AIIMS Gorakhpur Director Referred to Private Hospital as Institute's Cath Lab Remains Non-Operational

**Gorakhpur, October 31, 2026:** AIIMS Gorakhpur Executive Director Major General (Retired) Vibha Dutta was referred to a private hospital for cardiac evaluation after developing health complications, highlighting the ongoing delay in making the institute's Cath Lab operational. According to a report by India Today, Dutta was initially treated in the emergency department of AIIMS Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Her condition stabilised before doctors shifted her to a private hospital equipped with a Cath Lab for further evaluation. She was taken to the private facility at around 5 pm on Wednesday to determine whether she required a pacemaker. Following medical examinations, doctors found that a pacemaker was not necessary. She returned home at around 8 pm. A senior AIIMS doctor told news agency PTI that her condition had stabilised after the initial treatment and that the transfer was made as a precaution. **Cath Lab Work Still Underway** The incident has drawn attention to the fact that AIIMS Gorakhpur's Cath Lab is not yet operational. The institute stated on Friday that nearly 70 per cent of the work required to start Cath Lab services had been completed. It also said that essential medical equipment and machinery were in the process of being delivered. A senior AIIMS doctor told PTI that the facility was expected to become operational by December. **Why Is a Cath Lab Important?** A catheterisation laboratory, commonly known as a Cath Lab, is a specialised medical facility used for diagnosing and treating certain heart-related conditions. Once operational, the facility at AIIMS Gorakhpur is expected to provide advanced cardiac investigations and procedures, including angiography and angioplasty. It will serve patients from Gorakhpur, other districts of Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states, reducing the need to travel to distant facilities for specialised cardiac care. The institute said it was working to complete the remaining requirements and make the facility operational as soon as possible.