Leeds Global Health Research Group, UK on Surgical Technologies (GHRG-ST) are teaming up with Calcutta Medical College to benefit patients for a laparoscopic medical procedure in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. Seven specialist’s surgeons from the four North East states attempted their first training at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital between 11–14 March 2019.
Using a blend of teaching, simulation, and live demonstration, the rural surgeons gained proficiency with the GILLS technique. The Leeds team contained surgeons, researchers and engineers who have skills in developing new solutions to areas of clinical need and assessing the advantages and expenses in clinical practice. Laparoscopic – or “keyhole” medical procedure is done through small cuts, rather than large cuts used in the medical procedure. Patients suffer less pain and make a faster recovery with less difficulty.
In rural areas, many barriers come across during procedure due to lack of resources. A solution is a modification of the laparoscopic technique, called Gas Insufflation-Less Laparoscopic Surgery (GILLS) – as pioneered by Dr J. Gnanaraj. The technique can be used under simple spinal anaesthesia to perform laparoscopic operations at lower cost.
National Health Service (NHS) branch UK National Institute supports the programme with the aim of improving surgical care. Mr Bruce Bucknell, British Deputy High Commissioner, Kolkata, met the Leeds GHRG-ST team in Kolkata. He said: “We are fully supportive of this exciting new initiative, which addresses a real clinical need and will help to raise the availability and standard of surgical care in the rural areas of northeast of India”.
Professor Sukumar Maiti, Head of Department, Surgery, Kolkata Medical College said to media person: “Guest surgeons and gynaecologists from different medical colleges in Kolkata had a useful session on the scope and future of the gasless and safe principle of Laparoscopic Surgery. It was a programme with grand success for the hands-on training of seven surgeons working in the rural areas of northeast of India.”
