Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV) has completed the 50th gender reassignment surgery for third-gender patients at its Shri Sathya Medical College & Research Institute (SSSMCRI), Chennai, while its transgender clinic at the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (MGMCRI) in Puducherry has conducted over 400 similar procedures.

SBV Vice Chancellor Nihar Ranjan Biswas complimented the Gender Care Medicine division team at SSMCRI led by Dinesh for achieving the milestone and noted that the patients who underwent gender reassignment surgery at MGMCRI’s transgender clinic led by Saravana Kumar were from across India and Sri Lanka.

In a press note, the Vice Chancellor said the Gender Care Medicine department was established only in April 2022 as a multi-disciplinary initiative involving departments such as plastic surgery, general surgery, general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, clinical psychology, and a transwoman public relations executive to cater to the diverse health needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Gender reassignment surgeries for both transwomen and transmen started in July. Additional services such as lipo-sculpting, breast augmentation with implants, breast reduction, penile prosthesis, facial feminisation surgeries, and other interventions as required or requested by the patient are being done regularly at SSSMCRI.

The medical superintendent in-charge of the hospital, Gokul DY, said the treatment is fully covered under the Tamil Nadu Government’s comprehensive health insurance scheme.

Sudha Seshayyan, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, presenting a certificate to a graduand at the convocation ceremony of the Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth recently.

A total of 892 graduands of various programmes of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute and Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, constituent medical colleges of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV), were conferred degrees and five candidates got their PhDs at a convocation ceremony held recently.

In the convocation address, Sudha Seshayyan, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai, emphasised the need to approach medicine in a holistic and harmonious manner, overcoming fragmentation narrowing of the field into numerous specialities and disciplines.

Prof. Seshayyan further said that inherent perceptions will differ according to one’s previous beliefs and practices, and that one must possess the maturity to perceive events in their true significance. She advised the graduands to become wholesome medical professionals by inculcating these values.

Prof. Seshayyan also presented 28 medals for academic excellence in various categories.

Deputy Speaker P. Rajavelu, MLAs R.R. Senthil and U. Lakshmikandhan and Cuddalore legislator G Iyappan participated in the event.

M.K. Rajagopalan, SBV Chancellor, presented the PhDs to five graduands. The other 892 graduands were from various programmes (MCh., MD, MS, M.Sc. Medical, Fellowships, MBBS) of MGMCRI and SSSMCRI.

SBV founder-Chancellor M.K. Rajagopalan presided over the event, while Vice-Chancellor Subhash Chandra Parija presented the annual report.

Later, N. Ananthakrishnan, Dean of Faculty, administered the Physicians’ pledge to the graduands.

Joseph Naresh, Deputy Registrar; Joseph Philiphraj, Head, Department of Urology; Nirmal Coumare, Director of Health, Hospitals and Outreach Services; and Asha Suresh Babu, general manager, were among those present.

The Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV) has launched exclusive transgender clinics on its off-site campuses in Thiruporur near Chennai. The clinics were opened at the SBV constituent units of Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute (SSSMCRI) and Shri Sathya Sai College of Nursing (SSSCON) in Thiruporur.

Dedicating the facility to the community, S.C. Parija, SBV Vice-Chancellor said there were plans to offer, amongst other services to the third gender, the option for undergoing gender reassignment surgeries akin to the services offered at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute on the main campus.

The transgender clinic is one of its kind in Greater Chennai which epitomizes a commitment to promoting salutogenesis or wellness among the third gender, Dr. Parija said. SBV had in 2016 constituted a Gender Care Committee “to provide standard care including the gender affirmative care”.

The committee comprises a multidisciplinary team, which included mental health professionals, surgeons, geneticists, nurses, obstetricians, and dermatologists besides two representatives from the transgender community employed at the SBV. On the academic side, the Vidyapeeth had initiated a transgender-inclusive nursing curriculum at its constituent Kasturba Gandhi Nursing College. Udit Das, Dean, SSSMCRI, Sunderarajan, Medical Superintendent, the heads of various departments of SSSMCRI, faculty, and students participated in the launch function.

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The Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (MGMCRI) has carried out a ₹15-crore upgrade of its diagnostic and interventional facilities.

The new installations at the MGMCRI, which is a constituent of the Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, include a diagnostic central laboratory, liver transplant clinic, cardiac catheterisation laboratory and the MRI scan facility.

P. Rajavelu, Deputy Speaker, U. Lakshmikandhan, MLA, M.K. Rajagopalan, Chancellor and S.C. Parija, SBV Vice Chancellor, S.R. Rao, Vice President – Research, Seetesh Ghose, Dean, MGMCRI, and Nirmal Coumare, Medical Superintendent, MGMCRI, were among those present.

According to a press note, the advanced diagnostic laboratory has been designed to cater to advancement in diagnostics, including molecular diagnostics.

The laboratory is in compliance with the quality parameters set to optimal bench marks, synonymous with high standards of diagnostics.

The salient feature is that the equipment are seamlessly integrated into hospital information system which decreases the turnaround time of the reports, besides enhancing the accuracy of the reports.

The Liver Clinic is another step forward in the transplantation programme which was approved by the Health Ministry, a couple of years ago. The clinic would list patients with chronic liver failure to undergo transplantation either from live or deceased donor. MGMCRI hospital aims at performing subsidised transplant services for the needy.

At the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, the 1.5 Tesla MRI scan facility has been upgraded into state-of-the-art simaging sservices, strengthening the diagnostic procedures in radiology.

The upgraded facilities will benefit the patient community, especially the underprivileged, in Puducherry and adjoining areas, said Dr. Parija.

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The Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute Hospital (MGMCRI), a constituent unit of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, has launched seven alternative modes that help patients seek medical consultations form the safe confinement of their homes, as part of promoting social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hindu newspaper published article about it. Click here for more details.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/mgmcri-opens-up-tele-consultation-modes/article31209442.ece