Announcing that the department of cardiovascular services has been expanded, Hegde said a cardiac catheterisation laboratory has been added to the department, which was fully digital and equipped with digital subtraction angiography, the first of its kind in the country. The digital imaging gives high resolution pictures that help better diagnosis and treatment, he said.

The hospital was also in the process of developing and expanding the cardiothoracic surgery with a fully equipped operating theatre, comprising a heart-lung machine, monitors and ventilators capable of handling complex cases including coronary artery bypass surgery. This is besides a 4-bed cardiac surgical intensive care unit, he added.

The 24-hour accident-and-emergency unit was set up six months ago.