'Existing Cardiac Training Inadequate'

The Cardiological Society of India should soon come up with guidelines for physicians to practice basic preventive cardiology in rural areas,

The Cardiological Society of India should soon come up with guidelines for physicians to practice basic preventive cardiology in rural areas, said Dr M S Valiathan, cardiac surgeon and National Research Professor, Manipal University.

Cardiac clinical practice guidelines similar to those designed by the American College of Cardiology must be prepared and handed out to doctors so that they can deliver basic cardiac treatment, he said.

Dr Valiathan was in the city on Friday to attend the 65th Annual Conference of the Cardiological Society of India. “Now, only 10 per cent of Indians receive medical treatment for various problems. Most people depend on general physicians for their cardiac care,” Dr Valiathan said.

He said there is a lack of intellectual nourishment in the existing health research system as the responsibility of setting up training programmes, licensing and preparation of syllabi are in the hands of the government.

“Cardiac training in existing undergraduate medicine programmes is inadequate. Cardiology departments are too busy with their postgraduate students and doctors with insufficient cardiac experience end up handling the needs of such a huge population,” he told Express. “The government, Medical Council of India and professional associations are ignoring this issue,” Dr Valiathan said.

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