Events Update

Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre set for inauguration

Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre, Mumbai set up by contemporary Healthcare Pvt Limited is all set for its formal launch on November 1, 2002. The sprawling 3.5 lakh sq feet hospital, is equipped with 42 beds of ICU, 3 cardiac operating theatres and one cath-labs along with a full-fledged convention centre and a library. It also houses a fully equipped executive health check-ups and diagnostic centre and a fully equipped post-surgery rehabilitation.

The new hospital will have facilities such as totally computerized hospital management system and medical record keeping a network of ambulances equipped with stabilizing equipment, complementary pick-ups services for patients and relatives from the airport, comprehensive health checkups for preventive care and telemonitoring services for long distance cardiac care. Designed as per the guidelines from Clevaland Heart Clinic, USA, this hospital can boast of the latest technical knowhow combined with most sophisticated information technology information.

Disability reduction is Lifeline’s motto

Impact India Foundation, the NGO behind the famous Lifeline Express, has identified total Disability Reduction Programme (DRP) as its next endeavour for the next three years. The Foundation has identified the expenses at Rs 9 million for the same and hopes to start off with three districts. The organisation is in talks with the Govt of Orissa to implement the programme in two districts of Orissa.

Lifeline Express basically offers surgery and treatment for eyes, ears and restoring cleft. Says H Viswanathan, of Impact India, “In a district in Chattisgarh, 90 people registered for the camp and 920 turned up for cleft lip correction.” Ajit Jogi, chief minister of Chattisgarh was apparently so impressed that he has taken upon to make it a cleft free state. The next stopover of the train in Chattisgarh will be state sponsored. The 4 compartment Lifeline Express has a OT where six surgeries can be done at a time, a waiting room for doctors, a kitchen and a compartment to carry out sterilization.

MOGS conducts live interventional ultrasound procedures

The Mumbai Obstetrics and Gynecological Society (MOGS) conducted live interventional ultrasonography to educate doctors about the widening scope for interventional ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology in LTMG hospital, Mumbai.

The procedures shown were chorion villous sampling, amniocentesis, fetal cord blood sampling, fetal reduction, ectopic pregnancy, shunt procedures, oocyte retrieval, ovarian cyst aspiration, chocolate cyst aspiration and USG guided tubal cannulation. Said Dr Duru Shah, president, MOGS, “Ultrasound has come a long way from being just a diagnostic tool. With the rapid development in technique it has become an effective therapeutic tool. Beginning with simple diagnosis of minor problems to the therapy of the unborn child, there are now methods that permit rapid detection and management of the fetus in utero.”

Said Dr S Suresh, director, Mediscan Prenatal Diagnosis and Fetal Therapy Centre, Chennai, “Ultrasound guided procedures such as amniocentesis, chorionic villus, and fetal blood sampling are useful in obtaining fetal tissue for the diagnosis of genetic disorders and fetal infections..”

Conference on MAS

India got a headstart in minimal access surgery (MAS) considerably early, around 12 years back. Today there are around 4500 laparoscopic surgeons and large hospitals do have their established MAS departments. But there is no estimate of the cases done, market penetration or the hurdles in conducting MAS. And this what the national conference organised by Department of Minimal Access Surgery, P D Hinduja National Hospital & Medical Research Centre in association with Indian Association of gastrointestinal Endo Surgeons National Conference on Minimal Access Surgery in Mumbai aimed to find out and establish the current status of MAS in India.

Dr Tehemton Udwadia, Founder President of IAGES and Head, Department of MAS at P D Hinduja National Hospital is the Chairman of the Conference says, “We hope to track the progress of the Indian surgical community along the path of MAS and help chart its future.” They accomplished this by projecting questions like how the procedures were being performed, how they were being done, how they would like to be trained and what are the difficulties being faced? The participants sent in their answers through their key pads from their seats itself. The conference thereby also addressed the needs of the doctors practicing in the interiors.

Dr Reddy’s launches Breast Cancer Helpline

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories recently launched its fifth Breast Cancer Helpline, at Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai in association with Helping Hand, a Mumbai-based NGO. The breast cancer helplines are part of Dr Reddy’s Brest Cancer Awareness Initiative, which was started in July 2001 with the objective of increasing awareness about the disease and also offering services to breast cancer patients and survivors. Four helplines are already functioning in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Nagpur and Coimbatore. Any person across Mumbai, having queries on the causes, prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer can call up the helpline at 9820356667 and 9820356668. The helpline will be manned by highly trained medical professional, round-the-clock.

(EHM News Bureau)