The Government of Punjab, Department of Medical Education and Research and the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) Chandigarh signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to develop further and strengthen the super specialty of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Government Medical College, Amritsar. The MoU has been signed by Mrs. Vinni Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Medical Education and Research and Dr. Yogesh Chawla, Director, PGI, Chandigarh on behalf of the Government of Punjab and the Institute respectively in the presence of Mr. Anil Joshi, Minister of Medical Education and Research, Punjab and Dr K.K.Talwar, Advisor to Government of Punjab, Health and Medical Education.Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson said that the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Government Medical College, Amritsar, though fully equipped with space and infrastructure, is short of qualified surgeons, anaesthetists and perfusionists. The PGIMER Chandigarh, which is a leading international Institute, is fully equipped and performs all types of open heart surgeries. It has enough expert manpower to contribute and help develop and start the facility of open heart surgery at the Government Medical College, Amritsar.
It has been agreed that the expert team from the PGIMER, Chandigarh will visit the Government Medical College, Amritsar, periodically to help and guide to strengthen the infrastructure, equipment and arrangements to rectify any shortcomings and help start conducting open heart surgeries there so that the people of Punjab from that region may get the benefit of the service of this super specialty there itself. This arrangement is likely to go a long way in reducing the burden and the waiting list at the premier institute at Chandigarh.Prominent among others who were present on the occasion included Dr Tejbir Singh, Director, Research and Medical Education, Punjab, Dr Karnail Singh, Principal, Government Medical College, Amritsar, senior faculty from the PGIMER Prof T.Shyam K.Singh, HOD, CTVS, Prof S.S.Rana, Professor of CTVS and Prof G.D.Puri, Professor of Cardiac Anaesthesia and Prof Kuldip Singh Sidhu.