Cochlear Implant Surgeries resume at OCHRI
January 11,2021
Fully NABH
accredited NABH, ISO certified Orange City Hospital & Research Institute (a
unit of Ravi Nair Hospitals Private Limited) and Nagpur’s only hospital from
Nagpur have retained its inclusion in THE WEEK annual National surveys of
India’s best hospitals since 2006 regularly conducts Cochlear Implant Surgeries
to provide much needed advanced succor to needy children who are unable to hear
from birth. OCHRI had launched their Cochlear Implant program under the name of
“Project Geetha”- Freedom from deafness movement on 16th August 2015. Parents
of children born with hearing defects now have a new ray of hope. Such
hearing-impaired children in the city and central India now look forward to
this new bionic ear implant, which not only allows them to hear but also speak
normally. The surgery involved planting a bionic ear in a patient suffering
from profound hearing loss.
Dr. Usha Nair-
RNHPL Director mentioned that Covid- 19 Pandemic crisis has placed unprecedented
demands on resources leading to repurposing of surgical wards/ICU beds/OTs, and
relocation of specialists, surgeons, nurses and paramedical staff to help with
workload of COVID-19 cases. This had resulted in complete stoppage of elective
surgeries. Such cancelation of all elective operations has already created a
huge backlog of patients waiting for surgeries. It is a worldwide challenge to
restart elective surgery during/after COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently after
Covid-19 pandemic, Cochlear Implant Surgery program resumed at OCHRI. OCHRI was
the one of the first hospitals in city to have been requisitioned by Government
to tackle Covid crisis. Considering the present slowdown of Covid cases, normal
Non Covid OPD and indoor admissions are now in full swing at OCHRI to cover the
backlog of elective cases. Recently 2 Cochlear Implants surgeries were done in
a day at OCHRI by ENT Surgeons Dr. Nandu Kolwadkar and Dr. Sameer Choudhary led
by Mentor & Chief Surgeon Padma Shree Dr. Milind V. Kirtane and supported
by Audiologists Dr. Ashish Disawal and Ms. Neelu Somani.
Commending the
exceptional OCHRI team spirit; Dr Milind Kirtane appreciated full time OCHRI
Anesthesiologists Dr. Neeta Deshpande, Dr. Smita Harkare, Dr. Anita Pande and
Pediatrician Dr. Anju Mehrotra for their contribution to success of the
surgeries. It is added that OCHRI was the first hospital to have undertaken
organ donation and kidney transplant surgery during this Covid
times. Dr. Milind Pande- Pathologist, Dr. Nishikant Lokhande &
Team of Radiologists, Dr. Azad Shaikh, Dr. Shrinivas Budde, Dr. Kavita Dhurvey,
Dr. Anit Prakash, Sr. Jessy, Sr. Nish Ashok, Sr. Lata Kakde, Mrs. Manjiri
Damle, Smt. Priya Sashi and Shri.Avinash Ganar led respective teams for
successful well-coordinated Cochlear Implant surgery program.
Dr. Anup Marar-
OCHRI Director who is spearheading regular resumption of all OCHRI health
related activities stated that “Public should understand the new 2021 routine
with resumption of all activities will henceforth be wearing masks always and
hand sanitization before touching face and hands.”