The summit emphasised not only the diseases causing distress to people but also presented a comprehensive approach to tackling these issues.
Published Aug 04, 2024 | 2:50 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 04, 2024 | 2:50 PM
A panel discussion at Dakshin Healthcare Summit.
The inaugural Dakshin Healthcare Summit in Hyderabad, organised by South First and TV9 Network, featured discussions on various topics ranging from living a quality life for 100 years to the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in assisting doctors to diagnose diseases and fast food’s impact on infertility.
The summit emphasised not only the diseases causing distress to people but also presented a comprehensive approach to tackling these issues with available resources, new technology and evolving healthcare processes.
In the inaugural session, Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, stated: “The promise of the future is super exciting. We are now at a stage where we can reprogram cells and gain a deeper understanding. A decade ago, everyone believed that healthcare would be transformed by the three Bs: Biology, as we discovered our genetic makeup; Bandwidth, as we connected remote villages to different areas; and Bytes, as our computing capacity increased.
She added that with that computing capacity, our CT scans advanced from 64 slices to 120 slices to 640 slices, allowing us to see and do more. Following this, artificial intelligence brought more computing power, analytics, and an understanding of why a certain person’s gene expression varied.
“With these numerous changes happening, I think it was very well described: from robotics to artificial intelligence, to stem cell research, to virtual reality. But the point I’m making is that I wonder how many of us have considered the probable age we might live to.”
She pointed out that a few years ago, she began adopting what is called an Abundance Mindset, introduced by Peter Diamandis.
“The Abundance Mindset posits that the world has ample resources; no one needs to starve. It’s unfortunate that people still do, and despite our abundance of medical capabilities, many suffer from diseases unnecessarily. The rapid pace of knowledge advancement is fostering a longevity mindset, suggesting that many of us will live beyond 100 years,” she said.
Conversely, the World Economic Forum predicts jobless growth, indicating that while people may live longer, the number of jobs and productive work will decrease. This creates a new problem: as people move into their second careers using their accumulated knowledge to stay productive, many in traditional roles retire. More importantly, the youth are facing a lack of jobs.
“While this conference will focus on longevity, which I find extremely exciting, I believe that responsible members of society must also consider the juxtaposition of unemployed youth, jobless growth, and longevity,” she added.
Regarding longevity, Dr Sangita Reddy said, “I predict that the joint replacement surgeries will be redundant in future, as we will have treated them much before.”
Dr Sangita Reddy emphasised the importance of clean water, nutrition and preventive medical screening for healthy longevity.
With many cancers in India diagnosed at stages 3 and 4, she questioned, “Why not screen at stage 1?”
The first panel discussion, titled “The Secrets of Longevity Unravelling the Science,” was opened by Dr Arvinder Singh Soin, Chairman of the Institute of Liver Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon.
He emphasised that heart attacks, kidney disease and other illnesses are preventable, especially among Indians.
Dr Vritti Lumba, Program Head at Fortis Cancer Institutes, Fortis Healthcare, discussed the preventable and predictable aspects of medical sustainability.
She emphasised the importance of predicting and preventing metabolic issues and insulin resistance.
Dr Ummer Qadeer, Clinical Process Lead Physician at Hooke, London, joined via video conference to discuss metabolic syndrome. He highlighted how many people are unaware of fat accumulation in the stomach area.
Dr Qadeer advised increasing protein intake to aid resistance training, stressing that medical and drug interventions without proper nutrition and fitness will not help with weight loss.
He also explained that cardiovascular diseases could be better managed through training and fitness, leading to improved weight loss outcomes and lower cholesterol levels.
“There are no symptoms to alert you about cholesterol, sugar, and other diseases that cause complications later,” Dr Qadeer noted.
“The only way to control our health is by analysing what we consume. Reducing saturated fats, and increasing protein and fibre intake can be very helpful. Without proper nutrition and fitness, people tend to regain the weight they lost. By addressing metabolic syndrome, we can intervene in cardiovascular disease and prevent cognitive decline later in life. All these links need to be implemented to eventually prevent diseases,” he added.
Dr Vritti Lumba also spoke about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and chamber sessions that help reduce chronic buildup.
“Exposure to highly concentrated oxygen has shown anti-inflammatory benefits for conditions like osteoarthritis under proper medical supervision,” she said. Additionally, she pointed out that men also need the cervical cancer vaccine.
Dr Qadeer summarised the anti-ageing drug cycle, discussing drug interventions with careful consideration of infections.
Dr Soin highlighted the exponential growth of the longevity and anti-ageing drug market in the US and posed a question to Prashant Prakash about the way forward in India.
He emphasised the need for insurance companies to offer low premiums to fund health and wellness rather than paying exorbitant costs for transplants or cardiac surgeries. “This approach safeguards health and ensures wellness at a low cost,” he said.
Dr Deepak Saini, Professor at the Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics and Convenor at the Longevity Institute, IISc, questioned the focus on longevity, stating, “Humans survive because of their brains; we are resilient and can prepare for not having food tomorrow.”
He highlighted that nature provides what we need and makes it difficult to access things we don’t need in large quantities. “Longevity is battling fun,” Dr Saini added.
Dr Manvir Bhatia, Director and Founder of the Neurology and Sleep Centre in New Delhi, discussed the importance of good quality and quantity of sleep, describing it as a million-dollar industry.
“Think about sleep as the soil and your life as the plant. You can pour in nutrients, but if the soil isn’t right, the plant won’t thrive,” she explained, quoting an unknown physician at the Dakshin Healthcare Summit.
“In simple terms, during sleep, we go through different stages, at least 4-5 cycles. Our cortisol levels drop when we sleep, and sleep deprivation activates the inflammatory system in your body. We are more obese and angrier due to lack of sleep,” she added.
Dr Bhatia emphasised the importance of brain health, which includes managing health factors like diabetes and other comorbidities. The three pillars of brain health are nutrition, sleep, and exercise, along with maintaining social connections and continuous learning.
“Do something you like so that your brain works better,” she advised.
Sohrab Khushrushahi, Founder of SOHFIT, discussed fitness, noting that the focus has shifted from cardiovascular exercise in the previous generation to strength training and muscle building now. “Fitness is not just the number on a weighing scale; it’s not one thing,” he said.
“For me, the quality of life matters more than the quantity of life. Life is a big athletic event, and it’s important to train for life.”
In the session “Improving Public Health Systems: Role of the Private Sector,” Dr CN Manjunath, Member of Parliament and former director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, emphasised that non-interference is a significant incentive for the growth of any organisation, public or private.
Dr Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman of the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) Hospital in Hyderabad, highlighted the challenges of public-private healthcare collaboration, calling it an oxymoron.
“We don’t have a role model in the private sector,” he said. “The first step is to create that role model.”
Dr Reddy also pointed out the lack of a regulatory board for private hospitals in India, which contrasts with other countries where hospitals are graded.
He stressed the joint responsibility of the public and private sectors to maintain the union of healthcare services.
Dr Manjunath reiterated that non-interference is crucial for an organisation’s growth. He stated that 70 percent of healthcare should be under government control to ensure accessibility and quality.
Speaking on the quality of training, Dr Manjunath noted that clinical training has taken a backseat due to technological advancements.
He emphasised the importance of the “talk, touch, and treat” approach in patient care.
“Public health is still the government’s domain,” asserted Dr Reddy, underscoring the need for government oversight in ensuring the quality and accessibility of healthcare.
Dr Manjunath concluded by advocating for the inclusion of cancer vaccination in the national immunisation program, specifically supporting cervical cancer vaccination.
This session highlighted the critical need for a balanced partnership between the public and private sectors to enhance public health systems in India.
In a session titled “Transforming Healthcare: New-age Technology, AI and Robotics,” experts discussed the current and future landscape of technology in healthcare.
Dr Vishal Rao, Country Director of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology at HCG Cancer Centre in Bengaluru, spoke about the world’s largest robotic summit and the integration of robots with human tasks.
He emphasised that “Robotics is not here to replace humans; it’s to accentuate development.”
Dr Vijay Chandru, Founder of Strand Life Sciences, praised the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission as a significant government initiative.
“Today, technologies make medical tests accessible and portable. ASHA workers need to be trained to leverage decision support systems,” he said.
He also highlighted that advances in molecular biology and technology convergence can enhance primary healthcare systems.
“If we retrain primary health workers with new tools and procedures, AI can facilitate complex screenings right from Primary Health Centres,” he added.
Dr Vishal Rao quipped, “A human has small eyes and big hands, but a robot has big eyes and small hands,” underscoring the complementary nature of human and robotic capabilities.
Dr Chandru emphasised, “AI is not a replacement for natural stupidity. The idea of using AI everywhere is a wrong notion.”
Dr Kuldeep Raizada, CEO and Chairman of Akriti Ophthalmic Pvt Ltd discussed the impact of increased screen time on myopia, particularly among children during the pandemic. He also noted the effects on sleep patterns.
Dr Arvinder Soin highlighted AI’s growing role in the discovery, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of diseases, as well as in drug research.
“Time and costs have exponentially shortened due to AI. In oncology, robotics combined with AI is transforming cancer treatments,” said Dr Rao.
Dr Syed M Ghouse, Consultant Robotic Surgeon and Urologist at the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU) India elaborated on the benefits of robotics in neurology.
“Precision in neurology is only possible through robotics, and I can vouch for that,” he said.
He also mentioned that AI algorithms help doctors differentiate between treatments for individuals with the same disease.
“The precision and safety of surgeries have increased due to robotics. Robots can move 270 degrees while the human hand cannot,” noted Dr Soin.
Dr Gagandeep Kang FRS, from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, discussed the challenges in public health, particularly the lack of decision-makers in primary care in rural areas.
“AI will improve existing models of vaccine production and research beyond human capabilities. Using AI, we can significantly cut down on the time wasted on trial and error. There is precedent for AI assisting in vaccine production in South Korea, and it is likely to occur more,” Dr Kang said.
Dr Soin also emphasised the role of AI in training surgeons without requiring human subjects, stressing that safety must be incorporated with new technologies and techniques.
This session showcased the transformative potential of AI and robotics in healthcare, highlighting their complementary roles and the need for thoughtful integration into existing systems.
The last panel discussion on “Managing Obesity, Infertility and Lifestyle Diseases” featured insights from various doctors and experts, each highlighting different aspects of obesity, its origins, and its impact.
Dr KD Modi, an endocrinologist, emphasised that “Obesity is the mother of all diseases.” He noted that obesity is less prevalent in rural India compared to urban areas, but it is a rapidly growing concern.
Shashikant Iyengar, a founding member of Dlife.in, suggested that the solution to obesity includes avoiding processed foods and oils, increasing protein intake, and maintaining a proper exercise routine.
Dr Anuradha Katragadda, Managing Director of Anu Test Tube Baby Centre, discussed infertility related to obesity.
She explained that if a woman under 35 years old is having trouble conceiving for a year, she might have infertility issues. For women over 35, tests should be conducted after six months, and for those over 40, after four months. “Obesity in both men and women affects fertility. In men, it can affect sperm count, while women might face pregnancy-related complications,” she said.
Dr Rupa Banerjee, Director of the IBD Centre at AIG Hospitals, pointed to junk food as a primary cause of obesity. She emphasised the importance of focusing on the gut microbiome.
“Each human being houses a complex ecosystem of microbes. Imbalances in this ecosystem cause numerous diseases, including obesity,” she explained.
She also mentioned that exploring these newer concepts can help tackle lifestyle diseases with improved awareness.
Dr Esther Sathiaraj, Head of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at HCG, spoke about sarcopenic obesity, where there is a lack of muscle mass. “In such cases, we try to increase their muscle mass,” she said.
On nutrition, she stated that they first determine the number of calories needed and then break it down according to macronutrients, noting that Indian diets are still predominantly carbohydrate-heavy.
Dr Sunitha Sayammagaru highlighted the rise of infertility among young men, attributing this to lifestyle changes. She assured that people can overcome medication dependency with proper care and adjustments.
Dr Katragadda shared that the success rate of IVF in the first cycle is 40-45 percent, but it can increase to 80 percent in subsequent cycles.
Dr Banerjee warned against the rampant Westernisation and modernisation, which have led to the penetration of processed foods in both urban and rural areas.
“This mindless consumption of processed food is responsible for the epidemic of lifestyle diseases. It is high time we rethink recklessly copying the West,” she said.
Dr Sathiaraj noted that there are no superfoods.
“Even if you are taking millet, they are carbohydrates. The seeds are again proteins or fibre. We break them down to the main macronutrients, so any food taken in moderation is good,” she pointed out.
Dr Banerjee added that the timing of meals is crucial. “One should not wait until very hungry to eat,” she advised.
Dr KD Modi underscored that lifestyle decisions, including timely food and sleep, are fundamental to diabetic care.
“95 percent of diabetic people require medicine, but there shouldn’t be shame attached to it,” he said.
The discussion provided a comprehensive overview of the various factors contributing to obesity, infertility, and lifestyle diseases, along with practical advice on managing these conditions through diet, exercise, and mindful living.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
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