AIIMS Gorakhpur Executive Director Vibha Dutta Falls Ill, Highlights Missing Cath Lab Facility

AIIMS Gorakhpur Executive Director Major General (retired) Vibha Dutta developed health complications and was referred to a private hospital for a cardiac evaluation on Wednesday, drawing attention to the institute's non-operational Cath Lab.

Doctors initially treated Dutta at the emergency department of AIIMS Gorakhpur, where her condition stabilised. As a precaution, she was later shifted to a private facility equipped with a Cath Lab around 5 pm to check if she required a pacemaker. Medical examinations confirmed that a pacemaker was not needed, and she returned home by 8 pm. According to a senior AIIMS doctor who spoke to the Press Trust of India (PTI) anonymously, Dutta's condition stabilised following the initial care, and she was healthy when transferred for precautionary evaluation.

Institute Background and Cath Lab Updates

• Foundation and Inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for AIIMS Gorakhpur on July 22, 2016, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana. The Out Patient Department was inaugurated on February 24, 2019, and the full institution opened on December 7, 2021.
• Current Status: Following the incident, AIIMS Gorakhpur stated on Friday that approximately 70 per cent of the work required to initiate Cath Lab services has been completed.
• Equipment Delivery: Necessary medical machinery and equipment are currently in the delivery process and expected to arrive shortly.
• Expected Timeline: A senior AIIMS doctor told PTI that the Cath Lab is projected to become operational by December.

Once completed, the facility aims to offer advanced cardiac procedures—such as angiography and angioplasty—to patients from Gorakhpur, other districts of Uttar Pradesh, and neighbouring states.