Kerala sets up kiosks to collect samples

Bengaluru | Hyderabad: Kerala has developed its own inexpensive kiosks for mass collection of samples from people with symptoms for Covid-19.The kiosk, called walk-in sample kiosk (Wisk), is the first of its kind in India, inspired by similar models deployed in South Korea.Two such kiosks were set up at the government medical college premises in Ernakulam on Monday....read more

Special SERIES ONLY EVIDENCES on SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Medical treatment (Part 7)

(Source: DHS Science and Technology, Master Question List for COVID-19 (caused by SARS-CoV-2), Weekly Report, 18 March 2020)Medical treatment (Part 7) - Are there effective treatments? Vaccines?What is known?Treatment for COVID-19 largely involves supportive care, including mechanical ventilation and antibiotics to prevent secondary infection as appropriate.1 ....read more

CMAAO Corona Facts and Myth Buster 36

333: Ivermectin drug can stop the SARS-CoV2 virus growing in cell culture.Australian researchers at Monash University in Melbourne have noted that a single dose of ivermectin was able to stop the SARS-CoV2 virus growing in cell culture. The Food and Drug Agency approves the drug as an anti-parasitic agent that is effective against viruses such as HIV, influenza, and Zika. The study was published in the journal Antiviral Research. [THE SCIENCE TIMES] ....read more

Significance of Lighting a Lamp in Any Worship

Deepajyothi parabrahma, Deepa Jyotir Janaardanah, Deepo harati paapaani, Sandhyaa deepa namostute“I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life.”Light symbolizes knowledge, and darkness, ignorance. Knowledge can remove ignorance just as light removes darkness. The purpose of any ritual is to remove internal darkness and attain some knowledge. ....read more

Health Sutras By Dr K K Aggarwal

No hand shake

Healthcare News Monitor

Engaging with authorities to address challenges regarding manufacturing, distribution of drugs: OPPI

ET Healthworld- PTI

The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) on Friday said it is engaging with central and state governments to address the challenges regarding manufacturing, supply chain, and transportation and distribution of medicines in the country. "Our members currently have two-three months of inventory. However, in order to avoid any product shortages, we have requested support to address the challenges of low attendance of workmen in manufacturing facilities due to fear and logistical issues faced by them; restricted movement of manpower and goods at interstate/intercity levels; poor supplies from ancillary units to pharma manufacturing facilities and priority clearance of imported APIs and finished formulation at the ports/airports," OPPI Director General K G Ananthakrishnan told. OPPI continues to remain engaged with the relevant authorities to ensure that these challenges are overcome at the earliest, he added. "As a responsible healthcare partner, OPPI has been engaging with central and state governments in addressing challenges related to manufacturing, supply chain and transportation and distribution of medicines in the country," Ananthakrishnan said.

Firm develops low-cost, portable ventilator

ET Healthworld- TNN

With the country staring at a shortage of critical equipment in the face of the rapidly rising number of Covid-19 positive cases, Aerobiosys Innovations, a startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad’s Centre for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE), has developed a low-cost, portable emergency use ventilator that promises to ease the shortage of life-saving ventilators. Called Jeevan Lite, the commercial design for the manufacturing of the IoT-enabled ventilator is expected to be delivered by the first week of April. Jeevan Lite, which is the brainchild of Aerobiosys co-founders Rajesh Thangavel and Cyril Antony, would provide isolation to the patient and protection to healthcare providers and family members. It can perform invasive and non-invasive ventilation across a comprehensive set of modes and settings and can be used for pediatric as well as adult patients.

‘Home test kit’ sold online, regulator says not approved

ET Healthworld- Rama Nagarajan

The Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) told TOI on Sunday that no home test kits for Covid-19 have been approved. The regulator also issued a public notice clarifying that it had not licensed a home test kit being sold online by Bione Ventures Pvt Ltd. The notice followed a complaint by All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) about online marketing of Covid-19 rapid antibody test kits for home use and false marketing of products claiming to be Covid-19 related. AIDAN had pointed out in its complaint that there was no way to check the claims of Bione Ventures Pvt Ltd that it had the required approvals for its home test kit because the CDSCO was yet to make public the list of test kits approved for sale in India. The lists of kits for PCR tests and rapid tests that have been approved by the CDSCO were up by Sunday and Bione Ventures Pvt Ltd was not in the list. Bione’s kit is being sold online at a price of Rs 2,499 without the need for a physician’s prescription.

With 3 days’ stock of personal protective equipment kits left, Delhi asks for 50,000 more

ET Healthworld- Durgesh Nandan Jha

Delhi is left with only 7,000 to 8,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, state health minister Satyendar Jain said on Saturday. He said that the current stock will last for only two to three days and, therefore, the Delhi government has asked for 50,000 PPE kits on an urgent basis from the Centre. The PPE kit is an essential preventive healthcare utility and each kit includes a surgeon gown, a face mask, gloves, a preventive eye wear, a hood cap and a shoe cover. It helps reduce the risk of infection to healthcare workers attending to the infected persons. With 445 Covid-19 cases, Delhi is the third most-affected state. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have maximum 490 and 485 cases, respectively. Jain said the local supply of PPE kits is scarce. “It is difficult to arrange enough of them through local supply. That’s why we have requested the Centre to arrange them,” the health minister said. The issue of shortage of PPEs in the state was also raised by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal while briefing the media about the status of Covid-19. He said due to the Nizamuddin incident, the number of coronavirus patients have suddenly increased in Delhi.