Oxonian Heart Foundation has entered into a partnership with the NCH (Sunday Times) « Go back
20
April 2014
Oxonian Heart Foundation has entered into a partnership with the NCH (Sunday Times)
Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran called upon Tamil girls to get over the issue of taking up nursing because of the social stigma attached to the profession and praised the initiative of the Oxonian Heart Foundation together with the Northern Central Hospital to begin cardiac surgery in the North.
Speaking as a one-time heart patient himself, Justice Wigneswaran referred to the cost and inconvenience involved for patients recuperating outside after surgery in towns far away from their homes and called for the raising of adequate funds to provide cardiac surgery in the North, East and elsewhere, especially for the destitute through the initiative.He was speaking at the launch of a campaign on the introduction of Heart Surgery to the North and North Central Provinces and to raise awareness and funding for Cardiac Surgery at the Northern Central Hospital, Jaffna. The event was held at the Conference Hall, Jaffna Public Library last Sunday (April 13) on the eve of the National New Year.
Mr. Wigneswaran, a former Supreme Court Justice, said: “It is indeed a significant event today. The Oxonian Heart Foundation has entered into a partnership with the Northern Central Hospital in Jaffna to set up a Cardiac Surgery Unit here. This gathering is tasked with the function of raising awareness and funding for the performance of Cardiac Surgery here in the North.
“I speak with the experience of a patient who had undergone Cardiac Surgery over a dozen years ago at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai. I had witnessed the great strides made in India particularly at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai in the field of Cardiac Surgery with the input coming from doctors trained in the US. A young doctor who had recently returned from the US performed my surgery. I remember my brother-in-law who himself was trained as a doctor in the British tradition examining the CD portraying my heart surgery and describing it as near perfect. No wonder I am still batting on!
“Patients needing Cardiac Surgery have to travel to Colombo and Kandy, face difficulties of language, extra costs and implications with regard to recovery after major surgery. In fact, I had to stay over in Chennai for a period of time having been released from the hospital to be seen at the Apollo to check on my process. Such staying over for someone from the North not having a relative or friend in Colombo or Kandy can be extra costly.
“It is estimated that around 700 patients require open heart surgery per year from the Northern Province. All cannot be accommodated at the Government Hospitals. Hence the need for Private hospitals for those who can afford.
“Dr. Ravi Perumalpillai has played a leading role in seeking the involvement of the Oxonian Heart Foundation in the current venture to provide facilities at the Northern Central Hospital, Jaffna. We are told the following facilities for cardiac surgery are to be made available: A dedicated operating theatre, an intensive care facility with a four-bed intensive and high dependency area, a ten-bed ward for pre- and post-operative patients and basic surgical needs.
“Needless to say, the availability of non-medical personnel for cardiac surgery programmes is an essential necessity.
“The Fund for treating the destitute is quite interesting. For every five fully paying patients the trustees and directors of the Northern Central Hospital have promised to perform one procedure free of charge Reade More (Officeal website of the Sunday Time )
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