Delhi: Planned surgeries put off for a third day at 2 hospitals

Both hospitals are associated with Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC). More than 20 major planned surgeries are conducted daily in these two hospitals, a source said.

New Delhi: Planned surgeries had to be postponed for the third consecutive day on Thursday at the Sucheta Kriplani and Kalawati Saran hospitals due to lack of operation theatre (OT) technicians.

Both hospitals are associated with Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC). More than 20 major planned surgeries are conducted daily in these two hospitals, a source said. ....read more

Healthcare News Monitor

Gujarat FDCA books 217 retailers for illegal sale of codeine containing cough syrups

Pharmabiz India- Shardul Nautiyal

In a major crackdown on retailers selling narcotic drugs illegally, the Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has booked 217 drug retailers for illegal sale of codeine containing cough syrups at exorbitant prices. Based on a tip-off, the state regulator raided 323 drug retail stores in Ahmedabad, Surat, Himmatnagar, Patan and Nadiad in the last two months and canceled 42 licenses and suspended 169 to curtail the menace of illegal sale of narcotics and prescription drugs. There are total 39, 600 drug retailers and wholesalers in the state of Gujarat. According to Gujarat FDCA commissioner Dr H G Koshia, “A joint raid was made in collaboration with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) as codeine phosphate falls under the narcotic drug. We are also in talks with Himachal Pradesh (HP) drug controller as the cough syrups have been manufactured in HP.” He further explained that the cough syrups were sourced from a firm named Bhagwati Pharma based in Banduka in Gujarat. We nabbed the culprit Dinesh Jadav from whom we seized 1680 bottles of 100 ml each sold at exorbitant rate of Rs. 100 to 150 against the MRP of Rs. 25. Total of 2400 bottles were seized of the total estimated amount of Rs. 2.5 lakh. Brand names of the cough syrup seized were V-Star cough syrup manufactured by C B Healthcare, HP, Rexcon manufactured by Vidit Healthcare, HP, Rexcod cough syrup manufactured by Reyansi Pharma, HP, Safecod cough syrup manufactured by Biogenic Drug Pvt Ltd, HP and Rexking manufactured by Applefield International in HP.

Indian medical experts prescribe Transdermal & Topical Delivery Systems going by patient compliance and comfort

Pharmabiz India - Nandita Vijay

Indian healthcare providers are now increasingly looking at the Transdermal & Topical Delivery Systems in patient care. The key reasons for this are patient compliance and comfort. These drug delivery modes have proved that the medicines are easily able to penetrate the skin and effortlessly reach the target site. Drug delivery via the skin is a transformation in patient care. It is more simpler, with no uneasiness or pain. This is commonly used in pain management, dermatology conditions and ENT, besides delivery of local anaesthesia therapeutically through the skin. According to Dr. Shivananda N V, Consultant in Anaesthesiology, Manipal Hospital Whitefield, the benefits of Transdermal Delivery Systems over other routes of drug administration are that it is non-invasive and self administration of the drug by the patient is possible, the effect of the drug is continuous and long lasting. It bypasses the first pass metabolism associated with oral route there by increasing the bio availability of the drug. Moreover it avoids all the side effects associated with oral route like gastric irritation, vomiting and diarrhea. “Transdermal Delivery Systems are very commonly used in oncology. These provide slow sustained release of medications through reservoir medication containing patches and sometimes uses body’s heat to release the drug. We commonly use patches for cancer pain management. Some of these are Fentanyl Patches and Diclofenac patches which provide controlled release medication lasting from 24-72 hours”, said Dr Niti Raizada, senior consultant, Medical Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru.

Maharashtra: ‘Hospitals can’t hold back patient, body over unpaid bills’

ET Healthworld- Swati Deshpande

Patients cannot be detained for non-payment of hospital bills, according to the new draft rules issued by the state public health department. And “under no circumstances, a dead body be withheld for non-payment of hospital bill or any other reason”, state the draft rules issued in July that seek to amend the Nursing Home Registration Rules in Maharashtra. Government lawyer Prajakta Shinde on Wednesday furnished the draft rules before Bombay HC bench of Justices Ranjit More and M S Karnik, which was hearing a PIL filed in 2014 by Sanjay Prajapati, who was detained in a hospital for not paying medical bills, along with a bunch of similar petitions. Taken by surprise, the Association of Medical Consultants, which represents nursing homes across Maharashtra, said it was unaware of these draft rules. The draft rules provide for grievance redressal to patients and is “onesided”, argued the association’s counsel, Rui Rodrigues. Arguing that a balance needs to be struck for hospitals that are burdened with unpaid bills, he sought time to file objections and suggestions to the draft rules. Though the deadline had ended in November, the HC gave the association two weeks to file objections and suggestions.

Gurugram: 60% rise in pneumonia cases as winter kicks in

ET Healthworld- Ipsita Pati

GURUGRAM: Doctors in various hospitals said that they have seen a 60% rise in cases of pneumonia and viral fever in the last week. The sudden change in temperature has activated viruses and bacteria responsible for spreading seasonal diseases, doctors said. The health department has advised all hospital to be on high alert. “We are witnessing rise in cases of pneumonia in infants, which is critical. We have been advising residents to keep infants warm and not let children venture outside. We also expect swine flu cases as the region has entered the winter cycle. We received 16 suspected cases of swine flu but not any confirmed cases last month,” said Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, chief medical officer, Gurgaon. Doctors at the government and private hospitals are of the opinion that the cases are likely to increase in the coming days. “Variation in diurnal temperatures (day and night temperatures), cold weather makes pollutants settle to a lower air level which the humans breathe in. The situation may worsen in the coming days and children, elderly, diabetic, asthmatics, children and those with low immunity will be the worst sufferers,” Dr Amitabh Patri, head , department of internal medicine, Fortis Gurgaon. Doctors have cautioned people to avoid crowded places as the pneumonia virus spreads easily.