AIIMS Gorakhpur director shifted to private hospital for heart-related evaluation; institute says advanced cardiac care facility to be operational soon

AIIMS Gorakhpur Executive Director Major General (retd) Vibha Dutta was shifted to a private hospital for cardiac evaluation after developing health complications, days before the institute announced that nearly 70% of the work to make its Cath Lab operational had been completed. Dutta developed health complications on Wednesday and was initially taken to the emergency department of AIIMS Gorakhpur. She received treatment at the institute, following which her condition stabilised. She was subsequently shifted to a private hospital equipped with a Cath Lab at around 5 pm as a precautionary measure to determine whether she needed a pacemaker. However, doctors later found that the procedure was not required, and she returned home by 8 pm.

A senior doctor at AIIMS, speaking on condition of anonymity on Friday, said the initial treatment was provided at the institute and Dutta's condition had stabilised before she was referred to the private hospital for further evaluation.

Read more - 80 feet above ground, 3 railway lines below: Nagpur Metro's 257-metre bridge uses construction technique that eliminates the need for scaffolding


The doctor added that the executive director was now healthy and expressed hope that the Cath Lab at AIIMS Gorakhpur would become operational by December.

AIIMS Gorakhpur Cath Lab: 70% of work completed, facility likely by December

Following reports about the non-availability of Cath Lab services, AIIMS Gorakhpur issued a statement on Friday outlining the progress made towards establishing the advanced cardiac care facility.

"Nearly 70 per cent of the work related to the initiation of Cath Lab services has already been completed, and the necessary medical equipment and machinery are in the process of delivery and are expected to arrive very soon," the institute said.

It added that efforts were underway to complete the remaining requirements and operationalise the facility at the earliest.

The establishment of Cath Lab services would mark an important step in strengthening the institute's cardiac care infrastructure, AIIMS Gorakhpur said.

What is a Cath Lab and how will it help heart patients?

A catheterisation laboratory, commonly known as a Cath Lab, is a specialised medical facility used to diagnose and treat several heart-related conditions.

Once operational, the facility at AIIMS Gorakhpur will provide patients access to advanced cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures, including angiography and angioplasty.

The service is expected to benefit patients from Gorakhpur and other districts of Uttar Pradesh, as well as neighbouring states, by improving access to specialised cardiac treatment closer to their homes.

AIIMS Gorakhpur: Foundation stone, OPD inauguration and hospital launch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for AIIMS Gorakhpur on July 22, 2016, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

The project gained momentum in 2017 after Yogi Adityanath became the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, with construction-related hurdles being resolved.

Modi inaugurated the institute's Outpatient Department (OPD) on February 24, 2019. The full-fledged AIIMS Gorakhpur facility was subsequently inaugurated on December 7, 2021.


Inputs from PTI