Eminent cardiac surgeon Dr K M Cherian, Director, Madras Medical Mission, said that the country had made tremendous progress in cardiology, especially in non-invasive method of treatment. The progress was so fast that he wondered what would happen to surgeons like him when technology reduced the role of a surgeon.

Inaugurating the 8th annual conference of the Cardiological Society of India, AP Chapter, at Hotel Viceroy, in Hyderabad, Dr Cherian said even in paediatric cardiology several interventional and non-interventional procedures were taking place. A child's heart could be monitored even when it was in the mother's womb and the defects, if any, could be corrected before its birth.

He said the developments like angioplasty and stenting had made the surgeon's task easy. So far India had depended on the western countries for latest medical equipment, but now several such equipment were being manufactured indigenously. He complimented Dr Somaraju, Director of CARE Hospital, for pioneering the manufacture of Kalam-Raju stent and also for the development of an indigenous Cathlab in the hospital in association with BPL. Dr Somaraju is also in the process of developing a drug-coated stent. At present only one company in Surat produces drug eluting stents in the country.

While appreciating the development of indigenous medical equipment, Dr Cherian stressed the need for a very good back-up service. He said the advantage of imported equipment was the efficient back-up service and the Indian manufacturers should concentrate on this most important aspect.

He said the Indian healthcare service, especially cardiology, was comparable to the best in the world and at the same it was available at an affordable cost. Dr Cherian also made the Dr K V Naidu Memorial Oration.

About 250 delegates from all over Andhra Pradesh attended the two-day conference on April 12 and 13. The conference debated on various recent advances in coronary artery disease (CAD) management, highlighting the importance of newer devices like Drug Eluting Stents in the management of coronary blocks. Besides Dr Cherian, several eminent cardiologists like Dr Nakul Sinha from SGPGIMS, Lucknow, and Dr P Kerkar from KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Dr Somaraju, Dr Prasad Reddy and Dr Sudhir Naik among others from Hyderabad, presented papers and enlightened the delegates on recent advances in cardiology.

The issues involving day-to-day management of cardiac patients, prevention of heart attack and risk factors like DM, hypertension and smoking were discussed at the conference.

At the inaugural function, Dr Somaraju released Care, a quarterly news magazine being published by BPL. According to K D Vakil, Chief Executive of its distribution wing, the company manufactures cost-effective indigenous medical equipment. The company has 80 % market share in ECG machines. Bedside cardiac monitors, defibrillators, ultrasound scanners and pulse oximeters are some of its fast selling equipment. It has 185 dealers across the country.