: Kerala-based Amrita Institute for Medical Sciences (AIMS) has received the first British Medical Journal (BMJ) India Award for Paediatric Heart Programme.
The award, considered the "Oscar" in the medical field, was given to AIMS for continuously striving for excellence in the complex area of delivering high quality, affordable cardiac care to children with heart defects, a press release said.
BMJ, one of the world's leading medical journals, had unveiled its maiden awards in India this year to recognise excellence in healthcare in the country. The awards were given in 10 categories, selected from almost 500 entries by a panel of eminent medical professionals.
Amrita Hospital performs on an average 700 paediatric cardiac surgeries annually, while another 600 children are treated in the catheterization laboratory, Dr R Krishnakumra, Clinical Prof and Head of Department of Paediatric Cardiology, who received the award, said.
AIMS has pioneered low cost treatment for children with congenital heart disease and developed a unique treatment protocol for closure of a certain type of heart defect known as Patent ductus arteriosus or PDA.
Since its inception in 1998, AIMS has performed 12,000 heart operations and 10,000 catheter procedures.
