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Dr.
Venkatachalam A.K,
MS Orth, DNB Orth, FRCS, MCh Orth, Liverpool, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon.
Dr. Venkatachalam is a Specialist Orthopaedic surgeon
(formerly in Dubai hospital, now he is a visiting
orthopaedics in Dubai), with an interest in shoulder and knee disorders.
Dr. Venkatachalam shares an exclusive interview with
gulfMD Medical Correspondent Ms. Priya Nambiar.
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People of Indian & Asian origin constitute the bulk of the expatriate population in Gulf countries like Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. What is the real health care attraction here?
Free health care for all is one of the attractions for these people. Health care is provided by Government hospitals and private hospitals. Doctors, nurses,
para medical staff of Indian origin constitute the care providers in many of these ministries of health hospitals. Private hospitals also have the same pattern of employment; however para medical staff from Far East countries like the Philippines is more common. The ministry hospitals are fairly well equipped for delivering reasonable care in emergencies like road traffic accidents. Common fractures can be managed by local surgeons with a fair degree of success.
But for elective care, Indians find themselves at a disadvantage. Do you think so?
The number of outpatient days for expatriates like Indians, Pakistanis,
SriLankans, is very much less with respect to the demand of the proportion of the population. This may be one day in a five day week. Where there is no fixed outpatient day/clinic for Indians, they have to wait for long hours to see the doctor.
But what about the visiting surgeon's form Europe or USA
A reservation to get on to the visiting surgeon's operating list for joint replacement surgery either from Europe or USA totally excludes expatriates. In some countries, the ministries of health hospitals have started charging Indians for deliveries and it will be not long before they are charged for other elective surgery as well.
But the health budget is having provision for
the advanced medical treatment of expatriates
The health budget has no provision for the advanced medical treatment of expatriates for treatment abroad or by visiting orthopedic surgeons.
Having worked in this region as an Orthopaedic surgeon, how do you rate the level of care being provided to the locals versus expatriates in ministry hospitals?
I have come across non uniform levels of care being provided to the locals versus expatriates in ministry hospitals. This is but natural. Many Indians are forced to put up with this maltreatment as the cost of private treatment is exorbitant. Health insurance provides a cushion for the affluent. However not all can afford it. I receive several mails seeking reassurance about the surgical treatment being proposed in non emergencies like joint replacement, arthroscopic treatment. Although I try to reply to most of them, I cannot provide any guarantee about the outcome of the operation as this is determined by the qualifications and training of the individual surgeon.
Is Orthopaedic treatment in India of excellent standards?
This is for you to judge. Indian doctors have excellent qualifications and skills like their counterparts in the UK, Australia and US. A recent article in "INDIA TODAY" quoted that Indian hospitals and doctors have become the health care destination for foreigners. It is needless to say that local people in Oman and Dubai, where I worked, consult and have great faith in Indian
Orthopaedic surgeons and many fly to Chennai, for elective
orthopaedic treatment.
Is it cost effective?
When you can get world class treatment here in Chennai
at half the cost as in the West, or even in private
hospitals in the Gulf, then it is certainly cost effective.
For e.g.: A total knee replacement in some of the five
star private hospitals in the Gulf costs about 50,000
UAE Dirhams (17 000 US$). The same treatment can be
provided in India for half or three fourths of the cost.
An ACL reconstruction can be done in Chennai for 60-70,000
rupees as opposed to $ 3500 in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
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