Started in 2010, it is the only state-run clinic in the country for 'Metabolic Surgery' through minimal access. The clinic has till date registered over 550 obesity patients and has 121 surgeries to its credit.
For Raju Kumar, life has been tough for the last seven years after he lost his job during the Commonwealth Games when his car mechanic workshop was shut down. Sitting at home, depressed, the 40-year-old started to gain weight and with it contracted various illnesses. At 140 kilograms today, he is a case of morbid obesity and all his hopes are pinned to the Delhi government's sole Bariatric clinic at the Lok Nayak Hospital.
Started in 2010, it is the only state-run clinic in the country for 'Metabolic Surgery' through minimal access. The clinic has till date registered over 550 obesity patients and has 121 surgeries to its credit.
"Over 15 per cent of the patients in the general OPD were cases of morbid obesities i.e., Body Mass Index, BMI > 35. This caused several other problems ranging from blood pressure to sleep apnoea (heavy snoring). Thus, there was a need to address it at a government setup," said Dr Pawanindra Lal, Director Professor of Surgery, Maulana Azad Medical College, who is heading the unit at Lok Nayak Hospital.
Dr Lal has seen cases where patients weigh 210 kilograms and require immediate surgeries. "Most of these are disorderly patients and are already predisposed towards diabetes and obesity. Housewives are the worst in keeping up with their follow-ups. They require constant counseling and diet charts," he said.
Shikha Narula life changed during pregnancy when she weighed 116 kgs. The weight was gained during pregnancy and keeping in mind her borderline hypertension caused by obesity, she needed urgent attention. She went through a surgery in April last year and now, ten months later, following a routine set by her doctor, Narula has managed to come down to 75 kgs.
The clinic runs twice a month, on every second and fourth Thursday and has seen patients from all the economic groups. While the surgeries cost anywhere between Rs 3 to 4 lakh in a private setup, they are done free of cost here and in some cases, only basic costs are covered by the patients.
Apart from the clinic, the hospital has now started a fellowship program for minimal access surgery and this is the only institute where a comprehensive training in laparoscopy is given. A two-way app called 'HealthFort' has been started by the hospital to keep a record of its patients.
ONE OF ITS KIND
- Started in 2010, the clinic is the only state-run clinic in the country for ‘Metabolic Surgery’ through minimal access
- The clinic has till date registered over 550 obesity patients and has 121 surgeries to its credit, with over 15 per cent cases being of morbid obesity
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Raju Kumar")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}