Al Ain’s only heart doctor says the city needs more
Chand warns that demand for cardiac surgery is growing but hospitals are not equipped to cope with the procedure
ABU DHABI // Al Ain’s only heart surgeon has called for more doctors and emergency cardiac surgeries in the city. Dr Pradeep Chand, of NMC Specialty Hospital, can perform complex heart operations but the number of patients seeking treatment is growing all the time. Dr Chand said that while some hospitals had cardiac consultants on staff, they did not have the equipment or surgeons for emergency operations. “There are two government hospitals in the city where cardiac consultants are available but they don’t have a surgery,” he said.
“As a result, all the patients that require bypass surgery or any other emergency treatment are transferred to Abu Dhabi, where they often have to face a waiting list.” Dr Chand performs 10 operations a month on an average, with at least three emergency cases.
One quarter of all deaths in the UAE each year are a result of cardiovascular disease. Hospitals report heart-attack patients as young as 28.
The risk of heart disease starts between 40 and 50 years old – 10 years earlier here than in western countries.
Al Ain resident M Khan, 51, suffered a major heart attack while driving. The Indian, who is the breadwinner for his fam- ily of four, had a badly blocked left main artery and required an immediate bypass.
As the government hospital to which he was admitted could not perform the bypass, preparations were made to take him to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.
But while waiting for the transfer he suffered a second heart attack and was moved to NMC, where Dr Chand performed lifesaving surgery.
“Heart attacks are a silent killer,” Mr Khan said. “Because of the kind of lifestyle we follow the health of our heart is always at stake. Like all other emergency facilities, we also need heart surgery facilities as near as possible.
Dr Chand said private hospitals were deterred from investing in specialised services such as cardiac surgery because of the high costs.
“Compared to the investment, the return is not profitable, which hurts the business dynamics of many private hospitals in the country.” Dr Chand said the need for more cardiac surgery centres is growing. “The two NMC hospitals in Abu Dhabi, one in Dubai and one in Al Ain in total see more than 500 patients in a day,” he said.
“These hospitals treat on average 12 cardiac emergencies a day, performing up to 400 heart procedures in a month.”