The American Heart Association (AHA) and Apollo Hospitals have formally launched the AHA training courses in India on June 5, 2002. As part of this alliance AHA will transfer the domain knowledge gained through extensive work in this field, to Apollo Hospitals.

Apollo would conduct initially three training programs in India and AHA will certify all those who successfully complete these programs. As an International Training Organization (ITO), Apollo Hospitals is authorized to identify training centers across the country to conduct these programs. According to Sangita Reddy, managing director, Apollo Hospitals, "Initially these programs will be conducted in Chennai, Hyderabad and New Delhi and will be gradually extended to other parts of the country." The three programs are in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

Addressing a press conference, Dr George Abraham, Regional Faculty, AHA, President, American Association for Emergency medicine in India, said that these courses impart skills to rescue and revive a patient in an emergency situation, on site, treat during transport and to provide treatment in the emergency rooms. Basic Life Support program equips medical and para-medical staff in providing emergency medical care and in sustaining life till more experienced medical professionals arrive.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support trains medical professionals in the management of stroke, respiratory difficulties, poisoning, drowning, electric shock besides imparting special knowledge and skills in the use of all medications and procedures used in the emergency situations. These programs involve strict application of treatment protocols in a variety of clinical settings ensuring optimal and uniform standards of care across the country adds Dr. Abraham.

According to Sangita Reddy, "This recognition by AHA will significantly improve the standards of emergency care in India. It will help in bringing about uniformity of care in institutes implementing these guidelines with trained personnel besides significant reducing death rates, particularly deaths due to heart ailments which are going up at an alarming pace."

AHA has deputed a team of senior trainers comprising of Medical Director, Western Alliance Emergency Services (WAES) & Emergency Department, Troy Community Hospital, Pennsylvania, USA, Mr. Thomas Carman, REMT-P, Instructor Trainer, AHA, CEO, WAES, Pennsylvania, USA, and Mr. David P Romig, REMT-P, Instructor Trainer, AHA, International EMS Consultant, WAES, Pennsylvania, USA, to train doctors belonging to the Apollo Hospitals Group to become Instructors for the programs and conduct the programs across the country.

Around 70 medical personnel including Doctors, Para-medics and Nurses underwent the Basic Life Support Program on 2 June 2002 and were certified by AHA. Advanced Cardiac Life Support Training was imparted to 26 Doctors from Hyderabad, Chennai and New Delhi from 3 to 5 June and have been certified by AHA in ACLS. The best 10 amongst those who attended the BLS and ACLS Programs have been certified as Instructors.

It was in May, AHA accorded recognition to Apollo as an ITO for enhancing the quality of emergency care in India through it's training programs. Apollo is the first organization in India to receive this prestigious recognition from the American Heart Association (AHA).

American Heart Association is a pioneer in emergency care and is dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. It has established high standards and strict protocols in emergency care over the years through extensive research and experience. The protocols laid are efficient, effective and are Gold Standards of Emergency Care. These protocols are implemented uniformly across USA and is mandatory for all those involved in Emergency Care to be trained and certified by American Heart Association. AHA and its certified professionals are well acclaimed across the globe for their quality emergency care. A testimony to its excellent work is the significant reduction in the death rate from heart diseases over the last couple of decades in USA.