India’s famed cardiac surgeon Devi Shetty feels ‘sad’ to see plight of Bangladeshi patients

India’s best-known cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty says he feels “sad” to see Bangladeshi mothers carrying their newborn babies and travelling all the way to Bangalore for a simple procedure.

Nurul Islam Hasibfrom Greater Noida, Uttar Pradeshbdnews24.com
Published : 21 April 2016, 07:28 PM
Updated : 21 April 2016, 07:56 PM

He said those procedures could have been done in Bangladesh. But they travel for three and a half days by train or bus to come and “spend 10 minutes with me” because of “trust, love and affection”.

“Some of them do not even need operations,” he told bdnews24.com in a brief interaction at the ongoing global exhibition on services in Greater Noida, some 30 kilometres off New Delhi.

“We develop trust in some people, and then wherever they are they travel all the way to Bangalore,” he said.

Bangladesh has developed its cardiac surgeries discipline in recent years, but Dr Shetty still remains a household name for many, particularly for those who need their newborns’ heart operated for congenital problems.

He is the chairman and founder of Narayana Health City which is known for “quality but low-cost” services.

He is known for his pioneering inexpensive cardiac surgeries in India.

Dr Shetty is also renowned for being Mother Teresa’s heart surgeon.   

He believes that there are simple solutions that can make healthcare affordable. He receives patients from all over South Asia.

“I guess it is the trust, love and affection we have for each other which keeps growing,” he said when asked what drives patients to him.

“This is an example I give to all the young doctors. This is a fantastic profession where you can touch the lives of millions and millions of people, and you can be a hero in real life and this is what this profession does”.

“And that is why this keeps us growing even at this stage of our life,” he said.

President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday inaugurated the three-day mega exhibition, which is showcasing and discussing possibilities of making the Indian services sector more competitive globally to generate jobs and wealth.

The Commerce Ministry, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC) have jointly organised the event, bringing together representatives of over 60 countries.