PHOTO
- The programme will be led by an expert team, which holds the record for the highest number of heart and lung transplants in Asia.
Dubai: India’s Meitra Hospital in Calicut has announced a ground-breaking partnership with MGM Healthcare in Chennai to advance its reputed Centre of Excellence for Heart and Vascular Care by offering heart and lung transplants, mechanical circulatory support devices for failing hearts, and single lung retrieval and transplant.
The Liver Transplant Programme, under Meitra Hospital’s Centre of Excellence for Gastro Sciences, on the other hand, will deliver advanced liver transplant services through a multi-disciplinary transplantation team that comprises dedicated transplant surgeons, gastroenterologists, anaesthetists, intensivists, perfusionists, technicians, and nurses.
These programmes will be developed by an expert team, which holds the record for the highest number of heart and lung transplants in Asia. Dr. KR Balakrishnan has performed more than 375 heart and lung transplants and is credited with performing many first-of-its-kind heart surgeries in India. Dr. Thiagarajan Srinivasan has personal experience of more than 1,700 liver transplants and cumulative experience of more than 3,500 liver transplants.
Overall, India ranks third in the world after the US and China in number of organs transplanted in 2019, according to WHO Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT). The country also continues to be one of the most preferred destinations for Medical Value Tourism (MVT), occupying sixth position among 46 major medical tourism destinations, as per the Medical Tourism Index’s overall ranking in 2021. Notably, a significant source of the medical tourists come from the Middle East.
In 2018, only 13 liver, four heart and two lung transplants were performed in the UAE as per the WHO global observatory on donation and transplant. In addition, as of February 2018, there are only four licensed facilities for organ transplants in the UAE. Apart from the limited number of quaternary care facilities in the country and the whole GCC region, costs and waiting times play key roles in India’s emergence as a hub to service patients.
Using American health care costs as benchmark, Patients Beyond Borders estimates that in India, the savings can start from 65% and go up to 90% with patients receiving high quality care. “A heart transplant in the US can start from USD100,000 with a two-year waiting list for foreigners. In India, we have a three-month waiting window for foreigners and the cost for the same transplant can start from USD5,000. This is why a good percentage of my patients also come from the UAE and the Middle East region. Medical technology and treatment protocols have greatly evolved over the past few years. Ensuring that patients get the best that medical science has to offer through our partnership with Meitra Hospital is our primary goal,” said Dr. KR Balakrishnan.
“This is a step towards fulfilling our vision for Meitra Care Network (MCN),” said Mr. Faizal E. Kottikollon, Chairman of Meitra Hospital and Founder Chairman of KEF Holdings, a Dubai-based diversified investment conglomerate. MCN creates an ever-expanding healthcare eco-system, bringing patients and doctors, as well as primary, secondary, tertiary and critical care service providers, under one integrated system, connected through hard and soft infrastructure to offer the best healthcare services at an affordable price.
“Meitra Hospital, a 220-bed quaternary care provider is already a preferred centre for live and deceased donor renal transplants as well as bone marrow transplants in the region. Through this initiative, we seek to strengthen its position as a preferred international destination for multi-organ transplants. Specifically, for the GCC, we intend to address patients’ healthcare needs by partnering with the most reputed organizations in the region thus introducing tertiary and quaternary care at affordable prices,” he added.
Connect with KEF Holdings on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to keep up with all the latest news, announcements and exciting industry-agnostic initiatives.
Find out more at KEFHoldings.com.
-Ends-
For media enquiries please contact:
Dhara Bhatia, Engagement Consultant, Katch International
dhara@katchthis.com,
Tricia Jimenea, Engagement Director, Katch International
tricia@katchthis.com
© Press Release 2021
Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
