Two cardiac operating theatres remain out of service at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), leaving patients waiting months for surgery at one of Bangladesh’s most important public heart hospitals.
The shortage has hit children with congenital heart disease particularly hard. With just one operating theatre dedicated to paediatric cardiac surgery, the hospital can perform only around 20 to 24 such operations a month, despite growing demand.
For many families unable to afford private treatment, the wait is unavoidable, even when doctors have advised surgery.
Rabeya Khatun and her husband travelled from Cumilla to Dhaka with their two-year-old daughter, who suffers from congenital heart disease.
They visited NICVD twice in September but could not get their daughter admitted because no bed was available.
The child was finally admitted on October 10. Yet the family was told she might have to wait more than two months for open-heart surgery.
After struggling to secure a hospital bed, they now face another prolonged period of uncertainty over when their daughter will receive treatment.
Other patients are being forced to return home without even securing a surgery date.
Arefin, 43, from Sundarganj in Gaibandha, was advised to undergo bypass surgery after doctors diagnosed blockages in his coronary arteries.
But he could not obtain a surgery slot.
Unable to pay for an operation at a private hospital, he decided to return home and try again after a week.
His experience reflects the difficulties facing patients who depend on subsidised cardiac treatment but cannot secure timely access to surgery.
Doctors warn that prolonged delays can increase the risk of complications for patients requiring urgent procedures.
Repeated hospital visits also add to families’ travel, accommodation and treatment expenses.
Only one OT for children’s heart surgery
NICVD has 1,250 beds and handles an enormous volume of patients from across the country.
According to hospital figures, more than 200,000 patients received outpatient treatment in 2025, while emergency services handled approximately 250,000 patients.
The hospital recorded around 112,000 admissions during the year.
Yet only 1,972 major surgeries were performed, alongside 16,269 minor procedures.
The hospital has 10 operating theatres, including seven designated for cardiac surgery and three for vascular surgery.
Of the seven cardiac OTs, two are currently out of service because their operational equipment has exceeded its prescribed service life.
Among the five remaining theatres, three are assigned to adult cardiac surgery, one to paediatric cardiac surgery and another to infection-control-related activities.
The paediatric cardiac surgery department has 44 beds but only one dedicated operating theatre.
It also has a 10-bed postoperative intensive care unit, of which four beds are equipped with ventilators.
Hospital authorities say the department can perform approximately 20 to 24 operations a month.
With limited surgical and postoperative care capacity, children requiring heart operations can face extended waits.
Expansion plans offer little immediate relief
NICVD Director Prof Dr Abdul Wadud Chowdhury acknowledged the difficulties caused by prolonged hospital stays.
He said patients face rising treatment costs and a greater risk of infection when they remain admitted for extended periods.
Their relatives also suffer financial and emotional strain from the additional time and expense involved.
“Some operating theatres have exceeded their service life. We are preparing a Development Project Proposal for setting up three new OTs,” he said.
A separate proposal is also being prepared to develop vascular surgery facilities.
However, these projects remain at the planning stage, offering no immediate solution for patients already waiting.
The director said the hospital must first operate on patients who have previously received surgery dates before accommodating new cases.
He acknowledged that even with additional facilities, the pressure of patients seeking treatment would make it difficult to eliminate long waits entirely.
For families such as Rabeya’s, the consequences are immediate: a child has finally secured a hospital bed, but the operation she needs may still be months away.
