INSTITUTE OF BARIATRICS INUGURATED AT MGMH
MGM Healthcare (MGMH) on Nelson Manickam Road, Chennai, dedicated to starting a new era in healthcare, inaugurated the Institute of Bariatrics in its technologically advanced and state-of-the-art facility. The institute was inaugurated by legendary playback singer Padma Bhushan Dr SP Balasubrahmanyam in the presence of Dr Prashanth Rajagopalan, Director, MGM Healthcare, Dr Rahul Menon, Chief Executive Officer, and Dr Deepak Subramanian, Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead — Department of General, Minimal Access (Gastro) & Bariatric Surgery.
“There is a lack of awareness amongst some Indians that a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet lead to being overweight or obese, which leads to the increasing incidence of chronic diseases. Hence, there is an urgent need for educating our population on the risks posed by obesity. Many Indians do not even acknowledge obesity as a disease and are unaware that it directly correlates to chronic ailments such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and coronary artery diseases. A person with a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese, and 40 and above is morbidly obese. We take in patients with a BMI of 33 and above for whom lifestyle modification and medications have not worked,” said Dr Deepak Subramanian, Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead — Department of General, Minimal Access (Gastro) & Bariatric Surgery.
The MGMH Institute of Bariatrics offers the latest in bariatric procedures such as endo-bariatric procedures like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, which is a new type of weight-loss procedure. The non-surgical endoscopic procedures ensure that patients have no post-surgical scars. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, a procedure that will benefit a large section of the population that lies in the BMI of 32 and over, is also an ideal procedure for patients who do not want a surgical solution for weight loss. At MGMH Institute of Bariatrics, the onus is not on obesity alone; it is also a resolution of its comorbidities. “We are constantly striving to bring the latest procedures to our patients and we offer all-round care in this super-specialty hospital,” said Dr Prashanth Rajagopalan, Director. At the Institute of Bariatrics, we offer a holistic approach towards tackling obesity; this may be through diet and exercise counselling, medications, endoscopic procedures and surgeries and providing excellent care, said Dr Rahul Menon, CEO.