Srinagar, Apr 11: If there are no fresh official hiccups, the Srinagar city is soon going to have a super-specialty cardiovascular wellness centre of international standards.
To be constructed by the globally renowned US-based interventional cardiologist Dr Fayaz Shawl, Kashmir Cardiovascular Institute and Wellness Center, is to come up near Nishat on the outskirts of the city in the foothills of picturesque Zabarwan range. Dr Shawl has already purchased around 40 kanals of land for the project, for which he is raising funds through his charity Shawl Foundation (www.shawlfoundation.org).
If everything goes as per the plan, son of the soil Dr Shawl would be arriving in Srinagar on 31 May to have the groundbreaking ceremony of his ambitious non-profit cardiovascular center on 4 June.
“During my stay in Srinagar, I will be also doing procedures, as per the past practice, in the cardiovascular department of the SKIMS, for which I am bringing along equipment and supplies worth over $ 250,000 (USD) for the needy patients,” Dr Shawl told Greater Kashmir over phone from his Potomac residence in Maryland (USA).
Regarding his dream project Kashmir Cardiovascular Institute and Wellness Centre, Dr Shawl said that he had initially got disheartened by the unnecessary hurdles being created in the initiation of the project at various official levels. “But after I got in touch with the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah the other day and sent him the details of the project, I was really overwhelmed by his quick and positive response,” Dr Shawl said and added that the Chief Minister not only assured of his full support in the clearance of the project, but also asked his Minister of State for Housing Nasir Aslam Wani to personally look into the matter so that the permission for the construction of this exclusive and much-needed heart centre in Srinagar is not delayed any more. “I am grateful to both the Mr Omar and Mr Wani, as they have assured of full support in this distinctive endeavor,” Dr Shawl said.
According to Dr Shawl, Kashmir Cardiovascular Institute and Wellness Center, once completed will have two state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratories, 20-bed transcare holding unit for immediate pre and post-operative management, fully equipped Cardiac operating room, 10-bed intensive care unit, 10-bed Coronary Care Unit, fully incorporated 50 telemetry beds, echocardiography laboratory, nuclear cardiology testing center and non-invasive endovascular laboratory.
In addition, Dr Shawl plans to have a cardiac rehabilitation and wellness center adjacent to the cardiovascular institute, which will include, an auditorium where patients and the public   will be taught about preventive measures. The auditorium will have built-in telemedicine facilities as well as fibre optics capabilities that will allow for live transmission of cases from the cath lab to the auditorium as well as outside of Srinagar for the healthcare professionals to watch and learn.
Hospital would also have a wellness centre for patients to receive rehabilitation following heart surgery or intervention. This wellness centre will have Gym, Swimming Pool, as well as facilities to conduct exercise, meditation and diet consultations. This wellness centre will be also used to promote philosophy of “Ageless Mind “as well as methods to relieve anxiety, depression and drug abuse etc. “This will be similar to the one, I have developed Washington Adventist Hospital and at Zulekha Hospital Dubai,” Dr Shawl said.
According Dr Shawl, his non-profit Kashmir Cardiovascular Institute is going to attract patients in the same way as does the “Shawl Cardiovascular Institute” at Zulekha Hospital, Dubai. “The cardiovascular institute at the Zulekha Hospital has promoted medical tourism, in Dubai and is attracting patients from the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Canada and other countries,” he said.
“I have earned lot o fame and money and want to do something for my people now. I hope that the Kashmir Cardiovascular Centre will generate revenue that can be spent on the poor patients of the State who cannot afford treatment. I like to use the phrase Charge the Rich and feed the Poor,” Dr Shawl said.
Let’s hope that Dr Shawl’s dream for his people gets realized – sooner the better.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST