The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ISRO chief inaugurates simulator at AIG

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Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

ISRO chief inaugurates simulator at AIG

Special Correspondent

Rs. 2-crore machine will provide training in advanced endoscopic procedures

- PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Latest technology: ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan having a look at the advanced video GI endoscopy system at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD: In a significant development that can expedite training in endoscopy to diagnose gastrointestinal diseases, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology acquired a computer-assisted endoscopy interactive simulator called GI Mentor.

The Rs. 2-crore machine designed to provide hands-on training to medical experts in advanced endoscopic procedures was inaugurated by Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K. Radhakrishnan here on Tuesday.

Drawing similarities between space and medical science where one would have to be prepared to deal with any emergency, the ISRO Chairman said simulator training would help one to save missions in actual situations. Putting human beings into orbit around earth, 275 km above earth would be ISRO’s endeavour before moving on to Mars and lunar missions, he said.

AIG Chairman and Chief of Gastroenterology D. Nageshwar Reddy said the simulator would help in training four to five doctors at a time in all latest procedures and in all possible situations to diagnose gastrointestinal diseases like cancer, ulcer, stones, etc.

There were only 5,000 endoscopy experts in the country against the requirement of 50,000, he said with a waiting period of three years for conventional training. The simulator would help train doctors faster and the AIG, recognised as Centre of Excellence by World Organisation of Digestive Endoscopy, would offer it free to Indian doctors. Singapore, Malaysia and Sirlanka governments had tied-up with the AIG to send their doctors for this training, but priority would be given to Indian doctors, he said.

Dr. Reddy disclosed that ISRO proposed to provide adequate bandwidth for AIG to enable it to extend its telemedicine services in gastroenterology to the entire State.

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