Government Removes Customs Duty on 36 Essential Medicines to Boost Healthcare Access

Dr. Gagandeep Kang, currently serving as the Director of Global Health at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has been honored with the esteemed John Dirks Award in global health, a prestigious recognition in the field.

കോട്ടയം: കോട്ടയത്തെ വെല്ലൂരിൽ ഉള്ള ഒരു സർക്കാർ ആശുപത്രിയിൽ ലേഡി ഡോക്ടറോട് മോശമായി പെരുമാറിയ ഒരാളെ പോലീസ് അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്‌തു.

In a landmark achievement, doctors at the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai announced the successful Total Knee Replacement (TKR) procedure on a 72-year-old American man, weighing a remarkable 193 kg. This groundbreaking surgery marks a significant milestone as the heaviest patient ever to undergo such a procedure globally. TKR stands as a transformative intervention for individuals grappling with excruciating knee pain, offering them renewed mobility and an improved quality of life. However, for overweight individuals, accessing this treatment presents formidable challenges due to heightened surgical risks and technical intricacies.

According to the surgical team, led by Dr. Rajesh Nawalkar, Senior Consultant in Orthopaedics, every patient's unique circumstances demand a tailored approach to surgery. By meticulously customizing their techniques and collaborating closely with fellow medical professionals, they successfully navigated the complexities posed by the patient's weight, culminating in a triumphant outcome. Among the foremost hurdles encountered in TKR for overweight patients are the elevated risks associated with anesthesia and the heightened potential for embolism. This underscores the importance of precision and vigilance in addressing the specific needs of each patient to ensure optimal results and minimize complications.

Furthermore, the conventional use of a tourniquet, a standard protocol in TKR surgeries, presents technical challenges due to the patient's larger thigh circumference, heightening the risk of tissue damage and post-operative complications. In response to these challenges, Dr. Nawalkar collaborated closely with instrument manufacturers to devise specialized instruments tailored to accommodate the patient's unique anatomy, thereby ensuring optimal surgical outcomes. Additionally, meticulous preoperative assessments and consultations were conducted to ascertain the patient's readiness and obtain informed consent.

Richard Koszarek, the patient, underwent the surgery on January 7, 2024, with no reported complications during the procedure. However, the path to recovery was equally crucial, with rehabilitation playing a pivotal role in achieving successful outcomes. Despite facing reluctance from numerous doctors in India and abroad due to his weight, Richard expressed gratitude to the surgical team for their unwavering commitment and skillful intervention, which enabled him to regain mobility and resume an active lifestyle.

Faridabad (Haryana): Amrita Hospital in Faridabad Achieves Major Medical Milestone with First-Ever Hand Transplants in North India. In late December 2023, groundbreaking surgeries lasting approximately 17 hours each were conducted, signifying a crucial advancement in the field of medical science.