'Guidelines Required For Insurance Companies To Insure CHD Patients'

EHM News Bureau - Mumbai

In the western countries, Coronary Heart Diseases (CHD) is a separate specialty. Patient problem is mostly corrected in early childhood, which is not the case in India. Several CHDs, which occur during adulthood, are missed in childhood by the child specialist, said Dr Prafulla G Kerkar, Head, Cardiology, KEM Hospital, during a panel discussion at the 57th annual conference of Cardiological Society of India (CSI), held recently in Mumbai. It was for the first time in over 50 years that the Asian Pacific Congress Of Cardiology (APSC) was conjoined with the 57th Annual Conference Of CSI. Both were conducted simultaneously in Mumbai from 1- 4 December 2005 at MMRDA grounds, in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.

"Insurance companies don't reimburse for CHDs in India. Thus we need to frame guidelines for insurance companies to enable them to insure patients with certain CHDs," added a delegate. Over 5000 delegates attended the four-day conference from all over the world. Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra inaugurated the conference.

Newer technologies like ICD with Biventricular Pacemaker, Drug Eluting Stents, and Intra Cardiac Closure devices were extensively discussed. Experts opined that CAD is on the rise and requires an all round management to reduce it. Diseases like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol levels and high triglycerides levels need to be controlled by all who have coronary diseases even after angioplasty and bypass surgery.

Dr Anil Kumar, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, attached to Bombay Hospital, and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals was elected as the President Elect of APSC. This is for the very first time that an Indian doctor has been elected for the post.