Chennai: Here is good news for over four million Indians who are prone to complete heart failure every year. Chennai-based healthcare major Frontier Mediville, led by eminent physician K. M. Cheriyan has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russian space science and medical equipment company Sputnik on Wednesday to develop cost-effective artificial hearts.
The tiny mechanised device weighing about 400 grams would be available to heart patients across the country and outside very soon. The Russian company has brought in the technology to Chennai to develop artificial hearts that takes over the functioning of the original heart and promises to double the patient’s life-expectancy.
Interestingly, Sputnik was responsible for launching of the world’s first Space Shuttle in October 1957. The company that shocked Americans by doing so, is now involved in producing artificial hearts. “Many people are averse to using artificial hearts because of the huge cost involved. On an average, a latest version of artificial heart costs Rs 1.25 crore. As far as the hospitals are concerned, it is essential for them to have standby hearts in case the implanted ones fail. So the actual cost for the patient will be around Rs 2.5 crore,’’ said Cheriyan. Such a huge amount is unimaginable to India’s ordinary people, he added.
Cheriyan signed the MoU with Sergey Sannikov of the company in the presence of well known scientist A. Sivathanu Pillai, known as father of Brahmos Missiles.
As per the MoU, it would be possible to produce the mechanical artificial heart within the maximum cost of '30 lakhs which will be very cheap and affordable to many in the world compared to similar products available. “Sputnik is very keen to manufacture this mechanical artificial heart in Mediville since Mediville has all the infrastructure, especially a large facility for pre-clinical studies,’’ said Sergey.
Once the products are made, they would be marketed across the world. After launching production, India will be the first Asian country and third country in the world to produce its own artificial heart.
