Morning MEDtalks with Dr KK Aggarwal 5^th December, 2018

First-ever UN report on disability and development, illustrates inclusion gaps: The United Nations launched its first-ever flagship report on disability and development on Monday; published by, for, and with, persons with disabilities, in the hopes of fostering more accessible, and disability-inclusive societies. Secretary-General António Guterres said the report “shows that people with disabilities are at a disadvantage” regarding most SDGs, “but also highlights the growing number of good practices that can create a more inclusive society in which they can live independently.” (UN, Dec. 3, 2018)

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2019 is scheduled to be held on May 5, 2019, and the students can apply until December 7 for the same. This was deferred from its earlier deadline of November 30.

The Board of Governors (BoG) of Medical Council of India (MCI) has been asked by the government to reduce the gigantic cost of medical education in the country. The ministry of Health has indicated towards the huge amount of fees charged by the private colleges especially the private medical universities. They have also called the stakeholders to check this trend of high cost of fees and cut down the costs. 

The best diet to follow is one that is science based, that allows you to meet your nutritional requirements, and that you can stick to in the long run

Three brief cognitive assessments often used in primary care settings to identify patients with cognitive impairment who could benefit from a full diagnostic workup for dementia are often inaccurate. The three tests are the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE), which assesses orientation to time and place and the ability to remember words; the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS), which focuses on the ability to remember words; and Animal Naming (AN), which involves naming as many animals as possible in 60 seconds. The study found that all three tests often give incorrect results that may wrongly conclude that a person does or does not have dementia (David Llewellyn, PhD, of the University of Exeter Medical School, United Kingdom)

COP24 climate conference: During the UN COP24 Climate Change Conference grand opening on Monday, Secretary-General António Guterres told over 150 world leaders gathered for climate action that “we are in deep trouble” and asked decision-makers to focus on four key things: stepping up climate action, according to a solid plan, with more funding, as a smart investment in the future of the planet… (UN, Dec. 3, 2018)

ACP calls for immediate action to address climate change: The American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued a renewed call for individual physicians and healthcare organizations to step up and make changes in response to recent reports warning of the threat of global warming to public health and the environment. ACP is deeply concerned about the negative impact that climate change is having on public health and patients, and that these effects will worsen without immediate action. ACP is alarmed about the findings in the 2018 Lancet Countdown on climate change and health: shaping the health of nations for centuries to come report and the 2018 Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations released this week, as well as the findings in the Fourth National Climate Assessment that was published in November.

Telemedicine use varies by specialty: Radiologists, psychiatrists, and cardiologists were most likely to use telemedicine for patient interactions, whereas emergency physicians and pathologists were most likely to use it to facilitate their communications with other healthcare professionals, according to findings of a survey reported in the December 2018 issue of Health Affairs.

Video to watch: TEDx Video: Doctor-patient relationship www.youtube(dot)com/ watch?v=i9ml1vKK2DQ

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect CMAAO

President Heart Care Foundation of India