Apollo Health City, Hyderabad, has been conferred the coveted National Tourism Award for ‘Best Medical Tourism Facility’ for the year 2017-18. This is the third consecutive year and overall sixth time, Apollo Health City has been bestowed with the prestigious honour. Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Honorable Minister of State (Independent charge), for Tourism and Culture and Shri Zurab Poolikashvili, Secretary General, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) presented the award at a glittering ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Shri V. Srinivas Goud, Honorable Tourism Minister of Telangana, received the award along with the delegation from Apollo Hospitals. Speaking about the award, Dr Prathap C Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India has the potential to become the preferred global healthcare destination. Our clinical excellence, marked by quality processes, best patient safety practices, and ongoing commitment to innovation, has not only helped us make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable but has placed us on cutting edge of healthcare delivery, affording us several differentiators in various Centres of Excellence. Today, Apollo Hospitals welcomes patients from across the world, who come to experience world-class healthcare complemented by our rich heritage of healing and vibrant culture, all at a fraction of the cost as compared to the West!” “We appreciate the government’s efforts to promote medical value tourism by easing the visa regime for medical visits and the introduction of e-visa for medical tourists. This has resulted in the number of patients coming to India for treatment growing at a rate of 20-25% year on year,” he added. The latest figures available for 2017 show that almost 500,000 medical tourists visited India for various treatments including cardiac surgery, cancer treatment, bone marrow transplant, eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, orthopaedic surgery including hip replacement, and alternative medicine. Before the award for 2017-18, Apollo Health City, Hyderabad, was conferred the honour for the years 2009-10, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17. “Receiving the ‘Best Medical Tourism Facility’ award and being recognized nationally for our world-class healthcare services makes us feel very gratified and privileged. We owe this recognition to our consultants, doctors, nurses and support staff who provide selfless relentless service to our patients, particularly our international patients, who visit us from over 150 countries,” said Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.

The Week-Hansa Research Survey 2019 has adjudged Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad as the best hospitals in their respective cities. Apollo Hospitals in Bengaluru and Mumbai were placed second and ninth respectively. The survey covered 17 cities (plus the National Capital Region) that are important medical centres in the country. The parameters used to rank were , overall reputation, competency of doctors, infrastructure and facilities, patient care, hospital environment and research innovation.

Apollo Hospitals Group launched Apollo ProHealth Program, the most powerful, proactive Health Management program. Apollo ProHealth is a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive health program, powered by pHRA (personalised Health Risk Assessment), enabled by Artificial Intelligence. This program is specially curated and conceptualised by Apollo’s experts and innovators in preventive healthcare, based on the experience & learning of over 20 million health checks conducted by Apollo Hospitals . ProHealth empowers individuals & businesses with actionable health analytics, to know & eradicate health risks, and, lead healthier & happier lives. The program brings technology & human elements together by providing a personal Health Mentor to guide each individual to stay focused on health track and gain better health & lasting happiness. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “We all are focused on cure not care. I want people to focus on the CARE in HealthCare. Treating diseases is not the only way to health. If we care for our health we will not need to cure anything ever. The world is facing a tsunami of NCDs (Non-communicable diseases), that is threatening even our young generation. An economy like ours, which is both ambitious and aggressive, needs healthy citizens to realise its true potential. This is not possible with the growing menace of lifestyle diseases or NCDs. Cancer, Diabetes, Strokes, Obesity, Smoking are increasingly impacting our capability, which in turn impacts our productivity & economic growth. Apollo ProHealth is an innovative giant step towards changing the way we treat our health. A true healer heals before there is need to heal.” Apollo Hospitals Group had introduced to the country its first ‘Personalized Preventive Health Check’ over four decades ago, and now we are introducing the world’s most powerful preventive health management program to redefine newer dimensions of healthcare today. About 80% of NCDs mortality is preventable, and, Apollo ProHealth program will help prevent these preventable deaths.” he added. Ms. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “Non-communicable diseases pose the greatest healthcare challenge. The WHO has emphasized that chronic lifestyle ailments are best managed via preventive measures. Preventive healthcare in the form of personalised and health management programs can play a vital role in detecting diseases in their early stages. Apollo ProHealth is designed on the three principles of Predict, Prevent and Overcome to ensure tangible, measurable changes in the lives of people. The use of AI to assess risk is backed by learning gained from over 20 million health checks and the program will transform the concept of preventive healthcare in the country. With the AI enabled personalised Health Risk Assessment (pHRA), Health Mentor and appropriate clinical and life style interventions every individual is guided at every step on to the pathway towards healthy living.” Ms. Upasana Kemineni Konidela, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Foundation, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, said on the occasion, “Work life dynamics are fast changing around us. Challenges of the lifestyle diseases or NCDs (Non- Communicable Diseases) is on an up rise. Our workforce is fast succumbing to tsunami of NCDs, suffering from preventable deaths and disability due to Stroke, Diabetes, Cancer, Obesity, sleep deprivation, Cardiac ailments etc. The situation is critical and alarming given more people at increasingly younger ages falling prey to them. It is imperative to bring Health into the main stream of business planning by corporate organisations. Preventing workforce from the ill effects of tsunami of NCDs using predictive tools to mitigate issues at an early stage is essential given that this tsunami can strike anyone anytime. In today’s complex and fast-changing health care environment, visionary employers must take a lead in providing innovative approaches for employee health and well-being while realizing real results. I’m certain that a small shift from curative to preventive health-watch with a mid to long term view will better the health index of employees”. Dr. Prathap C Reddy added, “Life is Priceless! The notional value of a human body as indicated by scientists is in excess of 6 trillion dollars. This is what it would cost if we had the ability to make a human being. It is our responsibility to protect that which is truly priceless – our body and health! Let’s together declare war on NCDs and ensure good health and happiness for all!” Apollo ProHealth has been launched in Chennai and Hyderabad and plans are in place to cover all the metro cities by subsequently. Apollo ProHealth will be launched and be available across the Apollo ecosystem by the end of the year.

Apollo Hospitals Group conducted the 8th edition of the International Patient Safety Conference (IPSC) and the 9th edition of the International Conference on Transforming Healthcare with Information Technology (THIT), inaugurated by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. Over 2500 delegates from 120 countries attended Asia’s largest patient safety-focused conference and the largest healthcare and IT-based International conference and trade show in India. The conferences were organised under the aegis of International Health Dialogue, a platform that brings together international hospital leaders, medical and information technology companies, and public policy makers to debate and discuss solutions to global challenges in healthcare. Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “It has always been our vision to bring the best of world-class healthcare for the benefits of patients in India, and over the decades we have successfully been at the forefront of ensuring healthcare that is comparable to the best globally for our patients. At the same time, it is important to build a model of global collaboration with a platform where healthcare stakeholders from all over the world can come together for healthy dialogue and discussions, share best practices and exchange ideas and experiences. The International Health Dialogue is such a platform and we look forward to more such conferences in the future to ensure that we are prepared for the changing face of disease with the rising ‘tsunami’ of non-communicable diseases or NCDs. With modern technology and AI taking center place, we need to keep abreast of the latest developments and ways to harness it for delivering the best of healthcare services to the patients. At the same time, we must not lose sight of patient safety, which is an important factor affecting healthcare outcomes. I am thankful for the Government of Telangana for their support in this important mission.” The 8th edition of the International Patient Safety Conference (IPSC) is a not-for-profit initiative which addressed the critical issues in patient safety with global experts discussing the role of proactive practices and streamlined systems in improving patient safety. The 9th edition of the International Conference on Transforming Healthcare with Information Technology (THIT) organized by the Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation and Apollo Hospitals Group had over 50 eminent speakers from India and abroad who participated in interactive sessions, educational programs, and a trade exhibition showcasing the latest products, technology, services and industry information. With sessions based on this year’s theme of ‘Imagine, Innovate, Inspire’, IPSC provided an opportunity to learn from patient safety and quality experts from across the world. The discussions at the conference ranged from debates on technology versus touch; the healthcare workforce of the future; overall patient safety aspects included infection control, medication management, radiation safety to facility safety and accreditations. THIT conference had over 500 decision-makers from 10 countries in the nascent Healthcare and IT industry which comprised of leading IT companies and leading healthcare institutions in attendance. National organizations like the Indian Medical Association, Telemedicine Society of India, Computer Society of India, Indian Association for Medical Informatics and several Government organizations also participated. Ms. Preetha Reddy, Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, said “Our team and collaborators have been working endlessly in the last couple of months on bringing this massive event to fruition and we are proud to host it for not just our national delegates but those from abroad as well. The International Patient Safety Conference will serve as a platform where all stakeholders can share experiences, exchange ideas, and discuss best practices for improving patient safety, which comprises a vital aspect of healthcare delivery. We look forward to an outcome where the suggestions generated are integrated into a national policy to improve patient safety across the healthcare system.” Adding insights on THIT conference, Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The conference showcases AI in Healthcare, Machine Learning in Medical Imaging, Enterprise Digital Health Solutions, Digital Health in Health Delivery Organizations Standards and Policies for Digital Health in India from national and international healthcare technological luminaries. This conference is a platform where healthcare and information technology entrepreneurs, professionals, and students will get insights into how medical technology and innovation is disrupting the healthcare industry, and the need to keep pace with this transformation. We hope that the conference will lead to an understanding of the need to invest in and adopt new technologies for cost-effective health outcomes that are beneficial to all stakeholders in the Indian healthcare industry” The occasion also saw the national launch of preview of AI CVD Risk Score developed in joint collaboration by Apollo Hospitals and Microsoft India. As part of Microsoft’s AI Network for Healthcare initiative, Microsoft India and Apollo Hospitals Group have set up a National Clinical Coordination Committee (NCCC) for the Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score, consisting of leading doctors from Apollo Hospitals; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; and King George’s Medical University, Lucknow. The AI-powered Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score API is an Intelligent Platform that can predict cardiovascular disease risk score in the Indian population. With over 2,00,000 people screened using the AI-driven API on Microsoft Azure across Apollo Hospitals over the last one year, the platform has been successful in allowing physicians to predict the risk score of patients 5 to 7 years in advance. With the national launch of the platform, doctors across the Apollo network of hospitals as well as doctors in other leading Indian hospitals will be able to access and leverage this AI-powered API to predict risk of CVD and drive preventive cardiac care in patients across the country.

Apollo Hospitals, Indore is the first hospital in Madhya Pradesh to perform complex valve replacement using the ‘pin-hole’ technique. Replacement of the aortic valve with a minimally invasive procedure called TAVR was performed successfully on a 69-year-old female patient. Patient thought that the worst was over for her after she underwent a complex open-heart surgery in other hospital to replace her faulty valve last year. However, life took a different turn when she started experiencing breathlessness, instances of chest pain, unexplained fainting and blackouts since May 2019. Pained with her increasing difficulty she reached Dr. Roshan Rao, Consultant Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals Indore for a detailed evaluation and it was found that the same artificial valve of the heart had again become narrow or blocked. Dr. Rao explained that though it is very rare , in a small percentage of the cases, the newly replaced valve becomes narrow again. This patient was one such case, who’s newly replaced valve became narrow which further limited her heart’s output. Due to this she developed renal dysfunction i.e. kidneys were not functioning properly. Dr. Sarita Rao, Consultant Cardiologist said “in such cases performing a second time open-heart surgery becomes riskier and it is not advisable. This is where the newer innovations in medical science such as the valve solutions from Medtronic comes in as a blessing. The valve is made up of natural tissue leaflets and does not require a strong blood thinner as in a metal surgical valve.” Unlike an open heart surgery, which is very complex, TAVR is seemingly less complex — achieved through a pinhole insertion in the groin (an artery in leg) where a catheter is inserted first to create a passage through which later the valve is pushed in. Once the new valve is implanted, the catheter is removed and the new valve starts working right away. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Roshan Rao added it was indeed a very tough case and we are immensely pleased that our approach in this case brought us better than expected results. The valve was placed perfectly and the parameters were well within the normal range and there were no post procedural complications. Patient regained consciousness immediately and was greeted when wheeled out of the Cath lab by members of her family — which was a very satisfying sight for all of us. Dr. Sai Satish Senior Consultant and Director TAVR program Apollo Hospital & Research Center Chennai, commented that in India about 15 Lakh individuals are suffering from a faulty valve condition. TAVR, which is an established standard of care for aortic stenosis in Europe and USA, is now emerging in India as a promising treatment. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ashok Bajpai, Director, Apollo Hospitals shared that it was a moment of pride for Apollo Hospitals and the state of Madhya Pradesh — to bring within the reach of natives of our state, trends, practices and procedures performed by the best hospitals in the world at one-tenth of the cost in the West. I congratulate Dr. Roshan and Sarita Rao along with our cardiac surgeon Dr. Khitish Dubey, Cardiac Anesthetist Dr Vikas Gupta and Dr. Sai Satish and Dr. Ganapathy who travelled all the way from Apollo Hospitals, Chennai to make this maiden effort possible’

Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Nellore has successfully performed the first TAVI in Rayalaseema & the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh on a 69-year-old patient. Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Nellore is also the second hospital in Andhra Pradesh to perform TAVI, the first being done by Apollo Hospitals, Visakhapatnam. Dr. Sengottuvelu and his team from Apollo Hospitals Greams Road and Dr Bakthavatsala Reddy and his team from Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Nellore have taken the department of Cardiology to the next level in Andhra Pradesh. Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Nellore is the only hospital to perform MICS and TAVI in this region. Read more about how Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Nellore performed its first TAVI  

Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai successfully performed its first heart transplant on a chronic heart failure patient. The heart transplant team led by Dr. Sanjeev Jadhav, Consultant, Heart & Lung Transplant Surgeon retrieved the heart from the deceased donor at MGM Hospital, Vashi and transplanted it into the 33-year-old male recipient at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai on July 27, 2019. The heart was transported from MGM Hospitals Vashi through a Green Corridor specially created for the purpose, to Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai with a distance of 12 km covered in just 10 minutes. The donor was a 61-year-old male who was declared brain dead as per the clinical protocols. The family was counselled for organ donation and they agreed to the organ donation. The recipient of the donor’s heart was 33-year-old Mr. Rajeev Waghmare from Ahmednagar. A patient of chronic heart failure, his medical problems began in June 2017 when he complained of chest pain and was rushed to a medical centre in Ahmednagar where an angiography showed blockage in a coronary vessel. He was medically managed and discharged, but in November 2017, he again complained of chest pain and breathlessness, was referred to a medical center in Mumbai and underwent an angioplasty. Following this, he was admitted multiple times with recurrent heart failure and was referred to Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai with only 20% heart function. He was medically managed at the heart failure clinic and was put on the waitlist for a heart transplant. When a matching donor heart became available on July 27, 2019, it was an opportunity for a second chance at living a normal life. He successfully underwent a heart transplant on July 27, 2019. The heart transplant was performed by Dr. Sanjeev Jadhav, Consultant, Heart & Lung Transplant Surgeon, Dr. Shantesh Kaushik, Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeon and was supported by a team of specialists. Dr. Sanjeev Jadhav, Consultant, Heart & Lung Transplant Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai said, “Today the first transplanted heart beats with new life at Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai! The patient was having recurrent hospital admissions due to heart failure and was on heart supporting drugs. With only marginal heart function, a heart transplant was imperative and the only solution. He was lucky to get a matching donor heart. He is the first case I have seen of cardiac failure due to end-stage heart disease following a honey-bee sting that led to a heart attack and decreased heart function. We are glad for this opportunity to give a second chance at life to the recipient and are happy that the transplant was uneventful and the patient has recovered well.” The heart transplant surgery took 90 minutes, and the patient was shifted to the ICU after completion for observation. Dedicated beds for patients who have undergone heart transplantation in a well-equipped Cardiothoracic ICU with barrier nursing helps avoid infective complications. The patient, Rajeev Waghmare said, “I had lost hope of leading a normal life after my heart began to fail. I have great hope and expectations from this life-saving surgery and look forward to returning to normal life with my family. I would like to thank the team at Apollo Hospitals for their care and timely action that enabled me to get a second chance at life. I will be forever grateful to the donor’s family who agreed to donate the organs. The knowledge that my life arises from a life that has been lost due to an unfortunate accident is a humbling thought. I look forward to returning to normal life soon!” Mr. Santosh Marathe, COO & Unit Head, Apollo Hospitals Navi Mumbai said, “We are proud to have performed the first heart transplant here in our hospital. This is a testament to our world-class quality and expertise in solid organ transplant programs. We are sure that we will be able to provide the patient with an unparalleled standard of care and look forward to offering this critical care to more patients in the future.” With medication to keep the body from rejecting the new heart, many heart transplant recipients lead a long and productive life. The Apollo Hospitals group currently have patients leading good quality of life even after nearly 10 years of post-heart transplant. The dedicated multi-disciplinary heart transplant team comprises of Transplant Surgeons, Transplant Cardiologists, Intensivists/Critical Care Specialists, Pulmonologists, Infectious Disease Consultants, Immunologists, Pathologists, Transplant Co-ordinators, trained ICU & Ward Nurses and a Liaison officer. The cutting edge transplant centre has a rejection and infection surveillance system which meticulously follows up to prevent complications, such as infections, organ rejection, diabetes and osteoporosis as a consequence of immunosuppressive therapy.

Mr. Dharma, 29-years-old from Mysore, met with an accident near Chunchunkatte, KR Nagara Taluk and was brought to Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore at 8:15 pm on 14th August 2019 in an unconscious and critical condition. Initial CT scan showed severe traumatic brain injury. Patient was shifted to ICU for life support & intensive care. He was kept on life support the whole night and the patient was in a very critical state. Patient was declared brain dead due to brain stem failure, as per the hospital protocol stipulated by the transplant of human organs act 1994 by panel list doctors at Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore. Mr. Dharma was healthy before the incident and further tests confirmed his eligibility for organ donation. Attenders were counseled for organ donation as per the defined protocol, and subsequently the deceased patient’s brother & relatives came forward to donate Mr. Dharma’s organs. As per organ donation protocols, officials from Jeeva Sarthakathe which was earlier known as ZCCK initiated the process as per the organ recipients waiting list. Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru is very thankful to the deceased family for coming forward for this noble cause and promote Organ Donation!

Bold decisions in the interest of the nation are becoming the new normal in India, they signal a resolute determination to decline anything less than the very best for every Indian. This change in attitude underlines a commitment to bring about positive societal change along with the courage to face obstacles if any, along the course. In life, there is possibly nothing more unfortunate than the inability to avert a preventable fatality. It is estimated that more than a million people suffer from end-stage organ failure, but no more than 3,500 transplants are performed annually. Organ transplantation is the medical procedure that could have saved them giving them a second lease of life. August 13 is celebrated as ‘World Organ Donation Day‘ and is dedicated to motivate people to pledge to donate their organs. Organ donation is probably the noblest way to living beyond one’s death and giving another person, a new lease of life. Do bear in mind that no one is too old or too young to be a donor as anyone above the age of 18 years can pledge to donate their organs. Every single day, at least 15 patients die waiting for an organ and every 10 minutes a new name is added to this waiting list. India is struggling with an acute shortage of organs for transplantation and the numbers highlight the yawning gap between the number of organs required and the organs available for transplantation. This gap is very unfortunate as organs from an individual can save up to 8 lives. According to estimates, almost a quarter-million awaits a kidney transplant, but no more than 5 per cent actually can get one. The situation is worse for heart transplants. Organ Donation is saving a donor’s organs like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas, after the donor dies, for the purpose of transplanting them into another person who is in need of an organ. In spite of being the second most populous nation in the world, the organ donation rate in India is one of the lowest globally with only 0.8 per million people opting to donate their organs. While over the last five to six years, there has been an increase in the number of donors, yet as the base is very small, the impact too is quite low. Several cine celebrities, sportsmen and business captains have supported the cause and their backing has certainly furthered the movement. In particular, the southern state of Tamil Nadu has been aggressively promoting and supporting the cause of organ donation. It was the first state in India that made the declaration of brain death mandatory. Alongside whenever needed, citizens, traffic police and government bodies come together in a concerted manner to create green corridors, which are special routes created to enable harvested organs reach the intended hospital waiting for it, as quickly as possible. Likewise, a successful case in point is that of Singapore. Their organ donor policy assumes all citizens above 21 to be willing donors unless they have registered for an opt-out. Likewise, several European nations too have ‘presumed consent’ legislation. Given the situation with regard to organ donation in our nation, I am hopeful that India too will witness a path-breaking regulatory change for organ donation. It is important that we realise the enormity of the situation, its impact and many more people must step up for the cause of organ donation. India must acknowledge those who pledge their organs, as it will motivate others to follow suit. When one pledges their organs, it represents their life-giving action which can change someone’s life after their demise. It is sharing the gift of life. So put simply, the more the number of donors, the greater would be the likelihood of organs being available for a patient in need. The Creator has given human beings the most intricate body – one that is truly priceless. In a study done by Prof Harold J. Morowitz at the Yale University, he estimated that to create the human body, it would cost more than six thousand trillion dollars – that’s 77 times the GDP of the world and this is without the intuitive intelligence that we are all blessed with. So, one would agree that it is vital that we should not only cherish our priceless bodies, but also preserve life for the future, by donating organs. A life saved is a life blossoming to its fullest potential. In November 2018, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of India’s first successful liver transplant surgery, which was performed at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. In 1998, a twenty-month Sanjay Kandasamy had a part of his father’s liver transplanted into him. Now the energetic 21-year old man is training to become a doctor. I am hoping that soon, our nation’s leaders institute regulation wherein everyone automatically donates their organs after their lifetime, unless they specifically opt-out of it. Dr. Prathap C. Reddy Founder and Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group

Dr. Latha Kanchi Parthasarathy, Consultant Neonatologist, Apollo Children’s Hospitals along with her team played a crucial role in Baby Nethran’s care through an eight-month battle. Baby Nethran underwent a series of procedures and chemotherapy at the Apollo Children’s Hospitals throughout his treatment period. Baby Nethran was born on 9th November 2018 in Chennai as a pre-term baby within eight months of conception. Baby was further diagnosed with a hole in the heart followed by sepsis, recurrent lung collapses, rare cancerous tumour in the liver and abnormal fusion of his skull bones. Read more how Apollo Children’s Hospitals saved a pre-term baby’s life  

As part of Microsoft’s AI Network for Healthcare initiative, Microsoft India and Apollo Hospitals Group have set up a National Clinical Coordination Committee (NCCC) for the AI-powered Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score API (application program interface). The committee consists of leading doctors from Apollo Hospitals; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; and King George’s Medical University, Lucknow. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the biggest cause of mortality in India with nearly 25 percent of mortalities – amongst the age group of 25 to 69 years. The condition also seems to affect Indians at least a decade earlier as compared to Europeans. Given the high prevalence of CVDs affecting Indians, Apollo Hospitals and Microsoft India, in 2018, launched the first ever AI-powered CVD Risk Score API, designed specifically to predict the risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) in the Indian population. Till date, over 200,000 people have already been screened using the AI-powered API across Apollo Hospitals and in many cases, physicians have been able to predict the risk score of patients 5 to 7 years in advance. Built on Microsoft Azure, the API aims to determine a more accurate CVD risk score for the Indian population taking into consideration risk factors including lifestyle attributes like diet, tobacco & smoking preferences, physical activity and psychological stress & anxiety. Speaking about the National Clinical Coordination Committee, Ms. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “We have brought some of the best cardiologists from renowned hospitals like AIIMS and KGMU together to be a part of this committee. The NCCC will help us immensely in our fight against the rising tsunami of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). We are also extending the scope of our partnership with Microsoft to meet the growing healthcare demands of people across the country and contribute more towards saving precious lives.” The NCCC will be assisting the core team at Apollo Hospitals and Microsoft by providing guidance on all cardiology and cardiovascular related AI projects; clinical insights on developing clinical algorithm and treatment guidelines based on the inferences of national, multi centre prospective study. “The NCCC is a great step forward as part of our partnership with Apollo. We are also engaging global consortium partners to scale the AI-powered API. We have already received approval for a pilot study and we hope that the findings will enable physicians to better understand the causes of CVDs in Indian population,” said Anil Bhansali, Corporate Vice President, Cloud & Enterprise, Microsoft. Apollo Hospitals and Microsoft India are already in discussions with renowned health systems across the world to scale the API and contribute towards World Health Organization’s goal of reducing the risk of premature mortality (30 to 69 years of age) from NCDs, including CVDs, by 25% by 2025.11 https://www.who.int/nmh/events/ncd_action_plan/en/

  Doctors at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals saved the life of a three-week-old baby girl Inaya from a rare heart condition known as Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA). A resident of Bulandshahr, Inaya presented with complaints of respiratory distress with excessive sweating and fast breathing with difficulty. When her parents brought her to the emergency department of Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi the child suffered from a heart attack, which means, her heart stopped beating. Read more about the complicated case of ALCAPA and how our doctors brought her back to good health