Apollo Hospitals, Bilaspur, has successfully performed a complex esophagectomy on a patient with esophageal cancer. The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Amol Padegaonkar, Surgical Oncologist, Apollo Hospitals, Bilaspur.    The patient had a 5 cm esophageal tumour with involvement of two lymph nodes. Chemoradiotherapy was administered before surgery to reduce the tumour burden. The surgical team subsequently removed the cancer-affected portion of the esophagus and reconstructed the digestive passage using the patient’s stomach.    During an esophagectomy, part or all of the esophagus is removed. The stomach may then be reshaped into a tube and brought upwards to restore continuity of the digestive tract. The procedure is technically demanding and requires coordinated expertise in surgical oncology, anaesthesia, critical care and other specialties.   The case also reinforces the importance of promptly evaluating possible symptoms of esophageal cancer. Persistent difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss, the sensation of food becoming stuck while eating, or recurrent vomiting should not be ignored. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should consult a doctor without delay.  The procedure demonstrates that multidisciplinary cancer treatment and complex reconstructive surgery can be delivered closer to home. It also reflects the growing availability of advanced surgical oncology services in Chhattisgarh and neighbouring parts of Central India. 

A first-of-its-kind initiative extending consultations, diagnostics, preventive health checks and scheduled care to Sundays across Apollo Hospitals.New Delhi, August 18, 2026: Apollo Hospitals today announced the launch of ‘Always Open. Always Here.’, a first-of-its-kind initiative that makes routine and planned healthcare services available across all seven days of the week, including Sundays.  Apollo’s emergency, critical care and inpatient services have always been available 24x7. The new initiative extends Sunday access to outpatient consultations, diagnostics, preventive health checks, follow-up consultations and scheduled procedures, helping patients and families seek timely care without waiting for a weekday.For many working Indians, time is one of the biggest barriers to timely healthcare. Busy work schedules, family responsibilities and weekday commitments often lead people to postpone consultations, tests and health checks. Apollo’s Health of the Nation 2026 Report has pointed to the rising burden of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and metabolic disorders, increasingly affecting Indians during their most productive years. The report further highlights that based on health screenings from over 2.5 mn individuals across the Apollo ecosystem in India, there is certainly a rise of a silent epidemic, where millions are living with undiagnosed chronic conditions despite showing no visible symptoms. Nearly 26% were found hypertensive and 23% diabetic despite being asymptomatic, underlining that a symptom-led healthcare model is no longer viable.‘Always Open. Always Here.’ addresses this gap by giving patients one more day to act on their health before delay becomes risk.Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “For more than four decades, Apollo has believed that healthcare is not only about treating illness, but about protecting health and preventing disease. ‘Always Open. Always Here.’ is a continuation of that promise. We have always been available for emergencies and critical care. We are now extending the same commitment to routine and preventive care across all seven days of the week. This is our seal of service to every Indian.”He added, “This initiative is also a tribute to every doctor, nurse, technician and healthcare worker at Apollo, and to their families. Healthcare is a profession built on service above self. Their commitment allows us to take this step for patients and families across India. If one timely consultation helps detect disease early or prevent a crisis, we would have changed a life. If we inspire millions to choose care before crisis, we would have changed the future.”A legacy of firsts, now taking on the barrier of timeApollo Hospitals has always believed that healthcare transformation begins by challenging what society has learnt to accept as normal. Dr Reddy questioned why a place meant to save a life should be called ‘Casualty’ and helped redefine it as ‘Emergency’ across hospitals. He lent his voice to ending smoking on flights when it was still considered commonplace and helped give pharmacies the unmistakable green identity recognised today. These were simple changes that altered behaviour and have been thehallmark of his journey: to see what others take for granted, ask why it cannot change, and then change it for millions.Since 1983, Apollo has played a defining role in Indian healthcare: cardiac surgeries that had never before been performed on Indian soil; South Asia’s first Proton Cancer Centre; preventive care pioneered through the Master Health Check, which has touched over 30 million lives; and one of the world’s busiest solid-organ transplant programmes. Apollo Prohealth has been the first AI-powered risk prediction and analysis designed to help individuals identify health risks earlier and take informed action before conditions progress. Patients from over 150 countries now walk through Apollo’s doors.With ‘Always Open. Always Here.’, Apollo adds another first: taking on the barrier of time in routine healthcare.Dr Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, said, “People should be able to seek medical care at a time that fits more easily into their lives. For working professionals, caregivers and families balancing multiple responsibilities, having the option to consult a doctor, complete a health check or continue with follow-up care, particularly on Sundays, can make a meaningful difference. ‘Always Open. Always Here.’ reflects our commitment to ensuring that the trusted care people expect from Apollo is available every day of the week, whenever they need it.”What changes for patientsPatients will be able to access specialist consultations, preventive health checks, diagnostics, follow-up consultations and scheduled procedures on Sundays, subject to hospital-specific schedules and service readiness. This means a working professional can complete a health check without taking weekday leave, a family can bring an ageing parent for a planned diagnostic test, and a patient awaiting a follow-up consultation need not wait until Monday.The initiative will use Apollo’s existing clinical infrastructure, doctors, diagnostics, operating theatres and coordinated care teams to make Sunday access more structured and patient friendly.For Apollo, this is a natural extension of its long-standing commitment to make quality healthcare more timely, accessible and patient-centred.For more information: 044 4040 1066

Apollo Hospitals has launched the "Always Open. Always Here." initiative on 18 August 2026, extending routine and planned healthcare services across all days of the week. While emergency, critical care and inpatient services have long operated 24x7, patients can now access outpatient consultations, diagnostics, preventive health checks, follow-up appointments and scheduled procedures on Sundays. The initiative addresses a practical barrier to timely healthcare: weekday commitments. Work schedules and family responsibilities can lead people to postpone consultations and screening, potentially delaying the identification and management of chronic conditions. Apollo’s Health of the Nation 2026 report, based on screenings of more than 2.5 million people across its ecosystem in India, highlights the importance of preventive healthcare. Nearly 26% were found to have hypertension and 23% were found to have diabetes despite being asymptomatic, underscoring the limitations of waiting for symptoms before seeking care.Emphasising Apollo’s focus on prevention, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Founder & Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “For more than four decades, Apollo has believed that healthcare is not only about treating illness, but about protecting health and preventing disease.” He added that even one timely consultation that enables early detection or helps avert a health crisis can make a life-changing difference, while encouraging millions to seek care before a crisis could help reshape the future of healthcare.Highlighting the initiative’s scale, Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, said that the Apollo system, spanning more than 80 locations across the country, is coming together to support the initiative. She emphasised that making hospitals available on Sundays for routine consultations and services can help people seek healthcare without having to wait for a weekday or take time off work.By improving all-week access, Apollo aims to give patients greater flexibility to prioritise prevention, early detection and timely intervention; helping people choose care before health risks escalate into a crisis.

Apollo Hospitals extended its surgical expertise to a wide clinical audience as Dr. Nitish Jhawar, General and Laparoscopic Surgeon at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai, represented the organisation as Operating Faculty at Lap Unlimited, an international live operative workshop on minimally invasive surgery held at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. The programme brought together surgeons from India and neighbouring countries, including Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Live procedures were relayed to 92 centres across India and abroad, extending the workshop’s educational reach to nearly 4,000 surgeons. During the programme, Dr. Jhawar demonstrated laser surgery for pilonidal sinus disease and laser hemorrhoidoplasty, sharing operative techniques and practical surgical insights with participating clinicians. Such live operative workshops provide opportunities for surgeons to observe procedural techniques and exchange clinical knowledge in real time, supporting continued professional learning. The choice of treatment for conditions such as pilonidal sinus disease and haemorrhoids, however, should remain individualised, considering disease characteristics, available evidence, patient preferences and the treating surgeon’s clinical assessment.Dr. Jhawar’s participation reflects Apollo Hospitals’ continued emphasis on clinical education, responsible adoption of advanced surgical techniques and knowledge-sharing across borders. By connecting surgical expertise with wider professional learning, initiatives such as these can support informed clinical practice and the continued advancement of patient-centred surgical care.