Kozhikode Govt Medical College gets free heart-lung machine

Kozhikode Government Medical College has received a heart-lung machine free of charge from MES Medical College, Perinthalmanna, resolving a severe crisis in its cardiac surgery department. The critical equipment, used during complex open-heart surgeries, was donated following a swift intervention by Minister K Muraleedharan.

A major backlog in cardiac surgeries had built up at the government hospital after one of its active heart-lung machines broke down, leaving patients facing lengthy and potentially dangerous delays. Realising the gravity of the situation, Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital Superintendent Dr MP Sreejayan apprised Minister K Muraleedharan of the crisis.

The minister immediately contacted MES State President Dr PA Fazal Gafoor, explaining the urgent requirement at the government hospital. Responding to the minister's request, MES Medical College transferred the heart-lung machine the very next day. Additionally, MES has covered the Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) costs for the equipment for one year.

The newly acquired machine is expected to be integrated into the surgical schedule by next week. Under normal circumstances, Kozhikode Government Medical College performs an average of four cardiac surgeries daily. However, the machine breakdown forced the team to cut down surgical operations by half, limiting them to just two procedures per day and increasing the patient waitlist.

Meanwhile, technical staff have successfully repaired a 14-year-old heart-lung machine to help handle the heavy patient load. Heart-lung machines are indispensable for life-saving procedures such as bypass surgeries, valve replacements, and congenital heart defect corrections. A new heart-lung machine costs approximately ₹3 crore. Although Kozhikode Government Medical College has requested a machine under the central government's PMSSY block construction scheme, the delivery is still awaited.