Take your heart health and studies in hand

OUR hospitals are overflowing with patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Any Indian male will tell you he is on medication for sugar, pressure and cholesterol.

To mark World Heart Day you devoted a page to this serious health problem afflicting so many indians. (POST, October 3). At the heart of it all, it’s the poor lifestyle many of us lead. Hopefully readers will heed the good advice offered.

Coinciding with World Heart Day, a South African Indian, Dr Thasee Pillay, is making waves in the medical field.

The former KZN heart surgeon from Dundee is following in the footsteps of the great Chris Barnard and is an internationallyacclaimed authority on a revolutionary Italiandesigned, British- made heart valve replacement, the Perceval.

Now based in Colorado, Dr Pillay, is just one of four worldwide authorities on the Perceval. Made of metal and cow skin and tested on millions of bicyles, the Perceval replacement valve will now find its way into the human body in simple key-hole surgery, and requires less surgical and recuperative time than complicated openheart surgery. Even better, there is no rejection and blood loss is minimal.

Dr Pillay was in Cape Town recently, introducing the Perceval to heart surgeons. It may not too long before it’s available in our country.

Hard work, dedication and perserverance has got Dr Pillay where he is today. He didn’t get free education.

How many of the present generation of rioting students will emulate the heart surgeon? Will this wild mob hurling stones and wielding knobkerries be able to handle the scalpel with skill and dexterity?

Would you like to lie on the operating table when these students become doctors with a 30% matric pass?

THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN

Silverglen