Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Gates visits Tambaram hospital

K. Manikandan

Microsoft chairman says he wanted to have a first-hand look at the facilities The couple interacted with patients, including children, undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS

TAMBARAM: "I am impressed," said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect, Microsoft Corporation, after his 60-minute visit to the Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine, Tambaram Sanatorium, on Thursday.

Accompanied by his wife Melinda, he arrived from New Delhi in a special aircraft a little past noon and drove straight to the hospital. "I have heard so much about the hospital and I wanted to come here," Mr. Gates told the doctors. He said he wanted to have a first-hand look at the facilities.

Dressed casually in a green T-shirt and trousers, Mr. Gates and his wife walked around the sprawling premises.

The couple, who set up the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, interacted with the patients, including children, undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS.

The child inmates welcomed them with flowers, while the men and women greeted the couple with vanakkam.

"How long have you been here," "How is the treatment," "Are you taking your medicines regularly," Where do you come from" and "How did you come to know about this hospital," were the questions — translated into Tamil by doctors — put by the couple to the inmates.

Presentation

They also saw a presentation about the hospital and the facilities and services extended to inpatients and outpatients.

Doctors told the couple that 339 patients were undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS of whom 266 were men, 91 women and 22 children. They also visited the laboratory.

Mr. Gates listened as doctors explained the care and support extended to patients and efforts for the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

He was particularly interested in anti-retro viral therapy, its outcome and the regularity in which it was administered to patients. Before leaving, he assured doctors of all possible help.

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