Apollo Centre for Advanced Pediatrics organises the first ever Advanced Course!

Apollo Centre of Advanced Pediatrics (ACAP), Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, India’s First Internationally Accredited Hospital offering state-of-the art tertiary care in various pediatric specialties, announced the commencement of a unique five-day course.

This course, will be conducted under the able guidance of National and International faculty will cover important topics in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Liver Transplantation and Nutrition. It is for the first time that such a course is being organized in India.

The course will commence on 28^th August and end on 1st September 2013. This course will be spearheaded by global stalwarts. Prof. Deirdre Kelly, Pediatric Hepatology, Liver Unit, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, UK; Prof. Kathleen Schwarz, Pediatric, Director Pediatric Liver Centre, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, USA; Prof. Berthold Koletzko, Div. Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Dr. Von Hauner Child’s Hospital, Univ. of Munich Medical Centre, Germany; Prof. Olivier O Goulet, Director Dept. of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, National Reference Centre of Rare Digestive Diseases, Paris and Dr. Mike Thomson, Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Interventional Endoscopist, Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Trust, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Sheffield University Medical School, England. Distinguished national faculty from across the country has confirmed participation.

Dr. Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “”Apollo Hospitals has always laid emphasis on clinical excellence. To excel clinically, it is essential for clinicians to update their knowledge and hence we continue to organsie such international courses. We have 600 graduate trainees in 32 disciplines and to provide an academic milieu we have created a pan year robust CME program””.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Sr. Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and the course director said “”upto 30% of patients visiting pediatricians have a gastrointestinal or liver problem. It is, therefore, important that we help share the latest treatment guidelines with pediatricians. This year marks 15 years of the first successful liver transplant in India at Apollo Hospital Delhi and so we felt that the time was right to discuss complex management issues in transplantation as well.

“The overriding goal of the program is to present doctors with a platform aimed at equipping them to deal with practical issues in gastroenterology, hepatology, liver transplantation and nutrition more effectively” said Dr. Sarath Gopalan,Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and Associate Course Director.

In the last 15 years, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi has performed 1500 pediatric and adult transplants of which 842 have been performed in the last three years with a success rate of 90%. The cost of a liver transplant has come down considerably following the increase in the number of transplants being performed. Nowadays, the average cost of a transplant for a child is Rs 15 lakh. This is 1/10th the cost in Western countries but with outcomes comparable to the best centres in the West.