In another story of a patient benefiting from medical tourism, an Indian hockey player underwent successful eye surgery in the US. Baljit Singh, an Indian hockey goalkeeper underwent surgery in a private hospital in Alabama, USA. The Indian athlete underwent surgery to have his damaged right eye repaired. The goalkeeper stayed in the hospital for two days to recover after undergoing the successful surgery that took two hours to complete.

Baljit injured his right eye after a freak accident. The goalkeeper was hit by a golf ball while practicing in Pune. The patient was airlifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).  AIIMS conducted a marathon emergency surgery on Baljit but could not promise the athlete recovery of full-vision. After his surgery, the goalkeeper was also admitted to the John Hopkins hospital for post-operative treatment. The goalkeeper went to Alabama to consult with ophthalmologist Robert Morris after doctors at the John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore said they could not guarantee full vision after surgery. Dr. Morris, a renowned doctor, studied all the information from the John Hopkins Center as well as the reports from AIIMS to determine the best course of action for the patient. Dr. Morris decided to do the operation to restore the damage right eye of Baljit. The operation is expected to fully-restore Baljit’s vision.

Residents of Utah will be the first ones to receive shots of a new H1N1(Swine) flu vaccine. Volunteers are being called to take part in clinical trials for the new vaccine. Focus is being given on volunteers from the 6 month to 9 years age groups as well as those that are 65 and older.

The blind study will involve administration of the real vaccine to the participants 75% of the time and the placebo to 25% of the time. None of the participants will know if they were given the placebo or the real vaccine. The company will conduct four different studies involving the vaccine.

A health screening will be administered on the volunteer to determine if the person has any medical condition that will prevent the applicant from participating in the trials. Those who qualify will be given the list of requirements as well as the consent documents that they need to sign. Applicants will also be given documents that detail the potential side effects of the vaccine. Blood will be drawn and a brief physical examination will be conducted. The patient will also be requested to provide a brief medical history. After all these are completed, applicants will be given an injection and observed for 30 minutes. A second appointment is then scheduled and then another one will be scheduled after that.

The volunteers will be asked to keep a diary of any illness, swelling or pains they experience for seven days after being injected.

The All India Institute of Medical Services (AIIMS) is advocating the use of a minimally invasive spinal surgery for the spine. The doctors are advocating the use of the new method because it is safe, reduces blood loss, involves less pain and has a better recovery result. This was discussed during a Minimal Access Spinal Surgery Workshop at AIIMS.

Last August 14, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inaugurated the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center, a one-stop wellness center located at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The wellness center is the first of its kind in the Philippines. The one-stop wellness center features a 100-bed tertiary hospital.

A health watch dog group in the United Kingdom has issued a health warning to UK citizens against a superbug that is resistant to antibiotics. The strain of superbug so far has been contracted by patients after having had surgery abroad.

According to the doctors, there is an increase in the number of patients that suffer from the superbug enterobacteriaceae.