Surgeries commence at IGMH's Hybrid Operating Theatre at DH11

Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) Group of Hospitals has announced that the Hybrid Operating Theatre, which is also equipped with a catheterisation laboratory, located at Dharumavantha Hospital, is now operational.

The announcement was made via X (formerly Twitter) today.

"We are excited to introduce a state-of-the-art Hybrid Operating Theatre with Cath Lab at Dharumavantha Hospital (DH11)! This advanced facility will enhance our services for neurological, cardiac, and peripheral interventional procedures, bringing world-class care to the Maldives," the post by IGMH reads.

Dharumavantha Hospital is a 25-storey hospital built during the regime of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Qayyoom, at the price of over MVR 2.1 billion. Although the hospital was completed with modern facilities and a fully functioning theatre, the theatre remained unused for the past six years due to various reasons.

Speaking with local media outlet Mihaaru, IGMH's CEO Ibrahim Haleem said that the prolonged disuse of the theatre, which is located on the 11th floor of the Dharumavantha building (DH11), resulted in issues with some of the motherboard's circuits. However, the necessary spare parts were imported, and the theatre was made operational last week, he explained.

"We commenced services after equipping the facility three times. Now neurosurgeries are being carried out in the cath lab as well. Cardiac procedures are also being done. In the future, this will be dedicated for endovascular surgery and neuro surgery," Haleem said.

"We didn't want to use [the theatre] by repairing places here and there since it's a place of service for the public. All defected items were replaced," he further explained.

In addition to the theatre, DH11 also has ten ICU beds, out of which four were used until now. However, the entire floor is now being used, Haleem said.

Haleem also said that the hospital will soon start treatment for stroke patients at the floor as well.

Currently IGMH has a total of 14 ICU beds. However, sometimes the ICU beds get full, and incoming patients have to wait until current patients stabilise.

Although cardiac procedures have been performed in the IGMH catheterisation lab as well, the hybrid theatre's facilities will further enhance the service, the hospital said. This theatre would also advance the brain and spine surgeries at the hospital as well, they said.

With this, the four other theatres at IGMH would be available for general surgeries.

"This theater is a huge step forward for Maldives' health sector," Haleem said.