How CeMast is filling the training gap in Indian healthcare

As India braces to be the healthcare capital of the world over the next one decade, CeMAST (Center of Excellence for Minimal Access Surgery Training) in Mumbai has set the tone as the world’s first centre offering training in 11 specialities for Minimal Access Surgery. All other centres across the world offer training in two or three specialities only.

Since its inception in 2012, CeMast has grown up to offering training in 11 specialities while eyeing nine more specialities in 2017. Talking about the current CeMast training centre and future plans of the centre, Tehemton E Udwadia, Chairman, CeMAST, spoke to Wellness India on the occasion of the announcement CeMast becoming the world’s first centre offering training in 11 specialities for Minimal Access Surgery.

Tell us about CeMast. What is unique about it?

CeMast has become the world’s first centre offering laparoscopic surgery (Minimal Access Surgery)training in 11 specialities with the involvement in training the entire MAS team - surgeon, nurse, biotechnician, sterilisation team. All other centres across the world offer training in two or three specialities only. The 11 specialities being offered at CeMAST include general surgery, gynaecology, urology, paediatric surgery, flexible endoscopy, bariatric surgery, ESS, bronchoscopy, ENT, VAAFT and Knee Arthroscopy.

Since inception in 2012, we have trained around 4000 surgeons, 1000 nurses, 250 surgeons in Flexible Upper and Lower GI Endoscopy and 150 Pulmonologists, Anaesthetists, Intensivists and Thoracic surgeons in Bronchoscopy.

What are the benefits of laparoscopic surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is a great advantage for us, because it permits the patient to be operated without much pain and without staying in the hospital for a long time. The patient can return to work very early. In India most people are daily wages earning manual labour and it is important that they go back to work quickly.

This facility will train surgeons from across the country in laparoscopic surgery so that the training goes pan India and the advantages can be given to all people and places irrespective of their economic status. Laparoscopic is a very specialised surgery and could be dangerous if it is not properly done so one needs to be perfectly trained. This centre has the best equipment in the world so that our surgeons get the best training.

With 11 specialities, how does CeMast plan to train the surgeons?

The centre is spread across 12,000 sq ft of area to train the surgeons from across the country. In this facility we have around four operation training theatres in which 10-12 surgeons can be trained at a time. We offer training through simulator devices, then on the animal models, to relay the live operation surgery. This will help the future generations. In every speciality, like in neurology, we have 14 to 15 courses a year. So for 11 specialities we have almost 1000 courses conducted a year. These courses can be graded as step I, II and III. We use technology like camera light source, cable, lasers.

How many faculties you have on board?

We have head faculties, about 20 and all over India, and have got about 100 faculties. We have around 30 faculties in each speciality. All the faculties are passionate to teach the younger group. CeMast is not ruled by any organisation or any association. It is purely for sharing the knowledge and training people and we will continue to do education and over the years we will add nine more specialities.

How is Karl Storz helping CeMast with it?

They are the ones who have actually conceptualised and supported the training centre with offering all the logistics cost of the place, preparing the place and giving the instruments.

What are your plans of adding more specialities?

From 2017, we plan to add another nine specialities to the existing eleven and those include endospine surgery, neurosurgery, thoracoscopy, advanced ENT, difficult airway, shoulder arthroscopy, VATS, colorectal Surgery and hepatobiliary surgery.

What is your take on India becoming healthcare capital in the world in the coming decade?

The healthcare industry is growing at 15 per cent every year and that’s phenomenal. It’s a great income source for the country in terms of foreign exchange income. The industry still doesn’t meet the demand of the country. It is nice that India is going be the healthcare capital of the world. But we also need to attend the underprivileged people whose health needs much care-taking. The industry has to grow 10 times to be able to reach everybody. It is much better than what it was 10-15 years ago.

Indian doctors are one of the best in the world. Our problem has been the support, funding, they are the best surgeons in the US, UK. Health and education should be looked at as top priority by any country for prosperity.