Miss World contestants visited AIG Hospitals in Hyderabad on Friday, 16 May as part of a Telangana government initiative to show the healthcare facilities in the state and promote Hyderabad as a medical tourism hub.
Published May 17, 2025 | 12:10 AM ⚊ Updated May 17, 2025 | 12:10 AM
Miss World contestants at AIG Hospital. (Supplied)
Synopsis: Miss World 2025 contestants visited AIG Hospitals in Hyderabad as part of Telangana’s push to promote medical tourism. Courtney Jongwe, Miss Zimbabwe, praised the advanced healthcare technology. Health Secretary Christina Chongthu highlighted women-focused programs like Arogya Mahila, addressing underreported diseases. Dr Nageshwar Reddy emphasized gut health’s role in overall wellness, predicting microbiome-based treatments as the future of medicine.
“People ask me how engineering and pageantry go together. But after seeing the technology here, it made sense.” said Courtney Jongwe, Miss World Zimbabwe 2025.
A chemical and processing engineering student, who works in the pharmaceuticals, Courtney further added, “Being here today made me feel inspired. Coming from Africa, we haven’t seen this. It was my first time seeing most of these machines.”
“When they spoke about coagulation, I thought of waste treatment. That’s what we study. I didn’t know you could coagulate blood to stop internal bleeding. I learned a lot today. Thank you for showing us what’s possible—not just as beauty contestants, but as people who want to lead and solve problems,” added the Miss World 2025 contestant.
Courtney was among the Miss World contestants who visited AIG Hospitals in Hyderabad on Friday, 16 May. The visit was part of a Telangana government initiative to show the healthcare facilities in the state and promote Hyderabad as a medical tourism hub.
Miss Poland, Maja Klajda, a psychology student, expressing her admiration, said, “I never expected to see such advanced infrastructure and holistic care in one place. AIG Hospitals exceeds even the standards of several European hospitals I’ve seen. This was an eye-opening experience into the future of global healthcare.”
Miss Malaysia, Saroop Roshi, also added, “I’ve visited hospitals all over Asia, but AIG is on another level. The AI Centre and Endoscopy units are just world-class. I’m seriously considering doing an internship here—it’s that impressive.”
The hospital visit was one of the stops during the Miss World competition events in Hyderabad. The state government used the opportunity to highlight the healthcare sector as part of its push to promote medical tourism.
Meanwhile, during her address to the Miss World contestants, Telangana Health Secretary Christina Z Chongthu emphasized the state’s focus on making healthcare local, free, and approachable. “Healthcare must be accessible—local, free of cost, and approachable,” she told the group.
“That’s why we have women-run clinics for women. When patients interact with women doctors and staff, they feel more comfortable and open up more. That comfort makes all the difference.”
Highlighting the state’s healthcare infrastructure, she said, “You’ve seen advanced healthcare here. AIG is just one of seven JCI (Joint Commission International)-accredited hospitals. We also have 76 hospitals accredited by the National Board, plus 49 government tertiary hospitals and over 6,700 government health facilities. The private sector is growing rapidly with international standards.”
“Our goal is to deliver quality healthcare through a wide, connected network,” she added. “Treatments here cost 50 to 70 percent less than in the US or Europe.”
As part of the program, 100 women healthcare professionals, mostly gynaecologists and obstetricians from government hospitals across Telangana, met the Miss World contestants. Praising their dedication, Chongthu said, “They deliver quality, timely, and free healthcare to women.”
She encouraged the contestants to connect with these professionals, highlighting the power of women supporting women. “Nobody can uplift women like women can,” she said. “Through shared experiences, mentorship, and support, women strengthen each other. And as caregivers, prioritizing our own health is vital—not just for ourselves, but for those who depend on us.”
Chongthu also highlighted the state’s women’s health programs and the role of global platforms like Miss World in raising awareness.
“We want to engage not just our healthcare professionals but also leverage platforms like Miss World—and the advocacy of each contestant—to advance safe maternal care, reproductive health, education, and prevention of diseases,” she said.
Chongthu outlined the government’s focus on emerging challenges, especially non-communicable diseases like breast and cervical cancers. She emphasized Telangana’s commitment through programs such as Arogya Mahila, an initiative promoting inclusive and equitable healthcare for women.
“Women constitute 49.7 percent of Telangana’s population, with 55 percent aged between 16 and 49. However, non-communicable and reproductive health issues remain significantly underreported,” she said, citing National Family Health Survey data that highlights low screening rates—only 3.3 percent for cervical cancer, 2.5 percent for oral cancer, and a mere 0.3 percent for breast cancer.
Launched in 2023, Arogya Mahila provides women-only clinics focusing on early detection and preventive screening. “We have 372 primary healthcare centres linked to 37 tertiary care facilities. Clinics operate every Tuesday,” she said.
So far, 19.5 lakh women have been screened, with 3 lakh undergoing further tests and over 42,000 referred to higher centres, many diagnosed with early-stage cancers. Screening efforts include 14.86 lakh women for oral cancer, 3.51 lakh for cervical cancer, and 14.49 lakh for breast cancer.
The program also addresses endocrine and hormonal health—5.6 lakh screened for thyroid issues, 19.2 lakh for diabetes, 2.7 lakh for PCOD and menstrual problems, and 3.7 lakh for menopausal concerns. Services include nutritional counselling, free medicines, lifestyle training, and referrals supported by institutions like MNJ Cancer Hospital and Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences. Apart from these, free ambulance services are also provided, which facilitate patient transport between facilities.
Chongthu said the goal is to expand Arogya Mahila to all primary healthcare centres by 2026, with ASHA workers playing a key role in mobilizing women and ensuring follow-up care.
“About 70 percent of women discontinue treatment after diagnosis—that’s where ASHA workers are crucial,” she added.
Finally, she spoke of building a centralized cancer registry and 10 regional cancer care centres to establish an equitable, inclusive, and free healthcare system for women across Telangana.
At a special session with Miss World 2025 contestants, renowned gastroenterologist and AIG Hospitals Chairman Dr Nageshwar Reddy took the audience on a fascinating journey into gut health, urging everyone to rethink what truly keeps us healthy.
He explained that trillions of microbes in our gut form a powerful biological system influencing immunity, mood, and even lifespan. “Just by changing your diet, you can dramatically alter your gut bacteria and see real health benefits,” he said.
But Dr Reddy also warned against hidden dangers. “It’s not just about eating healthy — you must avoid what feeds the bad bacteria, including sugars and even non-sugar sweeteners,” he said. “Many diabetics use artificial sweeteners, but these are just as harmful because they encourage bad bacteria.”
Processed foods, filled with preservatives and colorants, were another red flag. Unexpectedly, he pointed to toothpaste as a culprit: “Many contain titanium dioxide, which if swallowed — especially by children who often swallow sweet toothpaste — promotes bad bacteria. Check your toothpaste; if it contains titanium dioxide, switch brands.”
He also cautioned against excessive hygiene. “We’ve become too aseptic — constantly washing and sanitizing everything. Some bacteria from the environment entering our body is essential for gut health.”
Dr Reddy also emphasized that poor gut bacteria links to almost every major disease today. Medicine is now focused on converting bad bacteria into good through diet, probiotics, and even faecal transplants.
He described faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), where healthy stool samples are processed into capsules, humorously called “crapsules.” Stool banks now exist like blood banks. Sharing a light moment, he recounted a Hong Kong stool bank that pays donors and sells samples, creating a win-win system.
However, his serious message was: The microbiome may be the body’s most important “organ. Not the heart, brain, or kidneys — your gut microbiome is the key.”
Highlighting global health trends, he noted life expectancy often exceeds healthy years by a decade. “In India, average life span is 73, health span only 63. Our goal is to make those numbers equal.”
He pointed to the “Blue Zones” — Okinawa, Sardinia, Loma Linda, parts of Greece and Costa Rica — where people live long, healthy lives thanks to unique microbiomes.
Looking ahead, Dr Reddy said medicine will shift away from antibiotics and drugs. “In five years, treatments will include tailored capsules of beneficial microbes.”
At AIG’s research labs, teams work with Nobel laureate Barry Marshall to map individual microbiomes and recommend personalized solutions.
He closed with a glimpse of the future: “Smart toilets will analyze your gut microbiome in minutes and tell you what to eat. These exist in Japan already but will soon be common everywhere.”
“We’re at a watershed moment in human biology. Human cells and genes are just a tiny part of us. The real power lies in the microbes — they control everything,” he noted as his final takeaway.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
