the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center (SGNHC) to change their valves have to wait up to four years for the operation.

Over 900 patients are currently in queue to get valves, according to the hospital. “A new patient arriving now will get a date for the operation in 2015 if his condition is not very serious,” Chief of the Cardiac Surgery Unit Dr Jotendra Sharma, said.

The patients who registered in 2007 are being operated now and those who arrive now have to wait for up to 2015. “We prescribe medicines to the patients in the interim,” Dr Sharma added.

The hospital classifies the cases into three categories -- elective, semi-urgent and urgent-- depending on the seriousness of their ailment. The hospital provides immediate service for those in urgent need but those in elective category have to wait for up to four years. The hospital has three cardiac surgery units and as many operation theaters.

Unit A is led by Dr Bhagawan Koirala, who says that the patients invariably wanting to be operated by him wait for years even for other types of surgeries. The patients have to wait only six to eight months in Unit B and C but they still prefer A.

Unit A is also the pediatric unit and the hospital has now started shifting patients to other units to reduce the pressure but not with much success. “But we do not compel the patients get transfered to other units. If they are not serious, they can wait,” Dr Sharma said. And they generally do.

Unit A is under pressure also because it caters to the patients under 15 years and over 75 years, qualified for free valve change as per the government´s policy. For the rest of the age-groups, they have to pay Rs 55,000 for a valve.

There are four valves in a human heart to control the flow of blood through the four chambers and keep the blood moving in one direction. When one of these valves stops functioning normally, the blood has difficulty moving from one chamber to another leading to shortness of breath, a decrease in ability to exercise, chest pain and other symptoms.

The long queue at the center is also due to the postponement of scheduled regular surgeries because of emergency cases. “Emergency cases are treated immediately. We postpone regular operations when an emergency case arrives,” Executive Director, Dr Arun Maskey, said.

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