Chennai: Dr K R Balakrishnan, Chairman – Cardiac Sciences, Director – Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, MGM Healthcare and his team was felicitated by Shri. Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways of India today in the presence of Thiru. Ma. Subramanian, Hon’ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu, for having performed over 500 heart and lung transplants successfully in India and running the largest adult and paediatric heart transplant program in India. Incidentally, the record 500 plus Heart & Lung transplants is the highest number performed by one team in the entire Asia Pacific region.
Dr Sunil Shroff, Managing Trustee, Mohan Foundation and Mr. MK Rajagopalan, Chairman- MGM Healthcare, Chennai were also present.
On the occasion, Shri. Nitin Gadkari also unveiled India’s first ‘prototype’ drone technology co-created by MGM Healthcare, aimed at revolutionising last mile transportation of organs for transplants. Thiru. Ma. Subramanian commended the prototype and said that this would pave the way for more lives to be saved and ensured all support to make it operational soon. He further added, “Chennai and MGM Healthcare is a frontrunner in the organ transplant programme and is at par with the very best in the world today”.
Dr. Suresh Rao, Co-Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, MGM Healthcare added “Running India’s largest heart and lung transplant program is made possible by the dedicated efforts of Dr. KR Balakrishnan and our team’s expertise in the domain as well as in mechanical circulatory support program”.
Dr. Ravikumar R, Sr. Consultant & Associate Clinical Lead -Cardiology & Heart Failure Program, MGM Healthcare said, “Heart failure is an under recognised problem in India. The quality of life and longevity of end stage heart failure patients not responding to conventional therapy can be improved by advanced procedures like heart transplant and Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)”.
Dr. Prashanth Rajagopalan, Director, MGM Healthcare said “A milestone like this gives us the chance to look back on the efforts of the transplant team. Today, patients from different countries are coming to India for treatment in large numbers. With this remarkable achievement, we are further committed in making India as a Global medical hub by investing in the latest technologies, best clinical talent for better clinical outcomes.”
MGM Healthcare further took the opportunity to felicitate those who have been associated in the organ transportation program, including airport authorities , police personnel, air ambulance team ,fund raising agencies, hospital transplant authorities, Government licensing authorities, NOTO Chief and the medical assistants.
