Cardiologists urge review of medical ban to keep angioplasty affordable

Cardiologists in Kerala are asking the government to rethink a recent order that bans the re-use of single-use medical devices in critical surgeries.

Affordability Concerns

At the annual conference of the Cardiological Society of India, Kerala chapter, doctors warned that the strict rule by the Director General of Health Services will make costly treatments like angioplasty out of reach for ordinary patients. CSI Kerala Chapter president Asokan P.K. and organising chairman Prathap Kumar N. pointed out that government health insurance schemes often do not cover the full cost of advanced cardiac care.

Safety And Science

Doctors stressed that patient safety comes first, but argued that selected items like catheters and guidewires could be safely cleaned and re-used using strict scientific protocols. The DGHS order stated that re-using such items creates risks like infections and device failure. However, doctors noted that safe re-use is already common in many public and private hospitals across the country.

Context

Medical devices used in heart procedures are often very expensive, which forms a large part of the overall hospital bill for patients. Finding ways to safely lower these costs is a major challenge for doctors who want modern heart care to reach more people in India.