Prayag Hospital doctors successfully removed a large benign ovarian teratoma through laparoscopic surgery while preserving healthy ovarian tissue in a 23-year-old woman

The 23-year-old patient was brought to the Emergency Department at Prayag Hospital on September 25, 2026, with severe abdominal pain. Following immediate clinical assessment and investigations, doctors identified a large ovarian teratoma measuring approximately 7 × 8 × 8 cm.

Considering the patient’s clinical condition and the considerable size of the lesion, the case was taken up for emergency laparoscopic surgery. The dedicated Operation Theatre and clinical team ensured prompt preparation for the procedure, allowing surgical management to be undertaken without delay.

The procedure was successfully performed by Dr. Garima Srivastav, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Prayag Hospital and Research Centre Pvt. Ltd. During surgery, the ovarian cyst was carefully dissected and removed through a complete en-bloc cystectomy. The surgical team successfully removed the lesion without rupture or spillage while preserving the surrounding healthy ovarian tissue.

Despite the considerable size of the ovarian lesion, ovarian conservation was successfully achieved. Preservation of healthy ovarian tissue was an important aspect of the procedure, with the aim of maintaining ovarian function and supporting the patient’s future reproductive potential.

The patient made a smooth postoperative recovery and was discharged the following day after a one-day hospital stay. She was advised appropriate follow-up and postoperative care.

Dr. Garima Srivastav, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Prayag Hospital and Research Centre Pvt. Ltd., said, “This was a challenging case because of the size of the ovarian teratoma and the need for careful surgical dissection. The objective was to remove the lesion completely while preserving as much healthy ovarian tissue as possible. Laparoscopic surgery allowed us to perform the procedure with precision and achieve ovarian conservation without rupture or spillage. The patient recovered well and was discharged the following day.”

About Prayag Hospital

Prayag Hospital and Research Centre Pvt. Ltd. began its journey in 1995 as Prayag Orthopedic Centre, a dedicated clinic in Sector 29, Noida, founded by Dr. B. P. Singh. Established on the principle of “Sewa Parmo Dharma,” meaning service is the highest duty, the institution has grown with a commitment to compassionate, ethical, and patient-centric healthcare.

Today, Prayag Hospital is a 120-bedded NABH and NABL accredited hospital equipped with advanced medical infrastructure and supported by experienced doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals. The hospital provides comprehensive services across general medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, emergency care, maternal and child health, and specialized treatments.

Over the years, the hospital has earned the trust of patients through quality healthcare, ethical practices, accessible treatment, and dedicated patient support services. It is also empanelled under various government healthcare schemes and recognized by multiple TPA panels to ensure affordable and accessible healthcare for eligible families.

Unnikrishnan T.S., Proprietor, Microteck; Sandeep Gulati, GM, ResMed India; Ashish Matta, CFO; Sukhman Arora, Marketing Lead; and regional managers at the Kochi inauguration

Located at Deshabhimani Junction, the experience store serves as a dedicated destination for sleep health awareness, education, option for HCP consultation, and therapy demonstrations. Through this initiative, Resmed aims to bridge the gap between diagnosis and therapy adoption by offering individuals a hands-on understanding of sleep apnea and the transformative impact of treatment.
 

The store showcases Resmed’s advanced cloud-connected sleep therapy solutions, like AirSense 11, including devices integrated with the myAir and AirView platforms, enabling remote monitoring of therapy progress, improved adherence and personalised care. Visitors can also access consultations with trained sleep coaches for guidance on therapy options, device usage, and mask selection. While encouraging direct consumer engagement, Resmed continues to recognise healthcare professionals as central to sleep therapy management, reinforcing its commitment to collaboration with the medical fraternity.
 

A key highlight is the Sleep Better Room, an immersive demonstration space where visitors can experience sleep therapy firsthand, try different masks and devices, understand their real-life application, and learn how quality sleep and improved breathing can enhance overall health and well-being.
 

Commenting on the inauguration, Sandeep Gulati, General Manager- India and South Asia, Resmed India said, “We are delighted to inaugurate our first Customer Experience Centre in Kochi, marking an important step in Resmed’s expansion into South India. Kerala and the wider southern region represent an important market for us as we continue to strengthen awareness around sleep health and respiratory care. Through this centre, we aim to create a welcoming, interactive space where consumers can understand their sleep health needs, explore our solutions, and make more informed decisions in consultation with healthcare professionals. This milestone reflects our continued commitment to bringing innovative sleep and respiratory care solutions closer to the people who need them. It is in the direction of Resmed’s mission “to create life changing technologies that people love.”
 

The experience store has been thoughtfully designed to create an engaging and informative environment, featuring awareness galleries, product experience zones, consultation areas, an HCP lounge, and interactive spaces that encourage meaningful conversations around sleep health.
 

The launch reflects Resmed's continued commitment to improving lives through innovation and expanding access to sleep health solutions across India. By creating spaces where patients can learn, experience, and engage directly with therapy solutions, Resmed seeks to raise awareness about sleep apnea and help more people embrace healthier sleep habits.

About Resmed India

Resmed is a global health technology company focused on helping people sleep, breathe and live better. The company develops innovative, cloud-connected medical devices and digital health solutions to transform care for people living with sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic respiratory conditions. Through its sleep and respiratory care technologies, ResMed aims to improve access to effective care and support healthier lives, with a focus on delivering care in the home and clinical settings.

Celebrating World Sight Day (8th October) in India, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, Government of Karnataka and World Health Organization released a report titled ‘Advancing integrated, people-centred eye-care,’ today.  The Report highlighted the integration of ‘Asha Kirana’ as a specialized services into primary health infrastructure in Karnataka.  The document summarised the phased studies conducted from 2022 up till now, comprising a total of eight districts in Karnataka: 14 million primary screenings were conducted, over 4.5 lakh free spectacles provided, and more than 2.5 lakh cataract surgeries were performed during this period. Most importantly, the document spotlit the institutionalisation of 393 vision centres (Drishti Kendras) as a permanent part of the state health system to deliver integrated, community-anchored eye health services at scale, focusing on equity, clinical quality, and sustainability. Each of these vision centres have been mapped to secondary surgical centres to address advanced intervention, such as cataract surgery or specialized management of complex ocular pathologies, thereby providing holistic eye care management in the State.

Bhavna Singh, EssilorLuxottica; Gurudatta Hegde, IAS, Health Commissioner; Dr Vivek Durai, Joint Director; Venu Ambati, OneSight Foundation; UT Khader Minister & Dr Krishna Prasad K

With the shared commitment of providing equitable eye care, the Report was released by Hon’ble Minister of Health, Government of Karnataka, Shri U T Khader Fareed in the presence of Venu Ambati, President Greater India, EssilorLuxottica and Director, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, and Dr B Mohammed Asheel, National Professional Officer, Non-Communicable Diseases, WHO India (online presence).  

Speaking at the release, Shri U T Khader Fareed, Hon’ble Minister of Health, Government of Karnataka, said, “We are proud to be one of the few progressive States in India with a clear vision of becoming blindness-free.  Our systematic approach towards addressing access to healthy vision is now a documented case study for a holistic approach to eyecare in India. The 393 Drishti Kendras spread across community health centres, taluka hospitals and district hospitals are in line with the mission of Asha Kirana:to prevent and mitigate avoidable blindness and visual impairment in Karnataka state by addressing the two conditions responsible for most of the avoidable vision loss, uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts. We are thankful to the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation for partnering with us in our journey towards institutionalizing Asha Kirana- a successful model of integrating eye care in the public health system."

Additionally, the Hon’ble Minister stated, “The OneSight Foundation has been consistently working with Asha Kiranas, developing their skill, capability and knowledge towards delivering universal, community-based door-to-door vision screenings and reducing avoidable blindness across the region.  I am pleased to note that the World Sight Day 2026 celebrations will witness 40,000 Asha Kiranas receiving free sunglasses from the Foundation.  To mark this occasion, the Foundation had organised a Blind Walk from the Vidhan Saudha that includes participation from citizens from all walks of life. I congratulate the OneSight Foundation for their concerted efforts towards moving vision forward.” 

Venu Ambati, President, Greater India, EssilorLuxottica and Director, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, said, "We are proud, through our foundation OneSight, to partner with the Government of Karnataka in our journey towards providing equitable eye care. The success of the Asha Kirana model in Karnataka, along with the 393 Drishti Kendra is a proof point of scalability: from a state innovation to a globally replicable model.  In line with our commitment towards building a healthier vision, we look forward to partnering with States for a potential roll out of Asha Kirana as a model for national programme implementation.  States could be encouraged to adopt the core principles of the WHO’s Integrated Patient-centred Eye-care while working on community-anchored screening through health worker networks, and the setup of permanent vision centres, as part of the primary healthcare mechanism.  We continue to remain thankful to the State of Karnataka for co-creating this model and are proud that the WHO has, through this Report, documented the steps that each State can take to build a collaborative ecosystem that encourages holistic eye care management.”

Dr Mohammed Asheel, Country Focal Point, Eye care, WHO India said, "The significance of Asha Kirana extends far beyond eye care in Karnataka. The initiative provides an example of how WHO’s vision for Integrated People-Centred Eye Care (IPEC) can be operationalised in a resource-constrained setting. Asha Kirana demonstrates how these principles can be translated into operational strategies, including community-based service delivery, workforce empowerment, the use of technology to strengthen accountability, targeted approaches to equity, and the creation of enabling environments. The model illustrates the importance of systems thinking, political commitment, and the translation of policy principles into operational mechanisms. For this reason, Asha Kirana offers valuable lessons for documentation, learning, and adaptation in other settings. It illustrates how WHO frameworks can be translated from policy into implementation within a public health programme.”

About OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is committed to expanding sustainable access to vision care in underserved communities worldwide. Inspired by EssilorLuxottica's mission to Empower Humans, the Foundation provides free eye exams and glasses, strengthens local vision care systems, and partners with NGOs, governments, and like-minded organizations to deliver scalable, long-term solutions. As the first Global Collaborating Partner of the World Health Organization's SPECS 2030 initiative, the Foundation supports the integration of vision care into primary healthcare systems and advances progress toward universal access. To date, its work has reached more than 140 countries and enabled access to vision care for over one billion people.
 

About World Health Organization 
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations' specialized agency for health. WHO India works closely with the Government of India and state governments to strengthen health systems, advance Universal Health Coverage, and improve health outcomes across the country. The WHO Country Office for India is headquartered in New Delhi and has a nationwide presence.

Website: www.who.int/india

Park Hospital Marks Groundbreaking of Rs. 200 Crore, 550-Bed Multi-Super-Speciality Hospital in Prayagraj

The hospital is being developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) with the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation. The project is expected to expand access to organised, multi-speciality healthcare for residents of Prayagraj and neighbouring areas. The facility is targeted for completion within two years from the appointed date under the concession agreement.
 

The groundbreaking marks the next stage of a project for which Park Medi World received the PPP mandate in August 2026. The development forms part of the Group's broader strategy to expand its hospital network across emerging healthcare markets and strengthen its presence beyond established metropolitan centres.
 

Park Medi World currently operates a network of 17 hospitals with a combined capacity of approximately 4,290 beds. The Group is working towards expanding its network capacity to approximately 6,660 beds by December 2028 through a combination of new hospital developments, acquisitions and capacity additions at existing facilities.
 

The Prayagraj project builds on the Group's growing presence in Uttar Pradesh, where it already operates a 360-bed hospital in Agra and will soon be commissioning two new hospitals in Kanpur and Gorakhpur under the O&M model. Together, these projects are expected to strengthen Park's healthcare footprint across the state and expand its ability to serve patients across a wider regional catchment.
 

The Group also has an established presence in Punjab through facilities including Park Hospital Bathinda, Park Hospital Patiala and Park Hospital Mohali. Its wider network spans 15 cities across 6 states in North India, supported by investments in hospital infrastructure, clinical capabilities and patient services.
 

Commenting on the development, Dr. Ankit Gupta, Managing Director, Park Medi World Limited, said, “The groundbreaking of our Prayagraj hospital marks an important milestone in our expansion journey. As we work towards increasing our network capacity to approximately 6,600 beds by December 2028, our focus remains on strengthening our presence across North India and expanding access to healthcare in emerging markets. Prayagraj is an important addition to our growth plans, reflecting our commitment to developing healthcare infrastructure that responds to the needs of the communities we serve.”
 

Through its planned investments and capacity additions, Park Medi World aims to strengthen its regional presence and expand access to multi-speciality healthcare across established and emerging markets.
 

About Park Medi World Limited

Park Group is North India's 2nd largest hospital chain, currently operating 17 hospitals with a combined capacity of ~4,300 beds as on date. Together with this proposed 550-bed PPP facility at Prayagraj, the Group is in the process of integrating 6 additional hospitals and expanding capacity at 3 existing units. These are in various stages of execution and will add ~2,300 beds to our network. With these, Park Group's total capacity is expected to reach ~6,600 beds, underscoring its commitment to leadership and growth in healthcare delivery. The Group has established a strong presence across 15 key cities including Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panipat, Karnal, Sonipat, Ambala, Mohali, Patiala, Bathinda, Behror, Jaipur, Agra, Panchkula and Rudrapur, and is expanding into Zirakpur (Punjab), Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) and Rohtak (Haryana). Built on a commitment to accessible, high-quality healthcare, Park Group offers a comprehensive range of clinical services—spanning super-specialities such as cardiology, neurology, oncology, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, critical care, nephrology, organ transplants, and women & child health. Each facility is equipped with modern medical infrastructure, advanced diagnostics, 24×7 emergency support, and multi-disciplinary teams delivering evidence-based care. Through continuous expansion and strategic investments, Park Group is strengthening its mission to build a dependable, technology-enabled healthcare ecosystem that serves both metropolitan and regional communities across North India.

Walkathon, an initiative that promotes mental health literacy by encouraging early recognition of mental health concerns

This walkathon is part of MAHE Bengaluru’s broader initiative to advance mental health literacy and well-being across the campus and community, and to foster supportive spaces where people can speak openly and seek help.

Held under the theme “Walk for Health: Steps Towards Better Mental Health,” the 5K walk brought together students, faculty, staff, healthcare professionals, local authority representatives, volunteers and community members. It highlighted the importance of early recognition, timely support and open conversations around mental well-being.

The need for stronger mental health support systems is increasingly evident in Bengaluru. A 2026 study involving students across higher education institutions highlighted the importance of institutional support, while counselling data identified anxiety, family conflict and academic stress among key concerns. The findings reinforce the need for a connected ecosystem that enables early recognition and appropriate care.

S. R. Vishwanath, MLA, Yelahanka Constituency, flagged off the walkathon in the presence of Dr Raghavendra Prabhu P., Additional Registrar, MAHE Bengaluru, Dr Jothy S. Niraja, Chairwoman Maarga Mind Care, Mr Mahadev, Executive Engineer, Lake Division, BNCC, Yelahanka and Mr Chandu C N, President, Yelahanka United Environmental Association.

The walkathon also highlighted the connection between regular physical activity and mental well-being, encouraging participants to make movement part of everyday life to manage stress and support overall health. The organisers reiterated that seeking professional support is a sign of strength.

Addressing the gathering, MLA S.R. Vishwanath said, “Mental health must receive the same attention as physical health. Initiatives such as the MAHE Bengaluru Walkathon bring people together, encourage healthy habits and create much-needed awareness about mental well-being. Open conversations and strong community support are essential to building a healthier society.”

Dr Raghavendra Prabhu, Additional Registrar, MAHE Bengaluru, said, “At MAHE Bengaluru, we view mental health and well-being as an essential part of a meaningful student and campus experience. This initiative reflects our effort to build greater understanding, empathy and access to support through sustained engagement with students, healthcare partners and the wider community.”

Dr Jothi Neeraja, Founder, Chairwoman and Managing Director, Maarga Mind Care, said, “Bengaluru has built a strong ecosystem around healthcare, education and innovation, and mental health needs to be an equally important part of that progress. Our vision is to build a city where mental health concerns are recognised early, people feel confident seeking help, and quality care is accessible when it is needed. We need to move from responding only when distress becomes a crisis to recognising concerns earlier and making the right care easier to access. Mental healthcare cannot remain confined to hospitals or specific awareness days. It needs to become part of how individuals, families, educational institutions and workplaces think about overall health. Maarga is committed to strengthening this continuum in Bengaluru, from early recognition through treatment, recovery and beyond.”

Participants began the day with a warm-up session before completing the walk around the Allalasandra Lake loop. The event was organised by MAHE Bengaluru in association with Maarga Mind Care, its mental health and well-being partner, with support from the Volunteer Services Organisation, National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps and Manipal Hospitals.

About Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University. MAHE offers over 400 specialisations across Health Sciences (HS), Management, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences (MLHS), and Technology & Science (T&S) streams through its constituent units at campuses in Manipal, Mangalore, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, and Dubai. With a remarkable track record in academics, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and significant contributions to research, MAHE has earned recognition and acclaim both nationally and internationally. In 2020, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, awarded MAHE the prestigious Institution of Eminence status. Currently ranked 3rd in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 rankings, MAHE is the preferred choice for students seeking transformative learning experience and enriching campus life, as well as for national and multinational corporations seeking top talent.

At Narayana Health’s Heart Transplant Press Conference, engaging with experts and media on advancements in heart transplantation and cardiac care

The gathering underscored Narayana Health City’s standing as a premier institution for advanced cardiac and pulmonary care, delivering some of the most complex and demanding procedures in modern medicine. With 136 heart and lung transplants performed to date, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru has established a comprehensive transplant programme spanning complex adult and paediatric heart and lung transplantation. These achievements represent the pinnacle of medical innovation, uniting advanced surgical expertise, life-support technologies and multidisciplinary care to deliver complex transplants with outcomes aligned with international standards.

For patients and families, however, the true measure of transplant success extends far beyond the operating theatre. The transplant team emphasised that a heart transplant is not merely a complex surgical intervention; it can represent a profound new beginning for an entire family. Patients who once struggled with debilitating breathlessness and the uncertainty of end-stage heart failure can reclaim their independence, return to their passions and rediscover the joys of everyday life. With 95% of recipients returning to meaningful lives, the programme’s impact is reflected in children returning to school and recipients going on to excel in competitive sports. These remarkable journeys are a testament to the resilience of transplant recipients, the dedication of the clinical teams and, above all, the extraordinary generosity of donor families whose selflessness makes these second chances possible.

The event brought together moving stories that reflect the life-changing impact of transplantation. Mr. V. K., now 16 years post-transplant, is the longest-surviving heart transplant recipient in the cohort, demonstrating the potential for sustained life and well-being long after transplantation. Mr. S. S., who once faced end-stage heart failure, went on to win a gold medal at the World Transplant Games—a remarkable testament to the possibilities of life after transplant. The programme’s impact spans generations: Baby K., who received a donor heart at just 14 months of age, became India’s youngest heart transplant recipient, while Mr. K. S., who underwent a combined heart–lung transplant at the age of 68, continues to thrive at 75. The stories of Mrs. A. F. M., transplanted in 2022, and Miss N. N., transplanted in 2025, further highlight Narayana Health’s expertise in complex combined heart and lung transplantation, where advanced clinical capabilities and highly coordinated care are essential to achieving successful outcomes.

For critically ill patients who cannot safely wait for a donor organ, Narayana Health City’s advanced mechanical circulatory support programme represents another dimension of its clinical innovation. With the use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs), the transplant team can provide life-sustaining support to patients with severe cardiac and/or respiratory failure while they await a suitable donor organ. These sophisticated technologies, combined with round-the-clock critical care, advanced cardiac imaging, specialised transplant expertise and collaborative multidisciplinary decision-making, enable selected critically ill patients to be stabilised and maintained as potential transplant candidates during this crucial waiting period. This seamless integration of advanced technology, clinical precision and timely intervention exemplifies the extraordinary complexity of modern transplantation—and Narayana Health’s ability to bring together the expertise and resources required to deliver life-saving care when patients need it most.

Narayana Health’s transplant programme has emerged as a national destination for patients with end-stage cardiac and pulmonary disease, attracting recipients from across India and beyond. Nearly 50% of its 136 transplant recipients have travelled from outside Karnataka, representing 19 Indian states. The programme’s reach also extends internationally, with successful transplants performed for overseas patients, including recipients from Sudan.

While the gathering celebrated remarkable recoveries, renewed possibilities and the resilience of transplant recipients, it also highlighted the persistent and urgent challenge of organ scarcity in India. Across the country, patients continue to lose their lives while waiting for a suitable donor organ. Narayana Health reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening organ donation awareness and encouraging greater public participation in donor pledges. Every pledge has the potential to become a lifeline, offering someone awaiting transplantation the possibility of a second chance. As Narayana Health celebrates life beyond transplantation, its message remains clear: the true promise of medical innovation is not simply to extend life, but to restore the possibility of living it to the fullest.

About Narayana Health

Narayana Health, founded by Dr. Devi Shetty and headquartered in Bengaluru, is a leading presence in the global healthcare landscape. As one of the largest healthcare providers in India, Narayana Health operates a comprehensive range of primary, secondary and super-speciality tertiary care facilities across India, UK and the Caribbean. The group’s Centres of Excellence in various medical domains, a team of 18,822 dedicated professionals, including 3,868 skilled doctors and specialists, and a relentless focus on patient well-being and clinical excellence underscore its position as a beacon of hope and healing in the healthcare industry. Narayana One Health (NH Integrated Care) and Narayana Health Insurance are subsidiaries of Narayana Health.

For more information, visit www.narayanahealth.org.

Dr. N. Murugesan

The concept forms part of the Blue India Movement, inspired by the world's Blue Zones and their experience of healthier ageing. It proposes looking beyond the treatment of kidney disease to earlier risk factors such as insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and excessive sodium intake.

The Dr. Blue India Foundation, established by Dr. Murugesan in Puducherry in 2025, is translating the approach into community-level action through a Rs 30-crore philanthropic initiative to provide one lakh free insulin tests. The programme aims to identify metabolic risks among people who may not yet have obvious symptoms.

With more than five decades of medical service and over four decades in nephrology, Dr. Murugesan has spent much of his career treating kidney disease. His current focus is on moving kidney care further upstream—from treating disease after it develops to identifying risks earlier.

“We have traditionally asked how to treat kidney disease. The more important question is whether we can protect kidney health before disease develops,” said Dr. Murugesan.

For more than two decades, Dr. Murugesan has also worked on the health effects associated with excessive sodium intake and approaches to reducing sodium exposure. He sees kidney health as an important window into wider metabolic and cardiovascular health.

The larger objective is to shift the focus from treating disease after it appears to identifying and addressing health risks much earlier.

drblueindia.com

www.eastcoasthospitals.com

Dr. N. Murugesan

Dr. N. Murugesan is a nephrologist from Puducherry who has spent nearly four decades working in nephrology, kidney transplantation and tertiary healthcare. His career has combined clinical practice with institution building and, more recently, public-health initiatives aimed at early detection and prevention of chronic diseases resulting in overall healthy longevity.

Dr. Murugesan completed his MBBS in 1977, followed by his MD in 1981, and subsequently became the first in Soth India to get a DNB in Nephrology in 1987. He trained in nephrology under Padma Vibhushan Dr. M. K. Mani in Chennai.

Toofan Phase 2 Begins: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala hoists the Toofan flag in Vengara, inaugurating Toofan Thaddesham in collaboration with the Local Self-Governments

As the state-level launch took place, the Toofan flag was raised in local bodies across Kerala. Everyone present at the venue was declared a Toofan Warrior.

Chennithala called the programme a mass mobilisation against drugs that goes all the way down to the grassroots, and said the women of Kerala would be at its centre.

"The biggest strength in this fight is the participation of our mothers and sisters," he said. "A mother is the first to notice when something changes in her child. That is why mothers will play a decisive role in this people's movement. Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of Gram Swaraj: villages strong enough to govern and protect themselves. That is what we are building against drugs. Every ward will become its own first line of defence. It is time for every one of us to say, 'Njan ente naadinte kaavalaal': I am the guardian of my land."

What Toofan Thaddhesham brings

Toofan Thaddesham is built on two tiers, so that the anti-drug campaign reaches every home in Kerala.

Toofan Jagratha Samithis in every local body:

There will be 1,034 committees, one in each of Kerala's 941 grama panchayats, 87 municipalities and 6 corporations. Each is headed by the panchayat president, municipal chairperson or mayor. The local Station House Officer, the local body secretary and elected representatives sit on each committee, which plans, coordinates and monitors anti-drug work in its area.

Toofan Janasabhas in every ward:

Each ward will have a people's assembly led by the ward member or councillor. It brings together residents, enrolled Toofan Warriors, Kudumbashree members, ASHA workers, Haritha Karma Sena members, rural employment scheme workers, residents' associations and local volunteers. Their job is to carry the anti-drug message to every family, run awareness sessions and keep a close watch on the neighbourhood.

Ward volunteers will be trained with audio-visual modules covering five areas: the medical, social and economic harm of drugs, rehabilitation, and the law and safety. On the ground, the Janasabhas will run awareness classes with doctors and local police officers, hold follow-up programmes in schools and special PTA meetings, and convene Toofan neighbourhood group meetings. They will also keep watch around schools and residential areas, and help people struggling with addiction get treatment through rehabilitation and palliative care centres. Ward and local body committees will review their work every month, and the state will review it every quarter.

The aim, in the programme's own words, is to make every Keralite a Toofan Warrior and turn Kerala into a ‘lahari-mukta desham’, a drug-free land.

Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty presided over the function, and Local Self-Government Minister K.M. Shaji delivered the welcome address. Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Principal Director of the Local Self-Government Department, administered the anti-drug pledge.

About Operation Toofan

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala launched Operation Toofan on 2 June 2026 as Kerala's flagship anti-narcotics mission. It rests on three pillars: Toofan Strike (enforcement), Toofan Warriors (student and community mobilisation, which has reached over 1 lakh school children in person) and Toofan Care (treatment and rehabilitation). The mission has since grown into an interstate coordination effort across South India.

In the lead-up to World Heart Day, habit-building platform Habuild conducted a simple late-night check-in with 3 lakh+ people, asking one question close to midnight: “Are you still awake?”

The response offered a glimpse into everyday sleep behaviour. Around 16% of participants said they were still awake close to midnight, despite the check-in being conducted at a time when most people would ordinarily be winding down for the day. The audience for the experiment was predominantly 45+.

For Habuild, the finding became a starting point for a broader conversation around an often-overlooked aspect of heart health: the habits we carry into the night.

While conversations around cardiovascular health often focus on diet, exercise and physical activity, sleep and everyday routines also form an important part of maintaining overall well-being. This World Heart Day, Habuild is using the late-night finding to make a simple observation: sometimes, taking care of yourself can begin with knowing when to switch off.

The check-in also found that 20% of those who don’t follow healthier habits were still awake close to midnight, compared with 10% of those who follow healthier habits like practising yoga every day. 

“We often think of health as a list of things we need to do — eat better, exercise more and stay active. But our health is also shaped by the small choices we make every day, including what time we choose to slow down and sleep,” said Saurabh Bothra, Co-founder and Yoga Instructor, Habuild. “The late-night check-in was a simple experiment, but seeing that 16% of people were still awake close to midnight made us pause. It made us think about how much we continue to carry into the night. While I was happy to see that the number was much smaller than what I had expected, we are now thinking how can we make it better in the days to come. Sometimes, taking care of yourself can be as simple as putting the phone away, breathing, sleeping on time and not taking everything to heart.”

The initiative builds on Habuild’s larger approach to health, which focuses on small, sustainable habits rather than short bursts of motivation. The platform encourages people to incorporate practices such as yoga, movement, mindful breathing and better sleep routines into their everyday lives.

The message for World Heart Day is therefore intentionally uncomplicated: Sleep on time. Practise yoga. And Har Cheez Dil Pe Mat Liya Karo.

Observed annually on 29 September, World Heart Day brings attention to cardiovascular health and encourages people to take steps towards protecting their heart. This year’s global campaign by the World Heart Federation focuses on recognising the signs of heart disease and taking action for cardiovascular health.

For Habuild, the occasion offers an opportunity to bring that conversation into the context of everyday behaviour — including what happens after the day is supposed to be over.

Because sometimes, taking care of your heart can start with something as ordinary as putting the phone down, taking a breath and going to sleep.

For more information, please log on to www.habuild.in.

Survey data Insights

The survey gathered responses from young adults aged 18 to 25 across ten cities, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad, Chennai and Jaipur. It explores emotional stressors, coping strategies, help-seeking behaviours and how young people experience responses to their distress. The findings reveal a significant gap between growing awareness of mental health and young people’s willingness or ability to seek support.

Although public conversations around mental well-being have grown, 49.5% of respondents said they hide difficult emotions and attempt to deal with them entirely on their own, while only 9.2% reported having sought professional help. The survey also points to a deeper gap between experiencing distress and being equipped to recognise and respond to it.

Nearly seven in ten respondents (67.3%) said they had felt hopeless or lost hope at some point in their lives. Among those who experienced hopelessness, academic pressure or exams emerged as the most commonly cited reason (58.4%), followed by uncertainty about the future (14.3%) and relationship issues (10.4%).

The reluctance to seek support is also reflected in how young people respond to their own distress. Over 40% said they tell others “I’m fine” when they are not. Many also reported avoiding conversations about their feelings or keeping themselves constantly occupied to distract themselves from what they are experiencing.

For those who do open up, the responses they encounter can further discourage help-seeking. 40.4% said the response they received was to “be strong,” while others were told they were “overthinking” or encouraged to focus on work or studies. In contrast, only 13.6% said someone listened without judgment and provided support.

Speaking on World Suicide Prevention Day, Mrs Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson, Aditya Birla Education Trust, said, “Forty percent of the young people we spoke to have been told to just be strong. Only nine percent felt able to seek professional help. Somewhere between those two numbers is where we’re failing them. We keep waiting for a crisis before we act. The fix is catching this early, in schools, before silence becomes the only coping mechanism a young person knows.”

The findings also highlight a gap in preparedness when young people encounter distress among their peers. 62.2% said they would listen without judgment if a friend reached out to them with suicidal thoughts. However, only 6.9% said they would try to find someone else for the person to talk to, while 22.3% said they would inform the person’s parents and leave the responsibility with them. This points to the need to move beyond awareness towards practical emotional literacy, equipping young people with the confidence and skills to recognise distress, respond appropriately and connect peers to professional support.

The survey also reveals gender differences in reported emotional stressors:

• Women reported higher representation across internal emotional stressors, including constant overthinking (60% female share), self-doubt (56%) and body image concerns (69%).

• Men showed higher representation across external stressors, including work-related stress (57% male share) and financial insecurity (54%).

• Notably, 60% of respondents who said they do not realise something is wrong until another person points it out were male, highlighting the importance of strengthening emotional self-awareness among young men.

The emotional burden also manifests in everyday life. 47% of respondents reported becoming angry or irritated more easily, followed by difficulty concentrating or enjoying things (36.7%) and an impact on daily work or routine (31.3%).

The findings suggest that raising awareness alone is not enough. The focus now needs to shift from simply talking about mental health to creating environments where young people feel safe recognising distress, seeking support and supporting one another.

Preventing suicide begins long before a crisis. It starts with creating environments that reduce stigma, judgment and dismissive responses that can leave young people suffering in silence. By replacing quick brush-offs with active, non-judgmental support, society can help bridge the gap between awareness and help-seeking, ensuring that carrying emotional distress alone does not become a young person’s only way of coping.

About Mpower
Mpower, an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust, is one of South Asia’s largest private mental-health initiatives, with a distinctive focus on mental-health literacy, capacity building, community outreach and access to care. Through its work across awareness, advocacy, prevention, intervention and support, Mpower has touched over 7 million lives to date.

Its work spans clinical services, mental-health awareness and outreach programmes, capacity building, and school, workplace and community interventions, with a focus on making mental-health support more accessible and creating greater openness around conversations on mental wellbeing.

Mpowered Voices is Mpower’s platform for lived experiences, creating spaces for individuals to share their personal journeys and perspectives around mental health, while encouraging empathy, reducing stigma and making conversations around mental wellbeing more relatable.

Chennai Plastic Surgery Advances Gynecomastia Care with Chest Sculpting Techniques

What appears to be excess fat may also include enlarged breast tissue, loose skin or a combination of these factors. This condition is commonly known as gynecomastia.

Understanding What Causes Chest Enlargement
Gynecomastia is a condition in which male breast tissue becomes enlarged. It can occur due to hormonal changes, certain medications, anabolic steroid use, weight fluctuations or other underlying factors.

In some men, both excess fat and glandular breast tissue contribute to the appearance of the chest. This is why simply losing weight or spending more time at the gym may not always produce the desired change.

Dr. Karthik Ramasamy, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon and Founder of Chennai Plastic Surgery, explains, “Gynecomastia correction is not simply about removing the gland or excess fat. The aim is to understand what is contributing to the chest enlargement, whether it is glandular tissue, fat, loose skin or a combination of these factors, and then address each component appropriately. This is where the concept of Chest Sculpt comes in, with the focus shifting from simply removing the excess to creating a chest that is natural, balanced and proportionate to the individual.”

It Is Not Just About Removing the Gland
The management of gynecomastia has evolved beyond simply removing enlarged breast tissue. The aim is to understand the individual anatomy and create a chest that looks natural and proportionate to the rest of the body.

A comprehensive assessment looks at several factors, including the amount of excess fat, the size and position of the glandular tissue, skin elasticity, the position of the nipple and areola, and the overall contour of the chest.

Depending on these factors, treatment may involve liposuction to reduce excess fat, surgical removal of glandular tissue, or a combination of both. In more advanced cases, where there is significant loose skin, additional procedures may be considered to improve the overall chest contour and reposition the nipple-areola complex when necessary.

This personalised approach is important because two men with a similar-looking enlarged chest may have very different underlying anatomy and may therefore require different treatment approaches.

A Shift Towards “Chest Sculpting”
This broader approach is reflected in the concept of Chest Sculpt at Chennai Plastic Surgery, where gynecomastia correction is approached as complete male chest contouring rather than simply the removal of breast tissue.

The focus is on assessing the different components contributing to chest enlargement and planning the procedure according to the individual's anatomy, degree of enlargement and skin quality.

The same philosophy forms the basis of the Chest Sculpt training programme, which focuses on helping plastic surgeons understand the assessment, planning and surgical management of different patterns and grades of gynecomastia.

For selected higher-grade cases, postoperative techniques may also play a role. One such technique is the NAC Lifting Plaster Technique, developed by Dr. Karthik Ramasamy, which may be used to support the nipple-areola complex during the healing process.

When Should Men Seek Medical Advice?
Men who continue to have an enlarged chest despite weight loss may consider getting it medically evaluated. Medical assessment is particularly important when the enlargement is new, painful, significantly asymmetrical, associated with a firm lump or accompanied by nipple discharge.

The first step is to understand what is causing the chest fullness—is it excess fat, glandular tissue, loose skin or a combination of these factors?

For men considering treatment, the goal should not simply be a flatter chest. A carefully planned procedure aims to create a chest contour that is balanced and appropriate to the individual's overall body.

Looking Beyond “Removing the Excess”
As awareness about gynecomastia increases, the focus is moving towards understanding why chest enlargement persists and how different aspects of the anatomy can be addressed.

For men who continue to have chest fullness despite weight loss and exercise, seeking a medical evaluation can help identify the underlying cause and appropriate treatment options.

The goal of treatment is not simply to remove what appears to be excess tissue, but to understand the individual anatomy and develop an approach that supports a natural, well-defined chest contour.

About Chennai Plastic Surgery
Chennai Plastic Surgery is a specialised cosmetic and aesthetic surgery centre in Chennai, offering a comprehensive range of surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures for men and women.

The centre has expertise in gynecomastia surgery, male chest reduction and chest sculpting, rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, body contouring, tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), mommy makeover, facelift, eyelid surgery and other cosmetic surgical procedures.

Chennai Plastic Surgery also offers non-surgical aesthetic treatments, including Botox, dermal fillers, facial contouring, anti-ageing treatments, skin rejuvenation and other minimally invasive aesthetic procedures.

Led by Dr. Karthik Ramasamy, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon, the centre focuses on personalised treatment planning, natural-looking results and procedures tailored to each patient’s anatomy and aesthetic goals. Chennai Plastic Surgery is also actively involved in surgical education and professional training through specialised workshops, fellowships and academic programmes.

Karnataka CM Shri D.K. Shivakumar with Eugenix Co-Founders Dr. Pradeep Sethi and Dr. Arika Bansal alongside Dr. Ajay Dharam Singh and Mohammed Azharuddin, at Eugenix Bengaluru

Located at Featherlite Vantage, 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, the multi-floor centre spans close to 7,000 sq. ft. and is equipped with six operation theatres. The Bengaluru centre is Eugenix's fifth in the country, following its facilities in Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar, and brings its specialised services closer to patients across Bengaluru and the wider Karnataka region.

Speaking at the inauguration, Chief Minister Shri D.K. Shivakumar said, "Inspite of my demanding schedule, I wanted to be here today to personally congratulate Dr. Pradeep and Dr. Arika for bringing Eugenix to Bengaluru. Karnataka has always dreamed big starting from being the Silicon Valley of India, we led India in IT, aerospace and biotechnology, hospitality and also specialised healthcare as part of that legacy. I was happy to hear how Eugenix emphasises medical tourism, bringing world-class, doctor-led expertise to our city and giving patients from across India and beyond a reason to choose Bengaluru. I extend my warmest welcome to Eugenix, and wish Dr. Pradeep, Dr. Arika and their entire team the very best as they continue to grow this institution.”

The Bengaluru launch is a defining moment in Eugenix's journey, one that began over 15 years ago in a small basement clinic in Rishikesh and has since grown into an institution serving patients from across India and overseas. The new centre also responds to a long-standing need among the city's patients, many of whom previously had to travel to Eugenix's other locations for treatment.

Dr. Pradeep Sethi, Co-Founder of Eugenix Hair Sciences and an AIIMS New Delhi alumnus, said, "Having the Hon'ble Chief Minister inaugurate our Bengaluru centre makes this a deeply meaningful milestone for us. We started two decades ago in a small basement in Rishikesh, with a simple belief that hair restoration deserved the same seriousness, precision and individual attention as any other specialised medical field. Bengaluru is a city that represents ambition and innovation, and we are proud to bring our institution here. The infrastructure may be new, but our responsibility to every patient remains the same."

Dr. Arika Bansal, Co-Founder of Eugenix Hair Sciences and an AIIMS New Delhi alumna, added, "Expansion is meaningful only when it lets us serve people better. This expansion in Bengaluru brings our clinical expertise closer to patients who've long travelled to our other centres. We want every person who walks into Eugenix to feel heard and understood not just as a patient, but as an individual with their own story."

Adding a touch of artistry to the occasion, Padma Shri awardee and celebrated sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a specially curated sand-art installation to commemorate Eugenix's arrival in Bengaluru. The event also brought together a distinguished gathering of celebrities and prominent personalities, including Mohammed Azharuddin (Hon’ble Minister of Minorities Welfare & Public Enterprises - Telangana), Dr. Ajaydharam Singh ( Minister for Irrigation, Science & Technology-Karnataka) and more, further adding weight to the significance of the launch.

At the heart of Eugenix's practice is its doctor-led model, where surgeons personally oversee every critical stage of the process from diagnosis and treatment planning to hairline design, donor mapping, recipient-site creation and surgical supervision. This blend of surgical precision and individualised planning ensures that each patient's treatment is built around their unique needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all protocol.

With the opening of its Bengaluru centre, Eugenix brings over 15 years of clinical experience and specialised infrastructure to the city, extending its trusted, doctor-led approach to a new community of patients while staying rooted in the principles that have defined the institution since its earliest days.

About Eugenix Hair Sciences
Eugenix Hair Sciences is one of India’s leading hair transplant clinic chains, with centres in Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar, and Bengaluru. Founded by Dr. Pradeep Sethi and Dr. Arika Bansal, both alumni of AIIMS, New Delhi and Fellows of the ISHRS, Eugenix has performed more than 22,000 procedures over 15 years for patients from across the world. The clinic’s signature Direct Hair Transplantation (DHT) technique was introduced through peer-reviewed research published in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery in 2013, indexed on PubMed. The Eugenix Gurugram centre is accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), Certificate No. DE-2026-0004.

Dr. Surya Teja Gavani, Consultant Nuclear Medicine Specialist, HCG Aastha Cancer Centre, highlights advanced Gamma Camera and PET-CT imaging for accurate diagnosis and cancer care

These new facilities are aimed at helping doctors detect cancer more accurately, understand the disease better and choose the most appropriate treatment for each patient.

The centre’s modern nuclear medicine department is among the few in the region to bring advanced imaging and targeted radiation-based treatments together under one roof.

Understanding the Gamma Camera 

A Gamma Camera is a specialised imaging machine used in nuclear medicine. Unlike a regular scan that mainly shows the structure of an organ, a Gamma Camera also helps doctors understand how an organ is functioning.

For the scan, a small and safe amount of a radioactive substance known as a tracer, is given to the patient. The camera detects the tracer as it moves through the body and creates images showing how different organs and tissues are working.

This can help doctors identify problems at an early stage and make better decisions about treatment. Gamma Camera imaging can be useful in examining several parts of the body, including the heart, thyroid and other endocrine organs, liver and gallbladder, kidneys and urinary system.

PET-CT: Seeing both the tumour and its activity

PET-CT is another important tool in modern cancer care. It combines two types of scans — PET and CT. 

A PET scan shows how active different cells are in the body. Cancer cells often behave differently from normal cells and may take up more of certain substances. A CT scan, meanwhile, provides detailed pictures of the body’s organs and structures.

By combining the two tests, doctors can get a clearer picture of where the cancer is, how far it has spread, and how active it is.

PET-CT can therefore help doctors confirm and stage the cancer, plan the best treatment, and check whether a treatment is working.

Dr Surya Teja Gavani, Consultant Nuclear Medicine Specialist at HCG Aastha Cancer Centre, said the centre uses different radioactive tracers depending on the type of cancer and the patient’s clinical condition. “We offer advanced, disease-specific tracers such as FDG, PSMA, DOTA and FAPI. The choice of tracer depends on the patient’s condition and helps us understand the tumour more completely and plan the next step in treatment,” he said.

What is targeted radionuclide therapy?

The centre has also introduced targeted radionuclide therapies, which use radioactive medicines to directly target cancer cells.

In simple terms, the medicine is designed to find specific cancer cells in the body and deliver radiation to them. The aim is to damage and destroy the cancer cells while reducing the radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.

This type of treatment has been used successfully for several cancers. Radioiodine therapy, for example, is commonly used for certain thyroid cancers. PRRT is used for some neuroendocrine tumours, while PSMA therapy can be used for suitable patients with prostate cancer.

Dr Gavani explained that these treatments are an important part of precision medicine, where treatment is increasingly selected according to the specific characteristics of a patient’s disease.

Bringing diagnosis and treatment together

With the addition of these advanced services, HCG Aastha Cancer Centre aims to provide a more comprehensive approach to cancer care. The technology allows doctors to gather detailed information about a patient's disease, while specialists from different fields can work together to decide the most suitable treatment.

The goal is simple — to detect cancer accurately, understand the disease better and provide the right treatment for the right patient at the right time. The centre said its advanced technology is supported by experienced specialists who work together to prepare personalised treatment plans for patients, covering diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care.

The findings showed:

1. Training vs. Readiness Gap: 36% of respondents said they would not be able to perform CPR correctly without assistance, despite having received some form of prior training. It points to the need for regular revision and hands-on practice to ensure training translates into action during an emergency.

2. AED Confidence & Access Gap:

• 46% of respondents said they would not feel confident using an AED correctly even if the device was immediately available; and 23% were completely unsure about stepping in at all.

• 68% of respondents did not know where their nearest public AED was located. This lack of familiarity could result in critical delays during a cardiac arrest, when every minute can influence the chances of survival.

3. Community preparedness gap:

• 82% of respondents did not believe their neighborhood, workplace or housing society had enough people trained to respond to a medical emergency.

• 100% of respondents believed CPR & BLS training should be made compulsory in schools, colleges and workplaces

4. Misconceptions about who can act:

• 75% of respondents believed an AED is meant only for doctors.

• 32% of respondents believed a medical license is required even to attempt CPR.

• Overall, 75% of respondents believed one needs a medical degree to save a life during a cardiac emergency.

5. Fear of Legal Consequences: 32% of respondents were unaware of the legal protection available to Good Samaritans. It suggests greater public awareness of these protections could help reduce hesitation among potential bystanders.

Commenting on the findings and the Har Ghar Hero initiative, Dr S. Narayani, Regional Director-Operations, Fortis Hospitals Mumbai, said, “These findings are a call to action, not a statistic. Mumbai isn't short on people willing to help, it's short on the confidence that turns willingness into action. As a hospital network committed to the health of this city, we don't see that as someone else's problem to solve. Through our Har Ghar Hero initiative, our goal is simple: at least one trained responder in every household. That's why we're committing to train 2 lakh Mumbaikars in CPR by World CPR Day 2027; building a city where help is always closer than you think.”

Echoing the need for regular reinforcement of CPR skills, Dr Sandeep Gore, Director – Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hospital Mulund, said, “More than a third of respondents who've received CPR training say they couldn't perform it correctly without assistance. This isn't a training gap, it's a confidence gap. In a cardiac arrest, hesitation costs lives. We need to move from 'CPR-trained' communities to 'CPR-ready' ones, where people have the skills, confidence and willingness to act when every second matters. That means revisiting and practising training regularly, so the response becomes instinct, not guesswork.”

Addressing the misconceptions around who can intervene during a cardiac emergency, Dr Amit Nabar, Director - Emergency Medicine & Community Medicine, S.L. Raheja Hospital – A Fortis Associate, Mumbai, said, “This is one of the most dangerous myths we encounter - that saving a life requires a medical degree. Three in four people think an AED is off-limits to anyone but a medic, and a third believe CPR requires a doctor's license. In reality, both are designed for exactly the opposite; it is for the person standing next to the patient in that first critical minute, long before any doctor arrives. This belief alone costs the society lives.”

Dr Preetam Gaikwad, Head of Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, said, “Nearly half of respondents say they wouldn't feel confident using an AED, and more than two-thirds don't know where the nearest one is. For many, the device itself is unfamiliar. But an AED is built for exactly this moment: it is voice-assisted, guiding anyone through every step, so you don't need to be trained or medical to use it. The device isn't the barrier. Not knowing what it is, where it is, or that it will talk you through it, is. Every second lost to that hesitation reduces the chance of survival.”

Highlighting the importance of community-level preparedness, Dr Sudhir Gore, Head - Trauma & Emergency Services, Fortis Hospital Kalyan, said, “This is what we call the bystander effect in its most dangerous form. Eighty-two percent of people don't believe enough people around them are trained to respond in a medical emergency. Everyone assumes someone else will step up, so no one does, and the patient loses the only window that matters. The fix is simple - the more trained people there are in a room, a society or a workplace, the less any one person has to carry that responsibility alone.”

The findings reinforce the need for CPR and BLS training to move from being a one-time certification exercise to a regularly practised life skill. Alongside training, greater visibility of public AED locations and awareness of how these devices work can help make emergency response more accessible to the wider community.

Through Har Ghar Hero, Fortis Hospitals Mumbai aims to build greater awareness and preparedness around CPR, BLS and AED use, encouraging individuals and communities to be better equipped to respond during the critical first few minutes of a medical emergency.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited

Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics, and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates 36 healthcare facilities (including JVs and O&M facilities) across 12 states and union territories. The Company’s network comprises over 6,000 operational beds (including O&M beds) and 400 diagnostics labs. www.fortishealthcare.com.

About IHH Healthcare (“IHH”)

IHH is a leading multinational healthcare provider shaping the future of care. Driven by our aspiration to Care. For Good., we unite medical excellence and innovation, pushing boundaries through our trusted brands such as Acibadem, Gleneagles, Fortis, Island, Mount Elizabeth, Pantai, Parkway and Prince Court. Across 10 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Türkiye, India and Greater China, our 70,000-strong team delivers world-class excellence every day, within and beyond our 140 healthcare facilities, including more than 80 hospitals. Our comprehensive services span the full healthcare continuum, from primary and ambulatory to quaternary care, complemented by diagnostics, imaging, rehabilitation, telehealth and home care. In partnership with our stakeholders, IHH is advancing value-based care, building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem and creating meaningful impact, as we work towards our vision to become the world’s most trusted healthcare services network. www.ihhhealthcare.com.

Team from Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi Navi Mumbai training members of Shivtej Ganpati Pandal, Sanpada in life-saving CPR skills under the ‘Har Ghar Hero’ initiative

Planned around the Ganpati festival, when lakhs of people came together across community spaces, the initiative leveraged these gatherings to build greater awareness around emergency preparedness and the importance of timely CPR intervention. Through its outreach across Navi Mumbai, the programme directly engaged approximately 25,000 people, extending CPR awareness and basic life-saving knowledge to residents, students, employees and community members.

With a population of over 15 lakh residents, Navi Mumbai is among the fastest-growing urban centres in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, underscoring the need for stronger community-level emergency preparedness. Most cardiac arrests occur outside hospital settings, often at home, where the first few minutes can significantly influence outcomes before professional medical assistance arrives. Against this backdrop, and with bystander CPR rates in India remaining low at approximately 1.3–9.8 per cent, ‘Har Ghar Hero’ initiative helped take practical CPR awareness directly into spaces where Navi Mumbaikars live, study and work. By improving familiarity with basic emergency response and encouraging timely action, the program strengthened confidence and preparedness among community members to respond during critical medical emergencies.

The sessions conducted across Navi Mumbai focused on helping participants recognise the signs of a cardiac emergency, understand the importance of seeking medical assistance immediately, and learn the basic steps involved in CPR. As part of the Ganpati outreach, the hospital covered prominent community locations including Vashi Cha Ganjraj (and Navi Mumbai Cha Raja (Vashi, Sec 17), Juinagar Cha Raja, Friends Group Seva Sanstha and nearby pandals, Shri Ganesh Mitra Mandal - Koparkhairane (Sec 10), Sarvajanik Utkarsh Mitra Mandal - Koparkhairane (Sec 9), Ichapurti Ganesh Mandal - Sanpada, and Sonar Cha Raja, among others. Through practical demonstrations and community interactions, the programme equipped participants with basic life-saving knowledge to help them respond appropriately during the critical first few minutes of a cardiac emergency until professional medical assistance arrived.

The residential outreach programme covered Moraj Residency - Palm Beach Road, Sanpada; FAM CHS, Kalash Udyan CHS and Balaji Garden CHS - Koparkhairane; and Himachal CHS - Vashi. Educational institutions also formed an important part of the initiative, with CPR awareness sessions conducted for students and staff at Navi Mumbai Vidyalaya (English Medium), SIES College, Tilak College and Anjuman-I-Islam College, extending emergency preparedness and basic life-saving knowledge to younger members of the community.

Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Ashutosh Pandey, Facility Director, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, said, “A cardiac emergency can occur anywhere. Studies show that immediate CPR can improve a person’s chances of survival two to three times. Through ‘Har Ghar Hero’, we were able to take CPR awareness directly into communities and help address the hesitation and uncertainty that often accompany a medical emergency. Ganpati celebrations gave us an effective platform to engage with people where they naturally came together and reinforce the importance of timely action. The response to the initiative has strengthened our larger objective of building a community where more citizens have the knowledge and confidence to take the right first steps when every minute matters.”

To ensure that the programme continues beyond the 10-day Ganpati festival, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi will conduct focused CPR training sessions at the hospital every Sunday from 4 pm to 5 pm throughout October 2026. Participants who complete the training will receive CPR certification. To register, contact +91 86579 58482

Through ‘Har Ghar CPR Hero’, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi aims to progressively expand the number of CPR-aware citizens in Navi Mumbai and encourage emergency preparedness as a community responsibility, not just that of healthcare providers.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited  

Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics, and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates 36 healthcare facilities (including JVs and O&M facilities) across 12 states and union territories. The Company’s network comprises over 6,150 operational beds (including O&M beds) and 400 diagnostics labs.

For more information, please visit www.fortishealthcare.com

About IHH Healthcare (“IHH”)

IHH is a leading multinational healthcare provider shaping the future of care. Driven by our aspiration to Care. For Good., we unite medical excellence and innovation, pushing boundaries through our trusted brands such as Acibadem, Gleneagles, Fortis, Island, Mount Elizabeth, Pantai, Parkway and Prince Court. Across 10 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Türkiye, India and Greater China, our 70,000-strong team delivers world-class excellence every day, within and beyond our 140 healthcare facilities, including more than 80 hospitals. Our comprehensive services span the full healthcare continuum, from primary and ambulatory to quaternary care, complemented by diagnostics, imaging, rehabilitation, telehealth and home care. In partnership with our stakeholders, IHH is advancing value-based care, building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem and creating meaningful impact, as we work towards our vision to become the world’s most trusted healthcare services network.

For more information, please visit www.ihhhealthcare.com.

Film Actresses Kavya Shetty, Shanvi Srivastava & Dr. Madan S Gaekwad - COO, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital and others participated in the heart care awareness programme organised by RMH
 

The morning event at Dwaraka Hall, Ramaiah Campus, was flagged off by Dr. Madan S. Gaekwad, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ramaiah Memorial Hospital. Participants took part in Aerobics, Zumba, and Tai Chi sessions, stressing on the role of regular exercise in maintaining cardiovascular health.
 

The event was also graced by Kannada and Telugu film actresses Shanvi Srivastava and Kavya Shetty, who joined the initiative and urged citizens to prioritise fitness and heart health in their daily lives.
 

Moving beyond awareness, RMH's medical experts led focused health sessions on cardiovascular wellness and conducted hands-on CPR training, equipping participants with the skills to respond confidently during a cardiac emergency. The festival concluded with a specially curated healthy-heart breakfast, reinforcing how everyday choices support long-term heart health.
 

Through the initiative, RMH brought preventive cardiac care into a community setting — encouraging citizens to stay active, understand their heart health, and be prepared to act when it matters most.

About Ramaiah Memorial Hospital

Ramaiah Memorial Hospital (RMH), established in 2004, is a 500 bed, JCI-, NABH- and NABL-certified multi-disciplinary super specialty quaternary care hospital in Bengaluru, India. RMH received the Joint Commission International (JCI) Gold Seal of Approval in June 2025. The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of a healthcare organization's commitment to meeting international standards of patient care and safety, demonstrating excellence in clinical quality, patient safety, and outcomes. In June 2025, RMH was also certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) as a Comprehensive Chest Pain Center and by the American Stroke Association (ASA) as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. The recent FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy) accreditation of our Bone Marrow Unit and stem cell laboratory reflects our adherence to rigorous, peer-reviewed standards, ensuring the highest quality of patient care across the entire stem cell process—from collection and processing to administration and long-term follow-up.

Over the years, the hospital has touched the lives of over 5 million patients and performed more than two lakh surgeries. Its transplant milestones are close to 600 renal transplants, over 50 heart transplants, more than 210 bone marrow transplants, and liver transplant services initiated in 2025.

Ramaiah Memorial Hospital is affiliated with Mount Sinai International, New York from June 2024, marking a transformative collaboration focused on elevating healthcare through excellence in clinical care, quality, research, innovation, and technology.

Our Centers of Excellence, such as the Ramaiah Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Ramaiah Institute of Oncosciences, Ramaiah Institute of Nephro-Uro Sciences, Ramaiah Institute of Neurosciences, and the Ramaiah Institute of Gastro-intestinal Sciences are delivering comprehensive healthcare services under respective specialties along with other super-specialties.

RMH has received recognition from Newsweek as one of the World's best hospitals in 2025. The ranking is based on hospital recommendations from peers, hospital quality metrics, patient experience, and PROMs implementation survey.

Walnuts for heart health
 

Here are a few reasons why including walnuts in your diet is a smart choice for you and your heart.

• For over two decades, walnuts have been shown to improve cardiovascular risk factors by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol by 9-16%, and diastolic blood pressure by 2-3 mmHg.⁴ These two risk factors are major contributors to heart disease risk.

• They are the only nuts that are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based essential omega-3 fatty acid that has positive anti-inflammatory effects.⁵ Research has found that omega-3 fatty acids may decrease the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in those with high cholesterol.⁵ Walnuts contain 2.5 grams of ALA per ounce.

• When walnuts are part of an overall eating pattern such as the Mediterranean diet (a diet rich in fish, vegetables, fruits, olive oil and nuts), your risk of heart disease and stroke may be significantly reduced. A recent study shows that, among persons at high cardiovascular risk, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts, including walnuts, reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events.⁶
   

So how do you include walnuts in a healthy diet to help lower your risk of heart disease?

• Include walnuts in meals and snacks, along with a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol.

• Choose walnuts to snack on four to five times per week. Just a handful of nuts (1 ounce) will make you feel satisfied.

• Sprinkle chopped walnuts on salads, vegetables, in dips, or as part of mixed dishes.

• Try new recipes using walnuts by going to the California walnuts recipe page to see how great chefs have used walnuts in heart-healthy recipes.
   

Always store your walnuts in the refrigerator or freezer so they stay fresh. And start to think of walnuts as part of a heart-healthy eating plan – not just for special occasions. Remember that when you include walnuts as part of a healthy eating plan, you are lowering your risk of heart disease.³
 

Sources:

1. Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics 2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2012; 125: e2-220.

2. Lloyd-Jones DM, Hong Y, Labarthe D, et al. Defining and setting national goals for cardiovascular health promotion and disease reduction. Circulation. 2010; 121: 586-613.

3. FDA approved claim: Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease; One ounce of walnuts provides 18g of total fat, 2.5g of monounsaturated fat, 13g of polyunsaturated fat, including 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid, the plant-based omega-3.

4. Kris-Etherton P. Walnuts decrease risk of cardiovascular disease: a summary of efficacy and biologic mechanisms. J Nutr. 2014; 10.39:2S-8S.

5. Zhao G, Etherton TD, Martin KR, et al. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid reduces inflammatory and lipid cardiovascular risk factors in hypercholesterolemic men and women. J Nutr 2004; 134: 2991-2997.

6. Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvado J, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. N Engl J. Med. 2013; 368: 1279-90.

Srinivas Iyer of Medbot presenting a memento to Dr Nitin Gupta & Dr Shikha Gupta

“Our vision has always been to bring advanced technology and specialised healthcare facilities to this region. Achieving more than 100 robotic surgeries with Toumai in six months is a significant milestone for our entire team. It represents months of training, developing surgical expertise, building operating-room capabilities and, most importantly, the trust of our patients,” said Dr. Nitin Gupta, Medical Director and Head Robotic Surgeon, Neelam Hospital.

The programme has been developed with a focus on creating a complete robotic surgery ecosystem rather than simply introducing the technology. Dr. Nitin Gupta Dr. Shikha Gupta and Dr Gaurika Aggarwal underwent specialised training abroad to acquire the skills required for robotic-assisted procedures.

For patients, robotic-assisted surgery can enable minimally invasive approaches in appropriately selected procedures, with benefits that may include smaller incisions, reduced blood loss and pain, and faster recovery and return to routine activities. The suitability of robotic surgery depends on the individual patient, procedure and clinical assessment of the treating surgeon.

“Reaching the 100-surgery mark so quickly is a reflection of the learning curve our surgical teams have successfully navigated. Robotic surgery requires a different set of skills, and it takes coordinated training across surgeons, assistants, anaesthesia, nursing and technical teams. Our objective has been to build that capability systematically so that patients can benefit from advanced minimally invasive surgery closer to home,” said Dr. Shikha Gupta, Director, Neelam Hospital.

Neelam Hospital has been working to expand access to advanced healthcare for patients from Punjab as well as neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, reducing the need for patients to travel to larger metropolitan centres for specialised treatment.

The completion of 100+ Toumai robotic surgeries in six months adds to the hospital’s broader investment in advanced technology, specialised clinical services and medical infrastructure, as it continues to strengthen its role as a healthcare destination for the region.

The 12-week ‘Sawaal Diabetes Ka, Jawaab Sehat Ka’ segment uses KBC’s question-led format to make health awareness more engaging and accessible

At the heart of the partnership is the weekly segment “Sawaal Diabetes Ka, Jawaab Sehat Ka,” beginning September 22. Through KBC’s familiar question-and-answer format, Kapiva aims to make conversations around diabetes awareness and everyday blood sugar health more accessible and engaging for families across India. Viewers will get a chance to win cash prizes, goodies and exclusive discounts from Kapiva.

The ICMR-INDIAB national study revealed that 101 million people in India are living with diabetes, underscoring the need for greater awareness around blood sugar health, lifestyle choices and regular health management.

For more than two decades, KBC has turned questioning and curiosity into a part of Indian popular culture, bringing generations of families together around the same screen. With legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, a familiar voice across several major public-awareness initiatives over the years, the platform offers Kapiva an opportunity to take an important health conversation to audiences in a format they already know and engage with.

Ameve Sharma, Founder & CEO, Kapiva, said, “Dia Free has become one of Kapiva’s most trusted products because it addresses a health concern that affects millions of Indian families. But building a product is only one part of the responsibility. Creating greater awareness and encouraging people to engage more actively with their health is equally important. KBC gives us a unique opportunity to bring that conversation into millions of homes through a format Indians already know, trust and participate in. Through ‘Sawaal Diabetes Ka, Jawaab Sehat Ka’, we hope to make conversations around blood sugar health more accessible and part of everyday family discussions.” 

The partnership was enabled by Prachar Communications. Commenting on the integration, Rakshit Jain, Director, Prachar Communications, said, “The strength of this partnership lies in the intersection of relevance, reach and engagement. KBC has been part of Indian households for generations, while diabetes and blood sugar health are conversations that increasingly need to happen within those very households. By integrating the message into a format that Indians already actively participate in, Kapiva is creating an opportunity to make health awareness less clinical and far more conversational. A 12-week association also gives us the ability to build sustained attention and keep the conversation alive across television, digital and social platforms.”

Trusted by 10 lakh+ consumers, Kapiva Dia Free Juice is a herbal wellness formulation of 11 standardised traditional herbs including karela, jamun, gudmar and more in an easy daily format that supports healthy blood sugar levels as part of a balanced lifestyle. Backed by Kapiva’s dedicated R&D team of scientists and researchers, the product has undergone product-specific clinical evaluation and multiple layers of quality and safety testing. It is intended to complement, not replace, prescribed medication or medical advice.

About Kapiva
Kapiva is one of India’s most trusted, science-backed Ayurvedic brands, rooted in authentic Ayurveda and strengthened by modern science. Backed by a dedicated R&D vertical of scientists and researchers, Kapiva develops formulations using standardised herbs, high-quality ingredients and multiple layers of quality and safety testing. Its portfolio spans categories including men’s health, lifestyle, daily wellness, beauty & personal care and more, with products designed to fit easily into modern lifestyles. Kapiva continues to make Ayurveda more relevant, credible and accessible while staying true to its traditional foundations. The brand has a strong offline presence across 60,000+ stores in India and has expanded globally through wholly owned subsidiaries in the USA, UK and Middle East.

Website: www.kapiva.in

As hair restoration becomes increasingly accessible, the role of the doctor in the surgical journey is becoming an important consideration for patients. At Eugenix Hair Sciences, the answer is rooted in a doctor-led approach where medical expertise and surgical artistry come together at every critical stage of the transformation.

The journey begins with the patient, not a predetermined graft count. The lead surgeon evaluates the scalp, pattern of hair loss and donor area, while considering hair characteristics, facial proportions and how hair loss may progress over time. This assessment determines how the available donor hair can be used thoughtfully. Then comes the Planning & Designing session, the point where science meets the surgeon's eye. A natural hairline cannot simply be replicated from a template. Its position, irregularity, density and direction have to complement the individual face. At Eugenix, the surgeon personally draws the hairline and creates the recipient slits, determining the angle, depth, density and direction of each incision.

This is where the artistry of surgery comes into play. Every graft has a place, every angle has a purpose and every transition contributes to the final picture.

The process then moves to extraction and implantation. The team at Eugenix performs Direct Hair Transplantation (DHT), closely integrating both stages so that each graft is implanted within minutes of extraction, keeping its out-of-body time under 30 minutes. Extraction is performed by the doctor, assisted by other doctors, senior surgical assistants and nurses, while implantation is carried out by senior surgical assistants under the guidance and supervision of the lead surgeon.

For Eugenix, technology and teamwork support the process, but the surgeon brings together the science, precision and artistry that turns individual grafts into a natural-looking result.

Because hair restoration is not simply about moving hair. It is about knowing where every graft belongs, understanding why it belongs there, and having the clinical expertise and artistic judgement to make it look as natural as possible.

About Eugenix Hair Sciences

Eugenix Hair Sciences is one of India's leading hair transplant clinic chains, with centres in Gurugram, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar, and an upcoming centre in Bengaluru. Founded by Dr. Pradeep Sethi and Dr. Arika Bansal, both alumni of AIIMS, New Delhi and Fellows of the ISHRS, Eugenix has performed more than 20,000 procedures over 15 years for patients from across the world. The clinic's signature Direct Hair Transplantation (DHT) technique was introduced through peer-reviewed research published in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery in 2013, indexed on PubMed. The Eugenix Gurugram centre is accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), Certificate No. DE-2026-0004.

Smile Train India Launches Comprehensive Cleft Care Reference Centre at Dr. Rela Institute, Chennai

The CCRC builds on one of the earliest multidisciplinary cleft care programs established in 2001 with Smile Train partnership in India. This program, led by Dr Syed Altaf Hussain, has been functioning in the new state-of-the-art facility at the Sree Balaji Medical College Hospital & Dr Rela Medical Centre since 2022 with a highly experienced multidisciplinary team which provides care across different stages of a patient’s cleft journey.

The program brings together expertise across cleft surgery, including complex procedures such as orthognathic surgery (OGS), velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) surgery and alveolar bone grafting (ABG), as well as nutrition, oral health, orthodontics, speech and ENT care. These clinical services support both patient care and the development of cleft care professionals.

Through the CCRC, Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre will further strengthen its focus on sharing clinical expertise, strengthening multidisciplinary practices and building capacity among healthcare professionals. The academic/ university affiliation to Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research further strengthens its role as a referral, research and resource hub for cleft care professionals from India and abroad.

The inauguration comes as Smile Train marks 25+ years of supporting cleft care in India. Through its partnerships with hospitals and local medical professionals, Smile Train has worked to expand access to free, safe and quality cleft care while strengthening the capacity of healthcare professionals to provide treatment within their own communities.

Susannah Schaefer, President & CEO, Smile Train, said, “The launch of the Comprehensive Cleft Care Reference Centre at Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre reflects our commitment to building sustainable models of care that extend beyond individual treatment. By bringing comprehensive clinical expertise together with training, research and knowledge sharing, centres such as this can strengthen the broader cleft care ecosystem. This is another important step by Smile Train towards ensuring that people with clefts have access to quality care throughout their treatment journey.”

Mamta Carroll, Senior Vice President & Regional Director, Asia, Smile Train, said, “Cleft care has evolved significantly in India, with greater recognition that surgery is only one part of a much longer care journey. The CCRC at Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre brings together surgery, nutrition, speech, orthodontics, oral health and ENT care, alongside training and research. By building on an already strong programme, the centre can serve as an important platform for strengthening referral networks, developing cleft professionals and advancing comprehensive cleft care across the region.”

Dr Syed Altaf Hussain, Plastic Surgeon and Director, Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre, said, “Every person with a cleft has a different care journey, often requiring multiple interventions and specialists at different stages of growth and development. Over the years, we have built a multidisciplinary programme that allows these specialists to work together around the patient's needs, including managing complex cleft conditions. The inauguration of the CCRC will enable us to build further on this work, strengthen referral care and expand our contribution to training, research and knowledge sharing.”

The Comprehensive Cleft Care Reference Centre will serve as a platform for high-quality multidisciplinary cleft care while extending its expertise through referrals, professional training, research and knowledge exchange. By combining comprehensive patient care with capacity building, the centre aims to strengthen cleft care beyond the institution itself.

Smile Train’s sustainable model empowers local medical professionals with training, funding and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care within their communities. Over the past 25 years, Smile Train has supported more than 800,000 cleft surgeries in India, working with a network of partner hospitals and medical professionals across the country.

About Smile Train India

For cleft treatment-related queries or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

For more information, please visit www.smiletrainindia.org.

Members of the board of trustees and clinicians inaugurate comprehensive Mother & Child Care Dept. at S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mahim Mumbai

The department launch was graced by honourable trustees Mr. Neel Raheja & Mr. Akshay Raheja, along with Dr. S. Narayani, Regional Director Operations - Fortis Hospitals, Dr. Kunal Punamiya – CEO, S.L. Raheja Hospital, and Lt Gen (Dr) V Ravishankar (VSM-Retd.) – Medical Advisor – Board of Trustees, S.L. Raheja Hospital. Today’s inauguration marks another step in the hospital’s continued commitment to strengthening specialised healthcare for women and children.
 

The Department of Women & Child Care offers comprehensive obstetric care from antenatal check-ups and high-risk pregnancy management to labour, delivery and postpartum support. Gynaecology services address menstrual disorders, PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis and other reproductive health concerns, alongside a strong focus on prevention through cancer screening, adolescent gynaecology and menopause care. Advanced surgical capabilities, including laparoscopy and hysteroscopy, enable minimally invasive treatment wherever clinically appropriate.
 

On the childcare front, the department brings formidable strength in paediatrics and neonatology. A dedicated team of paediatricians and neonatologists provides round-the-clock care for newborns, infants and children, backed by a well-equipped NICU capable of managing critical and high-risk cases from the very first hour of life. From routine immunizations and growth monitoring to the management of complex paediatric conditions, the department is built to support a child's health at every stage, giving parents the assurance of expert care exactly when it matters most.
 

The department brings together a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including Dr. Swity Kora, Dr. Vandana Shetty, Dr. Manasi Medhekar, Dr. Sangeeta Pickle, Dr. Alka Kumar, Dr. Reshma Hussain and Dr. Vikram Shah, amongst others from Obstetrics and Gynaecology, alongside Dr. Asmita Mahajan, Dr. Deepak Ugra, Dr. Rajesh Chokhani and Dr. Ganesh Lahane from Neonatology & Paediatrics. Together, the teams enable coordinated, comprehensive care for women and children, supported by the hospital's wider multidisciplinary clinical ecosystem.
 

The department is further strengthened by specialised paediatric expertise across Cardiology, Intensive Care, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hemato-Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplantation, Nephrology, Pulmonology, Clinical Genetics, Orthopaedics and Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics. This breadth of super-specialty care enables comprehensive evaluation and management of children with complex, chronic and critical conditions, complementing the department’s core paediatric and neonatology services and supporting continuity of care across different stages of childhood.
 

Speaking about the department’s clinical vision, Dr. Kunal Punamiya, CEO, S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mahim – A Fortis Associate, said, “The department is built on a simple but powerful idea — that care for a woman and care for her child shouldn't be treated as separate journeys. We're bringing together expertise that spans a woman's health from adolescence onward, and a child's growth from birth all the way through the teenage years, under one roof. This is just the beginning. As we grow this department, our focus will be on deepening this continuum further, so that families don't have to look beyond S.L. Raheja Hospital for care at any life stage.”
 

Commenting on the launch, Lt Gen (Dr) V Ravishankar (VSM-Retd.) – Medical Advisor – Board of Trustees, S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mahim, Mumbai, said, “Women's and children's healthcare have always been central to building a healthier community, and we believe strongly that a mother's care and her child's care are inseparable. Our responsibility goes beyond access to treatment — it's about ensuring women feel supported at every life stage, and children get the specialised, timely care that shapes their healthiest start. With this department, we're bringing together the expertise to meet the evolving needs of women and children alike, under one roof, built on the same trust and consistency that has defined this hospital for years. Our goal, going forward, is simple: healthcare that meets people where they are, at every stage of life.”
 

With the launch of the Department of Women and Child Care, S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mahim – A Fortis Associate, aims to create a more connected healthcare journey for women and children, bringing together expertise, advanced treatment, preventive care and compassionate support across different stages of life.
 

The launch reinforces the hospital’s commitment to healthcare that goes beyond treating illness — towards early intervention, informed care and long-term women’s and children’s health and wellbeing.
 

About Fortis Healthcare Limited:  
Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics, and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates 36 healthcare facilities (including JVs and O&M facilities) across 12 states and union territories. The Company’s network comprises over 6,150 operational beds (including O&M beds) and 400 diagnostics labs. www.fortishealthcare.com
 

About IHH Healthcare (“IHH”):
IHH is a leading multinational healthcare provider shaping the future of care. Driven by our aspiration to Care. For Good., we unite medical excellence and innovation, pushing boundaries through our trusted brands such as Acibadem, Gleneagles, Fortis, Island, Mount Elizabeth, Pantai, Parkway and Prince Court. Across 10 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Türkiye, India and Greater China, our 70,000-strong team delivers world-class excellence every day, within and beyond our 140 healthcare facilities, including more than 80 hospitals. Our comprehensive services span the full healthcare continuum, from primary and ambulatory to quaternary care, complemented by diagnostics, imaging, rehabilitation, telehealth and home care. In partnership with our stakeholders, IHH is advancing value-based care, building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem and creating meaningful impact, as we work towards our vision to become the world’s most trusted healthcare services network. www.ihhhealthcare.com 

L-R: Dr. Narayanam Srikanth, Dy DG, CCRAS; Dr. Ajay Kumar Meena, Asst. Director, CCRAS; Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayn Acharya, DG, CCRAS; Ameve Sharma, Founder, Kapiva; Dr. R. Govindarajan, CIO, Kapiva
 

Under the agreement, CCRAS will provide Kapiva with access to its proprietary Ayurvedic formulations, scientific intellectual property, standardisation and manufacturing protocols, and supporting pre-clinical and clinical data. The partnership will initially cover 10 products across health areas including pain, stress, metabolic health, sleep, liver health and respiratory health.
 

Kapiva will lead the next stage of product development and commercialisation, including adaptation into modern consumer-friendly formats, manufacturing at scale, branding and nationwide distribution. The brand will undertake formulation adaptation and product optimization across areas such as taste, shelf-life, delivery formats, and consumer convenience. Where a dosage form is changed, appropriate dose-equivalence studies will be conducted.
 

The strategic alliance connects public sector research with commercial distribution, translating CCRAS's clinical formulations into daily consumer use. Kapiva intends to take formulations and technologies that have already undergone scientific and clinical evaluation through CCRAS and its research ecosystem and make them available to consumers in formats that are easier to adopt in everyday life.
 

Ameve Sharma, Founder & CEO, Kapiva, said, “There is a tremendous body of Ayurvedic research that has already been developed and clinically evaluated within India’s public research ecosystem. Our role is to take that science to more people. Through this partnership with CCRAS, we want to bring scientifically studied Ayurvedic formulations to consumers in modern, convenient formats without compromising the core formulation or evidence behind them. It is an important step towards making credible, research-led Ayurveda more accessible at scale.”
 

Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS said, “The partnership reflects CCRAS’ larger objective of enabling the transfer and commercialisation of validated Ayurvedic technologies so that research developed within the public system can translate into products that benefit a wider population. Collaboration with industry partners such as Kapiva can help take these technologies from research to large-scale consumer access while maintaining the scientific and quality standards established by CCRAS.”
 

The collaboration is in line with the Ministry of AYUSH’s broader approach towards technology transfer and commercialisation of Ayurvedic research and demonstrates how public research institutions and private-sector brands can work together to bring scientifically backed Ayurvedic solutions to consumers at scale.
 

Earlier this year, Kapiva launched the Kapiva Innovation Fund to support research and innovation in Ayurveda. The brand also launched Kapiva Ayurveda Clinics in Bengaluru to bring structured, evidence-led Ayurvedic care closer to consumers. Together with the CCRAS partnership, these initiatives reflect Kapiva’s broader focus on combining authentic Ayurveda with modern science, research and clinically informed product development.
 

About Kapiva

Kapiva is a homegrown science-backed Ayurveda brand on a mission to make evidence-based Ayurveda simple, modern, and accessible for everyday wellness. Backed by a dedicated R&D vertical of scientists and researchers, Kapiva develops authentic formulations using science-backed Ayurveda, standardised herbs, and high-quality ingredients. Kapiva has been a disruptor in the Ayurvedic industry by introducing innovation in product formats that can be easily integrated into people's daily routines. Kapiva has expanded globally with its wholly owned subsidiaries in the USA and Middle East, and has a strong offline presence across 50,000+ stores in India. One of India’s most trusted Ayurveda brands.

For more information, please visit website www.kapiva.in.

About Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS)

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. It is an apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, development, and promotion of research on scientific lines in the Ayurveda  of medicine.

For more information, please visit website ccras.nic.in.

The 3rd convening under IMHA’s ‘Connecting India for Mental Health’ series took place in Delhi with 86 member organisations from 12 states

As part of the year round series ‘Connecting India for Mental Health’, 86 member organisations convened in Delhi for the third regional convening following Guwahati & Mumbai meets. The series brings IMHA 370+ alliance organisations together across geographies and sectors to build connections, share knowledge and strengthen collaboration within India’s mental health ecosystem. The next regional meet is scheduled in Bengaluru on 4th December 2026.

Neha Kirpal, Co-founder IMHA said, “In a country as diverse as India, where needs, experiences and realities vary significantly across communities; a decentralised, community-driven approach to mental healthcare is critical. Such an approach can help bridge the fragmentation & lack of access, bring greater cohesion across stakeholders, and ensure that mental health systems are informed by the realities of the communities they serve for lasting impact.”

Nearly a third of the Alliance’s pan-India membership was represented at the Delhi convening; organisations working across health, education, gender, livelihoods, child development, climate in addition to mental health grassroot organisations such as Amar Trishala Sewa Aashram (Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi, Bihar), Dalit Vikas Abhiyan Samiti (Bihar), Gramin Adiwasi Samaj Vikas Sansthan (Madhya Pradesh), Jago Foundation (Jharkhand), Mithila Kala Vikas Samiti (Bihar), Sahyadri Foundation (Nagpur, Maharashtra), SATRA (Assam), Shikshit Rojgar Kendra Prabandhak Samiti (Rajasthan), Stand for Kashmiri Youth Trust (Jammu & Kashmir), and Swanthana Seva Samithi (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar).

Dr Kavita Arora, Founding Cohort, India Mental Health Alliance; Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist; Co-founder at Children First said, “It is now widely recognised, both in India and global institutions like WHO; that an expert-driven, biomedical model focused on tertiary care, cannot by itself address the scale and complexity of mental health needs in a country. To truly respond to the mental health needs of our young and diverse population, we need a more decentralised, preventive and community-driven approach that can reach people earlier, closer to where they live, learn and work. ” 

She adds, “There are undiscovered strengths and immense value in surfacing existing community based learnings and knowledge from caregivers and persons with mental illness. IMHA believes the way forward lies in bringing these forms of expertise together with clinical knowledge, grounded in diverse local contexts and realities.” 

With this intent, IMHA shared plans for an open-access knowledge exchange hub that will help activate and make these accessible widely for mental health professionals, community organisations and policy makers.

About the India Mental Health Alliance 

The India Mental Health Alliance (IMHA) is a Section 8 not-for-profit organisation launched in late 2023 as a partnership between Vasvi and Ashish Bharat Ram, Amaha Health and Children First. IMHA is a cross-sectoral platform working to strengthen India’s mental health ecosystem by convening stakeholders, building capacity and catalysing collaboration at scale. With 370+ member organisations across 30+ states and Union Territories, IMHA brings together organisations and stakeholders working across sectors and disciplines to mobilise existing strengths, identify gaps in care and enable stronger coordination and collaboration across India. Its capacity-building efforts support community organisations, healthcare and educational institutions, as well as individual mental health practitioners through multi-channel knowledge sharing and learning initiatives. Through its work, IMHA aims to mainstream mental health as a national development priority; improve the quality of care; embed Lived Experience Expertise (LEE) in care design and practice; champion social justice in mental health; and mobilise greater long-term, unrestricted philanthropic capital to support systemic, scalable solutions across India.

According to World Health Organization data, ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of death in Egypt in 2021, underscoring the country’s substantial cardiovascular disease burden.¹ By making SupraFlex Cruz available to Egyptian interventional cardiologists, SMT is expanding access to its clinically evaluated, coronary stent platform. This milestone also advances SMT’s commitment to improving access to cardiovascular care and saving lives.

“Egypt is an important addition to SMT’s international footprint and strengthens our presence in Africa. Expanding access to our coronary technologies in this market advances our commitment to supporting physicians, improving cardiovascular care and saving more lives around the world,” said Anil Suri, Chief Commercial Officer, at Sahajanand Medical Technologies.

At the TCT 2025, SMT reported findings from the TUXEDO-II and Multivessel TALENT trials. In TUXEDO-II, the one-year target-lesion-failure outcome for Supraflex Cruz was comparable with a contemporary, market-leading everolimus-eluting stent comparator. In Multivessel TALENT, Supraflex Cruz met the prespecified non-inferiority endpoint for the 12-month patient-oriented composite outcome when compared to an industry-standard contemporary drug-eluting control stent.

About Supraflex Cruz

Supraflex Cruz DES belongs to the Supraflex family of stents, which, through a series of clinical trials including the TALENT trial and has demonstrated safety and effectiveness comparable to the drug-eluting stents evaluated in these trials.

About SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies)

SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited) is a medical devices company with a portfolio of technologically advanced medical devices across vascular and structural heart intervention. SMT offers an extensive portfolio of products focusing on vascular intervention and was the first company in the world to receive CE certification for a DES with a biodegradable polymer. SMT has a global presence, exporting products to more than 75 countries, as on March 31, 2025.

For further updates, please the website or follow SMT on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer

Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated July 25, 2025 (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) and the stock exchanges. The DRHP is available on our website at www.smtpl.com as well as on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited at www.motilaloswalgroup.com, Avendus Capital Private Limited at www.avendus.com, HSBC  Securities  and  Capital Markets (India) Private Limited at www.business.hsbc.co.in and Nuvama Wealth Management Limited at www.nuvama.com and and the websites of the stock exchange(s) at www.nseindia.com and www.bseindia.com, respectively. Any potential investor should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and refer to the Red Herring Prospectus, including the section titled “Risk Factors” of the Red Herring Prospectus when available, for details. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP for any investment decision.

References

1. data.who.int/countries/818

Dr Vitor Mendes Pereira and team

The FDA’s Breakthrough Devices Program is designed to support the development of medical devices that have the potential to provide more effective treatment for patients with life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions. For XCath, the designation provides increased opportunities to interact with FDA experts and receive support during the regulatory development and review process as the company advances the Iris System.

“FDA Breakthrough Device Designation is an important milestone for our mission,” said Eduardo Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer of XCath. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the FDA as we advance the development and evaluation of the Iris System. The real-world learnings from our investigational cases are helping us shape the system to expand access to life-saving stroke care for the millions of patients we ultimately hope to serve.”

The designation follows XCath’s landmark March 2026 achievement: the world’s first remote telerobotic mechanical thrombectomy in a living patient. During a clinical investigation known as Operation Robo Angel, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira, operated the Iris System from a control station in Santiago, Panama, to treat a patient more than 120 miles away at The Panama Clinic in Panama City.

By enabling specialist physicians to operate on patients remotely, the Iris System could help break down the geographic barriers to specialist stroke care. Mechanical thrombectomy is widely regarded as the gold standard treatment for patients suffering a large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke – the deadliest and most disabling type of ischemic stroke. However, access to the procedure remains unequal.

The potential significance of remote treatment is particularly clear in India, which faces a growing stroke burden and significant disparities in access to specialist treatment. Stroke is the fourth biggest killer in India, resulting in 700,000 deaths each year. The country accounts for 10% of the global stroke burden, with cases rising 51% over the last three decades.

It is estimated that each year, more than 270,000 patients in India are eligible for a mechanical thrombectomy – but only 1,000-2,000 procedures are performed nationwide. Just 20% of the population lives within one hour of a stroke centre capable of performing a thrombectomy, while 55% of stroke and cardiac deaths are caused by a delay in seeking care.

For patients suffering an LVO stroke, the consequences of missing timely treatment can be devastating, with 77% of patients either dying or being left with severe disability. Globally, it is estimated that one in four adults will experience a stroke during their lifetime, yet the global median rate of access to mechanical thrombectomy is just 2.79%.

Next month, XCath is due to release a documentary about Operation Robo Angel.

Smile Train experts at the Asian Society of Paediatric Anaesthesiologists (ASPA)

Smile Train supported ASPA 2026 as part of its broader focus on strengthening pediatric anesthesia capabilities. Through training, education, knowledge-sharing and partnerships with medical professionals and institutions, the organization works as a facilitator and enabler to strengthen systems for safer surgical care globally, including in India.

Smile Train’s participation included Dr. Faye Evans, Sr Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Smile Train Medical Advisory Board Member, alongside experts from India, including Dr. Vibhavari Naik, Senior Consultant Pediatric Anesthesiologist, Smile Train Advisory Council Member bringing together global and local perspectives on pediatric anesthesia and patient safety.

Children have distinct anesthesia needs compared with adults. Differences in their airways, physiology and responses to medication require specialized expertise and careful monitoring throughout the surgical journey. This becomes particularly important in cleft care, where children may have specific airway, feeding and nutritional considerations. Anesthesiologists therefore play an integral role in the multidisciplinary cleft care team, working closely with surgeons, nurses and other specialists.

Dr. Faye Evans, Sr Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Smile Train Medical Advisory Board Member, said, “One of the most powerful ways to improve surgical safety is to create opportunities for medical professionals to learn from each other. When global expertise is combined with local clinical experience, solutions can be adapted to the realities of different healthcare settings. ASPA provides an important space for this exchange, and the learnings generated here have the potential to travel far beyond the conference room and benefit children and medical teams across geographies.”

A key pillar of Smile Train’s approach is skilling and capacity building to enhance knowledge and skill capabilities. By supporting continuing education and training opportunities, Smile Train helps strengthen local expertise so medical teams can deliver safe, quality care within their own communities. Platforms such as ASPA complement this approach by enabling specialists to exchange clinical experiences and strengthen pediatric anesthesia practices.

Dr. Vibhavari Naik, Sr Consultant Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Smile Train Advisory Council Member, said, “In India, the opportunity lies in building strong, confident medical teams that are equipped to respond to the specific needs of children. Investing in skills has a multiplier effect—the knowledge gained by one healthcare professional can strengthen teams, institutions and ultimately the quality of care available to many more children. Continued collaboration between specialists will be important as we work towards making safe surgical care more accessible across the country.”

Smile Train’s support for ASPA 2026 reflects its belief that improving child healthcare requires sustained collaboration across institutions, geographies and medical disciplines. By connecting global expertise with local knowledge and supporting the development of healthcare professionals, the organization continues to strengthen the people and systems that enable safe, comprehensive cleft care.

About Smile Train India
For cleft treatment related query or support, please call our toll-free helpline number: 1800 103 8301.

• The “complete vs incomplete protein” framing is outdated. Almost all plant foods, including pulses, grains, nuts, and seeds, contain all nine essential amino acids the body needs; what varies is the relative amounts, digestibility, and protein density of each, not whether it is present. Within a varied, calorie-adequate eating pattern, deliberately combining specific foods at every single meal is generally unnecessary.

• Lab protein-quality scores don’t capture the complete nutritional value of a food or dietary pattern. Widely cited scores such as PDCAAS and DIAAS are useful for comparing amino acids in isolated foods, but they say nothing about portion size, food processing, affordability, or how a food fits into an actual meal and overall eating pattern, which is what ultimately determines health outcomes.

• A “high-protein” label is not a guarantee of nutritional quality; diversity of the overall plate is what matters. The paper cautions that many processed, protein-marketed products are simultaneously high in sodium, saturated fat or added sugar, and low in fibre — and that adding a concentrated protein food to a meal is not, by itself, evidence of a healthier plate. Two foods with identical protein content can have very different effects on health depending on the whole nutritional package they bring — and what they replace in the meal — not on whether a high-protein item has simply been added to it.

• Real protein risk is concentrated, not universal. For a healthy adult with a varied, adequately-fed eating pattern, ICMR-NIN's reference intake of roughly 0.83g/kg/day (about 50g/day for a 60kg adult) can generally be met through a varied, energy-adequate diet containing sufficient protein-rich foods. The paper identifies the genuine risk groups as growing children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, older adults, people who are unwell or losing weight rapidly, and those with restricted intake, illness, malabsorption, rapid weight loss or clinical recovery. These groups of people need individual attention, not blanket high-protein messaging aimed at the general population.

• What a food replaces matters more than what it adds. Citing a study following over 715,000 people, the paper notes that higher plant protein intake was linked to lower risk of death from any cause and from heart disease. A separate study found that replacing just 3% of daily calories of animal with plant protein, in particular, away from processed meat, was associated with a lower risk of death. The evidence is observational.

“As a clinician, I see this every day: no single ingredient makes a meal healthy, and none makes it unhealthy either,” said Dr Rajendiran Gopalan, Professor and Head, Preventive Cardiology, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (PSGIMSR), Coimbatore. “What determines outcomes is the diversity and balance of the whole plate, meal after meal, day after day. This white paper puts the evidence for that plainly: protein adequacy is a property of the overall eating pattern, not any one food added to it. That's a principle worth holding onto whenever nutrition decisions are being made at scale — for a family, a hospital, or a public meal programme.”

The white paper is explicit that getting protein right doesn't rest on individuals alone: it calls on healthcare professionals to assess the real eating pattern rather than assume a plant-based label means protein-adequate or inadequate; on food companies to stop treating a protein claim as proof of nutritional quality; and on policymakers to support affordable pulses and legumes, crop diversity, clear food labelling, and quality standards for supplements. The paper frames protein guidance as inseparable from affordability, environmental sustainability, and the resilience of the wider food system — arguing that crop diversity and accessible staples matter as much to long-term nutrition security as any single nutrient target.

“Protein anxiety is being manufactured faster than protein literacy,” Dr Shahin added. “Our goal with this paper is not to tell people to eat more or less protein. It's to shift the conversation from counting grams to looking at overall patterns of eating and whether that meets the needs of the person. That question should guide decisions by families, but also by institutions and policymakers shaping nutrition at scale.”

Rethinking Protein in Plant-Based Diets sets out a food-first framework for protein adequacy, built around seven practical steps: defining an individual's protein-need context, assessing their existing eating pattern, setting an appropriate target, building meals around diverse protein-rich foods, improving protein availability and digestibility through appropriate preparation and processing, pairing nutrition with resistance activity, and using supplements selectively — only where food alone cannot meet a genuine, defined gap. The full white paper is available on request.

About PAN India
The Physicians Association for Nutrition, India (PAN India) is a coalition of physicians and nutrition scientists working to advance evidence-based nutrition guidance and policy in India, with a focus on closing the gap between nutrition science and public understanding.

Kauvery Hospital introduces Endoscopic Spinal Fusion in Chennai

Endoscopic fusion is spinal fusion performed through a working channel and high-definition camera inserted via an incision of about 8 mm. The surgeon decompresses the affected nerves, prepares the disc space and places an interbody implant with fixation under continuous visualisation, while aiming to preserve surrounding muscle, bone and ligaments.

Unlike traditional open spine surgery, which involves larger incisions and extensive muscle dissection, and standard MIS, which still requires some tissue handling with an incision of around 20 mm, the endoscopic approach is designed to reduce tissue damage, blood loss and postoperative pain, and to support faster recovery.

The treatment is more suitable for Degenerative lumbar conditions such as disc disease, spinal stenosis and selected low-grade instability, persistent nerve-root compression causing leg pain after adequate conservative care, revision or re-do spine surgery, where previous open surgery has left scar tissue that would be riskier to operate through again. It is also recommended for selected elderly patients for whom a long open fusion would be a heavier surgical burden.

“Endoscopic procedures are also used for disc herniation and nerve compression. In certain cases, they may help avoid the need for extensive fusion by preserving the spine’s natural stability. However, the suitability is decided after clinical evaluation, imaging and assessment of overall health. The technique is not suitable for all patients. High-grade slips, some complex deformities and cases that require wide open reconstruction may still need conventional surgery,” said Dr Keerthivasan P, Senior Consultant Spine and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Kauvery Hospital Alwarpet Chennai.

In appropriately selected cases, intended benefits include a smaller wound, less muscle injury, lower blood loss, less postoperative pain, earlier walking and a shorter hospital stay.

In a recent complex case, a 56-year-old woman who had previously undergone L4–L5 open spine surgery later developed problems at the L3–L4 and L4–L5 levels. The team used an endoscopic approach to avoid operating through scarred tissue. Blood loss was less than 50 ml. The patient walked within two hours and was discharged within two days.

In another case, an elderly patient with severe leg pain due to a disc problem was treated endoscopically, avoiding a major open operation that would have required long-segment fusion. The patient recovered quickly and returned to normal activity sooner than expected.

Dr Balamurali, Head of Department – Spine and Neurosurgery, Kauvery Hospital, Alwarpet, Chennai, added, “This advancement strengthens our comprehensive spine care programme, where patient selection, precision planning and multidisciplinary coordination play a crucial role in outcomes. Endoscopic fusion is not just about smaller incisions, but about choosing the right approach for the right patient. With this technique, we are able to expand our treatment spectrum and offer personalized solutions, especially in complex and revision spine cases.”

Speaking on the technology, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-Founder and Executive Director Kauvery Hospitals said, "Our focus is to combine clinical expertise with advanced technology to deliver effective treatment while reducing the overall burden of surgery. The introduction of endoscopic fusion surgery reflects our commitment to offering less invasive options wherever appropriate."

HALO (Hybrid Asian Low Offset) Stem

The launch of HALO Stem and the Latitud Revision Cup also reflects the growing role of Indian medical device innovation in advancing orthopaedic care. For decades, the Indian orthopaedic market relied heavily on imported Western implants, which were primarily engineered around European and North American anatomical datasets. However, Indian and Asian anatomies present distinct variations including lower femoral offsets, narrower intramedullary canals, and smaller pelvic profiles. To address this mismatch and reduce reliance on Western designs, Meril collaborated with top Indian orthopaedic surgeons to pioneer a surgeon-led approach grounded in indigenous 3D CT scan morphometric studies of local patient populations.

Hip replacement in India is increasingly relevant beyond the traditional perception of it being a procedure primarily associated with older adults. Avascular necrosis (AVN), developmental conditions, trauma, inflammatory arthritis and other conditions can affect younger and active individuals, making anatomical restoration and predictable outcomes important considerations in total hip arthroplasty.

The HALO Stem has been designed with these anatomical considerations in mind. Its geometry is intended to support anatomical reconstruction while facilitating fit, alignment and load transfer. The stem incorporates a 135° neck angle, a moderate 2.5° taper angle, ribbed geometry for rotational stability and fixation, extended ribs to support fixation and facilitate removal, a polished neck and distal tip for smoother insertion, and a blasted surface for enhanced fixation.

Dr Vijay C. Bose, The Director & Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon of SIMS Hospital

Speaking about the design philosophy behind the HALO Stem, The Director & Senior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon of SIMS Hospital, Dr. Vijay C. Bose, said, “The development of the HALO Stem was driven by the need to address the anatomical and surgical considerations we encounter in our patients. The objective was to create a stem that supports accurate anatomical reconstruction while providing reliable primary stability and controlled insertion. The design features have been developed with the surgeon’s requirements and the patient’s anatomy in mind, with an emphasis on consistency and predictability during total hip arthroplasty.”

Dr. Krishna Kiran, The Director and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon of Medicover Hospital

Dr. Krishna Kiran, The Director and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon of Medicover Hospital said, “Addressing complex acetabular bone loss requires high intraoperative adaptability. The Latitud Revision Cup was designed to give surgeons complete anatomical freedom allowing us to tackle challenging Paprosky defects and narrow pelvic structures with confidence, while eliminating our reliance on Western revision options.”

With the launch of HALO Stem and Latitud Revision Cup, Meril continues to expand its orthopaedic portfolio with solutions focused on addressing clinical and anatomical requirements relevant to Indian and Asian patient populations.

About Meril Life Sciences

Meril is an India-based global medical device company focused on advancing healthcare through innovation and strong R&D. It provides cutting-edge medtech solutions in over 150 countries, supported by more than 35 subsidiaries worldwide. Through partnerships, precision technology, and international quality standards, Meril is shaping the future of healthcare.

Dr. Madan S. Gaekwad, COO; Dr. M.R. Jayaram, Chairman, GEF(M); Shri U.T. Khader, Hon’ble Minister; and Dr. Nagendra Swamy S.C, CE, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, with the donors

The event was graced by Shri U.T. Khader, Hon'ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, India.

The programme was organised in response to a widening gap between the need for organs and their availability in India. The country's deceased organ donation rate remains below 1 donor per million population, compared to over 48 per million in Spain. While India recorded a landmark 20,138 transplants in 2025, nearly 82% relied on living donors, and more than 89,000 patients remain on transplant waiting lists as of March 2026, a number that far outpaces the availability of organs.

Through this initiative, the hospital sought to encourage more individuals and families to come forward and pledge organ donation, in order to help bridge this critical gap and give patients on the waitlist a genuine chance at life. If we can increase organ donations through brain-dead patients, the situation will definitely improve.

Living organ transplantation continues to be a well-established and life-saving treatment option in India, particularly for kidney and liver failure, where a healthy individual, often a close family member, voluntarily donates an organ or part of an organ to a patient in need. Advances in surgical technique, immunosuppression, and post-transplant care have made living donor transplants highly safe and successful, with excellent outcomes. However, experts note that living donation alone cannot bridge India's growing organ shortage, underscoring the need for more citizens to pledge deceased organ donation, alongside greater awareness, timely identification of potential donors, and robust hospital-level coordination.

Shri U.T. Khader, Hon'ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, said, "Organ donation is a gift that transcends boundaries of relation and community. The Government of Karnataka remains committed to strengthening deceased donation infrastructure across the state, and initiatives like this by Ramaiah Memorial Hospital play a vital role in encouraging more citizens to come forward and pledge their organs.”

Dr. M. R. Jayaram, Chairman, Gokula Education Foundation (Medical) & Chancellor – Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences (RUAS), said, "Organ donation is among the most profound expressions of human compassion. Today's gathering reflects our collective responsibility to build public awareness and trust around deceased donation. Every family that comes forward brings us closer to closing India's organ gap and giving more patients a genuine chance at life."

Dr. Nagendra Swamy S. C., Chief Executive – Ramaiah Memorial Hospital & Healthcare Services, GEF (Medical), added, "Organ transplantation — whether through living or deceased donation — has evolved into one of the most reliable treatment options for end-stage organ failure. With over 89,000 patients awaiting transplants in India, the need far exceeds availability. Through today's drive, we hope to have inspired more citizens to come forward, pledge their organs, and help us close this critical gap."

The event reinforced the hospital's long-standing commitment to ethical transplant practices and donor awareness in Karnataka. Ramaiah Memorial Hospital's transplant programme spans multiple organ systems, supported by a multidisciplinary team of specialists dedicated to advancing safe, high-quality transplant care in the region.

About Ramaiah Memorial Hospital

Ramaiah Memorial Hospital (RMH), established in 2004, is a 500 bed, JCI-, NABH- and NABL-certified multi-disciplinary super specialty quaternary care hospital in Bengaluru, India. RMH received the Joint Commission International (JCI) Gold Seal of Approval in June 2025. The Gold Seal of Approval is a symbol of a healthcare organization's commitment to meeting international standards of patient care and safety, demonstrating excellence in clinical quality, patient safety, and outcomes. In June 2025, RMH was also certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) as a Comprehensive Chest Pain Center and by the American Stroke Association (ASA) as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. The recent FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy) accreditation of our Bone Marrow Unit and stem cell laboratory reflects our adherence to rigorous, peer-reviewed standards, ensuring the highest quality of patient care across the entire stem cell process—from collection and processing to administration and long-term follow-up.

With more than 22 years of service, the hospital has touched the lives of over 5 million patients and performed more than two lakh surgeries. Its transplant milestones are close to 600 renal transplants, over 50 heart transplants, more than 210 bone marrow transplants, and liver transplant services initiated in 2025.

Ramaiah Memorial Hospital is affiliated with Mount Sinai International, New York from June 2024, marking a transformative collaboration focused on elevating healthcare through excellence in clinical care, quality, research, innovation, and technology.

Our Centers of Excellence, such as the Ramaiah Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Ramaiah Institute of Oncosciences, Ramaiah Institute of Nephro-Uro Sciences, Ramaiah Institute of Neurosciences, and the Ramaiah Institute of Gastro-Enteric Sciences are delivering comprehensive healthcare services under respective specialties along with other super-specialties.

RMH has received recognition from Newsweek as one of the World's best hospitals in 2025. The ranking is based on hospital recommendations from peers, hospital quality metrics, patient experience, and PROMs implementation survey.

For advanced osteoarthritis, knee replacement remains an established and effective treatment. However, for patients with mild to moderate disease, the priority can be to preserve the natural knee and delay or avoid surgery wherever clinically appropriate.
 

Dr. Deepak Kumar K S, MBBS, MS (Orthopedics), MCH (Ortho), Chief Consultant - Orthopedic surgeon, Knee Replacement and Mako Stryker Expert

At Kamakshi Memorial Hospitals, Dr. Deepak Kumar KS, Orthopedic Surgeon, Knee Replacement and Mako Stryker Expert, follows a knee-preservation-first approach. He evaluates every patient carefully and explores appropriate treatment options aimed at preserving the natural knee before considering replacement surgery.
 

“As knee replacement specialists, we should not look at replacement as the first and only solution. Wherever clinically appropriate, I believe in exploring every possible avenue to preserve the patient’s natural knee. We are constantly looking at newer, scientifically supported treatment options that can potentially help patients maintain their joint and quality of life,” Dr. Deepak.
 

In this pursuit of knee preservation, Dr. Deepak collaborated with Dr. Sathish Kumar Thangamani, MS (Ortho), D. Ortho., Dip (ABRM), Fellowship in Stem cell and Regenerative Medicine who is a Senior Assistant Professor @ Stanley Medical College and consultant at Dr. Kamakshi Memorial Hospitals to administer an innovative allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy for carefully selected patients with knee osteoarthritis.
 

With approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the availability of this regulated stem cell therapy represents an important development in regenerative medicine and expands treatment possibilities between conservative care and surgical intervention.
 

The therapy, manufactured by Stempeutics Research and made available by Cipla, is designed to leverage the anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and cartilage-protective potential of mesenchymal stem cells.
 

Dr. Sathish says, “The collaboration marks an important step in translating advances in regenerative medicine into clinical practice. We hope this approach will ultimately benefit many patients with knee osteoarthritis.”
 

For patients with Grade II and III knee osteoarthritis, the availability of an approved regenerative therapy provides another potential option within the continuum of care. Individual treatment decisions, however, need to be based on the patient’s condition, disease severity and clinical assessment.
 

As knee osteoarthritis management evolves, the goal remains to provide patients with the right treatment at the right stage—while preserving the natural knee whenever clinically possible and using knee replacement when it is truly required.
 

To know more about the hospital please visit www.drkmh.com.

The family license covers the Supraflex Sirolimus Eluting Stent System and lists Supraflex Cruz as a licensed device within that family. The license enables the device to be imported and sold in Canada and advances SMT’s strategy to expand the international availability of its coronary-intervention technologies.

[Heart disease remains a significant public health burden in Canada. In 2023, 6.3% of Canadians aged 18 and older reported having been diagnosed with heart disease or having experienced a heart attack. Heart disease also claimed 57,890 lives that year, making it the country’s second-leading cause of death. ¹ Between April 2023 and March 2024, approximately 8.2% of Canadians aged over 20 were living with diagnosed ischemic heart disease and over 170,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. ²

Commenting on the company’s expansion into Canada, Anil Suri, Chief Commercial Officer, at SMT said “Canada is an important market for SMT, and this approval represents a meaningful step in expanding access to Supraflex Cruz. We are committed to supporting physicians with a clinically supported coronary-stent platform as they care for people living with coronary artery disease,” 

The Supraflex Cruz approval builds on SMT’s expanding international presence and reflects the company’s commitment to making its coronary-intervention technologies available to physicians in markets where cardiovascular disease remains a major public health priority.

The Canadian license comes amid a growing body of clinical evidence for Supraflex Cruz. Findings presented at TCT 2025 included results from TUXEDO-2, which enrolled 1,800 patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease and demonstrated the non-inferiority of Supraflex Cruz versus a contemporary drug-eluting stent for target lesion failure at one year. Results from MULTIVESSEL TALENT, which randomized 1,550 patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease across 54 sites in Europe and the United Kingdom, demonstrated the non-inferiority of Supraflex Cruz versus a contemporary drug-eluting stent for the trial’s primary composite endpoint at 12 months.

About Supraflex Cruz

Supraflex Cruz DES belongs to the Supraflex family of stents, which, through a series of clinical trials including the TALENT trial and has demonstrated safety and effectiveness comparable to the drug-eluting stents evaluated in those trials.

About SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies)

SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited) is a medical devices company with a portfolio of technologically advanced medical devices across vascular and structural heart intervention. SMT offers an extensive portfolio of products focusing on vascular intervention and was the first company in the world to receive CE certification for a DES with a biodegradable polymer. SMT has a global presence, exporting products to more than 75 countries, as on March 31, 2025.

For further updates, please the website or follow SMT on LinkedIn.

¹ Statistics Canada, “Heart disease and strokes: Two different afflictions, one common risk factor,” February 5, 2026.
² Public Health Agency of Canada, “Heart disease: For health professionals,” February 12, 2026.

Disclaimer

Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated July 25, 2025 (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) and the stock exchanges. The DRHP is available on our website at www.smtpl.com as well as on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited at www.motilaloswalgroup.com, Avendus Capital Private Limited at www.avendus.com, HSBC  Securities  and  Capital Markets (India) Private Limited at www.business.hsbc.co.in and Nuvama Wealth Management Limited at www.nuvama.com and and the websites of the stock exchange(s) at www.nseindia.com and www.bseindia.com, respectively. Any potential investor should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and refer to the Red Herring Prospectus, including the section titled “Risk Factors” of the Red Herring Prospectus when available, for details. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP for any investment decision.

Advanced robotic surgery at MITR Hospital offers renewed hope and improved quality of life to a patient living with Crohn’s disease

Today, Rajesh is home and pain-free — able to plan his life without planning around his illness. He is one of a handful of patients in India to have undergone robotic multi-specialty surgery for an ileo-vesical fistula, performed at MITR Hospital, Navi Mumbai by a joint team of urological and gastrointestinal surgeons, entirely through keyhole incisions.

A Case That Would Have Meant Major Open Surgery — Almost Anywhere Else
An ileo-vesical fistula is a rare and serious complication of long-standing Crohn's disease. Years of chronic inflammation had created so much scarring in Rajesh's case that conventional laparoscopy risked injuring surrounding organs, while open surgery would have meant a large abdominal cut and a much longer recovery. Using a robotic system with magnified 3D vision and instruments capable of movements the human hand cannot replicate, the team removed the diseased bowel segment, closed the abnormal opening in the bladder, and reconstructed the bladder wall — all through small incisions, in a single operation.

Dr Manish Dubey, Senior Urologist & Robotic Surgeon, MITR Hospital, commented, “This case required close coordination between urology and gastrointestinal surgery, given the severe scarring built up over 15 years of Crohn's disease. The robotic platform gave us the precision and three-dimensional clarity to dissect safely through tissue that would have been extremely difficult to navigate otherwise. The patient walking out in days rather than weeks is the result we always aim for.”

Dr Vijaykumar Malladi, General & GI Surgeon, MITR Hospital added, “The intestinal component of this surgery — resecting the diseased bowel and restoring continuity — is technically demanding even in routine cases. In a patient with 15 years of Crohn's-related scarring, the robotic system allowed us to work with a level of precision and safety that would not have been possible through conventional means. This is exactly the kind of case where multi-specialty robotic surgery delivers results that truly change a patient's life.”

Rajesh (name changed), Patient was thankful and said “For fifteen years, I lived with pain that never really went away — just good days and bad days. Towards the end, even the good days became rare. I’m just grateful to MITR Hospital team for beingable to plan my life again instead of planning around my illness.”

What Robotic Surgery Means for Patients
For most patients, surgery still conjures images of large scars and weeks of recovery. Robotic surgery changes that picture. Working through a few small keyhole openings, the surgeon has magnified 3D vision and instruments far more flexible than the human wrist — meaning less blood loss, less pain, and a dramatically faster return home. Many MITR Hospital patients are walking the same day and discharged the next. In cancer operations such as radical prostatectomy, robotic precision can also protect the delicate nerves that control bladder function — a difference that matters long after the patient goes home.

MITR Hospital: A Centre of Excellence for Robotic Urological Surgery
MITR Hospital has performed over 70 robotic urological and urogynaecological procedures since 2024, across the full spectrum of the specialty — from cancer surgery (radical prostatectomy, partial and radical nephrectomy) to complex reconstruction (pyeloplasty, Boari flap, ureteric reimplantation, augmentation cystoplasty) and urogynaecological procedures (sacrocolpopexy, vesicovaginal fistula repair). That breadth, delivered consistently from a 25-bedded focused surgical centre where every patient has direct access to their treating surgeon, is what defines a true centre of excellence.

Dr Vijaykumar Yadav, Consultant Urologist, MITR Hospital also added, “Robotic surgery has transformed our ability to manage complex cases in a minimally invasive way. Cases that once required large incisions and prolonged hospital stays can now be performed precisely through small ports, with patients recovering at home within days.”

About MITR Hospital
MITR Hospital is a super speciality surgical hospital in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. Established in 2010, MITR Hospital is led by a team of specialist doctors and surgeons. In the last 16 years, MITR Hospital has served 1.2 lakh patients with more than 20,000 successful surgeries. The departments include a comprehensive urology department including Adult Urology, Andrology, Pediatric Urology services, General and GI surgery, Gynecology, Gastreneterology & Hepatology, Orthopedics, Arthoroscopy & Joint replacement and Internal medicine. Led by senior specialists and supported by dedicated nursing and anaesthesia teams, the hospital is committed to delivering the highest standard of surgical care with the personal attention that larger institutions cannot always provide. More information is available at www.mitrhospital.com. 

- By Dr Sandeep B. Gore, Director – Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai & Organising Chairman, EMCON 2026.

For Emergency Medicine in India, EMCON 2026 in Mumbai is one such moment. From October 30 to November 1, 2026, emergency physicians, global leaders, researchers, nurses, paramedics, educators, innovators and healthcare administrators will gather at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake for the 28th National Conference of the Society for Emergency Medicine India which is all set to become biggest ever international academic event in Emergency Medicine in India. EMCON returns to Mumbai after 12 years, with more than 2,000 delegates, 300+ national faculty members and 50+ international faculty members expected.
 

Fortis Hospital Mulund’s Dr Sandeep Gore (centre) with young EM fraternity in Mumbai

But numbers alone do not explain why this meeting matters. Its real significance lies in what they represent: the coming of age of Emergency Medicine in India.
 

Not very long ago, emergency care in many Indian hospitals was considered a transit point, a place where patients arrived before being referred to a physician, surgeon or intensivist. That world is changing.
 

The modern Emergency Medicine Department is a clinical command centre.
 

A patient with a blocked coronary artery cannot wait. A stroke cannot wait. Septic shock cannot wait. Polytrauma cannot wait. A compromised airway certainly cannot wait. In those first few minutes, there is often no complete diagnosis and no luxury of time. The emergency physician must recognise physiological collapse, establish priorities, initiate resuscitation, use bedside diagnostics, mobilise multidisciplinary teams and make decisions whose consequences may last a lifetime.
 

That is why I have always believed that Emergency Medicine is both the art of rapidly evaluating undifferentiated patients and transforming those presentations into decisive action, and the science of mastering resuscitation.
 

That philosophy lies at the heart of EMCON 2026. Our theme, “Innovation, Collaboration and Excellence in Emergency Medicine,” reflects a simple belief: excellence in Emergency Medicine begins with excellence in resuscitation.
 

And resuscitation excellence cannot be built by doctors alone. It requires nurses, paramedics, pre-hospital systems, hospital leadership, policymakers, researchers, technology, industry and collaboration with the global Emergency Medicine community.
 

Bringing the world to Mumbai

EMCON 2026 reflects how Indian Emergency Medicine is increasingly becoming part of the global conversation. The conference will bring together leaders from apex international Emergency Medicine organisations including the Dr Ian Higginsin - President of Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), Dr L. Antony Cirillo, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), Dr Pauline Convocar - President of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) and Dr Julina Md Noor - President of the World Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound (WINFOCUS) as keynote speakers.
 

Another keynote is particularly meaningful to me. Padma Shri Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar represents something profoundly Indian in medicine: the ability of meticulous bedside observation, scientific curiosity and perseverance to solve problems affecting patients far away from sophisticated academic centres. His pioneering work in scorpion envenomation reminds us that innovation does not always begin inside an expensive laboratory. Sometimes, it begins beside a critically ill patient in rural India.
 

Learning beyond the conference hall

We did not want learning to begin on October 30. So, we took EMCON beyond the main conference. The 28 pre-conference workshops across institutions and cities cover skills that define contemporary Emergency Medicine, including Point of Care Ultrasound in Emergency Medicine POCUS in EM, Crisis airway management, Mechanical Ventilation in ED, Toxicology, advanced resuscitative simulation, artificial intelligence, Maternal arrest resuscitation, Resuscitative thoracotomy in ED, Clinical Governance in EM, high-reliability Emergency Departments, ECPR in ED bootcamps & Frontline ER (Workshop for paramedics).
 

The lesson is straightforward: Emergency Medicine cannot be learnt only from a podium. It’s a hands-on discipline.
 

Emergency Medicine – Mastering the resuscitation

Emergency Medicine is no longer a new discipline in India. It has become one of the most decisive front doors of modern healthcare. Over the last couple of years, I have personally visited around 100 Emergency Medicine Departments across India and personally interacted with hundreds of Emergency Physicians across different states, institutions and healthcare systems government as well as private. The infrastructure varies. Resources vary. Patient volumes vary enormously. But one thing has become increasingly clear to me. The identity of Indian Emergency Medicine is becoming stronger. And at the centre of that identity is resuscitation.
 

I often ask a simple question: What are Emergency Physicians masters of?

My answer is equally simple. We are masters of resuscitation.

That does not mean merely performing CPR or managing cardiac arrest. Modern resuscitation begins much earlier. It is the ability to recognize physiological deterioration before collapse, understand why a patient is unstable, intervene rapidly, reassess continuously and change treatment based on the patient's evolving physiology. This is where Emergency Medicine has changed dramatically. Point-of-care testing (POCT) and Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Emergency Medicine has brought critical diagnostics closer to the bedside. Blood gases, lactate, cardiac biomarkers, ketones and other parameters can now influence decisions within minutes.

Resuscitative Point-of-Care Ultrasound has perhaps been one of the most transformative additions to Emergency Medicine. The Emergency Physician can assess cardiac function, lung pathology, volume status, internal bleeding and haemodynamic response during active resuscitation itself and can observe real time reversal of disease.

The clinical question is no longer simply: “Is the blood pressure low?” The better question is: Why is it low, and what does this patient need now?

Does the patient need fluid?

A vasopressor?

Inotropy?

Blood?

Drainage of a tamponade?

Relief of tension pneumothorax?

Immediate reperfusion?

That shift from generic resuscitation towards physiology-guided, patient-specific treatment represents the high end of Emergency Medicine today.

I describe it as Precision Emergency Resuscitation.

Preparing for the Emergency Department of tomorrow

Medicine is entering an extraordinary period of transformation. Artificial intelligence, digital health, point-of-care diagnostics, advanced ultrasound, simulation and extracorporeal resuscitation are expanding what can be achieved during the earliest minutes of illness.
 

But technology is not the destination. Better outcomes are.
 

Innovation without systems creates impressive technology. Innovation integrated into systems saves lives. This distinction is important because the future of Emergency Medicine will depend not only on what technology can do, but on whether we build the teams, training and systems required to use it effectively.

India needs an emergency-care ecosystem

The larger conversation therefore extends beyond EMCON.
 

India needs to think of emergency care as an ecosystem. Our next challenge is to build systems that can deliver the right care, at the right place, in the shortest possible time, whether an emergency occurs in Mumbai or in a small-town hundreds of kilometres from a tertiary hospital.
 

I have previously described the Emergency Department as the front door of a hospital. Increasingly, it is becoming something more: the point at which the preparedness of the entire healthcare system is tested.
 

Mumbai - the natural home for this moment. There could perhaps be no more appropriate city for this gathering than Mumbai. Mumbai understands emergencies. It understands speed, uncertainty, resilience and teamwork. In many ways, it mirrors Emergency Medicine itself relentless, responsive and resilient.
 

When thousands of emergency-care professionals gather here, I hope we do more than exchange scientific knowledge. I hope we ask difficult questions.

How do we make every Emergency Department safer?

How do we bring advanced resuscitation closer to every Indian?

How do we strengthen pre-hospital care?

How do we train the next generation differently?

How do we use AI without losing clinical judgement?

How do we move from individual excellence to reliable systems?
 

And ultimately: How many more lives can Indian Emergency Medicine save over the next decade? That is the real agenda of EMCON 2026.
 

This is not just a conference. It is a calling.
 

EMCON 2026 will be hosted from 30 October to 1 November 2026 at The Westin Mumbai Powai Lake, Mumbai.

In a decisive move aligned with India’s nation-building priorities and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, Amway India, a leading health and wellbeing company, today announced a landmark strategic push into Ayurveda with the launch of Nutrilite Ayurveda. The launch represents more than an expansion of Amway India’s wellness portfolio. It is an opportunity to contribute to the broader economic value chain around Ayurveda in India – from responsibly sourced botanicals and local agriculture to manufacturing, scientific research, innovation and employment. Driven by the growing consumer demand for plant-based, preventive healthcare, and supported by Government of India’s sustained focus on strengthening the AYUSH ecosystem, the company unveiled nine new Ayurveda innovations under the portfolio. Bringing together more than 90 years of Nutrilite’s botanical science expertise with a decade of local manufacturing capabilities, Amway India is combining the time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda with modern scientific validation creating a wellness proposition that is Made in India, for India, with the potential to take India’s traditional wellness to the world.

Amway India launches 'Nutrilite Ayurveda'

Speaking to the media at the launch, Mr Rajneesh Chopra, Managing Director, Amway India, said, “India is witnessing a significant transformation in traditional wellness, driven by the Government of India's visionary focus on strengthening the AYUSH ecosystem and advancing Ayurveda as an integral part of the country's health and wellbeing landscape is creating a robust foundation for Ayurveda to thrive in India and gain greater relevance on the global stage. Furthermore, as India strengthens its capabilities in Ayurveda-led innovation and manufacturing, this growing ecosystem has the potential to create new economic opportunities, strengthen India’s capabilities and support its emergence as a globally relevant hub for traditional wellness. This momentum aligns seamlessly with Amway India's next chapter of growth and our ambition to contribute meaningfully to India's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Reflecting our confidence in the immense potential of Ayurveda, we aim to build Nutrilite Ayurveda into a INR 100 crore category over the next two years. With our deep expertise in nutrition with more than 90 years of Nutrilite's botanical science legacy and scientific validation, Amway India is uniquely positioned to contribute the India’s strategic roadmap for Ayurveda.”  

“Today's consumers are increasingly embracing Ayurveda as an everyday choice for wellness; but they also seek the transparency, consistency and scientific validation they expect from modern wellness products. At Nutrilite, we believe trust is at the heart of what we offer. For Nutrilite Ayurveda, 'Every Herb Has a Story. We Make Sure It’s True' is more than a promise. It reflects our commitment to ensuring the quality and traceability of every botanical we offer to consumers so they can embrace Ayurveda with greater confidence," he further added.

The first phase of roll-out will introduce three Ayurveda formulations, Kalamegha, formulated to support healthy liver function; Shigru (moringa), which helps reduce extra fat deposition and inflammation; and Vrikshamla (garcinia), aimed at improving metabolism and satiety.

Today’s consumers have shifted from a reactive to a proactive approach to health and wellbeing, and demand complete transparency regarding ingredient sourcing, efficacy, and authenticity. Thus, at the heart of this portfolio is Nutrilite, which for more than 90 years has brought together the best of nature and science. With Nutrilite Ayurveda, this legacy meets the time-tested wisdom of Ayurveda to address a critical whitespace in the category: the growing need for greater trust, transparency and credibility.

The portfolio is built on authentic Ayurvedic botanicals responsibly sourced from organically cultivated Nutricert-certified farms, reflecting Nutrilite's enduring commitment to sustainable agriculture and responsible sourcing. Backed by Nutrilite’s R&D expertise and scientific validation, every formulation is supported by Nutrilite's rigorous quality processes, including DNA Fingerprinting, Active Ingredient Testing and Seed-to-Supplement Traceability, delivering authenticity, consistency and transparency. The products also undergo comprehensive, multi-step testing for contaminants, heavy metals, microbiological safety and consistency of key marker compounds, going beyond basic regulatory requirements to deliver the quality, authenticity and consistency consumers expect from Nutrilite. The portfolio also comprises AYUSH-registered formulations, reinforcing Amway India's commitment to developing products in line with the applicable regulatory framework while giving consumers greater confidence in the quality and authenticity of what they choose.

The launch builds on the company's earlier introduction of Nutrilite Chyawanprash in the category. Nutrilite Ayurveda is built on the idea of validating time-honoured Ayurvedic formulations through the same rigorous, science-backed approach that has defined Nutrilite for decades. Priced at an MRP of INR 449/-, INR 651/-, and INR 449/-, Kalamegha, Shigru and Vrikshamla respectively⁽¹⁾ , will be available from 8^th September 2026, across all Amway-authorised channels, through Amway Business Owners/Distributors, Amway stores and at www.amway.in.

About Amway India

Amway India, one of the leading FMCG Direct Selling companies supporting health and wellbeing, is an ultimate wholly owned subsidiary of Amway Corporation (Alticor Global Holdings Inc), USA, the world’s #1 direct-selling company. Globally, Amway is a 65+ years old, US $7.3 billion, manufacturer and direct seller of quality consumer goods. Amway’s innovation and industry-leading R&D have seen more than 750 global patents granted and a few more patents pending. Amway has more than 800 scientists, engineers, and technical professionals who extend its innovation and science capabilities to deliver global, regional, and local product research and development.

Amway India sells close to 140 daily-use products across categories like Nutrition, Beauty, Personal Care, Home Care and Consumer durables through Amway Direct Selling Partners who make personal recommendations regarding the use of distinctive quality products. Amway products are widely recognized and appreciated for their quality and value. These products are backed by a money-back guarantee for 100% satisfaction of use.

Amway’s first manufacturing facility in India, located at Nilakotai in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, has won the prestigious LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council as one of the most environment-friendly and sustainable facilities in the country.

Amway products are popular not just in India but across the world. Nutrilite, the world’s No. 1 selling vitamins and dietary supplement brand⁽²⁾, has established itself as a leading brand in the vitamins and dietary supplements category in India as well. The company also offers a range of beauty & skincare products under Artistry Skin Nutrition™, which is a blend of Artistry skin science and Nutrilite expertise, infused with Nutrilite ingredients that are clean and traceable.

(1) Kalmegha priced at Rs 449 for 30 tabs, Shigru priced at Rs 651/- for 60 tabs and Vrikshamla priced at Rs 449/- for 30 tabs

(2) gdretail.net/amway-claims/#claim1

Fortis Escorts Faridabad Launches Faridabad's First Dedicated Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Clinic

Dr. Vinit Banga, Director and Head, Neurology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, said, “Parkinson’s disease is becoming increasingly prevalent, yet many of its early warning signs remain unrecognized or are often dismissed as a normal part of ageing. Greater awareness of these subtle symptoms, timely evaluation, and early initiation of appropriate treatment is crucial in improving outcomes and preserving quality of life. Our dedicated Parkinson’s Clinic is designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop solution for early diagnosis, multi-disciplinary evaluation, personalized treatment, and ongoing care, ensuring that patients receive the right support at every stage of treatment.”

Dr. Neha Pandita, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, said, “Movement disorders are often misunderstood and under-recognized, with many patients and families unaware that several of these conditions are treatable and can be effectively managed, particularly when identified early. Symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, slowness and involuntary movements, changes in gait, balance difficulties, or subtle changes in coordination are sometimes overlooked or attributed to ageing. This can delay diagnosis and appropriate intervention. The clinic will provide a full spectrum of advanced services beyond basic medical management. Facilities include assessment for Deep Brain Stimulation, post-operative programming, ultrasound and EMG guided botulinum toxin injections, neurorehabilitation guidance, long term disease management counselling, and complementary wellness such as music, dance, and yoga.”

Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Facility Director, Fortis Escorts Faridabad, said, "As the region’s first dedicated facility of its kind, the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Clinic bridges a critical gap in specialized neurocare for Faridabad and neighbouring areas, the launch reinforces our commitment to making world-class, multidisciplinary healthcare accessible right here in our community."

L to R - Mr Somen Banerjee Mr Francesco Badii and Mr Neehar Gandhi at Inauguration Programs in India

The growing footprint reflects a shared commitment to bringing scientifically backed, research-driven and precision-engineered technologies to Indian dermatologists, aesthetic physicians and leading medical institutions.

As Indian aesthetic medicine continues to mature, physicians and patients are increasingly looking beyond marketing claims and device specifications. The focus is shifting towards the science behind the technology, quality of engineering, clinical relevance, treatment precision, physician training and long-term support.

It is in this evolving environment that DEKA and GeoBio are making a stronger mark in India, bringing a portfolio of advanced laser and energy-based platforms to leading clinics and institutions across the country.

From Mumbai and Pune to Chennai, the recent inaugurations showcase the expanding partnership between DEKA and GeoMedics, while demonstrating the breadth of technologies available across dermatology, aesthetics, body contouring, skin rejuvenation and other clinical applications.

A Stronger Presence across Three Major Indian Cities

In Mumbai and MMR region, DEKA technologies have been introduced across multiple leading practices.

Mumbai:

At the Clinics of Dr. Satish Savant and Dr. Sushil Savant in Andheri West , four DEKA Platforms—Toro Pico Nano, Punto, VasQ and Motus Pro have been introduced, bringing advanced technologies for pigmentation, fractional resurfacing, vascular applications, hair reduction and other dermatological indications.

At Dr. Rashmi Shetty’s Clinic in Santacruz, ONDA PRO, powered by DEKA’s patented Coolwaves® microwave technology, has been introduced for non-invasive applications including localised fat reduction, cellulite improvement and skin tightening.

At Alok Dermatology Institute in Panvel, led by Dr. Dipak Kulkarni, Dr. Ojas Kulkarni and Dr. Ruta Joshi Kulkarni, the DEKA portfolio includes DuoGlide, Red Touch Pro, ONDA PRO, MiniSilk and Motus Pro, reflecting the growing demand for versatile, advanced energy-based platforms.

Pune:

In Pune, DEKA’s presence has expanded across both Academic Institutions and Private Clinical Practices.

Bharati Hospital and Bharati Vidyapeeth has introduced Red Touch Pro and Toro Pico Nano, supporting both patient care and medical education.

At the practice of Dr. Vijay Nagdev and Dr. Pooja, the technology portfolio includes Toro Pico Nano, PHYSIQ 360 and ONDA PRO with Coolwaves® technology, offering a combination of advanced laser, body-contouring and muscle-electro stimulation technologies.

At D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, DEKA Again Pro Plus has been introduced, further strengthening the presence of advanced DEKA technology within a leading medical and academic institution.

Chennai:

Dr. Prasanthi G’s HALOS Clinic in Chennai has introduced ONDA PRO with patented Coolwaves® technology and MiniSilk, extending the DEKA–GeoMedics footprint further into South India.

Making a Mark through Science, Technology and Education

The expansion is not limited to the installation of devices. Through the DEKA–GeoMedics association, emphasis is being placed on physician education, hands-on training, clinical protocols, application support and technical service.

The recent inauguration programme across the three cities brought together Mr. Francesco Badii, Head of DEKA International, Italy; Mr. Somen Banerjee, CMD, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd.; and Mr. Neehar Gandhi, Director – Sales & Marketing, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd., along with leading dermatologists, physicians, medical institutions and members of the media. The programmes provided an opportunity for physicians to engage directly with the technology and understand its underlying engineering and clinical applications.

DEKA and GeoBio : Building the Future of Aesthetic Technology in India

Speaking during the India programme, Mr. Francesco Badii, Head of DEKA International, Italy, said, “DEKA has always been fundamentally research driven. Our objective is to develop technologies where engineering, research and clinical application come together to create meaningful solutions for physicians and patients. India is an important and rapidly evolving market, and we are pleased to strengthen our presence here together with GeoMedics.”

Mr. Somen Banerjee, CMD, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Said, “Our association with DEKA is built around a common philosophy—that advanced technology should be supported by science, knowledge, training and service. We are not looking at technology simply as a machine to be placed in a clinic. We are focused on creating the ecosystem around it.”

Mr Banerjee added, “With the growing presence of DEKA across Mumbai, Pune and Chennai, we believe we are making a meaningful mark in India’s aesthetic medicine landscape. The market is moving towards more informed decision-making, and we want to be at the forefront of that transformation by bringing technologies that are scientifically backed, precisely engineered and clinically relevant.”

Mr. Neehar Gandhi, Director – Sales & Marketing, GeoMedics Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Commented, “Indian doctors are increasingly asking deeper questions about technology—about R&D, engineering, clinical applications, training and long-term support. This evolution is encouraging. Through GeoMedics and our association with DEKA, our objective is to ensure that advanced technologies reach physicians together with the knowledge and support required to use them effectively.”

A Growing National Footprint

The growing presence of DEKA and GeoBio across Mumbai, Pune and Chennai represents more than an expansion in geographical reach. It reflects a broader transformation in Indian aesthetic medicine—where technology, scientific credibility, precision, education and clinical relevance are becoming increasingly important.

With platforms including Toro Pico Nano, Punto, VasQ, Motus Pro, DuoGlide, Red Touch Pro, MiniSilk, Again Pro Plus, PHYSIQ 360 and ONDA PRO with patented Coolwaves® technology, DEKA and GeoMedics are building a comprehensive technology ecosystem for Indian dermatologists and aesthetic physicians.

Together, DEKA International and GeoBio are making a stronger mark across India—bringing Italian engineering, research-driven technology and a commitment to physician education and clinical excellence to the evolving landscape of aesthetic medicine.

GeoMedics Pharma

GioMedics Pharma Pvt Ltd, Pune headquartered company is engaged in the business of procuring from abroad and distributing the innovative medical technologies and solutions to the Indian healthcare ecosystem, with a focus on advanced technologies, professional support and collaboration with medical experts.

To know more about Geomedics Pharma visit www.Geomedicspharma.com

Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder and Executive Chairman, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd.
 

The shares were acquired on September 2, 2026, at a price of Rs. 760 per share, for an aggregate consideration of approximately Rs. 350.34 crore.
 

The acquisition further strengthens the promoter family’s ownership interest in Dr. Moopen-led Aster DM Quality Care and underscores the Moopen family’s commitment to the company’s long-term growth. It also reflects the family’s confidence in the potential of the larger, integrated healthcare platform, Aster DM Quality Care Ltd., and its ability to deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders.

About Aster DM Quality Care

Aster DM Quality Care Limited is one of India’s leading integrated healthcare providers, formed through the merger of Aster DM Healthcare Limited and Quality Care India Limited. The merged entity will bring together four leading healthcare brands - Aster DM, CARE Hospitals, Evercare and KIMSHEALTH, creating a scaled and diversified healthcare platform with a network of 39 hospitals across 28 cities and over 10,890 beds. With a strong presence across South and Central India, the merged entity will deliver comprehensive healthcare services spanning primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary care, supported by centers of excellence across key specialties including oncology, cardiac sciences, neurosciences, gastro sciences, orthopaedics, nephrology, organ transplantation, mother and child care, and critical care.

Health Minister U.T. Khader, A. Jayasimha, Ayush TV MD Hari Krishna and GWC VP Harish inaugurated GWC 2026, promoting holistic health and wellbeing

In a powerful interaction with Harish R., Chairman, GWC – 2026, the Minister highlighted the importance of creating greater public awareness about what people eat, where they eat and how food and lifestyle influence long-term health. His recent enforcement initiatives covering five-star hotels, leading clubs, hospitals, bakeries, sweet outlets and pharmaceutical establishments have reinforced the need for stronger public vigilance and responsible health practices.

A major highlight of the event was the announcement of a Women as Wellbeing Ambassadors initiative under GWC – 2026, aimed at empowering women to become champions of healthy families, communities and lifestyles.

The Minister also inaugurated “AYUSH Life Immunity Prasadam – One Meal a Day,” promoting the use of seasonal vegetables, fruits and natural foods as part of an immunity-focused lifestyle. He further released 10 powerful principles for an immunity-enriched lifestyle, providing a simple roadmap for healthier living.

GWC – 2026: A Global Platform for Integrated Wellbeing

The previous edition of the Global Wellbeing Confluence, held in April 2025, created significant momentum, bringing together nearly 5,000 AYUSH doctors and around 45,000 visitors.

The 2026 edition is scheduled for October 23–26, 2026, at Palace Grounds, Bengaluru, with expectations of participation from more than 15,000 AYUSH and modern medicine doctors, along with healthcare professionals, wellness experts, institutions and the public.

The AYUSH Federation of India is the official partner, with associate partnerships from organisations including the Akhila Karnataka Rajya Sarkari Mahila Noukarara Sangha, Karnataka Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association, and Indian Naturopathy & Yoga Graduates Medical Association, among others.

The GWC – 2026 launch event was attended by Mr. Hari Krishna M., Managing Director, AYUSH TV; Sri A. Jayasimha, Chairman, Karnataka State Brahmin Development Board; and Mr. Pavan Ramesh of AYUSH TV, along with distinguished representatives from the healthcare and wellbeing sectors.

Global Wellbeing Confluence – 2026 aims to bring AYUSH, modern medicine, nutrition, naturopathy, yoga and preventive healthcare onto one powerful platform creating a movement that can make Karnataka a model for healthy and sustainable living for India and the world.

The SAFE-PFO trial has enrolled its first patient at Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW (HDZ NRW), marking the formal start of recruitment for a randomized head-to-head evaluation of two widely used patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure technologies. The enrolling site is led by Principal Investigator Dr. med. Werner Scholtz. SAFE-PFO will directly compare the Cocoon and Amplatzer PFO closure devices.

The Cocoon Occluder portfolio from SMT comprises catheter-based devices for the minimally invasive closure of Atrial Septal Defects (ASD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), ventricular septal defect (VSD) and Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO), and is designed to support the treatment of congenital and acquired heart defects. 

The study plans to enroll up to 1,260 patients at approximately 60 centres across Europe. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either the Cocoon PFO Occluder or a device from the Amplatzer PFO Occluder family. Each patient will be monitored for 12 months, and recruitment across the full study is expected to take about two years.

“This is the first direct head-to-head comparison of the Amplatzer and Cocoon PFO devices, a randomized controlled trial designed to fill an important gap in the clinical evidence for PFO treatment in adults,” stated Prof. Giuseppe Tarantini, Principal Investigator, SAFE-PFO. SAFE-PFO brings together leading centres across Europe to answer an important clinical question.”

Citing the importance of the trial, Dr. Gabor Toth, Co-Principal Investigator of SAFE-PFO, said, “ By directly comparing these two PFO closure devices in a large, randomised study, we hope to provide physicians with clear evidence to help guide treatment decisions for their patients.”

“I welcome the initiation of this important, high-impact trial and look forward to the active participation of several centres across France with experience using both devices for PFO closure,” said Professor Gilles Montalescot, Co-Principal Investigator of SAFE-PFO in France.

Commenting on the trial, Dr. Krishna Sudhir, Chief Medical Officer, SMT, said, “Enrolling the first patient is an important milestone for SAFE-PFO. This study will help cardiologists better understand how the Cocoon PFO Occluder compares with a widely used PFO closure device. Our aim is to generate clinical evidence to support informed treatment decisions and, ultimately, better care for patients with a PFO.”

The Cocoon PFO Occluder features a platinum coating, which effectively mitigates nickel leaching, a common complication associated with traditional nitinol-based Occluders. The study will evaluate its performance against the Amplatzer PFO Occluder family in a randomized controlled setting. No conclusions about comparative safety or effectiveness should be drawn until the study is completed and its results are analysed. 

About the SAFE-PFO trial
SAFE-PFO (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT07380490) is a randomized, multicentre European clinical study comparing the Cocoon PFO Occluder with the Amplatzer PFO Occluder family in adults undergoing transcatheter PFO closure. The first patient was enrolled on 24 July 2026 at HDZ NRW in Germany. Each participant will be followed for 12 months.

About SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies)
SMT (Sahajanand Medical Technologies) is a medical devices company with a portfolio of technologically advanced medical devices across vascular and structural heart intervention. SMT offers a portfolio of products focusing on vascular intervention and was the first company in the world to receive CE certification for a DES with a biodegradable polymer. SMT has a global presence with its footprints in more than 72 countries, as on March 31, 2025. 

For further details, please visit  the website or follow SMT on LinkedIn.
 

Disclaimer
Sahajanand Medical Technologies Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus dated July 25, 2025 (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) and the stock exchanges. The DRHP is available on our website at www.smtpl.com as well as on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors Limited at www.motilaloswalgroup.com, Avendus Capital Private Limited at www.avendus.com, HSBC  Securities  and  Capital Markets (India) Private Limited at www.business.hsbc.co.in and Nuvama Wealth Management Limited at www.nuvama.com and and the websites of the stock exchange(s) at www.nseindia.com and www.bseindia.com, respectively. Any potential investor should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and refer to the Red Herring Prospectus, including the section titled “Risk Factors” of the Red Herring Prospectus when available, for details. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP for any investment decision.

Amplatzer™ Occluder devices are registered trademarks of Abbott or its subsidiaries. 

¹. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40454242/
². www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493151/

Diagnostic testing that once required multiple visits, long waiting periods and physical collection of reports can today be accessed through digital platforms, home sample collection and increasingly seamless healthcare experiences. Consumers can discover tests online, schedule collections from home and receive reports digitally.

But as access improves, a different challenge is becoming increasingly visible: what do consumers actually do with all this health data?

This question could shape the next phase of India’s diagnostics market.

For years, diagnostics has largely been a reactive category. A doctor recommends a test, a consumer books it, the sample is collected, the report is generated and the interaction largely ends there. Even preventive health packages, despite their growing popularity, often remain isolated events rather than part of a continuous health journey.

That behaviour is beginning to change.

Consumers are becoming more proactive about monitoring their health. Cholesterol, blood sugar, thyroid levels, vitamin deficiencies, liver and kidney markers and other parameters are increasingly being tracked over time rather than checked only when symptoms appear.

This is creating a fundamental shift in the role of diagnostics.

The value of a diagnostic test is no longer limited to the number printed on a report. Increasingly, its value lies in understanding what that number means in context, how it compares with previous results, whether a marker is improving or deteriorating, and what actions may need to follow.

“Diagnostics is moving from being a point-in-time healthcare transaction to becoming a continuous layer of health intelligence. The next phase of growth will not be driven simply by more tests being conducted but by how effectively the industry helps consumers understand their health patterns, act on them, and stay engaged over time,” says Dr. Arpit Jayswal, Founder & CEO, Curelo.

The rise of the health-conscious consumer
This evolution is being supported by a broader change in consumer behaviour.

Wearables have made people accustomed to monitoring steps, heart rate, sleep and other health indicators regularly. Fitness platforms have turned health tracking into an ongoing activity. Consumers increasingly expect information to be accessible, personalised and easy to understand.

Diagnostics is beginning to move in the same direction.

Instead of viewing a blood test as a standalone event, consumers are gradually beginning to see laboratory data as another layer of their personal health information.

The implications are significant. A single cholesterol report provides a snapshot. Multiple reports over several years can reveal a trend. A vitamin D result tells a consumer where they stand today. A sequence of results can show whether an intervention is actually working. Similarly, blood sugar, thyroid, liver and kidney parameters can become considerably more meaningful when viewed against historical data rather than in isolation.

This makes continuity one of the industry's next big opportunities.

From testing to health journeys
India already has a large and increasingly accessible diagnostic ecosystem. The next opportunity may therefore be less about simply adding more testing capacity and more about connecting the information generated through that testing.

Historically, health records have been fragmented across laboratories, hospitals, doctors and diagnostic providers. Consumers may have years of reports but no simple way to bring them together and understand the bigger picture.

This fragmentation creates an unusual paradox: healthcare is generating more data than ever, while consumers can still struggle to understand their health history.

The next generation of diagnostic platforms could help close this gap by bringing together test discovery, historical records, trend analysis and appropriate next steps into a more connected experience.

That could also change the economics of the category.

For a traditionally transactional business, customer value is closely linked to the individual test or package purchased. But if diagnostics becomes part of a consumer’s ongoing health journey, the relationship can extend well beyond the first booking.

The industry begins to move from acquisition-led testing to engagement-led healthcare.

Retention could become the new industry metric
This shift is particularly interesting from a business perspective.

In many consumer categories, repeat behaviour is one of the clearest indicators that a product has become part of everyday life. Diagnostics has historically been different, as a specific health need often triggers testing.

But preventive healthcare changes that equation.

Consumers managing chronic conditions, tracking specific biomarkers or simply becoming more proactive about preventive health may have reasons to return periodically.

At Curelo, early consumer behaviour is pointing to this possibility. The platform currently offers more than 4,000 diagnostic tests and has accumulated over 400,000 patient records, providing visibility into how consumers interact with diagnostics beyond their first booking.

The larger industry question is whether repeat testing will increasingly become less about recurring illness and more about recurring health management.

If that happens, retention could become as important a metric for diagnostics businesses as it is for other consumer internet categories.

The real opportunity lies beyond the report
None of this means that the importance of laboratories, testing infrastructure, quality standards or turnaround times is diminishing. These remain fundamental to the industry.

But they are increasingly becoming the foundation rather than the complete consumer proposition.

The next competitive advantage could lie in what happens around the test.

Can consumers discover the right tests more easily?

Can they understand their results without being overwhelmed by medical terminology?

Can they compare current results with their historical data?

Can they identify meaningful changes?

Can they access the right care pathway when something requires attention?

And can all of these steps happen within one connected experience?

These questions point to a broader evolution of diagnostics, from testing as a transaction to diagnostics as an intelligence layer within healthcare.

A category waiting to be redefined
India’s diagnostics market has already undergone a significant transformation through greater accessibility, digitisation and convenience.

Its next transformation could be more behavioural.

As consumers become increasingly comfortable tracking their health, diagnostics may gradually become less dependent on a doctor’s prescription or an immediate health concern.

Instead, it could become part of an individual’s ongoing health-management routine.

That would fundamentally expand the role of the industry.

The winners of the next phase may not simply be the companies capable of processing the largest number of tests. They may be the ones capable of helping consumers derive the highest value from the data those tests generate.

India has spent years making diagnostics easier to access.

The next chapter could be about making diagnostics easier to understand, act upon and return to.

And that could transform diagnostics from a largely invisible support function of healthcare into one of India’s most important emerging consumer health categories.

Centre L-R: Dr Malav Jhala, Dr Dhiraj Gupta, Dr Darshan Jhala & Dr Nitin Gokhale with cathlab and technical staff after India’s first combined PFA and LAAO procedure

Jagdip Shah a resident of Juhu in Mumbai had a longstanding history of heart failure following coronary artery bypass surgery performed several years ago. Over time, he developed recurrent and debilitating episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac rhythm disorder and a major risk factor for stroke. AF increases the risk of stroke by up to five times due to the formation of blood clots within the left atrial appendage (LAA), a small pouch in the heart.

To reduce this risk, the patient was prescribed oral anticoagulants (NOACs), at the lowest possible doses. However, each attempt at blood-thinning therapy resulted in severe gastrointestinal bleeding from stomach ulcers, often requiring blood transfusions and discontinuation of the medication. Given his underlying condition and multiple comorbidities, the patient was at an increased risk of stroke. However, his inability to tolerate blood thinners significantly complicated his management. 

Hence, to resolve the issue, the multidisciplinary team led by Dr Dhiraj Gupta & including Dr Darshan Jhala, Dr Vivek Mehan, Dr Malav Jhala, Anaesthetists Dr Jay Kothari & Dr Madhuri Kharwadkar, Dr Nitin Gokhale, performed a complex combined procedure on 14th August involving Pulsed Field Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion. By addressing atrial fibrillation and stroke risk in a single intervention, the team demonstrated its capability to deliver advanced, patient-centric care for high-risk cardiac cases.

Explaining the procedure, Dr Dhiraj Gupta, Visiting Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, said, “Jagdip Shah presented a unique challenge with his age and multiple risk factors of stroke; episodes of bleeding made it difficult for him to remain on blood thinners for life. Our objective was to address both the issues in a single procedure. During the procedure, we eliminated the primary source of clot formation with LAAO and treated the abnormal heart rhythm with PFA. The minimally invasive approach allowed us to perform the case in one hour 30 minutes and provide a safe and more effective solution for the elderly, high-risk patient, helping reduce his stroke risk while improving his quality of life. Recently introduced in India, pulsed field ablation (PFA) is becoming an innovative advancement in the field of field ablation treatment.”

Recalling his father’s journey, Kaushal Shah said, “For years my father lived with constant uncertainty. While he was taking the blood thinners, he faced a risk of serious bleeding, which affected his daily life and his confidence to live life freely. Simple activities became a source of everyday worry. Since undergoing the procedure, he has regained his confidence to get back to his routine and enjoy life without the same constant fear. It has given him and all of us a new sense of hope. We are grateful to the medical team of Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre for giving him a chance to enjoy a better quality of life.”

“When the patient was reviewed two weeks later, on the 27th of August, imaging confirmed that the LAAO device was well positioned, and he was maintaining normal rhythm” added Dr Dhiraj. 

This case showcases how multidisciplinary treatment, clinical expertise, and cutting-edge technology are improving outcomes for complicated cardiac patients in India.

Standing from the left are Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Dr. R. V. Ramani, standing on the right are Dr. Sujatha Rathod and Mr. Vijay Bharadwaj

The Digital Training Hub was inaugurated by Dr. Prof. Sujatha Rathod, Director, Directorate of Medical Education, Government of Karnataka, in the presence of Dr. R. V. Ramani, Founder & Managing Trustee, Sankara Eye Foundation India, and Mr. Vijay Bharadwaj, former Test Cricketer, Coach and Cricket Commentator, along with Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis India and Ms. Kathleen Sherwin, President and CEO, Orbis International.

India has approximately 15 ophthalmologists per million people, with specialists largely concentrated in urban centres, highlighting the need to expand access to quality training and specialist expertise. Digital Training Hubs offer a model to address this gap by combining simulation, tele-mentoring, telemedicine, tele-education and hands-on training, enabling eye-care professionals to practise skills, receive expert guidance and continue learning over time.

The new facility at Sankara Eye Hospital brings together advanced simulation and virtual reality technology with hands-on infrastructure, including advanced simulators for cataract surgery, Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS), eye anatomy and clinical skills, along with wet-lab-based surgical training. The controlled environment will allow professionals to repeatedly practise procedures, receive structured feedback and progressively develop clinical and surgical competencies.

Through the Hub, Sankara Eye Foundation plans to offer structured training in Glaucoma, Medical Retina and Uveitis, combining simulation-based learning with clinical observation, consultant mentorship and hands-on training. Programmes will include short-term observerships, a three-month training programme and a one-year sandwich fellowship.

The Bengaluru Hub will also form part of a wider Digital Training Hub network in India. The four DTHs established so far have facilitated more than 2,200 trainings for ophthalmic professionals, with women accounting for 68 per cent of participants. The model also recognises the importance of training the wider eye-care team, including ophthalmic nurses, optometrists and technicians, alongside ophthalmologists.

The digital component extends learning beyond the physical Hub through Cybersight, ORBIS's online training and mentorship platform, which provides access to courses, webinars, surgical demonstrations, virtual case discussions and international experts. Its consultation services also enable professionals to seek guidance on complex cases. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Virtual Flying Eye Hospital programme connected 160 ophthalmologists, residents, nurses, biomedical engineers and technicians from 15 partner hospitals across 10 states, demonstrating how technology can extend specialist learning and mentorship beyond geographical boundaries.

The collaboration between ORBIS International and Sankara Eye Foundation India brings together ORBIS's expertise in technology-enabled ophthalmic education and Sankara's experience in clinical care, education and capacity building. The initiative is expected to expand access to advanced ophthalmic training for professionals across South India and contribute to developing a stronger and more skilled eye-care workforce.

Dr. Sujatha Rathod, Director, Directorate of Medical Education, Karnataka, Chief Guest, said, “The real impact of technology comes when it is placed in the right hands and supported by the right training. The ORBIS Digital Training Hub at Sankara brings together simulation, technology and hands-on learning, enabling young ophthalmologists to develop their skills in a controlled environment before performing procedures on patients. This will help build confidence, improve surgical skills and contribute to safer outcomes for patients.”

Mr. Vijay Bharadwaj, former Test Cricketer, Coach and Cricket Commentator, Guest of Honour, said,
“Training is the foundation of excellence, and this facility is an important innovation in medical education. The opportunity to develop skills through training and simulation before treating patients is extremely valuable. Sankara’s commitment to turning ideas into action and making quality eye care accessible is inspiring, and I hope this initiative encourages other institutions to invest in training and healthcare that creates a wider social impact.”

Ms. Kathleen Sherwin, President and CEO, Orbis International, said, “The Digital Training Hub at Sankara reflects our belief that distance should never be a barrier to learning. Through simulation, digital education and Orbis’ Cybersight platform, the Hub can connect eye-care professionals with high-quality training and mentorship wherever they are, helping strengthen the eye-care workforce and ultimately reach more communities with quality eye care.”

Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis India said, “The Digital Training Hub at Sankara represents a new approach to ophthalmic education, combining simulation, hands-on training and digital mentorship to make quality learning more accessible. By connecting professionals beyond major cities, this initiative can help build a skilled and continuously learning eye-care workforce and ultimately improve the quality of care for patients across South India.”

Dr. R. V. Ramani, Founder & Managing Trustee, Sankara Eye Foundation said, “Training is an essential part of any healthcare system, particularly in ophthalmology where technology and surgical techniques continue to evolve. We are delighted to collaborate with ORBIS International to provide intensive surgical training through simulation, hands-on learning and mentorship. This Digital Training Hub will be a significant boon for eye-care professionals across Bengaluru, Karnataka and South India, helping strengthen the quality of eye care and create lasting social impact.”

About Sankara Eye Foundation

Sankara Eye Foundation India is a Not-for-Profit organization committed to providing quality eye care services to the poor and marginalised sections of society. Started as a small primary health care centre in the year 1977 by Dr R.V. Ramani and Dr Radha Ramani, today Sankara is one of the largest and fastest growing social enterprises managing 14 super speciality eye care hospitals in more than 10 states. The network hospitals are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to perform advanced eye surgeries. Sankara Eye Foundation India is a protagonist of the National Eye Health Care Movement in India, continuously transforming the eye care delivery structure through various Eye Care Initiatives across age groups, cutting-edge technology, scientific approach, innovation, research & training.

Mpowered Voices at in good co in Delhi

Mpowered Voices, the lived experience platform of Mpower, an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), is exploring that question through ‘Coffee & Conversations’ at in good co’s flagship café in GK2, Delhi. Bringing together diverse voices for an intimate exchange around emotional wellbeing, mental health and experiences that are often difficult to articulate, they explore how something as everyday can create space for conversations that matter.

Built on the belief that lived experiences can change the way we understand mental health, Mpowered Voices brings personal stories into the mainstream, fostering empathy, challenging stigma and making conversations around mental wellbeing more open and relatable for anyone going through similar experiences, helping people acknowledge what they may be experiencing and feel more comfortable seeking support.

Speaking about Mpowered Voices and the idea behind ‘Coffee & Conversations’ Amit Gupta, CFO, Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust said, “One of the biggest barriers to seeking help is the stigma that continues to surround mental health. At Mpower, we have seen how conversations rooted in real experiences can help challenge that stigma by making people realise that what they may be experiencing is not something they have to navigate alone. Lived experiences can make conversations around mental health more human, challenge assumptions and, importantly, help make seeking support feel more acceptable. Taking these conversations into an everyday space such as a café is another step towards making mental health part of the conversations and not something we discuss only when there is a crisis. We are pleased to bring Mpowered Voices to in good co, creating safe space for these conversations to happen naturally, through listening, sharing and connection.”

Udai Pinnali, CEO, Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality, further added, “At in good co, we see ourselves as a space that brings young India together. Coffee, for us, is more than a beverage - it is a catalyst for connection, conversation and culture. Progressive Indianness is a core belief of our brand. To us, that means being open to new ideas, creating stronger communities of support as well as making it easier to talk about things that have traditionally been difficult to discuss. Normalising conversations around mental health and making it easier to ask for help are part of the progressive India we believe in.

Mpower’s Mpowered Voices has built a credible platform for bringing these conversations into the mainstream. Through this association, in good co hopes to play a natural role in creating an inclusive, everyday space where young people can come together, connect, and begin conversations that might otherwise be difficult to have. Because sometimes, meaningful conversations can start with something as simple as a cup of coffee, in good company.”

The Coffee & Conversations gathering at in good co represents this approach in practice, a conversation that begins in an everyday space, is grounded in lived experience, and creates room for people to listen, connect and perhaps start a conversation of their own.

About Mpower

Mpower, an initiative of Aditya Birla Education Trust, is one of South Asia’s largest private mental-health initiatives, with a distinctive focus on mental-health literacy, capacity building, community outreach and access to care. Through its work across awareness, advocacy, prevention, intervention and support, Mpower has touched. Its work spans clinical services, mental-health awareness and outreach programmes, capacity building, and school, workplace and community interventions, with a focus on making mental-health support more accessible and creating greater openness around conversations on mental wellbeing.

Mpowered Voices is Mpower’s platform for lived experiences, creating spaces for individuals to share their personal journeys and perspectives around mental health, while encouraging empathy, reducing stigma and making conversations around mental wellbeing more relatable.

About in good co

in good co is a modern Indian café brand built around a simple idea: good coffee is about good company. The brand opened its first café at GK2, Delhi. Designed as a distinctive, contemporary social space for India to come together – in good co is progressively Indian in its design and rooted in neighborhood familiarity, while carrying a globally relevant point of view. in good co, is a part of Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality (ABNAH).

Kauvery Hospital - Radial Road has launched Maa Kauvery, a dedicated 120-bed hospital for women and children, offering an extensive range of services related to maternity care, obstetrics and gynaecology, fertility, neonatology, paediatrics and paediatric critical care under one roof.

Dr. K.G. Arunraj, Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu inaugurated the hospital at Radial Road

Dr. K.G. Arunraj, Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu inaugurated the hospital in the presence of Dr S Chandrakumar, Founder & Executive Chairman, Dr Manivannan Selvaraj, Founder & Managing Director, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Dr D Sengutuvvan, Co-Founder & Executive Director from Kauvery Group of Hospitals.

The occasion was also graced by Mr. D. Sarathkumar, Hon’ble Minister for Human Resources Management, Government of Tamil Nadu and Smt. J. Kamatchi, Hon’ble MLA, Pallavaram Constituency.

Maa Kauvery will provide 24/7 maternity care and specialised management of normal and high-risk pregnancies for expectant mothers, with dedicated clinical teams available round the clock to support women through pregnancy, labour and childbirth. The hospital will offer dedicated birthing facilities, besides providing comprehensive antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, ensuring coordinated support for mothers and newborns throughout the maternity journey.

This comprehensive maternity care will be supported by advanced laparoscopic gynaecologic surgery and fetal medicine services, enabling women to access specialised care across different stages of their maternal journey. The hospital will also extend its women's healthcare services to fertility care through assisted reproductive services, including Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

For newborns, the hospital is equipped with advanced neonatal care facilities, including a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The in-house Level 3 NICU enables the hospital to provide advanced and comprehensive care for critically ill newborns including premature babies born before 30 weeks of gestation or weighing less than 1.5 kg. The unit will also have round-the-clock access to neonatal specialists, respiratory support and advanced life-support technologies. The paediatric specialities also include paediatric pulmonology, paediatric nephrology, paediatric intensive care, paediatric haematology, neonatology and supporting care.

For children, Maa Kauvery will offer comprehensive paediatric care, including a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and 24/7 paediatric emergency services. Specialised teams will be available round the clock to provide prompt assessment and management of critically ill and high-risk children.

Dr. D. Senguttuvan, Co-Founder, Executive Director, Kauvery Group of Hospitals, said, “Women and children have healthcare needs that are unique and constantly evolving. Since 2024, Kauvery Hospital has been successfully running a 200-bed Maa Kauvery in Trichy, developing and refining an integrated model of care for women and children. With the launch of Maa Kauvery at Radial Road in Chennai, we are bringing this proven and perfected model to the city, combining specialised expertise, advanced infrastructure and compassionate care in one place. The hospital is equipped with cutting-edge technology and a team of highly trained specialists available 24/7. It will also address the evolving healthcare needs of women at every stage of life, including adolescent health, reproductive health and fertility care. Building on our experience in Trichy, this new facility aims to set new standards in paediatric and obstetric care in Chennai.”

In addition to maternity and paediatric services, Maa Kauvery will provide comprehensive gynaecological care, extending the continuum of healthcare for women across different stages of life. The services will cover a wide range of needs, from menstrual health and PMOS to menopause and other gynaecological conditions. The facility will also have a counselling clinic offering personalised health advice and preventive care, along with specialised services for gynaecologic oncology and breast health, including mammography.

Validation ceremony hosted at Fortis Hospital Mulund, Mumbai for POCUS in Emergency Medicine-11th edition

Now in its second decade, the programme focused this year on strengthening the use of point-of-care ultrasound during the initial assessment, resuscitation and monitoring of critically ill and injured patients. Sessions combined classroom teaching, case-based discussion, and hands-on skill stations, covering both foundational and advanced applications — including E-FAST, cardiac and lung ultrasound, advanced echocardiography, resuscitative POCUS, transthoracic echocardiography, transcranial doppler, airway ultrasound, and common pitfalls in POCUS use.

Hosted in association with the Society for Emergency Medicine India (SEMI), the programme has emerged as India's most endorsed POCUS training in Emergency Medicine, with endorsements from the International Federation of Emergency Medicine (IFEM), SEMI, and the Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI), and CPD credit points awarded by the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). Over its ten-year run, it has trained more than 450 emergency medicine doctors across India. This year's two editions were conducted as pre-conference activities of EMCON 2026, scheduled to be held in Mumbai from October 30 to November 1, 2026, and expected to draw more than 2,000 delegates as India's largest international conference dedicated to emergency medicine.

The programme also previewed a major highlight of EMCON 2026: keynote addresses by the Presidents of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), International Federation of Emergency Medicine (IFEM), and World Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound (WINFOCUS), along with special video messages from other global leaders highlighting the conference's growing international engagement.

The announcement coincided with another milestone, the unveiling of the official POCUS in Emergency Medicine logo at the conclusion of the 11th edition. The unveiling was attended by Dr Srinath Kumar, Academic Chair, SEMI; Dr Sanjay Shah, President, IMA Mulund; senior cardiologists from Fortis Hospital Mulund - Dr Hasmukh Ravat and Dr Bipin Daxini; Dr Kedar Toraskar, Senior Critical Care Specialist; and members of Mumbai's Emergency Medicine fraternity.

"This programme has played a pioneering role in integrating Point-of-Care Ultrasound with precision resuscitation in Emergency Medicine in India, and Dr Sandeep Gore's decade-long commitment to training hundreds of emergency physicians has significantly strengthened this movement nationally," said Dr Shree Sowjanya Patibandla, President, Society for Emergency Medicine India.

The academic programme was led by Dr Sandeep Gore, supported by lead instructors Dr Bharat Patidar and Dr Vivek Solapure, along with a multidisciplinary faculty of emergency and critical-care specialists. It was also guided by international advisors associated with Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and George Washington University Hospital, as well as senior national advisors from SEMI.

Speaking on the successful conclusion of the workshop, Dr Sandeep Gore, Director – Emergency Medicine, Fortis Hospital Mulund & Organising Chairman, EMCON 2026, who’s led the program over the past decade, said "POCUS has evolved into a vital extension of clinical examination in emergency medicine. When used appropriately, it enables physicians to rapidly assess evolving physiological changes, narrow diagnostic possibilities, and make more focused decisions during resuscitation. Our objective was to ensure participants developed not only technical skills but also the clinical judgement required to integrate ultrasound findings safely and effectively into patient care. This programme is a proponent of precision resuscitation among emergency physicians in India."

Dr S. Narayani, Business Head, Fortis Hospitals Maharashtra, added, "Emergency care demands speed, precision, and coordinated clinical action. Structured training programmes such as this help physicians build confidence in managing complex, time-sensitive situations while promoting consistency in emergency-care practices. The 11th edition reflects our continued commitment to strengthening clinical preparedness through practical, evidence-based medical education."

Fortis Hospital, Mulund continues to advance skill-based education in emergency medicine, with an emphasis on translating clinical learning into improved preparedness and patient outcomes.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited

Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics, and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates 36 healthcare facilities (including JVs and O&M facilities) across 12 states and union territories. The Company’s network comprises over 6,000 operational beds (including O&M beds) and 400 diagnostics labs.

For more information, please visit www.fortishealthcare.com

About IHH Healthcare (“IHH”)

IHH is a leading multinational healthcare provider shaping the future of care. Driven by our aspiration to Care. For Good., we unite medical excellence and innovation, pushing boundaries through our trusted brands such as Acibadem, Gleneagles, Fortis, Island, Mount Elizabeth, Pantai, Parkway and Prince Court. Across 10 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Türkiye, India and Greater China, our 70,000-strong team delivers world-class excellence every day, within and beyond our 140 healthcare facilities, including more than 80 hospitals. Our comprehensive services span the full healthcare continuum, from primary and ambulatory to quaternary care, complemented by diagnostics, imaging, rehabilitation, telehealth and home care. In partnership with our stakeholders, IHH is advancing value-based care, building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem and creating meaningful impact, as we work towards our vision to become the world’s most trusted healthcare services network.

For more information, please visit  www.ihhhealthcare.com

Participants gather as Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi’s medical & administrative teams kick-off The Freedom Walkathon 2026, promoting Senior Wellness and Active Ageing

The event was graced by Shri Kamlesh Kumar Gupta (IRS), Commissioner, CGST Audit, Navi Mumbai & Raigad, who has over three decades of experience in public service and administration. Beyond his professional contributions, his journey reflects the values of discipline, commitment and lifelong learning, making his presence at The Freedom Walk a meaningful inspiration for senior citizens embracing an active and healthy lifestyle. The inauguration also witnessed support from Dr Ashutosh Pandey, Facility Director, clinicians, administrators and support staff.
 

Speaking on the occasion, chief guest Shri Kamlesh Kumar Gupta, (IRS), Commissioner, CGST Audit, Navi Mumbai & Raigad, said, “Fitness and discipline are values that stay with us throughout life. My years in public service have reinforced the importance of consistency, resilience and taking responsibility for one’s well-being. Initiatives like The Freedom Walk are a wonderful reminder that staying active and healthy enables senior citizens to continue contributing meaningfully to society.”
 

Designed around the idea that mobility is an important form of independence, the walkathon encouraged older adults to embrace regular physical activity at a pace suited to their comfort. Participants could choose between 3km and 5km routes, both beginning and concluding at Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi. The event also saw community participation from the Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai and Adhata Trust. The event also featured Zumba and guided warm-up and warm-down sessions to help participants prepare for and recover safely from the walk. Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi deployed a 65-member medical team, comprising 30 doctors, paramedics, and physiotherapists, along with 35 nurses. Safety measures included physiotherapy stations, mobile medical teams, and pre- and post-event health checks for participants.
 

Going beyond physical activity, the walkathon was designed as a preventive health touchpoint, offering participants access to health screenings and consultations from experts including Dr. Sourabh Kulkarni, Director & HOD-Orthopedics & Joint Replacement, Dr. Soumyan Dey, Director-Urology & Uro-Oncology and Dr. Prashant Bhamare, Director-Obstetrics & Gynecology. The consultations covered important aspects of senior health, including bone and joint care, urology, women’s health and other age-related concerns. Through this initiative, the doctors aimed to encourage early identification of potential health risks, provide timely guidance and empower seniors to stay active, healthy and independent.
 

At the initiative, Dr. Sourabh Kulkarni, Director & HOD – Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, said, “Maintaining mobility is one of the most important aspects of healthy ageing. Staying active within one’s comfort level and seeking timely medical advice can help seniors preserve movement, balance and confidence, allowing them to continue their daily activities independently.”  
 

Highlighting the importance of preventive care for age-related health concerns, Dr. Soumyan Dey, Director – Urology & Uro-Oncology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Navi Mumbai, said, “Many urinary health concerns among older adults tend to be ignored or discussed only when symptoms become severe. Creating an accessible platform where seniors can interact with specialists encourages early diagnosis and timely care, which can significantly improve comfort and overall well-being.”
 

Further emphasising the need for proactive healthcare among senior women, Dr. Prashant Bhamare, Director – Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, added, “Preventive consultations provide an opportunity to identify age-related health concerns early and enable seniors to continue leading active, healthy and independent lives. Encouraging open conversations around health is an important step towards improving overall well-being among older adults.”
 

Reflecting on the hospital's role in driving such community health efforts, Dr. Ashutosh Pandey, Facility Director, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, said, “For close to two decades, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital has been a part of this community, and the patients we've served over the years have shaped how we think about their evolving healthcare needs. Healthy ageing is not only about managing illness; it is equally about preserving mobility, confidence and independence for as long as possible. It is this understanding of our senior patients that prompted The Freedom Walk, an opportunity to encourage them to make movement a regular part of their lives while also connecting with specialists in an accessible and comfortable setting. The response to the initiative has been encouraging and reinforces the need for more community-led preventive health programmes for our seniors.”
 

By bringing together fitness, preventive healthcare channels and community engagement outside the conventional hospital setting, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, reinforced its commitment towards promoting healthy ageing and empowering senior citizens to take charge of their well-being.

About Fortis Healthcare Limited   
Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics, and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates 36 healthcare facilities (including JVs and O&M facilities) across 12 states and union territories. The Company’s network comprises over 6,000 operational beds (including O&M beds) and 400 diagnostics labs. www.fortishealthcare.com
 

About IHH Healthcare (“IHH”)
IHH is a leading multinational healthcare provider shaping the future of care. Driven by our aspiration to Care. For Good., we unite medical excellence and innovation, pushing boundaries through our trusted brands such as Acibadem, Gleneagles, Fortis, Island, Mount Elizabeth, Pantai, Parkway and Prince Court. Across 10 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Türkiye, India and Greater China, our 70,000-strong team delivers world-class excellence every day, within and beyond our 140 healthcare facilities, including more than 80 hospitals. Our comprehensive services span the full healthcare continuum, from primary and ambulatory to quaternary care, complemented by diagnostics, imaging, rehabilitation, telehealth and home care. In partnership with our stakeholders, IHH is advancing value-based care, building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem and creating meaningful impact, as we work towards our vision to become the world’s most trusted healthcare services network. www.ihhhealthcare.com

Preventive Health Platform & Precision Health OS

Project Serotonin's Preventive Health Platform offers modular, ready-to-deploy infrastructure to operationalize preventive care at scale. It creates a connective layer that brings diagnostics, genomics, blood biomarkers, wearable data, clinical records, and practitioner insight into one model of care. It helps healthcare institutions move beyond isolated interventions toward a coordinated approach that supports individuals before disease progresses rather than after its onset.

The Platform has been designed to complement existing healthcare infrastructure, not compete with it. Hospitals and clinics continue to practice medicine through their established clinical pathways, while Project Serotonin adds a structured prevention layer supporting risk stratification, protocol design, patient engagement, monitoring, and behavior change, without asking clinicians to change how they practice or hospitals to trade treatment revenue for prevention.

The need for change has become increasingly evident. According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases account for nearly 75 percent of all deaths globally. In India, where non-communicable diseases often present three to ten years earlier than in developed nations and multimorbidity has increased dramatically over the past three decades, a recent EY–FICCI assessment concluded that appropriate preventive interventions could reduce hospitalizations by 20 to 30 percent.

Advances in genomics, blood biomarkers, imaging, wearable technologies, and artificial intelligence have significantly expanded the volume and diversity of health information available to clinicians. Yet most healthcare institutions continue to use these datasets in isolation, limiting their ability to build a longitudinal understanding of an individual's health and leaving preventive care fragmented and difficult to scale.

At the core of the Platform is Project Serotonin's proprietary Precision Health OS, an orchestration engine that evaluates each individual's genetic predispositions, biomarker trajectories, wearable trends, lifestyle patterns, pharmacogenetic considerations, and clinical history as one unified health profile. The Precision Health OS incorporates safeguards for contraindications, interactions, and escalation pathways, alongside anonymization, encryption, and role-based access controls.

This intelligence is translated into the SRTN Precision Daily Operating System (SRTN-pDOS), an individualized care framework that converts complex biological information into structured, practitioner-guided protocols across two care formats: foundational preventive care and therapy-adjunct protocols addressing specific health areas such as gut and cardiovascular health.

These SRTN precision protocols draw on an evidence base of more than 44,000 stratified clinical studies and have been refined through real-world pilots. They span nutrition, supplementation, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and other modifiable health behaviors. Recommendations are delivered through the SRTN App and supported by care concierge teams and health coaches who help individuals sustain adherence over time. WHO evidence has documented adherence rates as low as 28 percent for some regular preventive therapies in developed countries, underscoring the challenge of sustaining long-term engagement. Project Serotonin's engagement architecture is designed to address this gap.

"We are at an inflection point in human health. Project Serotonin is built for the Medicine 4.0 era, which is defined not by how much data we collect, but by how intelligently we connect it," said Dr Ashwat Visvanathan (PhD), Head - Partnerships and User Outcomes, Project Serotonin. "Healthcare has invested heavily in digitizing records and expanding diagnostics. The next frontier is enabling a continuous understanding of every individual. We built Project Serotonin to help healthcare providers move from episodic treatment to plug-and-play precision prevention, without disrupting the systems and clinical expertise they already have."

The Platform connects twelve integrated systems that have traditionally functioned in isolation, from diagnostics, genomics, and wearable intelligence to a clinician console, Rx Intelligence screened against more than 2,600 drugs, patient engagement, fulfillment, adherence coaching, and operational management. Institutions can deploy the complete Platform or adopt modular capabilities, determining their own pace and scope of adoption.

About Project Serotonin

Project Serotonin is a preventive health technology company based in San Francisco and Bengaluru, India, with the conviction that peak health can be achieved through precision science and technology. Built over ten years of R&D, the company offers a ready-to-deploy, tenth-generation Preventive Health Platform with a proprietary Precision Health OS, powered by deep-learning algorithms that integrate genetics, blood biomarkers, nutrition, lifestyle, wearable data, and behavioral metrics.

The company conducts extensive real-world pilots for every protocol before release and continuously optimizes outcomes for individual users. Its multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers has invested more than 300,000 hours in research and development spanning micronutrient quantification, formulations, dosages, frequency, combinations, exercise, sleep, fasting, diet, and lifestyle protocols.Project Serotonin's mission is to make measurable, personalized preventive health accessible to millions through trusted health and wellness partners.

Mandara Women's Wellness by HiLITE Group

Speaking on the launch, P. Sulaiman, Chairman, HiLITE Group, said "Mandara represents a meaningful step for HiLITE Group as we extend our commitment into healthcare and wellness. This launch strengthens our long-term vision of scaling women-centric healthcare infrastructure in India, and Mandara is just the beginning of that journey.” 

“Mandara is a reflection of our belief that true progress must include the health and well-being of women at every stage of life. Mandara, more than an expansion of our portfolio, it is an extension of our purpose. We are taking a meaningful step into women’s health,” said Ajil Muhammed, CEO of HiLITE Group.

Situated near Calicut University, the property features 20 independent, IoT-enabled private cottages categorized into Signature Private, Executive, and Wellness options. These serene living spaces incorporate integrated environmental and health sensors designed to support focused, unhurried recovery in complete privacy and complete comfort. Under the leadership of Dr. Azhar Mubarak, CEO of the Healthcare Wing at HiLITE Group, Mandara is structured to transform postnatal recovery and long-term restorative health for women across every stage of life.

“The way a society cares for its women says everything about the future it is building,” said Dr. Azhar Mubarak, CEO of the Healthcare Wing at HiLITE Group. “Mandara Women’s Wellness became a reality when we asked why women in India shouldn't have access to world-class, dedicated wellness experiences right here at home. Every detail the space, the therapies, the conversations are intentionally crafted around women so they can heal and rejuvenate,” he added.

Mandara structures its clinical and wellness programming around six primary life stages to provide complete continuity of care. The retreat offers foundational Women's Wellness for everyday vitality, Prenatal Wellness for guided physiological support during pregnancy, and specialized Postnatal Wellness for mother and newborn recovery. Additionally, the retreat provides Menopausal Wellness to assist with hormonal transitions, Preventive Women's Wellness focused on early intervention and health optimization, and dedicated Geriatric Care designed to support healthy aging and mobility.

Therapeutically, Mandara pairs advanced medical recovery technology with traditional healing modalities to ensure comprehensive healing. Its modern infrastructure features Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers for cellular recovery, HiFEM Pelvic Strength Chairs for non-invasive core rehabilitation, Infrared Therapy Beds, and Terahertz Bioresonance Energy Therapy. These technologies operate alongside classical Ayurvedic treatments, all customized using personalized herbal formulations. The retreat integrates an AI-driven clinical spa, naturopathic detox pathways, postpartum-safe Pilates, aquatherapy, and dietitian-guided therapeutic culinary menus prepared specifically to boost immunity. 

Postnatal care forms the core operational priority at Mandara, offering a dedicated framework that serves mother and baby simultaneously in a safe environment. A 24/7 baby nursery and infant spa, fully staffed by qualified medical professionals, allows new mothers dedicated time for recovery, therapy, and restful sleep with full reassurance. Complementing this is a specialized Mother’s Lounge featuring zero-gravity recliners and a supportive community space, alongside daily educational workshops covering lactation guidance, infant CPR training, newborn care, and postpartum mental wellbeing to build lasting confidence.

For booking inquiries, clinical consultations, or further details regarding residential retreat programs, visit www.mandarawellness.in/contact or call +91 99612 00055.