SHILLONG, Nov 25: Despite the chaos of bringing 2,500 delegates from across the country in the wake of the tragic incident at Mukroh which reverberated across Shillong city and beyond, the Annual Conference of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA) began here at NEIGRIHMS from November 23 and is scheduled to conclude on November 27. Interestingly, the inaugural function for the Conference was held on November 25 at the NEIGRIHMS.
Speaking as chief guest at the function, Calvin Harris Kharshiing, Advisor Planning, North Eastern Council (NEC), lauded the role played by anaesthetists and expressed his gratitude for the services rendered by this company of professionals.
He informed that NEC has completed 50 years this year and has played the role of institution builder. Kharshiing said the NEC has set up many iconic institutions such as RIMS, Imphal, the mental hospital at Tezpur, RIPANS Aizawl and Pharmaceutical and Technology College Agartala, among others.
“The NEC has had a hand in gap funding since most states today have bigger budgets than the NEC hence we can only fill in the gaps,” Kharshiing said, adding that NEC also believes in building up the capacities of professionals in the Northeastern region.
He said the NEC can look at building the capacities of anaesthetists provided the ISA can throw up a problem statement.
The Planning Adviser of NEC also pointed to the shortage of anaesthetists in some states while others have more than necessary. Hence, the skewed distribution needs to be corrected so too the skewed distribution of anaesthetists among rural and urban centres.
“The World Health Organisation recommends one anaesthetist for 5,000 patients but in India the availability of anaesthetist is 1 for 50,000 patients,” Kharshiing said.
He also pointed to the challenges of making healthcare accessible in the region and said that of the 124 districts in the Northeast, 95 districts do not have district hospitals, therefore making it difficult for doctors to address nutritional problems and preventive healthcare.
In the emerging areas of technology, Kharshiing said that the NEC is now into 3-D printing of medical devices and he hopes that this initiative will spark something bigger. The NEC, he said, is also trying to deliver medicines via drones but the knowledge and awareness of stakeholders and medical practitioners needs to be urgently built.
Director of NEIGRIHMS Dr Nalin Mehta, while welcoming the delegates to the academic extravaganza, said, “We have been through some tough times but like they say when the going gets tough the tough get going.”
Dr Mehta lauded the services rendered by anaesthetists and equated them to pilots that man a plane through rough weather and take off and land smoothly. The surgeons, he said, were like the plane owners who decide when they want to take off and the nurses are the stewardesses that take care of the passengers.
Dr Mehta pointed to the arduous services rendered by anaesthetists, especially during the ruthless years of COVID-19.
“Anaesthetists were multi-tasking and did a commendable job. We bow to them. Indeed anaesthetists have to be up-to-date with just about everything such as the medicines the patient takes, the medical condition, blood pressure etc. In the last few decades, anaesthesiology has made extraordinary advancements which are of benefit to critical care,” Dr Mehta said.
Concluding his speech, Dr Mehta said that Shillong and Meghalaya have so much to offer in terms of nature and ambiance. “In the next two days, you are going to wish this conference had never ended,” Dr Mehta said.
Earlier, Dr Venkatagiri KM, the ISA president, while addressing the gathering, said that in its 75th year, the ISA has a 39,000 strong body with 25 state branches and 200 city branches. He said the aim of the ISA is to make anaesthesiology accessible to all.
Dr Venkatagiri thanked the event managers led by B Blah, who managed the entire conference from ferrying guests to managing the food and stay of the anaesthetists.
Blah, while speaking to this reporter, said, “We feel sad and ashamed that we had to cancel all the sight-seeing trips for the doctors on account of this problem in the city. What has happened these past few days is a slur on our city and state.”
At the end of the inaugural function, the doctors were treated to a cultural programme and later they too took to the state and had their share of fun.
On the occasion, two senior anaesthetists were also felicitated for their lifetime achievement.
