Chandigarh, August 21
Initiating a programme called “Dil Da Mamla Balle Balle”, Annie Heart and Medical Centre, Sector 15 will organise a month-long angiography, angioplasty and pace-maker implantation camp from September 1. During this camp, the centre will provide services related to angiography at subsidised rates.
Addressing a press conference at the Chandigarh Press Club in Sector 27 here yesterday Dr Deepak Kaura, Consultant Cardiologist of the centre, said besides providing subsidised treatment to the needy patients, the centre would bear the expenses for the follow-up treatment of such patients for the next six months, including regular blood tests or re-angiography, if required.
The camp will conduct an angiography for Rs 7,000 which normally costs about Rs 10,000 to 15,000. Similarly an angioplasty will cost Rs 50,000 instead of Rs 75,000 to 1,00,000 which is the prevailing market rate. Even the pace maker implant which normally cost about Rs 20,000 to 25,000 will be done for Rs 15,000 with patient bearing the cost for a stent or a pace maker.
Quoting WHO statistics about the percentage of heart patients which has been increasing all over the world, Dr Kaura said by the year 2025 India will emerge as the world leader in coronary artery related diseases with 300 per cent rise in the number of people affected which is estimated to be five times higher than people suffering from heart diseases in the USA.
Talking about the preventive measures, Dr Kaura said emphasis had to be given to life style modification from a very early stage as in India one of the reasons for high rate of heart diseases had been suspected to be genetic and it had also been detected cases of heart failure at early stages of life. “While in the USA 56 years is the average age to have a heart problem, in India it is as low as 38 years, with odd cases being detected in as young as 19 years old persons,” he said.
Saying that excess consumption of saturated fat and lack of physical workout were the major major factor leading to blockage in the arteries, Dr Kaura said once symptoms were detected in an individual, he should seek medical help without delay. He also spoke about the less costly treatments available for heart ailments.
The press conference was also addressed by Dr R.K. Suri and Ms Deepali Kohli, the administrative head of the centre. Registration for the proposed camp can be done in person from August 21 to 31 at the centre by means of a non-refundable and non-transferable advance deposit of Rs 2,000 for angiography, Rs 5,000 for angioplasty and Rs 5,000 for pace-maker implant.
