Guv inaugurates Dr A Shanmugasundaram Chair in Robotics & AI

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, inaugurated the Dr A Shanmugasundaram Chair in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine at the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University on Monday, in the presence of Health Minister Ma Subramanian.

Tamil Nadu Dr MGR University offers courses in medicine, dentistry, AYUSH, pharmacy, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and allied health sciences. Professor Arul Immanuel, consultant upper GI and minimally invasive surgeon has been appointed as a professor for this robotics and artificial intelligence chair.

The Health Minister said that a robotics surgery centre has been set up at a cost of Rs 34.60 crores at Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super-Speciality Hospital in Omandurar Government Estate and 69 surgeries have been done successfully at this centre. These include 27 cancer surgeries, 8 heart surgeries, 15 kidney surgeries, 7 bowel surgeries and 12 endocrine surgeries. He added that robotics and artificial intelligence has helped to achieve advancements in the medical sector.

Talking about the alleged shortage of medicines, the Health Minister clarified that there is no shortage of medicines and there are 32 drug depots across Tamil Nadu and 2 types of drugs are essential. There are 300 emergency medicines and 300 speciality medicines and the stock of these have been fully uploaded on the website and information about the same has been given in all 32 drug depots.

He added that the government is very transparent about the stocks of drugs. A meeting will be held on Tuesday in the presence of Deputy Directors, Associate Directors and Principals of all Medical Colleges from all over Tamil Nadu to discuss the availability of drugs, infectious diseases and conducting special monsoon camps. In case of any complaints about the shortage of medicines, public can contact the helpline 104.