Cardiac patients suffer as CT angiography machine remains nonfunctional at NICVD

KARACHI: The computerized tomography (CT) angiography machine has been lying out of order since a long time at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), and patients are being referred to private hospitals and labs for tests.

The CT angiogram is an imaging test that looks at the arteries that supply blood to the heart. It is also used to diagnose the cause of chest pain and other symptoms. This CT angiogram can check the heart for various conditions, but it is primarily used to check narrowed or blocked arteries in the heart.

The patients who require CT angiograms are being referred to private sector hospitals and laboratories as the machine at NICVD is nonfunctional due to some technical fault. Different hospitals and labs charge between Rs18000 to Rs35000 per patient. However, the NICVD used to perform this test free of cost.

Patients are facing grave hardships due to unavailability of this facility at the NICVD as many of them are unable to afford the steep charges of private hospitals.

An official at the NICVD told that a new CT angiography machine is being purchased to facilitate patients as the old machine was not repairable.

Chief Operating Officer, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Azra Maqsood, was not available to make any comments.