Dr. B. Soma Raju not just a brilliant cardiologist
as one can essentially describe him but a researcher,
teacher and philanthropist. For over 20 years, he has
been contributing to society in all his field of expertise
and experience.
Born on the 25 September 1948, he studied at the Guntur
Medical College in Andhra Pradesh from where he qualified
for MD in 1974. In 1975, he joined the Post Graduate
Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
and this was followed by a DM in Cardiology in 1978.
Dr. Raju embarked on his career as an Assistant Professor
of Cardiology at Osmania Medical College. In 1984 he joined
the Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences at Hyderabad
as an Additional Professor and left in 1993 as (Head of
the Department of Cardiology and Dean).
He is presently the Chairman of CARE foundation, Andhra
Cardiology Association Private Limited, The Heart
Institute at Hyderabad, besides working as a Professor
of Cardiology at Deccan Medical College. He leads a team
of more than 25 cardiologist and cardio-thorasic surgeons.
This is the single largest professional group of its kind
in India. The group has the distinction of performing
the largest number of coronary angioplasty procedures
with out a single mortality or emergency during the last
7 years.
Dr. Soma Raju has published and presented over 120 papers
in various National and International Journals and Forums.
He has also authored a textbook titled Clinical Methods
in Cardiology. On 17 April 1985, he performed a PTCA
(Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty),
a procedure that has never been done in India.
His work has received international acclaim. On 22nd December
1996, he implanted India's first coronary stent, a device
that was a product of his own research. As a researcher,
he dreams of developing cost effective medical devices
to make health care affordable as well as accessible.
On October 1998, another cost-effective device, the coronary
balloon catheter was released. Dr. Soma Raju has conducted
numerous free medical camps in various parts of Andhra
Pradesh.
Prof. Soma Raju's noteworthy research projects include
the study of:
- The development of: PC based Cardiac Stress Test
System,
- Indigenous Coronary Stent,
- External and implantable pacemakers, and,
- Cardiovascular Catheters
He has also set up the Department of Cardiology at
the Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences at
Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh to provide free medical
aid. This free service has also been extended to the patients
of the Care Hospital. Dr. Raju and his team continue to
do pioneering work with the aim of creating an Indian
alternative for most devices, reducing it's cost and making
treatment affordable to all.
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