Guwahati: Cardiothoracic & Neuroscience Centre at GMCH

GUWAHATI: Northeast’s first Cardiothoracic and Neuroscience Centre (CNC) under the aegis of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) is set to start its trial run from April 10.

Once functional, this super-speciality hospital will cater to patients with heart and nerve diseases, the official said.

The cardiology, neurology, cardiac surgery and neurosurgery departments will be shifted from GMCH to the new hospital which is just adjacent to it.

Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in the surgical treatment of organs inside the thoracic cavity, “generally the treatment of conditions of the heart (heart disease), lungs (lung disease), and other pleural or mediastinal structures”.

The functioning of the CNC will also fulfil the need of many critical cardiac and neuro patients who have to go outside the state and region for treatment.

In most countries, cardiothoracic surgery is further subspecialized into cardiac surgery (involving the heart and the great vessels) and thoracic surgery (involving the lungs, oesophagus, thymus, etc.).

In addition to the CNC, the state government is constructing six super-speciality hospitals with financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under Assam Health System Strengthening Project (AHSSP).

The objective of the project is to improve the health system in Assam by improving public medical service delivery of Assam.

Under the AHSSP being funded by the JICA, six super speciality hospitals will be constructed in Silchar, Tezpur, Barpeta, Diphu and Lakhimpur medical colleges.

Six other super speciality hospitals will also be constructed in the civil hospitals of Silchar, Udalguri, Hojai, Hailakandi, Darrang and Haflong.

Japan has already extended Rs 3,800 crore fund for the improvement of infrastructure of health institutions of the state for which the state government has formed a new outfit AHSSP to deal with its implementation.

On January 12, this year, the state cabinet had approved the formation of a separate organisation – Assam Health Infrastructure and Management Society (AHIMS) to exclusively deal with the funds received from the outside agencies

The new organisation is headed by the health minister as chairman, while its working committee will be headed by the chief secretary.

A four-member JICA delegation has visited the state and reviewed the ongoing projects under the AHSSP in a meeting with state health minister Keshab Mahanta and senior officials of the state health department on April 6.

The delegation comprised of Yuko Shinohara, Assistant Deputy Director, South Asia Department, JICA, Kimotsuki, Project Officer, South Asia Department, JICA, Tokyo, Rio Ohguchi, Representative from JICA, India, and Aditi Puri, Principal Development Specialist, JICA, India.

State’s principal secretary for health and family welfare Abinash Joshi and health commissioner and project director of AHSSP Sidharth Singh and other senior officials of the state and family welfare department were also present.

The team also visited Darrang district on Wednesday to assess the areas covered in the district under the project.

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