Surgeries performed on 11,819 with neurological disorders

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 25, 2010

‘Surgeries performed on 11,819 with neurological disorders'

18th national conference of Indian Academy of Neurology inaugurated

— PHOTO:R.M. RAJARATHINAM.  

making a point:Health Minister M.R.K. Pannerselvam, speaking at the national conference of the Indian Academy of Neurology in Tiruchi on Friday. Transport Minister K.N. Nehru and organising secretary M.A.Aleem are also in the picture


TIRUCHI: A total of 11,819 patients with neurological disorders have undergone surgeries under the Kalaignar Health Insurance Scheme for Life-saving Treatments so far in the state, said M.R.K.Pannerselvam, State Health Minister.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 18th national conference of the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN) here on Friday, Mr.Pannerselvam said the number of persons with neurological disorders was on the rise in the state. The state government attached priority for curing neurology related ailments which have all been included under this insurance scheme. To tide over the acute shortage of neurosurgeons, the state government had permitted every neurosurgeon to impart training to two medical students, against the previous norm of one student.
In the wake of growing incidence of road accidents all over the state, the Health Department had sanctioned MRI scan for all the Government Medical College Hospitals in the state. Free transplanting of liver on nine persons and heart on four others were some of the record performance by the Health Department in the recent years, he said.
K. N. Nehru, State Health Minister, paid rich tributes to renowned Neurosurgeon Ramamurthy who had successfully persuaded the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in starting an exclusive Neurology department at the Annal Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in the city decades ago.
Mr.Nehru also released a souvenir brought out on the occasion and the first copy was received by Mr.Pannerselvam.
Chandrasekar M. Meshram, secretary, IAN, said that the Academy had planned to bring out guidelines on the management of neuro disorders to benefit both the medical fraternity and the patients. The Academy would also float a research group to evolve remedies for neurological problems. A total of 172 papers would be presented during the course of the conference.
M.A.Aleem, Organising secretary of the conference said that the Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme had ensured a second lease of life to many people.
K.Radhakrishnan, president of the Academy, said that Tamil Nadu was a forerunner in the area of health care delivery schemes, with a focus on rural health care.