Patients recommended for open-heart surgery at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) are facing prolonged delays in undergoing procedures. Surgeries are also being delayed due to the non-availability of heart valves.
The hospital performs an average of 150 to 200 open-heart surgeries and 400 to 500 stenting procedures every month, while priority lists for open-heart surgeries are being prepared by the Chief Minister's Secretariat in Lahore.
According to details, the RIC's patient catchment area has expanded beyond Rawalpindi Division to include Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other cities across Punjab.
Although patients visiting the hospital's emergency department are receiving a 100 per cent response, the outpatient department (OPD), other indoor procedures, ward admissions and cardiac surgery procedures are facing extraordinary pressure.
According to RIC sources, the hospital is facing an unusually heavy burden due to its completely free treatment services.
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