CHENNAI: A centre for preventive cardiology and one for ageing, besides overall upgradation of research infrastructure are planned at the Madras Medical College (MMC).

This was announced after a discussion between Indian Council for Medical Research officials led by its Director General N. K. Ganguly and an MMC team here on Friday morning, just ahead of the inaugural of the golden jubilee celebrations of the cardio thoracic surgery department of the college. Dr. Ganguly said the schemes would be actualised in the next six months.

At the behest of Union Minister of Health Anbumani Ramadoss and heeding to a request from State Health Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, a centre of excellence in virology would be established at Kings Institute, Guindy.

Dr.Anbumani said the cardio thoracic department at the MMC, one of the five such institutions in the world that had gone on to celebrate 50 years of service, would get a new building in its anniversary year.

The national programme on cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke, which would be launched this year, would concentrate on prevention, taking the message to the schools, colleges and rural areas of the country.

Considering the high rate of cardiac arrest and stroke among young IT professionals, it was important to evolve workplace health interventions, he said.

A new medical curriculum was being drawn up, incorporating more practical work, issues that were socially relevant and of significance to rural areas, Dr.Anbumani said.

With the new syllabus, an undergraduate MBBS student would be able to interact with patients from the very first day of beginning college.

Dr.Anbumani later released a digital souvenir on the occasion. He also announced that Rs.100 crore would be sanctioned to convert the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Chennai to a Centre of Excellence as soon as the State government sent a proposal.

Union Minister for Information Technology and Communication Dayanidhi Maran promised that his department would bring out a commemorative stamp to celebrate the golden jubilee anniversary of the CTS department.

Mr.K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran said the State was hoping the Centre would increase its budgetary allocation for Tamil Nadu as largescale refurbishment, repair and upgradation of 40-50-year-old hospital buildings in the state were pending.

Minister for Information and Publicity Parithi Ilamvazhuthi said telemedicine was a facility that had to be utilised well.

Health secretary V.K.Subburaj; Director of Medical Education P.Vijayalakshmi; Dean of Madras Medical College Kalavathi Ponniraivan; K.Harsha Vardhan, head, cardio thoracic surgery; and L.Vengadasalapathy, additional professor, spoke.

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