Business Wire IndiaApollo Hospitals today announced that it recently signed a MoU with Stanford University for the Stanford South Asian Translational Heart Initiative (SSAATHI) related to South Asians and Chronic Disease. Together, both parties will attempt to delve deeper into the causes associated with cardiovascular risk in diabetic and prediabetic South Asians. The MoU is the first step towards a long-term partnership that will develop and grow over time.
Conceptualized with the overall objective to reduce cardiovascular mortality in South Asians, the study will capture data on prediabetes and insulin resistance, help physicians understand early patterns of glycemic imbalance, help them understand the epigenetic impact on genetically similar populations, and achieve targeted lifestyle and medical therapy. The collaboration will at a later stage look at moving towards a larger Framingham type study that was developed with the objective of identifying common factors or characteristics contributing to chronic vascular diseases in Massachusetts.
Studies have indicated that South Asians have four times higher rate of myocardial infraction (MI) and 40% higher rate of mortality after first MI. A WHO report states that there could be over 100 million diabetics by 2030 and South Asians will have 60% higher diabetes (DM) rates in US.
Both the organizations are driven by the same objective of strengthening and broadening research on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s), while also promoting the need for healthy living. Apollo’s rich experience in public health service and research expertise associated with guidance from Stanford will help physicians unravel more details on the NCD conundrum and devise necessary preventive interventions to deal with the same.
Apollo Hospitals has already embarked on a journey to promote healthy living in India by actively driving the Total Health initiative in a place called Aragonda in Chittor District of Andhra Pradesh. The foundation aims to provide holistic health care for the entire community of around 70,000 people across age groups, starting from the birth, through their journey into childhood, adolescence, adulthood and in the latter years of their life. Based on World Health Organization’s “STEP” approach, the Aragonda program has covered more than 24,050 people and classified them according to their ten-year risk of getting an NCD, into three basic groups of low risk, moderate risk, and high risk.
A pioneer of modern healthcare, Apollo Hospitals has also conceptualized several other unique initiatives including the SHINE Students Health Initiative, a comprehensive program covering more than 150,000 school children, to promote wellness and preventive health in children.
While initiatives like the collaboration with Stanford are aimed at fighting the rising incidences of NCD’s, Apollo Hospitals has also been emphasizing on the need to control Communicable Diseases, which is also a growing concern. The WHO emphasizes hand hygiene as the one single practice that can reduce diarrheal morbidity by 30 per cent. Diligently following and executing even minute protocols, such as hand hygiene, is what has helped Apollo Hospitals achieve the distinction of being one of Asia’s leading healthcare provider with many complex, yet successful procedures to its credit.
In an effort to promote hand hygiene, Apollo Hospitals set the Guinness World Record in Handwashing when 1,711 staff members of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, took part in the Handwash Relay in the hospital practicing hand washing using the 7-step method.
About Apollo Hospitals
It was in 1983, that Dr. Prathap Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital - Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Over the years Apollo Hospitals has established itself as home to the largest cardiac practice in India with over 160,000 cardiac surgeries. Apollo Hospitals is also the world’s largest private cancer care provider and runs the world’s leading solid organ transplant program having conducted over 1,500 solid organ transplants in 2014-15 alone.
Now, as Asia’s largest and most trusted healthcare group, its presence includes 9,215 beds across 64 Hospitals, 2,200 Pharmacies, over 90 Primary Care and Diagnostic Clinics, 110 plus Telemedicine Centres and 80 plus Apollo Munich Insurance branches spanning the length and breadth of the Country. As an integrated healthcare service provider with Health Insurance services, Global Projects Consultancy capability, 12 plus medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical breakthroughs with the most recent investment being that of commissioning the first Proton Therapy Center across Asia, Africa and Australia in Chennai, India. Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual.
In a rare honor, the Government of India issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo's contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010. For more than 28 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services, and cutting-edge technology. Our hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals globally for advanced medical services and research.
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