CRUSADE AGAINST CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Dr. Rajan Ravichandran
MD, MNAMS, FRCP(Edin), FACP(USA),
Director,
MIOT Institute of Nephrology
MIOT Hospitals,
Chennai-89. |
Chairman,
Sapiens Health Foundation
No. 95/42, GF1, RAMS Flats,
2nd Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 600 020 |
Dr.Rajan Ravichandran after a brilliant academic career where he stood first in Bombay
University in medicine and surgery with several awards and gold medals started his practice at
Chennai in 1985. He was the Head Of the Department of Nephrology in Voluntary
Health Services (VHS) at Adyar from 1985 -1989. All patients were treated freely. The facility
of the department was expanded and free kidney transplantation program was started
under his guidance. This was a boon to several patients in and around the Village of
Mahabalipuram. In 1989 he started Madras Institute of Nephrology at Vijaya Health
Centre, Chennai. More than 20,000 patients with Kidney diseases from all over the
country and neighbouring Countries like Maldives, Srilanka and Bangladesh were
being treated in the institute. More than 1000 renal transplantation have been
performed. 1000 - 1500 haemodialysis are being done per month and about 25% of
patients are given free consultations and medical advice. The post graduate program
was started in 1993 and several medical graduates have been trained and are practising in
the country and abroad. In 1997 he was appointed as visiting professor in Tokyo Women's
Medical College. In 1997 the Balaji Medical and Educational trust was started to help
the poor patients in a larger way. Funds have been collected from the patients and other
well-wishers and large number of subsidised dialysis are being done. Drugs are been
distributed free. Prevention being the most important aspect for kidney disease, free
medical camps and awareness lectures are regularly being conducted. Recently on 15th March
2009, on the occasion of 12th anniversary of Balaji Trust, a project named " Early Disease
Programme" (EDP) has been launched. EDP is primarily to cover a wide range of population for
early detection of Kidney diseases, intervention and monitoring. To spread this message, all the
available mass media that is print, TV, Internet, movies and others will be used in an extensive
manner.
In May 2008 he was awarded the FACP (USA). In June 2008 he was awarded FRCP (EDIN). In
July 2008 he started the MIOT Institute of Nephrology which is a specialised 100 bedded unit to
treat patients with Kidney disease. He has several National and International publications.
From 1996 he has active collaboration with IIT Chennai. In 1997 the Acute Dialysis machine was
manufactured. This is a machine which is used in critical patients to remove fluid to treat
pulmonary oedema. The machine is a novel idea of not requiring any water input. It is portable
and can be shifted easily to different places. It is user friendly and does not require Nephrologist
guidance to operate the machine. ICU nurses can be trained to run the machine. The machine
would also be cost effective and can be used all over the country including small nursing homes
to stabilize critically ill patients with Pulmonary oedema. The machine was successfully used in
several hospitals in Chennai.
Several other research projects were also started in collaboration with IIT Chennai. The most
successful one was the Polyallylamine Phosphate Binder. This is a non calcium containing resin
which is used orally to remove Phosphorus in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. This would
reduce the number of coronary events in these patients. From the lab this drug has been taken
to the pharma industry and is now successfully used all over the country benefiting several lakhs
of patients. This concept of oral resin is now been developed to remove several other
substances from the body.
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