The Cardiology Unit of Assam Medical College & Hospital (AMCH) was established in April 1978 with the appointment of Dr. Bhadreswar Das as Assistant Professor and the first Head of the Unit. Dr. Ratan Kumar Kotokey served as the Registrar during this period. In 1980, Dr. Amrit Kumar Barooah joined as an Associate Professor after completing a WHO Overseas Cardiac Fellowship at the University of Minnesota Hospital, Minnesota. Subsequently, he became the Head of the Cardiology Unit. Subsequently, a six-bed ICU was established, followed by the setup of an operating theatre for pacemaker implantation. The Cardiology Department was declared independent in 1992, with Dr. B. Das as its Head.
 

Dr. Hem Chandra Kalita, a DM Cardiologist from PGIMER, Chandigarh, joined as an Assistant Professor in December 1990. He became Head of the Department in 1994 following the retirement of Professor B. Das. Professor H. C. Kalita led the development of the Cardiology Department at AMCH, focusing on the overall growth of the department and the training of quality manpower. As a result, a group of young cardiologists emerged, who contributed to AMCH and played a pivotal role in developing the Cardiology Department at Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH). This group included Dr. Dibyajyoti Dutta (DM from PGI, Chandigarh), Dr. Mriganka S. Chaliha (DM from PGI, Chandigarh), Dr. Bornali Dutta (DM from PGI, Chandigarh), and Dr. Farhin Iqbal (DM from GMCH). Dr. Bornali Dutta and Dr. Farhin Iqbal were later transferred to GMCH, where the former currently serves as the Head of the Department. Dr. D. J. Dutta served as Professor and Head for many years. Following his tenure,  

Dr. M. S. Chaliha, who had served as Assistant Professor since 2014 and Associate Professor since 2019, became the Professor and Head of the Department of Cardiology at AMCH in 2022.  

Dr. Alok Jyoti Malakar also served as Registrar at AMCH. After completing his DM from GMCH, he joined the department as an Assistant Professor in 2018. He is currently posted at JMCH.
 

The first permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) at AMC was performed using the epicardial surgical method in 1980. Dr. Amrit Kumar Barooah later performed the first endocardial PPI via the left subclavian venous puncture without the aid of an IITV fluoroscopy machine. Several such procedures were followed until the department procured new IITV fluoroscopy equipment and six monitoring machines. Thereafter, PPI became a routine procedure at AMC for many years. However, when the IITV machine became non-functional and could not be replaced despite repeated appeals, a service gap ensued until 2005. During this period, Prof. Dr. H.C. Kalita managed to perform a few PPIs in the Department of Radiology, which had a fixed IITV used for procedures such as barium enemas. A new IITV fluoroscopy machine for cardiology was finally procured in 2005. Subsequently, other key equipment such as an echocardiography machine, TMT machine, and Holter monitor were added to the department. A new ICU unit and building were inaugurated in 2003. Later, in 2018, an additional seven-bedded ICCU was established with support from the NHM.
 

In March 2007, the department, in association with IGNOU, launched a two-year Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC), which ran for six years. This was the first cardiology course in the entire northeastern region, producing numerous trained doctors who are now providing quality cardiac care in peripheral areas facing a shortage of cardiologists.
 

Efforts to establish a full-fledged Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) and install a cardiac catheterization laboratory had long been underway. Two separate proposals submitted to the NEC between 2005 and 2012 were not approved. Eventually, a proposal submitted to ONGC in 2012 under the CSR scheme for a Cath lab and open-heart surgery facilities was accepted. A Siemens Artis Zee Cardiac Cath Lab was installed on 10/08/2014, with the first angiography performed on the same day. The first radial-route angiography was conducted on 10/06/2015, and the first angioplasty was conducted on 01/07/2015. Electrophysiology studies (EPS) commenced on 10/06/2016. The first PDA closure was performed on 29/10/2016, followed by the first radiofrequency ablation on 22/02/2017. The first ASD closure took place on 27/03/2017, and the first peripheral angiography and sclerotherapy were performed on 04/07/2017.
 

Currently, in addition to regular non-invasive cardiology services such as echocardiography, TMT, and Holter monitoring, the department provides 24-hour emergency services and round-the-clock ICCU care.
 

The Department of Cardiology got its approval from the National Medical Council (NMC) to train 3 candidates for the DM Cardiology course since 2022.
 

The department organized its first Non-Coronary Intervention Camp on 11/06/2023 under the guidance of Prof. Ranjit Kumar Nath (Head, R.M.L. Hospital, Delhi). Balloon mitral valvotomy procedures were performed for the first time at AMCH. Several non-coronary intervention camps were held between 2023 and 2025, including BMV, ASD, and PDA closures, under the guidance of experts like Prof. Ranjit Manoj Kumar (Pediatric Cardiology, PGI Chandigarh), Dr. Anil Kumar Singhi, and Dr. Rakesh Kumar Arora (U.P.).
 

The department also performed complex coronary interventions between 2023 and 2025 under the guidance of Prof. Ranjit Kumar Nath (Delhi), Dr. D. J. Dutta, Dr. D. Bhattacharya (Kolkata), and Dr. Rakesh Kumar Arora (U.P.). The first IVUS workshop, involving complex coronary interventions using IVUS, was conducted on 22/03/2024 under the guidance of Dr. D. Bhattacharya, MRCP (UK), Kolkata.
 

Primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PPCI) began in February 2024 under the guidance of Prof. Dr. M. S. Chaliha and Prof. Dr. H. C. Kalita. Since its inception, over 100 PPCIs have been successfully performed as of April 2025.
The department conducted its first Peripheral Intervention Camp on 17/03/2025, which included procedures for subclavian and renal artery stenosis, under the guidance of Dr. Apurva Srivastava (Delhi).
The first-ever implantation of a CRT-D device was carried out on 16/03/2025 under the supervision of Dr. Savyatya Chakraborty (Kolkata).

At present, the department implants more than 600 temporary and 450 permanent pacemakers annually. Regular coronary interventions include over 800 coronary angiographies, 300 PTCAs, more than 50 PPCIs, and numerous complex coronary and non-coronary procedures, all of which are performed routinely each year.

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OPD Roster for April- 2025 

Indoor Services:  Emergency /Consultation Duty roster April 2025