“In India, nearly 20 lakh people are affected by Hernia across the country, and around 60,000 patients die due to this. Though there are surgeries performed in various hospitals, Apollo hospital has launched a separate center for this disease which is appreciated. Meanwhile, as the state is facing a shortage of Covaxin, and waiting for doses from the Union government. Apollo hospital has around 5 lakh Covaxin in stock, and they are willing to give it to the government hospitals,” said Ma Subramanian.

“Already we have vaccinated 2.74 crore people, and expecting to reach three crore within few days. And we have urged the union government to give around nine crore vaccines. However, Ariyalur becomes the first district to vaccinate all 6,981 pregnant women, Pudukottai vaccinated all 11,625 differently abled people on Thursday, and Kodaikanal has 23,681 people above 18 years who are eligible for vaccination, even they are fully vaccinated. Also, more than 60 villages have done 100 percent vaccination against COVID,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Apollo hospital inaugurated the Institute which is specialized Hernia care centre that brings new technology and advanced treatment techniques including laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery. Hernia is a medical condition that occurs when an organ or fatty tissue squeezes through a weak spot in a surrounding muscle or connective tissue.

The causes of these could be congenital (since birth), muscle weakness disorders, excessive smoking, chronic cough, lifting of heavy weights without adequate groin support and strenuous activity following abdominal surgery.

Dr Premkumar Balachandran, Senior consultant minimal access, bariatric and robotic surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, said, “The management of hernia has now undergone a paradigm shift. The advent of minimal access or laparoscopic surgery has been a boon to both the surgeon and the patient. The nomenclature of ventral hernia management is now referred to as abdominal wall reconstruction. Complex reconstructions, abdominal wall component separation surgeries, regular groin and ventral hernia can now be treated with minimal morbidity by the laparoscopic and robotic techniques.”

A variety of new techniques such as SCOLA (Subcutaneous Onlay Mesh Repair), laparoscopic E TEP repair with TAR (Enhanced View Extra Peritoneal Repair with Transverses Abdominis Release), TARM (Trans Abdominal Retro Muscular), IPOM and IPOM plus (Intra Peritoneal Only Mesh) repairs, can be successfully performed in this centre.