Foundation launched to help the needy
Deccan Herald, Friday 14th November, 2003

Dr. Narayan Setty Memorial Charitable Foundation has been launched with an aim to make expensive interventional treatment like bypass surgery and angioplasty affordable.

Dr. Govindaraj Subramani, Interventional Cardiologist, Wisconsin, USA, has launched the foundation.

The foundation has been incorporated by the family members of Dr. Narayan Setty - Dr. S. Bhaskar, Dr. S.N. Rajeshwar and Dr. S.B. Vikram.

The foundation was formally launched at Vikram Hospital and Heart Centre at Yadavagiri this morning.

“The foundation has been launched in memory of the founder of our institution Dr. Narayan Setty who was a noted name for charitable work in the field of healthcare,” reiterated Dr. S B Vikram, Managing Director, Vikram Hospital.

Speaking to reporters after the launch, he said the fund collected in the charitable trust will be used to subsidize the cost of treatment like Coronary Angiogram, Angioplasty and Bypass surgery for the poor and needy.

Dr. Vikram said a panel of eminent citizens from Mysore city is being formed.

This panel will assess the need of amount of subsidy which should be offered to patients on case to case basis.

He said donors wishing to join hands with the foundation in this act of charity can contact the hospital.

Those patients who are poor and require financial assistance to be provided through the charitable foundation can enter their name and other relevant details in the registry that was opened today at the Hospital.

Meanwhile, Vikram Hospital and Heart Centre in association with Mysore Medical College Alumnus Association conducted interventional cardiology camp from November 10.

Over the last 4 days, 40 poor patients were investigated by Coronary Angiogram and wherever indicated Angioplasty (block removal using balloons), were performed, Dr. Vikram informed. Seven patients were implanted with pacemaker, each worth Rs. 1.5 lakh free of cost.

He said most of the procedures were done for about half of the cost. This was because Dr. Govindaraj Subramani conducted the camp and had carried with him the required consumables worth Rs. 10 lakh from the United States.

The camp was conducted with Dr. Arun Srinivas and Dr. Guruprasad, interventional cardiologists, Vikram Hospital.

Speaking later, Dr. Subramani said, “Being a Mysorean, I will visit the city with an aim to serve the community I and around Mysore who cannot afford expensive heart treatment procedures. Because of high costs of input of materials, the poor patients cannot afford them.”

Dr. Bhaskar, Dr. Deveshwar and Dr. Srinivasan of Alumnus Association were present.