"Spiritual practices can stave off heart diseases "

Dr. Bhagawan Koirala is a household name in Nepal. For those who have been given a new lease of life through his medical treatment, he is akin to God, as his name stands for it. The public of Nepal has a lot of confidence in and high regard for him for making the treatment of heart diseases very reliable and trustworthy in Nepal. Not only does he possess thematic expertise, but the celebrated cardiologist also has a heart of gold, as he has facilitated the free treatment of heart diseases for thousands of impoverished patients of all different age groups.

Best known for leading the team of Nepali surgeons that successfully conducted open-heart surgery in Nepal for the first time, the sexagenarian surgeon, during his three-decade-long career, has conducted over 14,000 heart surgeries, thereby giving them a new lease of life. He penned a book named 'Hridaya' (Heart) and launched it in the market some time ago. The book became a best-seller in no time. The book encapsulates Dr. Koirala's stories of struggle and success, the solutions to the problems prevailing in the health sector as seen by him, and analytical views on various issues plaguing medical education in the country.

After reading the book, which vividly portrays the challenges and possibilities in the health sector of Nepal, one comes to know of his managerial qualities, besides being acquainted with the stories of a dedicated, diligent, and honest surgeon. Dr. Koirala's working style – completing tasks at any cost after commencing them – could be an example for anyone in any sector.

He is a member of a specialized medical committee recently formed by the Ministry of Health and Population to provide healthcare services to VVIPs and VIPs within the country. Here are excerpts from the interview that RSS Feature Chief Krishna Adhikari conducted with senior cardiothoracic surgeon, professor, and social worker, Dr. Koirala.

Q: The number of heart patients is increasing in Nepal lately. What are the main reasons for this?

A: Indeed, the number of heart patients is increasing in Nepal. Unhealthy lifestyle and an unbalanced diet are the leading causes. Although cases of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, and diarrhea were decreasing in the country, the number of incommunicable ailments such as heart disease is on the rise. With the increase in the average life expectancy of Nepalis, the prevalence of incommunicable diseases has also grown. The heart-related complications detected among the youth in recent times are largely due to an unhealthy lifestyle and an unbalanced diet.

Q: What kind of attention does one have to pay to prevent heart disease?

A: Some of the causes of heart disease, such as age, gender, and genetics, are not under our control. However, most of the risk reduction is in our hands. Heart disease can be prevented by avoiding cigarettes and alcohol, changing one's lifestyle, exercising regularly, and reducing obesity, among other things. Air pollution is also known to increase the risk of heart disease and other ailments.

Lack of timely diagnosis and treatment and utter negligence of the treatment that could be done on time, among other things, aggravate the problems later. If children with throat problems are not treated on time, they have been found to develop heart-related complications later. If people practice spirituality and increase their habit of doing yoga and meditation regularly, it will automatically generate positive energy, which will help prevent any complicated health problems, including heart issues.

If people practice spirituality and increase their habit of doing yoga and meditation regularly, it will automatically generate positive energy, which will help prevent any complicated health problems, including heart issues.

Q: How can heart disease treatment services be made accessible to all common Nepalis?

A: Since receiving healthcare services is a fundamental right for any citizen, it is necessary to ensure everyone's access to healthcare services. Some healthcare services need to be decentralized to take them to the local level, while others could be brought to the center or major urban areas. Health services that could detect heart disease at an early stage could be decentralized from district hospitals to local-level health centers.

Likewise, specialized services could be expanded to major cities. At present, all sorts of heart disease treatment services are available at the Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center and the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center in Kathmandu. The service initiated in Bir Hospital in the 1980s and interrupted in between has been resumed. Quality heart disease treatment services are being rendered in Chitwan, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalgunj, Birgunj, Dharan, Biratnagar, and Jhapa districts.

Q: What is the quality of Nepal's heart disease treatment service like compared to other countries in the world?

A: The treatment services for heart diseases in Nepal cannot be considered weak or substandard in comparison to other countries in the world. There is certainly a lack of technology compared to rich countries, but Nepali surgeons are no less competent than their counterparts there. There is an availability of treatment services, including surgery, needed by the general population in Nepal.

The Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center has been transformed into an important hospital in the country. Likewise, the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center is also equally effective.

Q: The Kathmandu Institute of Child Health (KIOCH) is being established on your initiative. What prompted you to establish such a hospital?

A: Children's health should be viewed holistically, not just as the treatment of the heart. We reached this conclusion after a wide breadth of experiences in the health sector. I felt the need for a super-specialty hospital for the treatment of children in Nepal after seeing the pain suffered by many children due to a lack of money and access to proper treatment facilities on time.

To address the dearth of dedicated and decentralized healthcare service centers for children, I made a plan to construct a hospital so that no child should lose their life due to a lack of money, technology, or access to medical treatment

To address the dearth of dedicated and decentralized healthcare service centers for children, I made a plan to construct a hospital so that no child should lose their life due to a lack of money, technology, or access to medical treatment. A dedicated hospital like Kanti Children's Hospital ought to decentralize its services, but owing to various reasons, it could not implement the decentralization of the services.

Hence, we are establishing a specialized children's hospital (KIOCH) in Kathmandu with seven satellite centers in all seven provinces in support of the government of Nepal. Here, those who cannot pay the fee are provided treatment for free of cost. The first provincial branch of the hospital is already operative in the Jhapa district.

Out of every 100 children born in Nepal, 3 to 4 do not see their fifth birthday.

Q: How did the desire to establish a hospital arise?

A: Out of every 100 children born in Nepal, 3 to 4 do not see their fifth birthday. Those children lost their lives because they were deprived of basic health services and specialized treatment on time.

The lack of specialized hospitals for children in Nepal was a cause of concern for me. The desire to establish a children's hospital arose in me to fulfill the lack of a specialized hospital for children and to prevent any child from dying prematurely due to a lack of money, services, and access to treatment.

Q: The incumbent government has recently formed a specialized medical committee, including you, to provide healthcare services to VVIPs and VIPs within the country. What's your take on it?

A: While the government is improving the quality of healthcare facilities and rendering quality healthcare services, the committee was formed acknowledging the scenario that a large amount of money was being spent abroad for the treatment of VVIPs and VIPs annually, and they do not seem to have confidence in the healthcare providers and services within the country.