Address at the Launching of the Apollo-drdo Joint Venture Technology Partnership Initiative

Let my brain remove the pain of the patient

I am delighted to participate in the launch of Apollo-DRDO Joint Venture technology partnership initiative in this beautiful environment. My greetings to DRDO community, eminent doctors, paramedical and support staff of Apollo Hospitals and Public Sector Undertakings who are participants in this venture. I was thinking what thoughts I can share with you on this occasion. I would like to talk on the topic 'Let my brain remove the pain of the patient'.

Role of Corporate Hospitals in Medicare

During the last three decades there has been substantial growth in corporate hospitals in different cities. These hospitals have been providing quality healthcare to different sections of the society. The healthcare industry has matured and is now equipped with state-of-the art diagnostics and treatment systems. This is the time I would think that there should be reverse flow of patients from various countries to India where quality treatment is provided at a relatively low cost compared to other countries. I am sure the healthcare industry is geared to provide total solution to the patients as a package which includes diagnostics through tele-medicine transportation, stay, hospitalization, treatment, convalescence and dispatch back to their station. Thus the healthcare indstury can be a national wealth generator.

Joint Venture between Government and Corporate Sector

There has been number areas in which collaboration has taken place between government departments and private sector institutions. We didn't have such collaborations in healthcare. I recall during 80s' DRDO was dependent on CGHS for all the treatment. Certain times when we had critical cardiac, liver, kidney cases we had difficulty in going to corporate hospitals for emergency treatment. The procedure was long and the employees were put to substantial financial and physical difficulties. That is the time we thought of a DRDO-CGHS hospital in this campus. The programme was sanctioned and the buildings were ready as early as 1995. Later an innovative method was approved by the government to have a Joint Venture government-corporate establishment to equip and run this hospital. This is how Apollo-DRDO hospital came into existence. I am happy to note that the DRDO and public sector community is getting quality healthcare from this Venture.

Research initiative

DRDO is involved in various research areas including life-sciences. In addition an exclusive society "Society for Bio-Medical Technology" (SBMT) was established by DRDO during the 90s' in partnership with department of science and technology and department of social justice and empowerment. The main role of the SBMT was to work on developing cost effective medical systems using defence technology wherever possible. Coronary artery stents, Cytoscan for early detection of cancer, dental implants, Dhrishti - for eye surgery and FROs for polio affected patients are some of the success stories of SBMT. There are number of areas in which medical research is required which can be carried out by a hospital research institute partnership. The Apollo-DRDO initiative is one such attempt through which we can get the benefits of integrated clinical trials and promotion of laboratory experiments with speed for producing and inducting cost effective Medicare systems for our hospitals.

Stem Cell Research

The recent identification and characterization of progenitors with stem cell properties has opened up new avenues that may be useful for treating functional impairments caused by the death of specific cell population. The stem cell may help restore functioning of certain defective organs, by repopulating or rescuing the damaged cells from further degeneration. There will be a revolution in the medical treatment for heart care, cancer, visually impaired and mentally challenged. It is essential to launch an integrated national stem cell research program.

During my visit to various laboratories, I happened to see the beginning of stem cell research for different purposes including brain research. I would like to share with you the results of very important stem cell research application in the field of cardiology. When I met Dr. P. Venugopal, a famous cardiac surgeon, he told me about his experiences. He said in one of the cardiac diseases, where conventional, medical and surgical treatment were ineffective because of the affliction of the heart muscle, use of autologous bone marrow stem cells implantation into the diseased heart muscles had been applied in order to improve the function of heart muscle. This kind of application of this procedure is the latest and very few cases have been done in the world, the first time in India. This is expected to open new frontiers in the treatment of patients for regeneration of heart muscles, there by giving new hope for the patients suffering from end stage heart disease. The stem cells are being tried in other diseases like diabetes in order to offer cure for the patients suffering from long term and intractable diabetes. This is being applied by injecting the stem cells into the patient's artery supplying the pancreas. The results are still awaited.

I would suggest the joint research initiative between DRDO and Apollo could also become partners with AIIMS, New Delhi. Also there is a need for the cardiac specialist to examine, why the number of cardiac cases among Indians wherever they are located is on the increase. The research should lead to early diagnostics and treatment for these cases.

Holistic Treatment

In India we are having a variety of traditional systems of medicines such as Yoga and Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy and Siddha. These systems of medicines are unique to our country and many times they are complimentary to each other. I would consider appropriate to create these wings in the hospital so that patients can have a choice in determining the system of medicine, which they would like to have. This will enable rapid development of medicines and fast track clearance of products through integrated clinical trials and approval from ethical committee. This area will be a great wealth generator for the nation.

Life style intervention for peace

The life style change pattern can be a great influencer in reducing the occurrence of cardiac problem among the Indian population. I recall there was a joint project of Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), DRDO and the Global Hospital Research Centre governed by the Brahma Kumaris for studying the effect of "holistic lifestyle intervention" on the patients suffering from Coronary Artery Diseases. The project involved both Control Group and the Experimental Group. The Control Group was subjected to conventional treatment whereas the Experimental Group was supported by an intervention involving low fat, high fiber vegetarian diet, walking and aerobic exercises and Raja yoga meditation. This psycho-physiological mind-body approach in treating heart patients of the Experimental Group resulted in dissolution of angiographic plaque and improvement in microcirculation of blood in heart muscles of the patients. The treatment was also supported by participation of spouses and other family members of the patients, leading to a unique family system approach to Medicare.

When I conducted the first review of the project, I found that nearly 60 people had reported positively about their well-being and their clinical reports showed remarkable improvement. When I visited the hospital again after two years, nearly 400 patients gave us a joyful presentation about their experiences. It was an experience of great happiness to see the patients presenting their X-ray records, showing us how this unique way of treatment has given great relief to their hearts. The conflict between cardiology, psychology and theology still persists, but this experiment has given a new thrust and a lasting cure for heart patients. The message I would like to convey is that through the integration of medical science, physiology, health care, psychology and spirituality, a native Indian knowledge system in combination with allopathic systems can emerge. This model can be studied by the DRDO - APOLLO research team.

Conclusion

Delivery of healthcare is an important social welfare activity. Corporate government partnership in this regard should bring about generation of cost-effective , affordable quality systems for the common man of the country. Your motto should be 'let my brain remove the pain of the patients'. Towards this end both DRDO community and the Apollo specialists should work for removal of the pain of the patients and extend healthcare to national stream through innovations in medical research.

Fifty laboratories of DRDO are spread in many parts of the country. Also APOLLO has hospitals in many cities. DRDO-APOLLO joint venture can think of creating a mobile hospital (two vehicle configuration) with certain general-purpose medical equipments and special purpose equipment. This hospital can move to various stations in the country and treat patients. Majority of the people can be diagnosed and treated with general-purpose equipment. Few who need intensive treatment can be sent to base hospital for follow up diagnosis and treatment. This venture can generate large volume of clinical data for research purposes apart from providing treatment to patients at site.

I wish all success to Joint Venture initiative.