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ALTERNATE SYSTEM

I gave a lecture in an international symposium about five years ago. My topic was, 'the present system would become the alternate system of medicine in twenty five years'. All the delegates said, 'Doctor, every year we used to hear from you how you are bringing this level of care, how you are able to deliver it with quality and earn the trust of your patients. Suddenly you have switched over to this topic. We are happy they have kept this as the last topic. We can go to the airport early.' But none left. Everybody stayed back. I told them, in your own scripts, you will see people lived and lived with sound health. If they fell sick, they were looked after. They were treated. Otherwise they would have died. There is nothing called disease and death automatically. There is disease, management, well-being and sometimes death. So what is it that made them well? That is something we should look back and bring back and give it to people.

I told them I know of one example that exists today. In every street these days you find a dog clinic, a cat clinic, a cow clinic and the like. You go to the forests. Do you have any such clinic? Do you mean to say the animals are not falling sick? For small ailments, they go and smell a leaf. If it is a little more severe, they chew it. If it is very severe, they dig the earth and eat the root. It is time we realized that the best medicine that is available today for cancer is out of those roots. So, what are we talking?

The only thing is, we closed our eyes. If you rediscover that, then there are three things that would happen. Firstly, they are all less toxic. Secondly, they are less expensive. Thirdly and more importantly, they can cure several diseases which the present medicines cannot. This is where we need to look at.

GRANDMA'S MEDICINE

So what I want is we must start Grandma's Medicine Centres. When I was young, I have seen a lady suffering from cancer in her jaw. Even major institutions said she would live for only six weeks. She lived for sixty years after that. But the barber who came and operated on her and applied some leaves there, died a few years later. And, we lost that medicine. What is it that he did? So, we must rediscover, reinvent. We must remember that the alkaloids used for cancer treatment are from the roots of plants

Even Shri Rajiv Gandhi once told the ICMR that he would give a separate budget of ten crores to select two or three north Indian roots and see how they could be brought back into our medical management. They didn't do a thing. Nor did we. Here is now a chance for us to have a re-look and see what wonderful things they have had. Other countries are doing this. For example, the US has a budget of $ 20 billion or something for the alternate systems of medicine. It is time we did something in this sphere. I think our Minister Mr Kapil Sibal is very much interested. We have already formed the Advisory Committee. I told them that at least twenty five per cent of whatever is spent should be on alternative system of medicine.

Rama: I think you must be very courageous to make this suggestion.

Dr P C Reddy: That is because I have personally experienced it.

Rama: Have you succeeded in making India the healthcare destination of the world?

Dr P C Reddy: If we do not falter, this is the natural thing that would evolve by itself. India would be the global healthcare destination for three reasons.

Firstly, there are a number of people who do not have the facilities, like those in Africa and some other countries. They go to US or UK. But in US and UK, they are not able to treat all those who are sick either because there is no space in their hospitals and there is a waiting time or, it is too expensive. In US, you have three strata- one which is covered by Medicare, the second which is covered under insurance and the third, who have nothing. The third strata have no access to health care. And, we should be the saviours for them. Even the second strata who have insurance cover feel that the insurance cost is going up steeply. We must be able to help them as well. I think if India continuously develops our skills and develop enough institutions, we should become the global destination. The advantage is, when a foreigner comes, we are happy, because we are attracting foreigners. But, from day one we strive to produce the best of quality.

There is an important thing that we at Apollo are doing. We don't take them to general wards. We take them to Special rooms. That cost subsidises my general ward. So, I have done two things at a stroke. I am able to treat more number of those belonging to the lower middle class who are in my general wards with the subsidy. This, we thought on day one - to have a general ward, single rooms and deluxe rooms. The treatment is the same for all three - the same operating room, the same post-operative care. This is how I could bring in international level of care for various cross sections of our people.

Rama: There is a general feeling that doctors these days are not as dedicated as they used to be. What is your comment?

Dr P C Reddy: There are a couple of elements. One is a perception. Two, there are a few bad elements everywhere. Unfortunately, only the bad is highlighted and the good goes unrecognised. If something wonderful happens, a few people talk about it. Some very small thing and it is highlighted instantly. You see, a doctor is treated as a demigod. He should act as one.

Rama: Your four daughters have also been working with you, right from the time Apollo was just a vision in your mind, when you were working on top of a garage next to the HM Hospital. How will you describe their contribution?

Dr P C Reddy: I think they became immersed, involved and passionate. I am glad and so are they, that they have used all their potential and developed their skills to become the best health-care providers. So, it is a great satisfaction that gives you even greater strength and that is what my four daughters have.

Rama: When there was a bomb blast in Hyderabad, you rushed there. Similarly, you dispatched your team to Maharashtra in 1993 when an earthquake shook the state. What is your experience in these areas?

Dr P C Reddy: I think we have succeeded in creating a feeling in all of us that when someone is in distress, you must give top priority, attention and everything that is possible. When the Latur earthquake occurred, my ambulances flew from Hyderabad and Delhi. The Railways were considerate enough to give me eight bogies. Doctors, nurses and technicians, equipment and even operation theatres went there and we looked after them almost for seven weeks.

TSUNAMI

When Tsunami struck, our ambulances in Hyderabad, without even waiting to seek our approval, rolled out and reached all places from Chennai coast to Nagapattinam. What I must admire there is not merely the work of Apollo doctors and Apollo ambulances, but the help and assistance they got from the local nursing homes and local doctors. That is what I appreciate. If I have done so much, it is not because of us alone. It is because we could easily bring them into the picture. And they all cooperated across. In Colombo at 4'O clock they said they are short of medicines. A container of medicines left by that evening's flight. That is the response system to any emergency.

Similarly, when the bomb blast took place in Hyderabad, all our ambulances were pressed into service. Our entire lobby was turned into an examination room. All our routine surgeries were stopped. All the eleven operation rooms undertook only the emergency surgeries for those affected in the blast. Almost all of those who arrived alive were saved. This is our response. We did it for floods as well. This not something that we should boast about. We are humans and we are doctors. Therefore we respond to any disaster or crisis.

Rama: Apollo group completes twenty five years. You have turned seventy five. And, you celebrated your fifty first wedding anniversary recently. Now, what is your dream?

Dr P C Reddy: I have a very simple dream. When we treated a hundred thousand patients, we thought we should celebrate. But then it passed on. When it touched a million, we were very very happy, we could help so many. When it touched ten million, we celebrated. Today we have treated about seventeen million patients. I thought to myself. How can I touch a billion? Is it by placing five hundred thousand doctors all over the country or by establishing hundred thousand hospitals across the country? I said it is not possible. Well, I have to think of some other innovation. The best innovation that is available today for India is our superiority in technology. Fortunately two thirds of our country is wired. I thought, why don't we use it; touch every single doctor along the length and breadth of the country and the small, medium and large nursing homes; and support them, so that they who are treating a billion people are automatically facilitated with the means of better care. For this, I have brought IBM as a partner for data storage. Today, there is no data storage. The doctor prescribes on a piece of paper and it goes off. Hereafter, when this is launched very soon, things will be different. I have termed it the Health Superhighway. This will reach all doctors. Wherever there is no power connection, I have tied up with Erricson to use wireless technology. With this I will be able to reach every single nook and corner of the country and help every doctor to treat the patients better. By providing connectivity, the power and capacity of those hospital managements could be increased. This is going to be our Twenty Fifth Anniversary mantra.

Rama: Thank you, Doctor. I pray to God that you are able to fulfill your noble dream.

Dr P C Reddy: I need that. Without Gods blessings, there is nothing that we can do. All that I can say is that the entire Apollo family is rededicating itself on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary to do better than what we did, because, we would like to see a country which is healthier and happier.

Rama: Thank you.

Dr P C Reddy: Thank you, Ramakrishnan.