Pacemaker implant service resumes at NBMCH- perhaps the only government-run health facility in the region to start free of cost pacemaker implants

The health department had earlier taken initiatives to carry out the implantation in the principal referral hospital in north Bengal, but it had been stopped following reports of infection.

SNS, SILIGURI, 12 DECEMBER 20:  The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) resumed free-of-cost implantation of pacemakers for heart patients after a gap of a few years today.

Doctors there said efforts had been made to regularise the process, while the pacemaker will be implemented at the main Operation Theatre every Friday.

The health department had earlier taken initiatives to carry out the implantation in the principal referral hospital in north Bengal, but it had been stopped following reports of infection.

According to NBMCH superintendent Dr Kausik Samajdar, utmost care had been taken to prevent infection this time around.

*The NBMCH is perhaps the only government-run health facility in the region to start pacemaker implants. The initiative was taken in this regard a few years ago, but it could not continue. All necessary steps will be taken to curb infection. The NBMCH treats many patients suffering from heart ailments and some of them require pacemaker implants. They go outside or to private hospitals, but there are many patients who cannot afford the expenses. The procedure will be free of cost. We are hopeful a large section of people will benefit from this," said Dr Samajdar.

The health department will supply the pacemakers.

The cost of a pacemaker and surgery together come to around Rs 1 lakh in private hospitals. A pacemaker was implanted on 52-year-old resident of Dabgram, Sanjay Barman, today.

"My father had undergone a single-chambered pacemaker implantation at the NBMCH in 2013 and he had become the first patient to get the pacemaker there, but in the past few months he has had problems. He visited doctors and they had advised replacement," said the son of the patient, Jayanta Barman.

Dr Indrajit Mondal, the interventional cardiologist, who led the implantation with a seven-member team, said both single-chambered and double-chambered pacemakers will be implanted. "At the same time, we are planning to introduce the balloon mitral valvuloplasty and implantable cardioverter defibrillator here," Dr Mondal said.

Sources at the NBMCH, however, said the pacemaker implantation is unlikely to be carried out regularly because of lack of a cardiac facility.