Thrissur: Open-heart surgeries at Thrissur Medical College have been on hold for the past three weeks. The cardiac surgery department stopped operations, citing the inefficiency of the technicians operating the surgical equipment.

The sole surgeon had reported the problem to the college principal, following which a three-member expert committee was formed to look into the matter. The committee recommended that the issue be examined further by a qualified cardiac surgeon.

Although the committee submitted its report to the Director of Health Education a week ago, no action has been taken so far.

Two surgeries were performed per week. So far, six surgeries have been cancelled. Without a proper evaluation of the concerns raised, the surgeon has been unable to proceed with any operations.

The surgeries of those who had been waiting for six months and had received a date were postponed. More than fifty patients are waiting for surgery. As the crisis continues, many of those waiting for their surgeries remain worried.

After the turmoil at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College where an acute shortage of surgical equipment has driven a senior doctor to consider resignation and treatment delays for patients, the scene at Thrissur Medical College looks equally alarming. Both campuses lack the resources and support their surgical teams need, leaving them hard‑pressed to deliver timely, life‑saving care.