Apollo completes 15 years of Liver Transplantation
DHAKA, Nov. 20 (Apollo Press Release) –The Apollo Transplant Institute, under the aegis of the Apollo Group of Hospitals, marks its 15th anniversary of having conducted India’s first successful liver transplant in November 2013.
The Apollo solid organ transplant program has registered unprecedented growth to become the world’s busiest solid organ transplant program with 1200 transplants (360 liver and 840 kidney) in 2012.
The Hospitals has successfully completed 30 livers transplant programs for Bangladeshi patients till date.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterologist at Apollo Hospitals, Delhi and part of the team responsible for the first successful liver transplant said, “when we started our liver transplant program in 1998 little did we realize that we can make such a big difference and become the busiest solid organ transplant program in the world. We have been able to bring in world-class infrastructure to the region at a fraction of the prevailing cost in the West. More than the numbers, which speak volumes themselves, it’s our commitment to our patients and their families from 44 countries who have put their trust in us that we value the most.”
‘The Apollo boasts today of multiple transplant centers,’ added Dr. Sibal, “we now perform atleast 3 solid organ transplants a day and have completed 1500 Liver Transplants. And all this comes with quality outcomes that are benchmarked with the best in the world”.
To mark the 15th anniversary, the Group is planning to felicitate the first patient to have undergone a transplant in India through a series of engagements and programs. Sanjay Kandasamy at the age of 18 months, became the first Indian in 1998 to successfully undergo a liver transplant. Today, the young teenager is healthy and a living testament to the programs outcomes. Sanjay hopes to become a doctor himself one day in order to save lives of others in need.
The Group has also launched a unique initiative in 2011 to promote organ donation under the Gift A Life banner. The Group felt the acute need to create awareness on organ donation, which has very low rates in the sub-continental region. “If more
people come forward to become organ donors, no citizen of any country would have to die for a want of an organ, and Gift A Life is our endeavor towards achieving that goal”, added Dr. Sibal. Ace cricketer GautamGambhir is the ambassador of this Gift a Life initiative.
About Apollo Hospitals
In 1983, Dr Prathap C Reddy, the architect of Indian healthcare, launched the first corporate hospital in India, Apollo Hospitals Chennai. Over the years, Apollo Hospitals Group has grown to become one of Asia’s largest integrated healthcare organizations with over 8,500 beds across 50 hospitals, more than 1350 pharmacies and over 100 diagnostic clinics. The Group also offers medical business process outsourcing services, health insurance services and clinical research divisions with a focus on epidemiological studies, stem cell research and genetic research. To develop talent for the burgeoning need of superior healthcare delivery, Apollo Hospitals Group has 11 nursing and hospital management colleges. These achievements have earned Apollo Hospitals Group several accolades, including the Centre of Excellence from the Government of India and recognition from the Joint Commission International (seven of our hospitals are JCI accredited). In a rare honour, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo’s contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan, in 2010. Apollo Hospitals Group, for over 28 years, has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Our hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals globally for advanced medical services and research.