Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, Partners with Deep Hospital,Ludhiana, to Launch Liver Disease & Transplant OPD
Collaboration to bring advanced liver care closer to patients in Punjab
Ludhiana, 4 October 2025 – Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, in collaboration with Deep
Hospital, Ludhiana, today announced the launch of a dedicated Liver Disease & Transplant
OPD at the 250-bed multi super speciality facility in Ludhiana. The initiative is aimed at
ensuring that patients in Punjab suffering from liver disease have access to advanced
evaluation, timely consultations, and post-transplant follow-up care without having to travel
long distances for specialised services. The clinic will be led by Dr. Shaleen Agarwal,
Principal Consultant & Chief of Liver Transplant & HPB Services, Amrita Hospital,
Faridabad, who brings wide experience in complex hepatobiliary and transplant surgery.
The burden of liver disease in Punjab and North India is rising sharply, making early
intervention and specialist guidance more critical than ever. Studies from PGIMER have
reported that nearly 53 percent of healthy male blood donors in Chandigarh were found to
have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver
Disease (MAFLD), suggesting a far higher prevalence in this region than the national
average. A separate Punjab-based study found MAFLD in 62 percent of obese children from
rural areas, highlighting that liver disease is not limited by age. Experts also caution that the
problem is compounded by lifestyle-related risks, with recent surveys showing that nearly
one in three schoolchildren in Punjab between the ages of 10 and 16 are overweight or obese
— a significant risk factor for fatty liver disease and its complications. These figures
demonstrate how liver disease affects both children and adults, irrespective of gender, often
triggered by obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, alcohol consumption, or sedentary lifestyles.
At the same time, the number of liver transplants performed in Punjab remains relatively low.
Reports indicate that in 2024, only a handful of liver transplants were conducted in the state,
with most patients having to seek advanced surgical care outside Punjab. This underscores
the importance of bringing specialist services closer to communities, so that early evaluation,
counselling, and post-operative follow-up become more convenient.
Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, has emerged as a leader in liver transplantation and advanced
hepatology services, offering procedures such as live donor and cadaveric liver transplants,
transplant for select advanced liver cancers, and blood-group mismatched donor liver
transplants. The new OPD in Ludhiana will enable patients to undergo structured evaluation,
pre-transplant counselling, and systematic referral to Faridabad for advanced surgery and
ICU care when needed, while also providing post-operative follow-up closer to home.
Speaking about the launch, Dr. Shaleen Agarwal, Principal Consultant & Chief of Liver
Transplant & HPB Services, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, said, “By bringing an Amrita-
led Liver Transplant OPD to Ludhiana, we are closing the gap between patients and
specialised transplant care. Early diagnosis, risk assessment and timely referrals can
transform the outcomes for families facing advanced liver disease.”
Echoing his views, Dr. Baldeep Singh, Medical Director, Deep Hospital, Ludhiana, said,
“This collaboration ensures that patients in Punjab can now access expert liver transplant
evaluation locally, without the anxiety and delay of travelling far. We are proud to partner
with Amrita Hospital to bring such a critical service closer to the people of this region.”
The Liver Disease & Transplant OPD at Deep Hospital will function on the second Friday
and fourth Monday of every month, between 12 noon and 2 pm. For appointments,
patients may call 9653845070.
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