Pics: Pavanraj Hedge

Media Release

Udupi, Nov 5: Department of Infectious Diseases at Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal was inaugurated on November 4 at 4.00 pm at Shirdi Sai Baba Conference Hall, Manipal by Dr Zelalem Temesgen, Director of Mayo Clinic, HIV programme, USA and said “I am very happy to inaugurate this Department. I have learnt a lot from my experience with the Doctors here.

The steps taken by the MAHE Manipal KMC Manipal and Kasturba Hospital is a good initiative in better patient care and educate medical students through this department.”

Dr Poornima Baliga B, pro vice chancellor, MAHE, Manipal was the guest of honour and remarked that “The beginning of this Dept. will educate medical students. We are also aiming to start many other departments like this which in turn benefits the society.”

In his presidential address Dr H Vinod Bhat, vice chancellor, MAHE, Manipal said, “The time when the general practitioner treating everything has gone. Now all the specialties and specialists are needed for treatment of the disease. This is not just the demand of the medical sciences, and it is also the wishes of people. Though it is a division of internal medicine, this dept. will help in treating infectious disease in better way.”

Department of Infectious Diseases with specialist doctors with skill sets to overcome the current challenges and be better prepared for future threats. The department will offer treatment to individuals with contagious diseases, complicated acute fevers, fever of unknown origin, patients with HIV, tuberculosis and even fevers arising after hospitalization. During treatment of cancers, chemotherapy lays the individuals at risk of infections. Department of infectious diseases will help in the management of infections in patients receiving chemotherapy and the post-transplant patients such as transplants for blood cancer and kidney transplant. Individuals are living longer with access to health care, technological innovation, advanced surgical techniques and minimal access surgery. Department of infectious diseases will oversee the prevention, and management of infections in patients who are undergoing surgery or critical patients who are managed in the intensive care units.

Manipal Center for Infectious Diseases in association with Kasturba Hospital and Department of Medicine, Kasturba medical College organized a symposium on ‘HIV Medicine’ on November 4 at Manipal. Dr Sharath Kumar, dean, Kasturba medical College, Manipal, welcomed the gathering and Dr Muralidhar Varma, associate professor, department of Infectious Diseases, rendered the vote of thanks. Dr Kavitha Saravu, professor and head of the department of Infectious Diseases at Kasturba Medical College was present. Dr Sneha, associate professor of Community Medicine, was the compere.