Srinagar, May 30: World-famous interventional cardiologist Dr Fayaz Shawl is arriving here from USA Monday to oversee the progress of his proposed Cardiovascular Centre in Srinagar.
 The Kashmir Cardiovascular Institute and Wellness Centre, 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.
 “On my arrival in Srinagar, I will try to personally pursue the initiation of the project with the Jammu and Kashmir government so that work is started on the much-needed cardiac centre in Kashmir at the earliest,” Dr Shawl told Greater Kashmir over phone from London, during a stop-over on his way to Srinagar from Washington.
 Regarding his dream project Kashmir Cardiovascular Institute and Wellness Center, Dr Shawl said that he had initially got disheartened by the unnecessary hurdles being created in the project at various levels. “But after I got in touch with the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, I was really overwhelmed by his quick and positive response,” he said 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 endeavour,” Dr Shawl said.
  “I have earned lot of 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.
 “During my stay in Srinagar, I will be also doing procedures, as per the past practice, in the cardiology department of SKIMS, for which I am bringing along equipment and supplies worth over $ 250,000 (USD) for the needy patients,” Dr Shawl said and acknowledged the cooperation being extended to him by the SKIMS authorities including its director Dr Abdul Hamid Zargar and head of Cardiology Department Dr Khursheed Iqbal. “I am appreciative of the SKIMS authorities for making available the hospital infrastructure including the cath lab to perform angioplasty procedures on the needy and poor patients,” he said.
 Dr Shawl will also be giving a talk on the concept of “Healthy Living” at SKIMS auditorium during his stay here.
 Born in Kashmir, where he also completed his MBBS from Government Medical College Srinagar, Dr Shawl is presently, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine at George Washington University, Washington DC and Director Interventional Cardiology at Washington Adventist Hospital. Recently he has taken up another assignment as Chief Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at Cardiovascular Institute and research centre at the Zulekha Hospital, Dubai.
 Having performed 19,000 interventional cardiac procedures (a world record), in addition, Dr Shawl’s invention of a technique of heart - lung bypass machine support system (Called after his name “ Shawl technique”) has also set a record of not a single death during the procedure in case of a serious complication. He continuously travels through India, Pakistan, South America and the Middle East to assist perform intricate cardiac procedures as a means of education.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 30 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 IST