25th May, 2012, Bangalore: HealthCare Global Enterprises, The Specialist in Cancer Care, Bangalore, is the first cancer center in India, to have accreditation from National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers,(NABH) Government of India, College of American Pathologists ( CAP), State of Illinois, and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), Government of India. The combined accreditation for quality from three distinguished accreditation bodies was possible because of HCG’s focus on robust process for patient quality, efficient practice of diagnosis and improvements in medical outcome.

Dr. B S Ajaikumar, Chairman, HCG, said, “We are proud of this achievement of a combined accreditation from three bodies which endorses our hat or clinicians and non clinicians’ together have been working together ensuring highest quality standards in cancer care with a focus in delivering the best in medical outcome. I’m happy to note that our team was the first to get these three accreditations in India.”

About HCG:
Health Care Global Enterprises Ltd, (HCG), The Specialist in Cancer Care, headquartered in Bangalore with over 25 cancer centers is South Asia’s largest cancer care network. HCG has defined the future of cancer care in India by designing, building and managing cancer care centres with a committed vision. HCG focuses on cancer care treatment, imaging and laboratory services, clinical trials and research services. The vision of HCG is to make high quality cancer care accessible by adopting global innovations to all segments of the society.

NABH:
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) is a constituent board of Quality Council of India, set up to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations. The board is structured to cater to much desired needs of the consumers and to set benchmarks for progress of health industry. The board while being supported by all stakeholders including industry, consumers, government, have full functional autonomy in its operation.

NABL:
National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) is an autonomous body under the aegis of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and is registered under the Societies Act. NABL has been established with the objective to provide Government, Industry Associations and Industry in general with a scheme for third-party assessment of the quality and technical competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Government of India has authorized NABL as the sole accreditation body for Testing and Calibration laboratories.

CAP:
The College of American Pathologists shall be incorporated under the laws of the state of Illinois. The College of American Pathologists shall have all of the powers of a not-for-profit corporation as are now and shall hereafter be conferred by the statutes of the state of Illinois, to foster the highest standards in education, research, and the practice of pathology, to advance the science of pathology and to improve medical laboratory service to patients, to physicians, to hospitals, and to the public through study, education, and improvement of the economic aspects of the practice of pathology, and to enhance the dignity, scientific basis, and efficient practice of the specialty of pathology for the service of the common good.

With unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle on the rise among Bangaloreans, they no longer are strangers to liver diseases. Dr Sanjay Govil, liver transplant surgeon, HCG in an interaction with DNA, spoke about various liver-related problems in the city, causes and remedies.

Considering the lifestyle change in Bangalore, has there been a rise in the number of cases with liver diseases?
There is a rising incidence of liver disease for the following reasons: metabolic syndrome among large number of patients, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholism. Hepatitis C takes about 15 to 20 years to convert to cirrhosis. This virus was screened in blood donors routinely only from the mid 1990’s, so those infected by this virus are only being diagnosed as cirrhotic now – and will continue to do so at least till 2020. Young people are more likely to be affected by alcoholic liver disease and as a consequence of metabolic syndrome.

What is the impact of obesity and sedentary lifestyle on liver? Can it lead to liver failure?
Yes, it can. Obesity leads to fatty infiltration of the liver. In some people who develop fatty infiltration, this process is accompanied by inflammation and scarring of the liver that may lead to cirrhosis over time. The only treatment is a change in lifestyle.

Who are the candidates for liver transplant? Who can donate liver? Can there be cadaver donors too? Are there enough donors?
Liver transplants are performed for decompensated chronic liver disease, acute liver failure, certain liver cancers and for certain metabolic diseases. Cadaveric liver donation is the best and safest form of liver transplant whenever possible, but its drawbacks are that patients need to wait long periods to get an organ and many die on the waiting list. Also, certain indications for transplant – particularly acute liver failure or liver cancer need transplant to be done quickly so that there may not be time to wait for a cadaveric liver. In such instances live donors are necessary. A live donor needs to be a close relative with a compatible blood group, who is fit and healthy. The risk to the donor is only about 0.5%.

What are the possible risk factors associated with liver transplant?
The overall risk to life from undergoing a liver transplant is about 10%. However it is important to remember that this is in patients, who would survive less than a year without transplant. The risks are related most commonly to either rejection or infection – although there are good drugs to control these problems in the majority of affected patients. Rarely there may be complications related to technical issues during operation. Finally there are certain diseases that can recur in the new liver that need to be identified and treated.

How is the quality of life post liver transplant? Does the recipient need to be on medication for rest of life?
The quality of life is excellent in most cases and patients can lead a normal life. They need to be on immunosuppressive drugs for rest of life and so need to avoid infection by drinking clean water and eating healthy food