-By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu- In order to bring about the latest high-tech health care systems for the cardiac patients in Nepal, Norvic Health Care and Research Center, an institute under the flagship of Chaudhary Group, organized an intensive three-day programme on “Cardiology at the Dawn of the Millennium” from November 26 to 28, 1999.
On the occasion, Norvic Health Care Center also announced various projects to upgrade its services for more sophisticated and high-tech heart care system. In the coming days, Norvic is spending more than Rs. 70 million for the same.
Various programmes organized on the occasion were also targeted at benefiting the general public as well as the medical personnels by providing greater awareness in the prevention of heart diseases.
World renowned Cardiac surgeon Dr. Naresh Trehan, Senior Cardiologist Dr. Ravi Kasliwal and other noted senior doctors from Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center, India, Dr. Praveen Chandra, Dr. Praveen Agrawal, Dr. Yugal Mishra and Dr. Anil Karlekar also participated the programme held in Kathmandu.
The hectic schedule of the programme began with a Heart Camp on Friday morning. The camp was conducted in connection to the increasing incidences of heart diseases in Nepal. Various measures of prevention of heart failures were discussed during the programme. A similar camp was also organized on Sunday morning at Norvic Health Care Center, Thapathali, during when Dr. Kasliwal provided consultancy to heart patients.
On Saturday morning, Dr. Trehan and Lunkaran Das Chaudhary, Chairman of the Chaudhary Group, jointly laid the foundation stone for the Super Specialty Cardiac Care Center with the latest CATH Lab and Cardiac Surgery (Operation) Theatre building at Thapathali.
The two-story building will be constructed at the cost of Rs. 70 million. The Norvic Heart Care Center has at present 30 beds. After completion of this project by mid 2000, it will have 50 beds. The center also targets to upgrade its services by increasing number of beds to 100 by 2002.
The visiting team of doctors had a busy schedules on Saturday starting with the live demonstration of Balloon Mitral Valvuloplasty (BMV) and Trans Esophageal Echocardiography (TEE). The live demonstration programme was inaugurated by Guest of Honour Dr. Trehan and was participated by a large number of Nepal’s leading cardiologists and general physicians.
The visiting team of doctors led by Dr. Trehan and Dr. Kasliwal presented the live demonstration of BMV and TEE by treating to the heart patients. The demonstration programme was linked with the Norvic’s future plans to introduced the services at their center.
At a get together programme later on the same day Dr. Trehan and his team also participated in an interaction programme with the patients at Norvic. This was held at Royal Nepal Army Club at Army Headquarters, Tundikhel.
In the evening the same day, a symposium on “Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology at the Dawn of the New Millennium”, which was participated by hundreds of prominent doctors of Nepal.
Just before the symposium, Dr. Trehan also participated at the talk programme with the journalists. During when he and Basant Chaudhary, President and Managing Director of Norvic highlighted on the tie up between Escorts and Norvic for the betterment of heart care system in the region.
The symposium held at Soaltee Hotel was inaugurated by Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. On the occasion, prime minister also released a book, “Heart Failure”, compiled by Dr. Trehan and Dr. Kasliwal. The book covers right from epidemiology to the state-of-the-art treatments, both medical and surgical.
In the first session of the symposium, which was chaired by Dr. D. B. Karki, Dr. Praveen Chandra, Dr. Yugal Mishra and Dr. Bharat Rawat respectively presented papers on “Acute Heart Failure: Intervention in Cardiogenic Shock”, “CABG in L. V. Dysfunction: Where are we heading?” and “Current trends in Medical Therapy for Heart Failure: The Role of Beta Blockens”.
Similarly, in the second session chaired by Dr. Migendra Raj Pandey Dr. Ravi Kasliwal and Dr. Damber B. Karki respectively presented papers on “The Emerging Challenges of Heart Failure After MI” and “Atrial Fibrillation.”
On Sunday, a public awareness lecture was jointly organized by Norvic and Mrigendra Samjhana Medical Trust focussing on the prevention of heart disease. The programme was chaired by Dr. Mrigendra R. Pandey and Dr. Trehan was the chief guest. On the occasion, Dr. Damber B. Karki, Dr. Praveen Chandra, Dr. Sanjiv Dhungel and Dr. Ravi Kasliwal presented papers.