Hospital offers cardiology services

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
CARDIOLOGY services are now available at the Lae International Hospital (LIH).
The hospital offers treatment for heart attacks and heart failure.
It also offers both echocardiography and computerised treadmill exercise stress test, which together carefully evaluates the status of the heart.
Assistant general manager Vinod Kumar Sharma said a comprehensive cardiac care was being organised at the hospital through the heart laboratory which efficiently supported the cardiology department.
“The Emergency Room (ER) attends to all cardiac emergencies using latest international protocols,” Sharma said.
“For those who need further advanced procedures like angiography, angioplasty, stenting, coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve replacement and pacemaker installation, LIH will facilitate referral and treatment to the Pacific International Hospital (PIH) in Port Moresby.”
“PIH will shortly begin to offer catheter-based treatment for heart disease that children are born with (congenital heart disease), and LIH will arrange initial evaluation, diagnosis, referral and post-treatment follow ups.” Sharma said an experienced cardiologist was also available at the hospital in Lae since October.
“Dr Suresh Venkita has the experience of cardiology practice in 10 countries.
He had been based at PIH for the past two years and is now at LIH,” Sharma said.
“Dr Venkita is an expert in diagnosing and treating heart diseases, and in resolving cardiac risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which both cause and worsen heart disease.”
Dr Venkita said the cardiology service was to help patients in Lae cut down on costs to travel to Port Moresby or even overseas, for checkups, tests and other aspects.
“Lifestyle diseases have been affecting a lot of people. The food and drink they consume every day is contributing to those diseases,” he said.