Heart Surgeries at Colombo National Hospital restricted

COLOMBO (News 1st): The number of heart surgeries performed at the Colombo National Hospital (NHSL) has been restricted taking into account the prevailing COVID-19 situation, Dr. Kumara Wickramasinghe, the Director of the Colombo National Hospital said. At present, only the essential heart surgeries are being performed at the Colombo National Hospital with more than 6,000 patients on the waiting list for Heart Surgery. According to a senior spokesperson at the hospital, a severe delay in conducting heart surgeries is highly likely given the prevailing situation. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, close to 25 heart surgeries were performed every week, at the Colombo National Hospital; however, since the outbreak, the number of heart surgeries performed at the hospital has been reduced to five surgeries per week. Health authorities point out that under such circumstances, if a person is included in the waiting list of the National Hospital for Heart Surgery this year, the patient could have the surgery after 2023.