Spl story on Medical service by TTD
Tirumala, 10 October 2010: Two hospitals, over six dispensaries and several tertiary referral super specialities and a blood bank.
For a religious and philanthropic organization like the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams offering Medicare for the poor, deserving and devotees is a hallmark of its service to society.
The TTD has set forth a broad road map to serve society through extended Medicare and health care institutions across the country with tie-ups in research and advanced studies.
We have one dispensary on a 24×7 basis exclusively in the Vaikuntam queue complex -1 for the benefit of devotees who wait for hours at stretch for darshan of Lord Venkateswara says Dr Prabhakar, chief medical officer of the TTD.
Yet another silent revolution in the TTD is the blood bank which is growing in small shape but has the scope to become one of the largest. “ Donors come to the hospital and give blood at Tirumala and their number is growing, “ says the CMO of TTD.
Presently they collect about 300 bottles of blood per month. “ We can take more but our core duty in hospitals is to serve the emergency needs of the devotees and hence we are not encouraging donors \’ he says. All the blood donors get a free darshan and two laddus. However, the TTD is mulling over enlarging the scope of the blood bank both at Tirumala and Tirupati to that of international standards to meet the demands of the speciality hospitals like SVIMS, RUIA and BIRRD hospitals at Tirupati.
Dr Prabhakar said another unique program of the TTD was the SHRAVANAM a project to heal the hearing impaired infants from 0-5 years .” Under this program undertake diagnosis of hearing impaired on a regular scale at our maternity hospital and advise them on treatment.
Shravanam unit has dedicated teachers guided by a voluntary organization from Chennai which has gained expertise in teaching for the hearing impaired. ’ Since its inception in 2006 we have treated hundreds of children who are now able to go for regular classes and also excel in academics “ says Sujata, who runs the Shravanam project at the Old maternity in Tirupati.
The TTD has set up an eye care unit for the pilgrims and employees in collaboration with the Shankar Netralaya. TTD has made a capital investment of Rs.Three crore and an annual investment of Rs. Three crore for the eye care project .” We have set up even operation theatres in the Central Hospital for benefit of employees and pilgrims where services are offered free of cost ” said the CMO of TTD
SV Pranadam trust is a unique project aimed to encourage research and development in the treatment of diseases/conditions like chronic renal failure, haemophilia, thalassaemia and cancer. Basic amenities including blood bank, artificial limbs, physiotherapy, tools and implants will be provided to poor patients, free of cost as part of the trust. Treatment will be provided at all TTD-run hospitals – SVIMS, BIRRBD, SVRR and the Maternity Hospital.
BIRRD (Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled is now a world-renowned institution set up in the eighties for addressing the menace of polio-affected children’s rehabilitation. It has now a 250-bed hospital with the majority of patients from north India. Poor pilgrims and patients
Dr Prabhakar said BIRRD now handled 30 operations a day mostly for knee–limb replacements or repairs.TTD has also set up an Artificial \limbs Fitting Centre ( ALFC) to cater to the demand for customized limb synchronization and design for patients from all over the country.
SVIMS ( Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences ), a unique super-speciality institute at Tirupati offered free service to .devotees and pilgrims who came from all over the country. It also has specialities and also undertook research and development activities as well.
Dr Prabhakar said several eminent doctors including neurologists, cardiac experts etc visit the temple and offer services free of cost to pilgrims and poor patients. “ I am proud to say that the TTD medical institutions have a regular and heavy flow of consultants who come and offer free consultation, even perform some operations etc on a regular basis ’ said Dr Prabhakar.
ISSUED BY THE PRO, TTD, TIRUPATI
