By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JULY 25. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences has successfully completed more than 1,000 cardiac and 500 neurological surgical procedures within six months of its inception, Dr. A.N.Safaya, Director of the institute has said.

Announcing this here today to presspersons and other invitees, Dr.Safaya said the institute was established by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in January, and it was the only one of its kind as it provided medical treatment to all persons free of cost irrespective of caste, creed or background. Medical care to the tune of around Rs. 20 crores had been provided free of cost to the patients in the form of cardiac surgery. In addition, 1,036 cathlab procedures were conducted. He said the project was an experiment that other Government and corporate hospitals could emulate.

Dr.A.S.Hedge, head of the Neurosciences Department, said till now, 507 surgeries had been performed by the team of doctors in the department. He said 10,854 out-patients and 1,064 in-patients had sought neurological treatment. The operative mortality rate was only 1.6 per cent. The department had started surgery for select epileptic cases apart from performing spinal surgery and trans-sphenoidal surgery, he said.

Dr.Shekhar Rao, Head of the Cardio-Vascular Department, said one of the major achievements of the department was the treatment of 400 children suffering from congenital heart disease. The out- patient inflow for cardiac treatment till now was 18,012 and the number of inpatients was 2,032.

The institute, spread over an area of 53 acres, had a bed strength of 330, and 500 staff members, including doctors, nurses and para-medical personnel.