Dear TNMCites,

I am very humbled as well as energized to do as much as I can to help our Alma Mater, our associates, our patients as well as people around us. I am very thankful to Hemant Panchal and all officials of TNMC AAA, USA chapter, for providing me this opportunity to serve you all.

Being an Interventional cardiologist after working as emergency care physician for 3 years, I have realized that there is nothing more important than saving lives of people around us. Hemant panchal and Anubha have worked very hard to revive TNMC AAA, USA with umbilical connection to our Alma Mater through help of Ajit Desai and other colleagues. We have successfully completed many projects of progressively higher values due to  support from all of you.

My request to everyone of you is to support me in saving lives of as many as we can save in association with our primary base, TNMC AAA, Mumbai. I need support of everyone of you to enhance this life saving project of understanding, teaching and practicing preventive care for themselves and skills to provide basic life support including use of automatic external defibrillator for others, while advanced cardiac support team arrives at the scene in Mumbai and then spreading to entire India, as requested below.


Dear Dr Bharmal, Ajit Desai, Sharad Shenoy, Arshad M and all  TNMCite associates,

I migrated from Mumbai in 1980, but I am still attached by heart to TNMC, Nair Hospital and all TNMCites. I have been hearing very sad incidences of sudden death among our TNMC colleagues, family members, friends as well as others at work or social gatherings and even within the hospital setting. When I compare basic life support skills among common people of India and here in USA as well as available options and facilities in both countries, my heart cries out to do something! India is now one of the leading country in the world with 2nd largest population.

I would like to request to provide the opportunities to learn and practice basic life support while ambulance arrives for advanced life support. We all know that if such basic life support is not provided within few minutes to the victims, he or she is going to die. Such a victim is often affluent and very useful member of the family, society and country. Such a person could be anyone around us, including ourselves. We have to create an army of efficient people, all around us, for each other. Basic life support skills are taught in schools,hospitals,community centers, fire stations and many many places, including use of  automatic external defibrillator (AED) etc., round the clock in USA.

In India, we have lots of people,which is our major advantage, however, they stand around the victim,take videos and wait for family doctor or ambulance to come as they do not know, how to provide basic life support. To change this heart breaking situation, we will need to spread this knowledge to everyone.
I am not sure, what opportunities are available at TNMC and or Nair Hospital or other teaching hospitals and health care facilities for lay persons in the community and how often. After asking many of my practicing TNMC colleagues in private practice and many nonmedical friends as well as families, its clearly is not enough.

My thoughts and request are as follows:
Can TNMC provide, once a week or at least once a month, classes to learn basic life support skills for both general public as well as our present and past students of TNMC and allied professionals? People would not mind paying nominal cost money, but open to all, if they can't.. Also you can generate needed fund from advertisements of Interventional cardiologists and other care providers, whose names and locations would be helpful for each community members to know, who can help the victims of cardiac arrest right away.
Similar opportunities then expanded to OPD patients, their family members,visitors of inpatients etc
All affiliated municipal hospitals and clinics, private and charity clinics and nursing homes, can provide such opportunities to learn, practice and teach basic life support skills. Videos of  basic life support skills will refresh their skills while they are in the waiting areas and cost will be paid off by advertisements from physicians, who can help when people need, around their clinics and hospitals.

I am very eager to know your thoughts, suggestions and support. It's very clear that survival of out of hospital cardiac arrest victims is very poor. Recent literature suggests that it has been improved from 0% to 39%. Knowing the traffic in Mumbai, it's extremely important that local hospitals have to be expert centers. These teaching classes should also stress on preventive health checks and pay close attention to their symptoms!

Please provide your support, suggestions, skills and care. I am sure, as before, TNMC AAA, USA chapter will provide support.

Kirit Masrani