State to be first in introducing govt-run bariatric surgery fellowship

Eman Ahmed was Mumbais most highprofile bariatric patient File picsMumbai is already the goto destination for patients who need bariatric surgery such as Eman Ahmed formerly the heaviest woman in the world Soon the city will also become a hub for medical professionals who want to specialise in the procedure with the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences MUHS launching a firstofits kind governmentrun fellowship in bariatric surgery The course has been formulated by none other than Dr Muffazal Lakdawala who treated Eman during her stay in India last yearWhats more the fellowship wont cut a big fat chunk out of students funds Medical aspirants who would have had to shell out Rs 10 lakh for the specialisation abroad can now pursue the same degree in Maharashtra for a fee of Rs 25000Dr Muffazal Lakdawala who had treated Eman last year has designed the MUHS fellowshipGrowing needEvery year hundreds of people in Mumbai opt for the surgery to lose weight The procedure is a boon for several patients especially those who suffer from diabetes and hypertension Foreigners from all over the globe visit the city for the surgery due to the high quality of care and relatively low cost In 2016 the city made international headlines when Eman flew down from Egypt to Mumbai for bariatric surgery under Dr Lakdawala Under his care she went from 500 kg to 300 kg before shifting to UAE for further treatmentCurrently there is no governmentrun course in India that provides specialisation in bariatric surgery So considering the growing need for the surgery we have decided to start a fellowship course from the next academic year said Dr Kalidas Chavan registrar MUHSDr Lakdawala designed the curriculum to international standards to welcome more foreign students He told midday Mumbai has turned into a hub for bariatric surgery and we get patients from around the world So when I was asked to form the curriculum for the fellowship as per international standards I took on the responsibility as it would be beneficial for several aspirants who cant afford to go abroad for specialisation We have experienced doctors with expertise in this superspecialty so we can produce better surgeons to meet the growing needsOnce the curriculum is finalised with the nod of the higher authorities it will be advertised and educational institutions with the required infrastructure can seek permission from MUHS to start the fellowshipAny educational institution that has the required infrastructure will be given permission This will help to train more bariatric surgeons who can provide better healthcare to patients said Dr ChavanNew and improvedAround two years ago MUHS had started a fellowship in the same medical stream but put it on hold six months ago in order to develop the curriculum Renowned bariatric surgeons Dr Lakdawala and Dr Shashank Shah were to train students under the fellowshipAs we get several patients every year who weigh more than 300 kg with this fellowship students would get the benefit of firsthand experience within an affordable financial bracket I have already trained 89 students in the fellowship But once it halted we have been training students in laparoscopic procedures said Dr ShahCommenting on the earlier course Dr Chavan said that the fellowship had been placed on hold temporarily in order to flesh out the curriculum fully The fullfledged course will be launched next yearCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates