R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, OCT 7
Can obesity truly be called a lifestyle choice when its treatment remains beyond the financial reach of the poorest? Raising precisely this question while inaugurating SAMATVA, Centre for Obesity, Metabolic Health & Lifestyle Transformation, at Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road, former Telangana Governor and former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan made a strong case for treating obesity and wellness as an essential component of public healthcare — and not as a privilege available only to those who can afford it.
Dr Tamilisai appealed to the Tamil Nadu Government headed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider bringing obesity treatment and wellness care under government health insurance policies, arguing that such coverage would help people from the economically weaker sections access appropriate treatment.
Her call assumes added significance as obesity increasingly intersects with diabetes, fatty liver disease, hypertension and cardiovascular risks, making the condition not merely a question of appearance or weight, but a broader public-health challenge.
From weight-loss clinic to whole-health intervention
Against this backdrop, Kauvery Hospital Radial Road has launched SAMATVA, a dedicated centre designed to offer comprehensive and coordinated care for people living with obesity and associated metabolic health concerns.
The centre takes an integrated approach that moves beyond conventional weight-loss programmes. It combines medical expertise with evidence-based lifestyle interventions to assess each individual’s medical, metabolic, nutritional, physical and behavioural needs, followed by a personalised care pathway.
The hospital cited National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) data indicating that 44.2% of women aged 15–49 in Tamil Nadu are overweight or obese, underlining the scale of the challenge.
The SAMATVA model brings together physicians, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, hepatologists and allied health professionals, enabling patients to access coordinated care under one roof.
‘Obesity is a health condition, not merely a number on the weighing scale’
Explaining the clinical philosophy behind the centre, Dr Piyush Bawane, Clinical Lead, Medical Gastroenterology, Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road, said: “Obesity can have a significant impact on metabolic health and is often associated with conditions such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, hypertension and cardiovascular risk. At SAMATVA, our approach is to assess these associated risks comprehensively and develop an appropriate treatment plan for each patient. This allows us to address obesity as a health condition while also managing the broader metabolic risks associated with it.”
The centre’s multidisciplinary approach is intended to identify individual risk factors and determine the appropriate treatment strategy rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.
Dr Rameez Raja B, Consultant, Endocrinology, Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road, said: “Obesity is a complex metabolic condition, and its impact can extend across multiple organ systems. A comprehensive assessment helps identify individual risks and determine the appropriate treatment approach. SAMATVA brings together multidisciplinary expertise to support a more personalised approach to obesity management.”
A long-term health journey, not a quick-fix programme
For Kauvery Group of Hospitals, the new centre is part of a broader effort to respond to changing patterns of disease and healthcare needs.
Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Kauvery Group of Hospitals, in a statement said: “At Kauvery, we believe healthcare must evolve with the changing health needs of the communities we serve. The growing burden of obesity and metabolic disorders calls for a more integrated and long-term approach to care. With SAMATVA, we are bringing together medical expertise and lifestyle interventions to create a structured model that goes beyond weight management and focuses on improving overall health and quality of life.”
The centre also places emphasis on structured follow-up, continuous guidance and monitoring, recognising that sustainable lifestyle change requires ongoing support rather than a short-term intervention.
The insurance question cannot be ignored
Dr Tamilisai’s appeal places another important dimension before policymakers: If obesity is increasingly linked with serious metabolic and chronic diseases, should its prevention and treatment remain outside the reach of large sections of the population because of cost?
Her call for government health insurance coverage seeks to bridge that gap, particularly for people at the lowest economic strata who may otherwise postpone or avoid specialist obesity and metabolic care.
The larger public-health argument is that fitness awareness must be matched by affordable access to diagnosis, treatment, nutrition counselling, lifestyle intervention and long-term monitoring.
SAMATVA seeks to address precisely this continuum at the clinical level by combining medical assessment, multidisciplinary expertise and lifestyle transformation.
Putting metabolic health at the centre of obesity care
Through SAMATVA, Kauvery Hospital Radial Road aims to establish a structured, coordinated and patient-centred approach to obesity management, with the emphasis extending from weight reduction to better metabolic health, lower associated risks and sustainable lifestyle changes.
The launch also opens up a larger conversation for policymakers, insurers, healthcare providers and society: if prevention is the foundation of wellness, affordability must become its gateway.