Former Vice-President of India, Venkaiah Naidu, called for immediate lifestyle changes to combat heart-related complications, while urging the medical community to make advanced treatments more affordable for the general public. He shared his thoughts at the inaugural session of the “Cardiac Sciences Update 2024,” organized by KG Hospital at Residency Towers, highlighting heart ailments as a growing health crisis.
Heart disease is currently responsible for 27% of deaths in India, a statistic Naidu pointed out as a major concern. He emphasized that treatment must be made affordable for all, considering India’s population of 143 crore people. Naidu’s address called on the healthcare sector to ensure the benefits of medical advances reach the common people without financial barriers.
The former Vice-President also expressed concern about lifestyle changes in the country, particularly among the educated population. He stressed that many health issues like diabetes and hypertension were preventable through better choices. However, he noted that the apathy of the educated towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle was part of the growing problem.
Naidu appealed to the younger generation to abandon excessive dependence on modern electronic gadgets, which he said contributed to diminishing creative thinking, absent-mindedness, and stress from lack of sleep. He urged children to shed Western habits and revert to a more traditional ‘Bharatiya’ lifestyle. He warned that abandoning these age-old practices was having serious implications for the nation’s health.
The event was presided over by G. Bakthavathsalam, Chairman of KG Hospital. The inaugural session also featured prominent figures in the medical field, including M. Jawahar Farook, President of the Tamil Nadu Cardiology Society 2024, and Yugal Mishra, a renowned robotic heart surgeon from Manipal Hospitals, New Delhi, who also serves as the President of the Society of Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgeons of India. Both were guests of honor and took part in the panel discussions that followed.
Discussions during the event involved some of the leading experts in the field, such as interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, robotic heart surgeons, cardiac anesthetists, and other cardiac specialists. They explored key topics related to heart health, including heart-friendly diets, advances in coronary revascularization, the rise of robotics in surgery in India, valve replacement techniques, and recent trends in heart failure treatment.
One of the key highlights of the session was the hands-on experience in robotic surgery provided to about 100 participating doctors. This hands-on opportunity aimed to familiarize practitioners with advanced techniques and enhance their skills in minimally invasive cardiac surgery, an area of growing importance in medical practice.
Naidu’s plea for affordable healthcare and a return to healthier traditional lifestyles came at a critical time, as India faces an increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases. His words serve as a reminder that preventive healthcare, through lifestyle modification, is crucial to mitigating the rising burden of heart ailments in the country. Additionally, by pushing for the affordability of advanced treatments, he highlighted the need for an inclusive healthcare system that caters to the needs of every citizen. (Rehash/Ankur Deka)