Chennai: GEM Hospital organised the ‘Beneficiary meeting’ of patients who underwent bariatric surgery under the Tamilnadu Comprehensive Chief Ministers Health Insurance Scheme. Over 100 such surgeries have been performed under the scheme. State Health and Family Welfare Minister C Vijayabaskar and Health Secretary Beela Rajesh participated at the meeting held here recently.
Speaking on the occasion, Vijayabaskar said, “Tamilnadu is the only State to recognise Bariatric Surgery under the Chief Minister’s Insurance Scheme benefitting those suffering from obesity.”
Department of Bariatric Surgery head at GEM Hospital, Dr Praveen Raj said, “Bariatric surgery refers to laparoscopic procedure performed with the intent of treatment of morbid obesity, type 2 diabetes and related co-morbidities. It is a part of the special procedures under TNHSP (Tamilnadu Health Systems Project), which is the first of its kind in India. Many States are in the process of following our model on the same. With lifestyle diseases emerging to be the major killer of today’s century, bariatric surgery has evolved to be a boon for many, suffering from these diseases that’s refractory to lifestyle modifications and medical management alone.”
“World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised obesity as a disease. Hypertension, infertility, sleep apnea, cardiac illness and eventual increase in morbidity and mortality, chances of type 2 diabetes are some of the ill effects of obesity. Any treatment relating to this disease is a life saving procedure. We have already completed over 100 such procedures in our hospital successfully with tremendous improvements in the quality and quantity of life of these patients,” he added.
Many patients who have recovered from obesity shared their journey and improvements in the associated co-morbidities and their suffering. More than 50 patients from different parts of the State participated in the function and were honoured, a press release said.