Bangalore: Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road with an aim to provide the best & comprehensive care in cardiac care, today launched – “Fortis Heart Rhythm and Heart failure Centre” – One stop solution for prevention and management of all heart rhythm disorders and heart failure treatment.

Heart Rhythm and Heart failure centre is a very popular concept in the West, while in India it still needs to be understood. Often people mistake heart failure to be a heart attack. While, heart failure is a condition where the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, heart attack is a sudden occurrence caused by blocked blood supply to the heart muscle. Apart from this many patients suffering from heart failure may also have an abnormality of the heart’s electrical system where the heart beats in an uncoordinated manner. This further reduces the pumping ability of the heart.

The incidence of Heart failure and heart rhythm problems is a rising trend in India yet there is no awareness on the same. The best way to treat such patients is through medical management, assisted devices and finally a heart transplant.

“Having a history of 25 years Fortis Cunningham has witnessed some India’s best cardiac milestones, which provides us the bandwidth to handle heart failure cases with a comprehensive team of cardiologists, electro physiologists, trained nurses and cardiac surgeons. Our motto is to improve quality of life of our patients for which the Heart Rhythm and Heart Failure Centre will act as a catalyst,” said, Dr Vivek Jawali, Chairman – Cardio Vascular Sciences and Medical Advisory Council, Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore.

According to an estimate, the incidence of heart failure in India is about 10 to 20 / 1000 people over the age of 65years have heart failure due to prevalence of coronary heart disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and rheumatic heart disease. Recognizing the symptoms and going to the experts makes a huge difference in the quality of life of any person.

100 year old Sarojamma (name changed) case is testimony to the same. A few months ago, she suddenly started feeling uneasy, lost consciousness and even her heart stopped beating for a few seconds but was revived. When taken to a nearby hospital she was diagnosed with heart rhythm disorder. “The patient was referred to Fortis Hospital, while her age was a challenge, her history of hypertension, diabetes, and recent treatment on pneumonia, added to the complications. After necessary investigations including ECG, we found that her heart rate was very slow and she had major heart block. As her heartbeats were irregular, we implanted a permanent pacemaker to get her heart rhythm back,” said Dr Yashodha, Consultant Cardiologist – Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham road.

The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art technology namely 3D mapping , Radio Frequency Ablation(RFA),Electrophysiology Study(EPS), Implantation & Pacemakers, Defibrillation(ICD), Biventricular Pacemakers(CRT/CRT-D) and Loop Recorders(ILR) , Holter/event recorders, Head-up Tilt Table Test, etc.

Bengaluru: In an effort to support the Prime Minister’s Swachh Bharat mission initiative, Fortis Hospitals organized a cleanliness drive in the city – ‘Cleaner Bengaluru, Greener Bengaluru’ – an initiative to keep the surroundings clean and infection free. The objective was to keep the surroundings of the hospital and its neighbourhood hygienic and tidy. Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare & Mr. Raj Gore, COO, Fortis Healthcare took part in the initiative which witnessed participation from close to 200 volunteers.

Doctors, nurses, technicians, HR employees, Sales and Marketing professionals from the hospital etc participated in the cleanliness drive. The staff of all the four branches of the hospitals – Bannerghatta Road, Cunningham Road, Nagarbhavi & Rajaji Nagar came together for the cause and was engaged in cleaning their hospital premises and the neighbourhood. Apart from these four areas, the participants also cleaned the Ulsoor lake neighbourhood.

“We firmly believe in a cleaner, greener and more sustainable environment, not only for a healthier today but also for a healthier and happier tomorrow. Being India’s leading healthcare organization, it’s our responsibility to lead by example in keeping our neighbourhoods clean to reduce the burden of communicable diseases. To begin with, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road will adopt the opposite stretch and ensure its cleanliness and hygiene on a daily basis. We are encouraged with the response from the volunteers who have been a part of this wonderful initiative and we will continue our participation in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan with energy and enthusiasm to save and enrich lives in India,” said Mr. Raj Gore, COO, South & West, Fortis Healthcare.

The volunteers were seen planting the saplings, sweeping the roads, cleaning the garbage, clearing off the plastics and piled-up wastes from the pavements. This will be an ongoing process from the hospitals as cleanliness plays an important role in the well-being of the people.

Diabetes: Global prevalence

• Nearly 350 million people across the world have diabetes, a number likely to double in the next 20 years[i].
• Over 80% of diabetes-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries[ii].
• Around 90% of all diabetes worldwide is Type 2 diabetes and incidences of Type 2 diabetes in children have increased worldwide[iii].
• As per the WHO, diabetes will be the seventh leading cause of death by 2030. It is the leading cause of kidney failure, amputation and blindness worldwide[iv].

Diabetes: India prevalence

• As per the WHO, people with diabetes in India doubled from 32 million in 2000 to 63 million in 2013 and this number is projected to increase to 101.2 million in the next 15 years[v].
• Around 7.8% people in India are afflicted with diabetes, which includes 7.9% males and 7.5% females. 75,900 males and 51,700 females in the age group of 30-69 years died due to diabetes in 2015, whereas 46,800 males and 45,600 females above 70 years of age died of the disease[vi].
• Overweight is the highest risk factor for diabetes in India, affecting 21.4% population (19 % males and 23.9% females)[vii]. Key factors are very high consumption of sugars and fats among affluent populations. Further due to increasing urbanization and mechanization, urbans Indians have a sedentary lifestyles with physical activity given low priority.

What is Diabetes? What are its symptoms?

• Diabetes is a chronic condition caused when the pancreas produces insufficient quantities of the hormone insulin, or when our body cannot effectively utilize the insulin it produces. Insulin is the hormone in our bodies that regulates blood sugar.
• Type 1 Diabetes is a condition where the body has deficient insulin production and requires daily doses of insulin. Why Type 1 diabetes occurs is not known and it is not preventable as on date. The main symptoms include frequent passage of urine, excessive thirst, constant pangs of hunger, unexplained weight loss, changes in vision and tiredness.
• Type 2 Diabetes is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin due to overweight and lack of physical activity. 90% of people with diabetes around the world have Type 2 diabetes.
• Symptoms could be similar to Type 1 diabetes, but often latent or non-specific.  Lately, Type 2 diabetes is also increasing among children.
• Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is defined as glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy[viii]. Women without previously diagnoseddiabetic conditions exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy mostly during their third trimester. Women with gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of complications during pregnancy and at delivery. They are also at increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the future.
• Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) are intermediate conditions between being normal and having diabetes. People with IGT or IFG are at high risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes.

Are South Asians more prone to developing diabetes?

Several studies show that there exists a higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among   South Asians as compared to other ethnic populations[ix]. Key /determinants are:

• Genetic factors such as higher rates of insulin resistance and postprandial glycaemia
• Tendency for fat deposits around the abdomen
• Metabolic syndrome
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Lack of a balanced diet, higher consumption of starchy foods, low intake of vegetables and fruits, Deep rooted culture of consuming sweets during festivals and religious events.
• At the individual level, lack of physical activity; at the socio-economic level, lack of community facilities and open spaces in urban areas for exercise and sports, costs of gyms and exercise gear being beyond the means of the common citizens
• Low access to affordable and quality healthcare
• Higher rates of rural-urban migration and resultant changes in lifestyle with dependence on outside food
• Traditional practice of sedentary lifestyle and high calorie diet during pregnancy by women
• Delayed detection – fear of going to the doctor or undergoing blood tests

Dr. Manujanth Mallige, Consultant Endocrinology, Diabetes & Bariatric Medicine, Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta Road says, “The secret to prevent diabetes is mere regular physical exercise and maintaining of a healthy diet .Younger generation in particular, needs to adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent the onset of diabetes. Special attention needs to be given to symptoms like increased thirst, passing more urine, unexplained weight loss, feeling of tiredness, recurrent infections and slow healing wounds. It is advised to seek professional advice from a qualified Diabetologist when you observe such symptoms.”

Diabetes Advisory – How can we prevent and help control diabetes?

• Eat a Healthy, balanced diet with 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables (preferably green leafy) everyday
• Exercise regularly  for 60 minutes daily (this includes 30-minute walk (leisure time physical activity), 15-minute walk included in work schedule) and 15 minutes resistance training with small weights
• Do not plan social outings and events around food, instead adopt sports and physical activity into your lifestyle
• Go for a health check, consult a medical professional if symptoms such as excessive thirst, hunger, weight loss, fatigue and blurred vision persist. Routine blood sugar check should be done in all adults above 30 years of age.
• If you have diabetes, control and manage it by eating healthy, being active, taking the prescribed medication as per medical advice, controlling blood pressure and avoiding tobacco and alcohol use.
• Manage stress through yoga, meditation, by having a positive outlook and taking time for leisure activities
• Stop smoking and tobacco, and limit alcohol intake

What are some of the new advancements in the research and treatment on diabetes?

• Management of type 2 diabetes has been improved by recent introduction of several drugs including those acting via GLP-1 pathways and through kidney specific receptors. There are 5 more classes of drugs under development. Several new long acting insulins have been discovered.
• University of Virginia researchers are focusing on a new method of creating an Artificial Pancreas (DiAs AP) algorithm that can be used continuously in individuals with type 1 diabetes to help monitor their blood glucose levels and keep them in range all day and night[x].
• A long term prevention programme including lifestyle measures and oral antihyperglycemic agents have shown up to 61% reduction in the development of type 2 diabetes in patients with prediabetes.
• Oil and nutrient changes in diets of Indian population has been researched to show potential for prevention of diabetes and management of fatty liver.

Bengaluru: Dr Vivek Jawali, Chairman – Cardio Vascular Sciences, & Medical Advisory Council Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore has been conferred with Honorary Doctorate from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Karnataka during its 18th Annual Convocation. The Honorable Governor of Karnataka, Sri Vajubhai Vala and Vice chancellor of RGUHS, Dr Ravindranath awarded Dr. Jawali with the honorary doctorate in the presence of students, teachers, members of RGUHS at NIMHANS convention centre, Bengaluru today.

“This is indeed an honor and I take great pride in receiving this award. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Honorable Governor of Karnataka and the Vice Chancellor of the university for conferring me with this prestigious degree. I accept this honour as something for me and my team mates that are associated with me for more than a quarter century. Together we could do some original contributions in heart surgery to navigate it on more patient friendly roads and add our tiniest bit of a shine on our national tricolour”, said Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chairman – Cardio Vascular Sciences & Medical Advisory Council Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore.

Dr Vivek Jawali has been a pioneer in the field of healthcare and has been presented with life time achievement award for medical excellence in India by “HARVARD MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL” in 2008. Some of his significant contributions and achievements include:

• Performed more than 22,000 heart surgeries & presented more than 200 papers.
• Performed the first beating heart bypass surgery of India in 1992 & was responsible for popularizing it in India. Today India does world’s highest number of beating heart bypass surgeries.
• First person to do first minimally invasive bypass surgery in the Australasian continent in 1995 and
• First to perform AWAKE open heart surgery of the world (quadruple bypass with aortic valve replacement) in a 74 yrs old patient without general anesthesia or ventilator in 2002
• The only Indian in the editorial board of ‘Innovations in Cardiac Surgery’ – a journal of the international society of minimally invasive cardiac surgeons, published from USA

Bengaluru: The constant appointments at different hospitals, the disheartening results, difficulty in performing basic routine and with no or little ray of hope left in her to be able to walk normal, little Gaganashree was going through a tough time when she visited Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road. A six hour long complex surgery by the doctors at Fortis Hospitals gave her a new lease of life and bought her smile back.

It was a painful reality that the little girl faced day in and day out; it put not just physical but also mental stress on the child. Thirteen-year-old Gaganashree found it difficult to carry out even basic activities and daily personal chores because of the deformity in her lower limbs. She had problems walking normally and was distraught because her windswept (waddling) gait embarrassed her and she often had to face discrimination and ridicule in school and outside. She was hardly able to participate in any sporting activity.
With the hope of getting the deformity treated, Gaganashree and her parents made the rounds of many hospitals and visited specialists in the city, but almost everywhere they were told that the teenager’s condition could not be treated because of lack of expertise or she was asked to wait till she grew up and completed her development.

With the hope of getting the deformity treated, Gaganashree and her parents made the rounds of many hospitals and visited specialists in the city, but almost everywhere they were told that the teenager’s condition could not be treated because of lack of expertise or she was asked to wait till she grew up and completed her development.

Finally, she came to Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road where Orthopaedic specialist performed a specialised deformity correction surgery that helped straighten her lower limbs and ensured that she walked normally.

“The child and her parents came to us after visiting quite a few centres, where they were told that she had a genetic disorder that could not be corrected. We did a detailed evaluation and diagnosed her with a condition called Spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia, wherein her long bones are not growing normally because the growing ends of her bones were malformed. We informed the parents that the disorder would require complex deformity correction surgery,” said Dr Mohan Puttaswamy, Consultant Reconstructive Orthopaedic Surgeon at Fortis Hospitals.

Spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia (MED) is a rare, genetic disorder characterised by a malformation of the growing ends of the long bones. The deformity could involve the spine, hips and knees. In Gaganashree, the deformity was seen in the knees, thighbones as well as the leg bones resulting in a windswept gait and difficulty in walking. Such growth deformities also lead to children being shorter than the normally expected height at their age. Stiffness and diminished joint mobility at the knees, elbows, and hips may develop over time.

“She used to rarely get out of the house because of her deformity except for going to school. As her legs were not straight and almost crossed, walking was quite difficult and we were worried about the condition,” says Gaganashree’s elder brother Hemant.

After the evaluation, the Orthopaedic team led by Dr Mohan Puttuswamy formulated a surgical plan according to which a single stage multi-level procedure would be performed. He explained that the 13-year-old’s condition was worsened because not only was she short in stature, but she also had ligament dysfunction in the knee joints. The surgery was planned in such a way that the growing ends of the bones should be preserved and the ligaments in the knees would be tightened.

In a highly complex and challenging surgery, which lasted for six hours, Fortis doctors corrected the deformities in her right femur (thigh bone) and left tibia (shin bone) and her bones were straightened. A special technique called as Open-closed wedge technique was employed so that the length of the right thighbone was not decreased. In the left leg too, a similar strategy was used to avoid shortening of the limb and both her legs were straightened. The loose ligaments in the knee joints were tightened to enable her to walk with stability.

Three months after her surgery, she has made a steady recovery and today Gaganashree is walking straight and tall.

“She is happy to be able to walk normally and is waiting to get outdoors and go to school,” says Hemant.

“Fortis Heart Team replaces the aortic heart valve without opening the chest or heart”

Bengaluru: In a show of exemplary teamwork, the Heart Team of Fortis Hospital Bangalore comprising senior Cardiologists, Cardiac surgeons and Cardiac anesthetists under the leadership of Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chairman, Department Of Cardio-Vascular Science, performed a rare procedure called TAVR (Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Replacement) to give a new lease of life to 87-year old Mr. Subba Rao from Mysore. This rare procedure was performed successfully to treat a severe and otherwise inoperable conditionin the patient’s heart in just over an hour.  In contrast to a regular procedure which takes several hours and requires prolonged hospital stay this novel technique took just over an hour to complete and the patient was discharged in just 5 days.

The heart disease had severely affected ’Subba Raos quality of life and created a danger of sudden death. He often experienced shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing during activity and struggled to walk. He also developed a prostate enlargement that forced him to carry urinary bag whenever he stepped outside as the prostate was inoperable due to the diseased heart. Because of multiple diseases and frail health traditional heart surgery posed a very high degree of risk to the patient’s life and hence the doctors at the hospital suggested that he undergo the TAVR procedure.

“Having witnessed some of India’s best cardiac milestones in the last 25 years, we are extremely proud of performing such a technologically advanced procedure with a multi-disciplinary team of cardiac specialists. This technology is at a nascent stage in India and Fortis Hospital Cunningham Road is fortunate to be one of the few hospitals in the State with the medical expertise to perform such a complex procedure. We want to offer this life saving procedure to many more patients and give them a second chance at healthy living. Fortis hospitals across India have been leaders in the use of this technology,” said Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chairman, Dept. Of Cardio-Vascular Science, Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore.

Dr. Gopi, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham Road, who performed the procedure said, “Subba Rao was wheeled into the cath-lab on the day of the operation and after anesthesia, a small incision was put on the groin and a valve was mounted on a wire which was inserted into the artery of his leg. This valve was then deployed on the diseased aortic valve in the heart. In a day’s time the patient was able to move around without much stress. Such procedures are very effective as the recovery is fast and the success rate very high.

In India, only select medical centers which are pre-approved can perform the replacement procedure and that too under the guidance of world renowned medical experts. In this case Dr. Peters Andreka from Hungary was flown in specially to supervise this procedure.

Five days after surgery Subba Rao got discharged and is doing well. His family too has found new hope and is now eagerly waiting for his normalization and rapid recovery. “We are so happy to see him back on his feet as we had lost all hope at one time” said Subba Rao’s son Ramesh.

3000 citizens benefited from the health educative forum since inception

Bengaluru: Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road in their journey of providing continuous quality healthcare services is happy to announce their yet another milestone – successful 50 Sunday conversations; providing health education to over 3000 people in a span of two years. An initiative that began with an aim of bridging the doctor and community relationship by educating the public over various topics on health received tremendous response from the citizens. Various topics on Cardiology, Bone & Joint, Neurology, Pediatrics, Women Care, Emergency Care, Urology and many other clinical specialties were covered during these sessions.

The 50th Sunday conversation on “Cardiac Diseases, Joint Pain & Urology – Risks & Management” witnessed participation of over 100 people. Eminent doctors including Dr. Venkatesh S – Consultant, Interventional Cardiologist, Dr, Narayan Hulse – Add. Director, Dept. Of Bone & Joint Surgery and Dr. Mohan Keshavamurthy – Director, Urology, Andrology & Transplant Surgery shared their insights and inputs with the participants.

“It’s indeed an exciting moment for as we complete the 50th Sunday Conversation at Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road. Giving back to the community is what we always believe in and this initiative was a humble effort from our end towards the same. The Sunday Conversations has turned out to be a trusted forum among the public and we are glad to have played a small yet significant role in imparting knowledge on healthcare to our people,” said Mr. Vijayarathna, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road.

“The topics covered in the Sunday conversation are very relevant and informative. This has given me insights on various problems which we often tend to see in our family, neighbours or colleagues. Also these sessions have been helpful in clearing myths and increasing awareness,” said 76 year old Mr. Kulkarni Swasahaya, a regular attendee of Sunday Conversation and ex-employee of Karnataka Administration Service (KAS).

The hospital has so far trained more than 11,000 persons in Bangalore in the emergency procedure that can help save the lives of hundreds of cardiac arrest patients

Bengaluru: With a majority of sudden cardiac deaths happening outside hospitals, knowing how to give CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) can make the difference between life and death during such an emergency. Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore has set out a mission to empower Bangaloreans in saving hearts by training them in CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to reduce casualties, promote timely treatment, and be an effective first responder in a medical emergency.

On the Silver jubilee year of Fortis Cunningham Road, Fortis has initiated a unique programme to train lay people in Bangalore in CPR and as many as 11,000 Bengalureans have already received free training.

CPR is an emergency procedure performed in an effort to manually preserve brain function, restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who has suffered cardiac arrest. The main symptoms of cardiac arrest in an adult or a child are unconsciousness and breathlessness. The earlier the CPR is given, the greater the chances of their survival.

Knowledge of CPR is limited in our country, despite the fact that 65 per cent of cardiac emergencies occur at home. To support the cause, Fortis Hospitals started the ‘Fortis Heart Savers,’ a CSR initiative to disseminate information on heart emergencies and the CPR training is part of this campaign. Participants learn CPR techniques and get valuable information on heart health and cardiac emergencies, and this in turn has helped in creating responsible citizens.

“We are indeed glad to see an overwhelming response for our initiative on CPR training. Students, IT professionals, bankers, public servants and many others showed keen interest in the initiative. It is our privilege that we have been able to mend over two million hearts and this milestone has been possible because of the best medical team and management. The CPR training is our way of giving back to society,” said Dr. Manish Mattoo, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham Road.

The training programme witnessed active participation from people both young and old, across the city. Corporate and government offices, police commissioner’s office, CBI, colleges including Mount Carmel College, Christ, Jain college, RV college and IT firms including TCS were few of the participants in this initiative.

“The CPR training programme has evoked quite a positive response from people in different parts of the city. The life threatening situation could happen to anyone – our friends, relatives or even strangers. Though it sounds really simple, a CPR procedure has a definite set of rules and process to follow. Hence, practical training is required to understand the procedure thoroughly. We are elated that the objective of the campaign is met. This is just the beginning and we will continue to put in our best efforts to educate and impart knowledge to the public on such imperative health procedures,” said Dr. Vivek Jawali, Chairman, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru.

Fortis Medical Team with conservation workers.

Chennai: While the city is limping back to normalcy and mass scale conservation work is going on, cleaning the city and unclogging the waterways, it goes without saying that, the people who are working towards this are exposed to various health hazards. The rains and flooding have created ideal situations for a host of waterborne diseases like Malaria, Cholera, and Leptospirosis to spread. The disaster management team at Fortis Health Care, Vadapalani wanted to address this issue at its early stages and started reaching out to people who are the most exposed to infections.

The cleaning and conservation workers as well as numerous volunteers who have involved themselves in these activities, to get the city back in shape, are in constant contact with sewage that has mixed with rain water, highly infectious waste material and carcasses of animals that died in the flooding. As the old adage goes ‘prevention is better than cure’ it is sensible that we prevent them from getting infections.

The medical team at Fortis has been going around the city, and is administering TT (Tetanus Toxoid) vaccination to all the conservation workers as a social responsibility. Doxycyclin is also being provided to the workers as a precaution against other water borne infections. The Fortis Healthcare team is also educating them on safety precautions like wearing hand-gloves, footwear, face masks etc., while working. The hospital team has already vaccinated more than 100 conservation workers in Jafferkhanpet and Vadapalani. The team will also be covering other parts of the city like T.Nagar, Saidapet, Tambaram, Velachery and Perungudi in the coming days.

Dr. Abhijit Sinha Roy, Head of Medical services, Fortis Healthcare, Vadapalani said “When a disaster of this scale, which hasn’t been seen in over a century happens, it leaves us with problems unknown and unaddressed and with no literature whatsoever, especially when it comes to new challenges in community healthcare. Fortis Health Care has adopted a prophylaxis model in addressing this issue and it focused more on high-risk areas, namely conservation work, and is trying to prevent diseases from being spread”.

Earlier the hospital has sent out mobile medical teams to various flood affected parts of the city to conduct preliminary screening to affected people. So far over 1500 people have been screened in places like Irumbiliyur, Mudichur, Tambaram etc. People have also been provided with prescription medicines free of cost, as and when required. The hospital has plans to continue this activity and reach out to other areas in the city.

CSR at Fortis Healthcare Limited

The CSR initiatives are driven by our vision, philosophy and the need of the community, with health remaining our main focus; we however, occasionally modify our programmes to suit our intended beneficiaries. We also promote awareness and educational programmes on preventive care and training people on several health related problems including emergency care. We have approximately 300 employees volunteering in our CSR initiatives and community development and they are allowed to take out time from their work schedule for these initiatives.

The organisation is committed to creating robust mechanisms to implement, record, review and measure outcomes of the initiatives for the community at large. This not only ensures the efficacy of our programmes but goes a long way in guaranteeing that they continue to be significant, relevant and sustainable so that the beneficiaries derive maximum benefit from our effort and equally importantly, we become proud of our contributions to the community. There is a regular feedback from the Fortis hospitals about running of the programmes and after appropriate review from time to time, necessary modifications (if required) are made to better the programme. All CSR initiatives are reported in the company’s annual report for information of our stakeholders. We also have specific programs to protect the environment through our work, like taking care of our biomedical waste, X-ray exposure, and so on which ensures cleaner environment and safety for our patients, attendants and employees.