Mumbai doctor to launch mobile cath labs for rural areas

A Mumbai doctor is all set to launch special mobile cath labs in Maharashtra and Gujarat to introduce better healthcare facilities in rural areas, where better access to treatment for cardiac ailments is the need of the hour.

Dr Zainul Abedin Hamdulay is a cardiac surgeon attached with Wockhardt Hospital and runs the Hamdulay Heart Foundation. "This mobile cardiac speciality hospital will consist of a mobile cath lab, a mobile intensive care unit (ICU) and an ambulance. It will travel to different parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The unit will be stationed at district hospitals, peripheral health centres and medical colleges."

Dr Hamdulay plans to begin with two mobile vans by May. "The mobile cath lab will have a four-member team consisting of a cardiologist, a junior registrar, a cath lab nurse technician and a house-keeper along with the drivers and the helpers for the prime mover. The cardiologist will examine patients and decide on the need for coronary catheterization. Cardiac catheterization will be done inside the prime mover and a majority of the procedures will be done through the radial route," said Dr Hamdulay.

According to the program, there will be a dedicated team that will travel to the inner parts of rural areas and conduct free cardiac check-up camps, which will include blood test, ECG, stress test, etc. "During these camps, the team will teach people preventive measures against heart diseases and counter actions to cope up with any emergencies like heart attacks. If patients are detected with heart diseases, they will be referred to the nodal centre, where a special unit will be stationed in that district," said Dr Hamdulay.