Lord Ganesha Never Suffered from Diabetes?

Antigua GAPIO: Today the developing world is facing an epidemic of potbelly obesity related diabetes and the same has been linked to insulin resistance as a result of eating refined carbohydrates.

Lord Ganesha, the child God, is depicted with big tummy and sweet (laddo) in his one of the hands and yet he never suffered from diabetes.

In terms of spiritual interpretation and mythological interpretation Lord Ganesha depicts principles of stress management with sweet laddo meaning control of desires.

But in terms of a medical interpretation the big tummy represents proneness of adolescents to metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.

Indians have both weakness for eating sweet and proneness for developing pot belly obesity.

This is shown as uncontrolled desires to eat sweet (Ladoo) in childhood and the prevention of the same as shown by all fruits or leaves offered to Ganesha as having anti diabetic and anti-insulin resistance properties.

One of the Ganesha’s Mantra is “Gajananam Bhoota Ganadi Sevitam; Kapittha Jambu phalasara bhakshitam; Umasutam Shoka Vinasha karanam; Namami Vighneswara pada pankajam".

The Mantra means “Gajananam ( the big tummy, king of elephants, worshipped by all) Bhoota (Durva grass and Bilva patra offered during Ganesha worship) Ganadi ( in equal quantity) Sevitam (if consumed); Kapittha (Kaith ) Jambu ( Jamun) phalasara (fruits) bhakshitam (to be consumed); Umasutam ( son of Uma or sweet) Shoka ( diseases) Vinasha karanam (get rid of); Namami ( I bow to ) Vighneswara ( destroyer of grief) pada pankajam ( feet of lord)"

The mantra links to medicinal herbs: Durva grass and Bilva patra (Bel leaves) used for Ganesha worship; fruit of elephant apple (Kaith) and fruit of Jambolona (or Jamun). All have anti diabetic properties and can be mixed in equal quantity and prepared as a medicinal juice.

Medically Durva grass (Cynodon dactylon) has been shown to possess anti diabetic and cholesterol lowering properties. Similarly, Bilva Patra has anti diabetic properties.

Elephant apple (Limonia acidissima) also named as Wood Apple, Elephant Apple, Monkey Fruit, Curd Fruit, Koth Bel, Kaitha and Kath Bel, has strong anti-diabetic properties.

Jamun (Syzygium cumini) also has DNA protective, anti-oxidant and anti-diabetic properties and is an essential ingredient of most anti diabetic Ayurveda preparations.

Jambudvīpa (जम्बुद्वीप) is mentioned as dvīpa ("island" or "continent") of the terrestrial world, as envisioned in the cosmologies of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, which is the realm where ordinary human beings live. The word Jambudvīpa literally refers to "the land of Jambu trees" where jambu (also known as jamun) is the Indian Blackberry (Syzygium cumini) and dvīpa means "island" or "continent". In mythology the very fact we live in Jambudvipa, it signifies our proneness to insulin resistance and the importance of Jamun consumption in every day’s life.

The answer to childhood transition obesity, therefore, is only prevention and regular intake of anti-insulin resistance herbs right in the childhood.

Stenting in AF patients

Consensus: For most patients with atrial fibrillation who require an oral anticoagulant and who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention give them antithrombotic therapy during the first 6 to 12 months after PCI with a NOAC plus clopidogrel rather than with three antithrombotic drugs.

For patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or who sustain an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), there is strong rationale to use both anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy.

The AUGUSTUS trial randomly assigned over 4000 such patients to apixaban (a non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant [NOAC]) or a vitamin K antagonist as well as to aspirin or placebo for six months.

All patients received a P2Y12 receptor blocker, mostly clopidogrel. Compared with warfarin, apixaban lowered both major bleeding and the combined endpoint of death or hospitalization; compared with placebo, aspirin increased major bleeding and led to a similar incidence of death or hospitalization.

While previously recommendation was triple therapy (NOAC, clopidogrel, aspirin) or dual therapy (NOAC clopidogrel) for the first six months after PCI or ACS in patients with atrial fibrillation requiring ongoing anticoagulation the current recommendation is NOAC plus clopidogrel and omit aspirin.

Including aspirin for one week to six months is a reasonable alternative in patients at the highest thrombotic risk.

Current Temperature Status and Warning for next five days

Heat Wave and Temperature Observed Yesterday (Past 24 hours from 0830 hrs IST of 04 May to 0830 hrs IST 05 May, 2019)

Heat Wave:

Yesterday, heat wave conditions were observed isolated places over Vidarbha and Coastal Andhra Pradesh (Annexure 1 & 2).

Maximum Temperature

Maximum temperatures were Markedly above normal (5.1°c and More) at most places over coastal Andhra Pradesh; appreciably above normal (3.1°C to 5.0°C) at isolated places over Telangana and Chhattisgarh; above normal (1.6°C to 3.0°C) at many places over Tamilnadu & Puducherry; at a few places over Himachal Pradesh and Saurashtra & Kutch and at isolated places over Konkan & Goa, Coastal Karnataka, Vidarbha and Kerala. Yesterday, the highest maximum temperature of 45.0°C was recorded at Chandrapur (Vidarbha) (Annexure 1 & 2).

Temperatures Recorded at 1430 Hours IST of Today, the 05th May, 2019

• Vijayawada (Coastal Andhra Pradesh) recorded the maximum temperature of 44.8°C (Annexure 3).
• Temperatures recorded at 1430 hours IST of today have risen by 3-6°C at most parts of Bihar, Jharkhand and Gangetic; at some parts of Assam & Meghalaya and at one or two pockets of East Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and risen by 1-3°C at most places over Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and East Madhya Pradesh; at few places over West Rajasthan,Himachal Pradesh, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Marathwada and at one or two pockets of Haryana, West Madhya Pradesh, West Uttar Pradesh and Tamilnadu & puducherry (Annexure 4).

Healthcare News Monitor

Hyderabad: Doctors oppose bridge course

Deccan Chronicle

There happens to be a large number of seats in private dental colleges which are lying vacant owing to the scarcity of aspirants. Only 40 out the 300 dental colleges in the country have adequate takers. Dr K. K. Aggarwal, president-elect, the Confe-deration of Medical Asso-ciations in Asia and Oceania, explained, “The bridge course comes as a lifeline for private dental colleges and enables dentists to practice as general physicians. The World Health Organisation has found the global dentist to population ratio to be 1:7500. In India, the ratio is currently holding at 1:8000. Further, the majority of this dentist population is concentrated in urban areas, while in rural areas, there is on an average only 1 dentist for every 50,000 people.”

Pharma News

Desi pharma bags 9% more USFDA nods

The Times of India- Rupali Mukherjee

Domestic pharma companies received 372 approvals to launch generic drugs in the US in fiscal 2019, up 8.6% from 340 in the previous year. The development comes even as India got 15 warning letters in calendar 2018, lower than the US with 19, and China which topped the list with 24 warning letters. As against this, India had the ignominious distinction of topping the list with 9 warning letters in 2015, and has since appeared to have cleaned up its act. Recommended By Colombia In terms of approvals, Zydus Cadila topped the list with 60, with Indian companies cornering nearly 40% volume share in the highly lucrative $60- billion-plus US generic market — a key driver of growth for the domestic industry. In an indication of having resolved data integrity issues by investing in skill sets, domestic companies grabbed the opportunity by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to speed up generic competition. Indian generic filings have been rising year-on-year, unfazed by regulatory pressure from the USFDA, and a spate of warning letters issued to their facilities over the last couple of years. Over 2015-17, Indian companies faced intense regulatory glare from the US, with nearly all top companies having been issued warning letters over manufacturing violations at their plants. This seems to have changed last year with fewer warning letters for Indian companies, compared to other major countries.

Medlife acquires Myra to take ePharma service to 22 cities

The Economic Times- Alnoor Peermohamed

Online pharmacy Medlife has acquired Bengaluru-based medicine-delivery startup Myra in an all-stock deal, indicating early signs of consolidation in India’s crowded epharmacy sector. Post the acquisition, Medlife will gain access to Myra’s express delivery segment and expand the service to 22 cities in the coming months. The two companies confirmed the deal to ET, but did not give financial details of the transaction. Medlife’s founder said that they had tried executing a small proof-ofconcept for express deliveries in Bengaluru last year, but found it challenging — that is when the Myra opportunity came up as a suitable fit. “The team at Myra has solved this well and it will add to the overall Medlife customer experience,” Tushar Kumar, chief executive officer, Medlife, told ET.

Lupin, Zydus Pharmaceuticals recall products in the US

The Times of India-PTI

Drug major Lupin is recalling 46,700 bottles of Morphine Sulfate extended-release tablets, used to treat severe pain, in the US market, according to a report by the US health regulator. Lupin Somerset is recalling the drug in various strengths due to "failed impurities/degradation specifications", the latest enforcement report by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) said. "Product was shipped to five wholesalers and one supermarket chain who may have further distributed the product throughout the US," it added. Zydus Pharmaceuticals USA Inc, a subsidiary of Zydus Cadila, is also recalling 7,668 bottles of Carvedilol Tablets, used to treat high blood pressure, in the American market. The drug firm is recalling the drug due to the "presence of foreign tablets/capsules", the USFDA said. "Customer complaint for a small, solid, light yellow substance, identified as a fragmented tablet of another drug product, found mixed with tablets in a bottle of Carvedilol tablets 3.125mg," it added. The USFDA classified both the recalls as Class III. A Class III recall by the USFDA is initiated in a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. MSS MR MR.

Chinas war on healthcare costs lures Indias biggest drugmaker

The Economic Times-Ari Altstedter

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. is scouting for a partner in China to help it win a larger piece of the world’s second-largest drug market, where the government is on a mission to drive down healthcare costs. With recovery underway in its U.S. business, Sun Pharma’s billionaire founder Dilip Shanghvi is homing in on China and believes market watchers are underestimating the potential there for India’s largest drugmaker. “There is a big opportunity for us,” Shanghvi said in an interview with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait in Mumbai on Thursday. “That would create a significant new revenue stream, which is not factored in our valuation when analysts look at it.”

Chronic Fatigue Can be Cured with Acupuncture

The New Indian Express

Fatigue is a desire to rest because of exhaustion. When fatigue lasts for around six months, it is known as prolonged fatigue. Chronic fatigue is a self-reported condition lasting for at least six months. It may be persistent or relapsing. Most chronic diseases can cause fatigue, including physical and mental disorders. Chinese medicine delineates pathological roots of a disease. Typically, such roots include, but are not limited to deficiency of any yin or yang organ (mostly of yin organs). Excess conditions, such as stagnation to the flow of qi in various organs, usually manifesting as an excess condition. Chinese medicines diagnosis of chronic fatigue requires distinguishing between deficiency and excess. It also needs identifying the organ(s) involved.E Qi deficiency is characterised by fatigue, hyperactivity, a low voice, shortness of breath, deficient immune function, low spirits, reluctance to speak, and a pale face. The tongue is pale, and the pulse is weak and empty for such individuals.

Indian pharma exports grow 11 per cent in FY19

The New Indian Express

After nearly three years of flat growth, Indian pharma exports grew at 11 per cent in FY19. This, however, is lower than the healthy 20-25 per cent growth seen in FY13. According to trade body Pharmexcil, exports stood at $19.14 billion, lower than the perceived $20-billion mark, compared to $17.28 billion in FY18. The growth in exports could have fired up, but for uncertainty in UK (Brexit) and other European regions. North American market remained the largest market for Indian companies, accounting for over 38 per cent of the total generic exports, but margins were under pressure. The good news though is, according to Pharmexcil, price erosion was beginning to plateau and recovery in margins was seen in the US market. It means that the FY20 growth outlook appears better than the just concluded financial year.

Health ministry prepares rebuttal to USTRs counterfeit medicines report

MIint- Teena Thacker

The health ministry is readying a rebuttal to the US trade representatives (USTR), following its report that termed that India as one of the leading sources of counterfeit medicines distributed globally, a top government official said. Dismissing the report, Arun Singhal, Additional Secretary in the health ministry told Mint that the government is in the process of drafting a rebuttal as it seeks details on the “vague" report by USTR. “We will be writing to them seeking evidence on their report. We want to know the basis and want concrete data from them for coming to such conclusion," he said. In its latest Special 301 report released by the USTR, it claimed that India and China were the leading sources of counterfeit medicines distributed globally. “While it may not be possible to determine an exact figure studies have suggested that upto 20 per cent of the drugs sold in the Indian market are counterfeit and could represent a serious threat to patient health and safety," it said.

US opioid crisis and Indias own drug problems

moneycontrol- Viswanath Pilla

Last week, John Kapoor, the Indian-origin founder of US-based Insys Therapeutics became the first pharmaceutical boss to be convicted on charges of racketeering in a case linked to the US opioid crisis. A Boston jury found Kapoor and four other employees to have conspired to bribe doctors to prescribe addictive painkiller called Subsys, and also misleading insurance companies about patients’ need for the drug. Opioids are a class of drugs derived from the opium poppy plant. Over the years, many synthetic versions of opioids have emerged. They range from codeine, to illegal drugs like heroin. Prescription opioids are primarily used for pain relief. Morphine, tramadol, fentanyl, methadone and alfentanil are more frequently used opioid drugs.

CDSCO Committee rejects proposal for additional Indications of Dapaglofizin

Medical Dialogues

British-Swedish multinational drugmaker, AstraZeneca’s stride to win approval from the Indian drug regulators for the additional indications of its drug Dapagliflozin in worsening in the strength of 5mg and 10mg has been rejected by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) Committee. New Delhi: heart failure and nephropathy The SEC Committee declining the nod asked the firm to submit the regulatory approval status from other countries. Dapagliflozin, sold under the brand name Farxiga among others, is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is from the gliflozin class. It was developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb in partnership with AstraZeneca. In India, the drug is also sold by top pharma giants including Abbott and Sun Pharmaceutical Ltd who sell it under the brand names Gledepa 10 mg Tab and Oxra 10 mg Tab respectively. Dapagliflozin has been introduced as anti-diabetic medication. It works by removing excess sugar from your body through urine. Recently, AstraZeneca has proposed to the regulators in India for Dapagliflozin film-coated tablet in the strength of 5mg and 10mg for additional indication including the prevention of new or worsening heart failure or cardiovascular death and the prevention of new or worsening nephropathy.

Healthcare News

Doctors take stage to give laughter shots

The Times of India-Samdani MN

Realising that medicine alone is not being enough for the modern ailing, medical professionals in the city teamed up to give a dose of laugher. Renowned diabetician and secretary of AP diabetes federation (APDF) Dr VV Ramkumar took the initiative to launch the doctors (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/doctors) cultural and comedy club and organise a series of programmes. As a part of it, a novel laugher programme was held at Sri Mohana Rangasai temple premises on Sunday on the occasion of world laugher’s day. Audience left in splits when the doctors performed the skits and presented the jokes. The programme was centred on comedy in the films directed by late Jandhyala. While Dr Ramkumar himself presented a skit, Dr Rajesh, Dr Jahnavi and Dr PC Reddy presented jokes from Jandhyala films. Resounding laughter. “Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter has proven to reduce high blood sugar and blood pressure. Sadly, people are not finding time even to share funny moments, resulting in stress and diseases,” said Dr Ramkumar. He said that a recent Japanese study found that postprandial blood sugar levels were going down among the viewers of a comedy show. Doctors also presented a small play ‘Hasta Vaasi’. It was directed by Dr NVK Prasad. Dr Kota Suresh Kumar, Dr Sai Kiran, Dr SSV Ramana, Dr Satish, Dr Ramkumar, Dr Sravani and Dr Kamala played different roles. Kids Pooja and Sriram also presented a skit Fun Bucket leaving the audience in splits. Noted film lyricist Jonnavithula Ramalingeswara Rao was felicitated with Jandhyala award on the occasion.

UP: Rare surgery saves baby from monster tumour in Jhansi

The Times of India- Arindam Ghosh

A private nursing home in Jhansi has performed an incredibly rare surgery to save a month-old baby from a life-threatening condition. Daughter of a couple from Sagar, the infant girl was brought to the heal hub run by paediatric surgeon Dr Arun Gupta with an abnormally swollen stomach on Wednesday. She was constantly crying and clearly in pain. Quick diagnosis, Dr Gupta told TOI, revealed that a massive 10cm tissue mass was squeezing her internal organs, including kidney and intestines, and causing her huge discomfort. “The tumour was shaped like a foetus, a condition medically known as foetus-in-foetu. The condition is very rare. The estimated occurrence is one in every 5-10 lakh births,” the doctor said. A team of just two doctors, including the paediatric surgeon, and a handful of support staff pulled off the difficult three-hour surgery on Thursday. “The tumour had a well-formed head with tiny strands of hair. Facial features were discernible. The specimen has been sent for histopathological analysis or in other words, microscopic examination of abnormal tissue,” Dr Kumar said, adding that the baby was recovering slowly and steadily. There have been only a handful of foetus-in-foetu cases worldwide, one of the first being detected in 1808. There are two theories of origin of this condition. One says that the mass begins as a normal foetus, but becomes enveloped inside its twin. The other theory is that the mass is a highly developed teratoma, which is in layman language a tumour made up of several different types of tissue such as hair, muscles and bones

Hyderabad doctor tops AIIMS entrance examination

The Times of India-TNN

Dr Yegurla Jatin from Hyderabad topped the super speciality entrance examination of AIIMS in gastroenterology super speciality. The MBBS pass out from Osmania medical college aims to make advanced endoscopic procedures like ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) which is accessible to all. After completing an MD internal medicine from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, in December last year, Yegurla Jatin was preparing for the AIIMS exam. "There are lot of techniques and principles that can be applied to bring down the cost. These as well as a unique healthcare model was pioneered by Dr Devishetty, which I want to bring to our state. The model involves charging a good amount from well to do people, which is then redistributed to poor patients. As problems related to gastroenterology have become very common, it is imperative to bring in such healthcare models," he said.

‘Blood-stained’ cotton swab found in patient’s soup in Pune

Hindustan Times-PTI

A man Sunday alleged that his wife was served a bowl of soup that contained a blood-stained cotton swab in Jehangir Hospital in the city, where she delivered a baby. The soup was made in the canteen of the hospital, he said. The hospital authorities, however, alleged that it is an act of sabotage by some employees, who are currently on strike, and said the hospital was in the process of filing a police complaint against an unidentified person. Mahesh Satpute said he had admitted his pregnant wife to the hospital on April 29 and on the same day, she delivered a baby girl. “As doctors had prescribed a veg soup to my wife, she was served soup prepared at the hospital kitchen on the next day of the delivery,” he said. He added that while a bowl of soup was given to his wife, he saw something in the soup and removed it immediately. “I found that it was a cotton swab with blood on it. I immediately video-graphed it using my phone and rushed to the hospital administration and even submitted a written complaint,” Satpute said.

Putting women’s health first for a healthy future

Hindustan Times- Sanchita Sharma

Patriarchal communities are wont to deify women who suffer in silence, ostracise those who want equal rights, and ignore those who are sick, even when medical treatment is available free. As a result, women in many parts of India are still encouraged to seek medical treatment only to deliver a healthy baby, preferably a boy. Women are denied sex education in school and information about contraceptives and abortion services out of it, which result in millions of unintended pregnancies every year. Close to half (48%) of all pregnancies in the country are unintended largely because women, both married and unmarried, have no information about safe sex or don’t have access to contraceptives, according to India’s first large-scale study on abortions and unintended pregnancies study published in The Lancet in 2017.

Unhealthy lifestyle aggravates risk of heart disease, says expert

The Hindu

Opening the annual State conference of the society in Kozhikode on Sunday, he said unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise and sleep deprivation were some of the lifestyle issues found in Kerala. Dr. Markose pointed out, quoting the World Health Organisation, that coronary heart diseases were the leading cause of premature death and disability in the country. “India has two million heart attacks a year and majority are young people. Kerala stands ahead of all other Indian states in this disease burden,” he said. Dr. Markose said Kerala was not supposed to be a breeding ground for high mental and physical stress, diabetes, high cholesterol level and blood pressure. Coronary heart disease is characterised by gradual building up of blocks inside coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscles responsible for pumping of blood.

Hospital advert mayland doctors in soup

The Hindu-C. Maya

A few years ago, the Medical Council of India took punitive action against a group of doctors who had been featured prominently in the advertisement of the hospital they were working in, by removing their names from the Indian Medical Register/State Medical Register for 15 days. The MCI took this decisive action because doctors promoting themselves through advertisements with photographs is a gross violation of Indian Medical Council (Professional conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002. A group of doctors working in a prominent corporate hospital in Kochi may be at risk of the same transgression after their photographs and details were featured prominently in a newspaper advertisement of the hospital on May 1. The matter has already been brought to the attention of the Registrar of Travancore Cochin Council of Modern Medicine, for “appropriate action.”

Panel to probe into expiry date injection at AIIMS

The Pioneer

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur has constituted a committee to probe the administering of expired medicine to a patient while two pharmacists have been terminated in this connection. A three-member probe committee has been asked to submit its report within a week. As per reports, on April 24, Odragahan village (Patan) resident Prakash Chandravanshi admitted at AIIMS and his condition became worse after he was administered an injection of expiry date. The injection was procured from the Amrit Pharmacy in hospital complex. During the preliminary enquiry, it was found that a total laxity has been shown by the pharmacists on duty in the store. Medical Store primary report also accepted the fault and pointed out that two Pharmacists, Kiran and Chitranjan were on duty. Both without counter checking the expiry date of injection had handed it over the medicine for the patient. AIIMS Raipur management has constituted a three-member doctors’ committee to further probe into the matter. The team members are Professor Pharmacology Dr Alok Singh, Dr Ranganathan and Dr H. Das.

Maximise medical resources

The Tribune-Gaurav Kanthwal

In times of General Election when a film and a TV channel are under the scanner of Election Commission of India for allegedly giving unfair advantage to a political party, a book New Indias Ayushman Bharat by Dr R Kumar has hit the stands. Though there is little in the book that could be termed as propaganda, its title does have the potential to raise some eyebrows. However, the preface of the book makes it clear that the book is about the required paradigm shift in planning healthcare. The book has eight chapters. Its primary focus is on maximising medical resources to the benefit of countrymen. There is a special emphasis on wellness centres, the need to update medical education in India and the lack of ethics in the profession.

Madras University professor shows the way as anti-cancer compounds taken from mushrooms get patent

The New Indian Express- SV Krishna Chaitanya

Globally, millions of dollars are being spent on cancer research and for decades, scientists have been gathering information on bio-active compounds exhibiting anti-cancer properties from different sources. In India, for the first time, a patent has been issued for extracting anti-cancer compounds from a wild mushroom variety found in Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu. The inventor is a retired Madras University professor Venkatesan Kaviyarasan and his PhD student J Manjunathan. The university had applied for the patent in 2012 and after rigorous scrutiny, got it on March 11 this year. The mushroom variety from which the research team has isolated the anti-cancer compounds is lentinus tuberregium, which is an edible variety valued for its high nutritional composition. However, the major limitation to its availability and utilisation is that it is seasonal in nature.

Majority of Indians devoid of hypertension treatment: Study

Mint-Neetu Chandra Sharma

The prevalence of hypertension is high in India, but the proportion of adults aware with their medical condition, are treated and achieve control is low, findings of a latest study reveal. The study was done by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Birmingham and University of Gottingen on the basis of National Health and Family Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) data of 731864 individuals aged 15-49 years, which covered each district of 29 states and 7 union territories of India.

Shift in rural lifestyle is a major link for cardiovascular diseases: Dr Sushil

State Times

Focusing his resolve to adopt a holistic health model encompassing modern medical advancement and traditional health expertise to contain the onset of cardiovascular diseases in rural areas, Dr. Sushil Sharma and his team conducted a day long health camp in remote Gujroo Nagrota area of Billawar District. Contrary to the idealised notion that people in rural areas are much healthier than their urban counterparts, he said that the health indices in rural areas are constantly soaring. Apart from the interplay of various physical and economic factors viz. accessibility and affordability, the shift in rural lifestyle and loss of traditional health expertise too contributed in the rise of various morbidities and mortalities in such areas, he added. More than 250 people were screened, evaluated, diagnosed and free medicines were given as per the requirements. While interacting with the people, Dr Sushil stated that in the present scenario, Indian rural health care faces a crisis unmatched to any other social sector.

Key PMCH wings to face doctor crisis

The Telegraph- Praduman Choubey

Over 200 patients visiting the psychiatry, TB and chest and radiology departments of Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) here daily are likely to miss treatment from Monday as the three-year tenures of three senior doctors ended on Sunday. PMCH superintendent H.K. Singh said the crisis had been aggravated because of the poll model code of conduct during which the contracts of doctors cannot be renewed. He said the process for appointment of assistant professors in all the three departments through the Jharkhand Public Service Commission had already been initiated, though it might take some to materialise. Principal Shailendra Ku-mar said, “Though the situation is extremely difficult, we are expecting that the state health, medical education and family welfare department will come up with a solution tomorrow.”

Sanjeevani holds seminar on importance of psychosocial support in Cancer Care

Medical Dialogues

When you are faced with a cancer diagnosis, you learn a lot of new words – and old words take on a whole new meaning. On April 18, 2019, Nehru Centre with a whooping crowd of 700 plus people witnessed a panel discussion organised by award-winning NGO Sanjeev Life beyond Cancer on the importance of psycho-social support in Cancer Care. Cancer tries to take a lot. The life you had, the life you envisioned or attempted to plan. Your feeling of invincibility. Your trust in your body. Your understanding of age and life. It takes away the control you thought you had. The control over your goals, your opportunities, your future. It tries to trick you into believing you’re alone, no one understands, no one wants to help.

MCI visits Doon Medical College for inspection

Medical Dialogues

The Medical Council of India (MCI) has recently visited the Government Doon Medical College & Hospital (GDMCH) to conduct an inspection for the MBBS course for the academic year 2019-20. The Medical College is expecting the Letter of Permission (LoP) to begin the course. The MCI team during the visit to the GDMCH inspected the infrastructure of the medical college. The team inspected Departments of Radiology, Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Opthalmology including all other departments. Dr Ashutosh Sayana, Principal of GDMCH informed the that the team appeared to be satisfied. The MCI will give its decision within one month. Dr Sayana further informed that the faculty shortage dropped from 32 per cent to 20 per cent, and the shortage of Senior Residents and Junior residents got reduced to 16 per cent from 20 per cent. He further told that no new recruitment could be carried on because of the Model Code of Conduct but after 23rd May the recruitment process will certainly begin. The MCI team found a deficiency in the CT Scan machine, the team asked to replace it from a new one.