Commentary: Halting surgeries at NICVD for AC system failure is preposterous

Editorial Desk :
Cardiac surgeries have been halted for at least 10 days at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) for failure of the air-conditioning system at the intensive care units.

As a result, many patients, mostly from the low-income groups and in dire need of intervention, have been suffering.

A lack of coordination between the hospital authorities and the Public Works Department (PWD), which is responsible for the maintenance of the AC system, is prolonging the situation.

Around five cardiac surgeries are done every day at NICVD, the country’s premier hospital for cardiovascular diseases. The hospital accommodates 1,200 indoor patients at a time against its 800-bed capacity and has two ICUs with a total of 48 beds.

Patients often require intensive care for 3-7 days following a surgery. The AC system failure has been causing a temperature imbalance at the ICU, which is resulting in hospital acquired infections among patients.

However, the director of the hospitals pointed out three reasons behind the suspension of surgeries — AC system failure; routine disinfection work during Eid holidays; and the time sought by the PWD. The carelessness of the emergency healthcare system is not new in our public hospital management system, resulting in patients travelling to India for healthcare.

After 52 years of Independence, we drastically failed to improve the service system of basic healthcare though infrastructure development was massive. Unless patients get priority in hospitals and get satisfaction, we cannot say the healthcare system has improved.

Not only the NICVD, we observe the same negligence in all government medical colleges, hospitals, clinics, health complex and other services. The government high-ups, rich people and even lower middle class are not seeking healthcare from the public sector, making it one of the worst public service systems. Even the physicians who provide healthcare hardly receive healthcare from their own system.

Time is overdue to ensure accountability of the healthcare system and reinforce citizens’ confidence and trust on this basic public service.