First batch of medical supplies ready to be sent to China

The external affairs ministry is working in tandem with the ministry of health and family welfare and the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) to ensure that medical supplies are dispatched to China this week. Medical supplies such as gloves, surgical masks and disposable masks (2ply and 3ply) etc will be sent to China this week.

NEW DELHI: India is all set to dispatch the first consignment of medical supplies to China in its bid to address the growing shortage of medical equipment in the country, the epicentre of novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 43,000 globally and claimed over 1,000 in mainland China so far....read more

Interim "Supreme Relief"

Mandatory 6 months training for MBBS Doctors for performing Ultrasound: No Penal action to be taken against Doctors having minimum 15 years of Experience

The legal aspect of 6 months training for MBBS Doctors for performing ultrasound came for arguments under lordships of Hon. Supreme Court in a Petition filed by Dr. Anil Wasti, Dr. Manjeet Singh Chandrasen and Dr. Bhaskar Prasad. V/s. State of Chhattisgarh in SLP (Civ.) No. 3058/2020. The Bench comprised of Hon. Shri. Sharad Bobde, the CJI, Hon. B.R. Gawai J. and Hon. Surya Kant....read more

Possible Scenarios: Coronavirus

1.Hit and run virus and will disappear in six months 2.Join the flu on the listing of the world’s winter illnesses —that will be routinely vaccinated against. Confirmed cases: 43099, Countries 28, Deaths 1018 3.Might take the form of a global pandemic, killing millions of people....read more

Round Table Experts from HCFI and MAMC 1st Draft Document

Dear Colleague

HCFI and MAMC are making a white paper on current status of coronavirus. Mentioned below are some of the deliberations discussed. Inputs are invited before a final document is made. The names of the persons adding inputs will be added to the round table expert’s group....read more

Panchamrit body wash

Panchamrit is taken as a Prasadam and is also used to wash the deity. In Vedic language, anything which is offered to God can also be done to the human body. Panchamrit bath, therefore, is the original, and traditionally, full bath prescribed in Vedic literature. It consists of the following:....read more

How Corona Aware Are You

Health Sutras By Dr K K Aggarwal

Walking is the best exercise. Walk at least 80 minutes in a day with a speed of 80 steps (at least) per minute; brisk walk at least 80 min a week

Healthcare News Monitor

Health ministry issues notification to regulate all medical devices under D&C Act from April 1, 2020

Pharmabiz India - Shardul Nautiyal

Union health ministry has notified that all medical devices will now be regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act, 1940 with effect from the April 1, 2020 for effective compliance. The ministry after consultation with Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) has further notified to amend the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 and has specified that these rules may be called the Medical Devices (Amendment) Rules, 2020 and shall come into force on April 1, 2020. According to a Gazette Notification dated February 11, 2020, after consultation with DTAB, the health ministry hereby specifies that all medical devices intended for use in human beings or animals will be regulated as drugs with effect from the April 1, 2020, which includes all devices including an instrument, apparatus, appliance, implant, material or other article, whether used alone or in combination, including a software or an accessory, intended by its manufacturer to be used specially for human beings or animals which does not achieve the primary intended action in or on human body or animals by any pharmacological or immunological or metabolic means, but which may assist in its intended function by such means for one or more of the specific purposes of ?(i) diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of any disease or disorder; (ii) diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, alleviation or assistance for, any injury or disability; (iii) investigation, replacement or modification or support of the anatomy or of a physiological process; (iv) supporting or sustaining life; (v) disinfection of medical devices; and (vi) control of conception.” The notification further states, “In the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 (hereinafter to be referred as said Rules), after Chapter III, the following Chapter IIIA shall be inserted, namely-“Chapter IIIA Registration of certain Medical Devices 19a.

Govt rolls back plan to ban export of APIs and essential drugs as API units resume production in China

Pharmabiz India - Laxmi Yadav

The central government has now rolled back its plan to ban export of APIs and essential drugs as pharmaceutical companies in Chinese regions affected by coronavirus have resumed operation, except Wuhan region, the epicenter of coronavirus outbreak. The Wuhan region accounts for 20 per cent of bulk drug supply to India. The country has alternate source of these supplies comprising of chlorofin, B-complex vitamins, female hormonal products-- progesterone etc. Hence they are not of much significance. The only concern area is key starting materials of antibiotics- azithromycin, amoxicillin, ofloxacin, gentamicin and metronidazole which are supplied from Wuhan to India but supplies can be sourced from units located in other regions, said a drug maker on condition of anonymity. India imports APIs from Shandong, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong regions located 700km away from Wuhan. These regions have not much affected by coronavirus and production in the units located there resumed as per Indian embassy in China, he said. In 2018-19, India imported bulk drugs and intermediates worth US$ 2.4 billion from China. In 2017-18 the import of bulk drugs and intermediates from China to India stood at US$ 2,055.94 million. A panel set up by the government under chairmanship of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) last week to deal with repercussions of coronavirus outbreak on supply of Chinese APIs in India, has decided to closely monitor the situation after the Indian embassy in China informed it that several drugmakers there have resumed operations.

Quarantined Chinese man thanks Pune hospital for medical care

India Today- PTI

The Chinese national, who was quarantined at a hospital in Pune for possible exposure to novel coronavirus and who was discharged on Tuesday, has thanked the authorities for the medical treatment and care. The 31-year-old Chinese man was admitted to the civic-run Naidu Hospital on his arrival in the city on February 7 after he vomited on a Delhi-Pune flight. A civic health official here said that the man from China, an Economics graduate, had come to India for tourism. "His samples sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) tested negative and he was discharged from the hospital on February 11. Before leaving, he thanked the medical staff and said that despite being in a foreign country, he was made to feel at home," a health officer said. "He told us that he was happy with the kind of brotherly treatment he got at the hospital," he added.

84-year-old run over by SUV at Panchkula civil hospital

Hindustan Times

An 84-year-old man was killed after a speeding sport utility vehicle (SUV) hit him in the parking area of Panchkula civil hospital on Wednesday. Police said the accident took place around 8.30pm, when the victim, Chandika Parsad, a resident of Manimajra, was crossing the parking area to reach Sector-6 hospital’s emergency ward. The attendants of the victim, who were present at the hospital, said Parsad was a hairdresser and had recently taken a break due to health issues. As per Parsad’s family, his blood pressure was fluctuating due to which he had gone to see a doctor. Eyewitnesses present at the spot said the SUV, a Ford Endeavour, was being driven at a high speed and dragged the victim for a few metres before coming to a halt. The elderly man had got stuck below the front bumper of the SUV, they claimed. The victim was rushed to the Emergency, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. As per the medicos who attended to him, besides internal bleeding, the victim had sustained serious injuries on his head, chest and shoulders. Following the mishap, the SUV driver, who was with his two friends, was stopped by the onlookers and police were informed. The SUV driver, whose identity is being withheld as no first information report (FIR) was registered till the filing of this story, is a resident of Dhakoli. He was taken to Sector-7 police post by a team of cops. An investigation has been launched in the case.