By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Cardiology Department of the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) is hosting the 13th Cardiology Conference (Nov 9-11) which started here on Friday. The Cardiology Unit of NEIGRIHMS has carved out a niche for itself as the destination of choice for most heart patients of the North East.
Manned by able cardiologists the Department has also successfully hosted cardiological conferences here where eminent cardiologists from across the country are invited as resource persons.
This year the Conference theme, “Optimal Cardiovascular Care to Meet Emerging Challenges,” aims to explore the full spectrum of cardiology from clinical to non-invasive to interventional cardiology and also the relation between cardiovascular disease and systemic conditions.
Inaugurating the Conference on Friday, Meghalaya Governor, RS Mooshahary said NEIGRHIMS is now known for it Cardiology Department and has all the facilities of a modern hospital so people with heart problems no longer need to go out of the State. “NEIGRIHMS has a bright future in Cardiology since the new Director, Dr AG Ahangar is also a Cardio-thoracic surgeon,” Mr Mooshahary said adding that every year there are new approaches to better heart care.
Expressing concern over the huge gap in access to cardiac care, speakers said that till date only about 1% of heart patients can afford treatment while the rest 99% cannot.
The challenge according to them is to take the science of cardiology closer to the people. They observed that many people with rheumatic heart disease or congenital heart defects are not detected due to human resource crunch.
On Saturday, Prof Balram Bhargava will be conferred with the title ‘Oration of the year’ for his outstanding contribution to the field of Cardiology. He will deliver a talk on Ethics in Medical Practice & Research on November 10 for the “Prof Manish Bhuyan Oration Ceremony.”