Punjab moves to clear open-heart surgery backlog at five cardiac hospitals

LAHORE: The Punjab government has put in place a mechanism aimed at tackling a mounting backlog of open-heart surgery cases at five major cardiology hospitals after a sharp rise in the number of patients needing cardiac procedures.

The Chief Minister's Secretariat has instructed the relevant authorities to give priority to pending cases registered in 2024 and 2025 and process them strictly on merit before taking up newly registered patients who require the same procedures.

The move comes as cardiovascular disease cases continue to rise across Punjab, particularly at specialised cardiology institutions in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Wazirabad, Faisalabad and Multan. Medical experts said an increasing number of patients are being diagnosed with serious heart conditions that require angiography, stent placement and, in many cases, open-heart surgery.

Pressure on hospital capacity

Hospital sources said the number of patients needing surgical intervention has gone beyond the existing operational capacity of these institutions. Because of limited operating theatre availability and constrained medical resources, patients are often being given surgery dates six months to one year after their initial assessment.

Sources further said that pending open-heart surgery cases registered during 2024 and 2025 have climbed into the several thousands across the five cardiology hospitals. At the same time, new patients are continuing to be added to waiting lists, adding to pressure on already stretched surgical facilities.

Records sought from hospitals

To address the situation, the competent authority has sought complete records of pending cases from all five hospitals. A formal framework has also been prepared to ensure that cases are handled transparently and in line with merit and medical urgency.

The new mechanism is intended to streamline disposal of the accumulated caseload at the cardiology centres in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Wazirabad, Faisalabad and Multan, where growing demand for heart treatment has outpaced existing surgical capacity.