NHA joined hands with NABH to expedite implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

- Vinod Kumar

18 OCT, 2022, New Delhi. National Health Authority (NHA) and National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) - a constituent board of Quality Council of India (QCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the areas of capacity building, dissemination of information, promotion of QCI (NABH) accreditation & ABDM standards, technical support, stakeholder advocacy and for creating overall awareness for different initiatives of NABH and NHA by leveraging the reach and presence of each other.

NABH has an extensive and efficient quality framework and accreditation system for healthcare facilities. As per this MoU, NABH shall encourage and provide assistance in onboarding their accredited/certified facilities on ABDM’s Health Facility Registry (HFR) and onboarding of the doctors, nurses etc. working in these facilities on the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR).  

Speaking about the objective of this collaboration, Dr. R. S. Sharma, CEO, NHA said, “With the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), we have embarked on this ambitious journey to create a digital platform for bringing all stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem together. We aim to leverage the strong presence of NABH among the health facilities and healthcare professionals from the public as well as private sector to reach out and sensitize them about the core functions, benefits and potential of ABDM and drive the adoption of ABDM on a large scale.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof (Dr.) Mahesh Verma, Chairman, NABH said, "NABH is totally committed to objective of taking quality healthcare to the last man in the line. This collaboration with NHA will help and motivate even small healthcare organizations in tier 2 & tier 3 cites to get the benefit of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. It will spread the mission of providing quality healthcare to the masses and help India become a global leader in healthcare domain”.

Further, NHA and NABH shall mutually develop accreditation standards and ratings for healthcare facilities to incorporate ABDM related standards for encouraging rapid adoption and uptake of digital health information systems.

Routine Immunization' needs to be normalized as it suffered a lot during the pandemic : Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya

- Vinod Kumar 

Mumbai, 20 October 2022. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya appealed to the governments around the world, funding agencies working on global health issues and industries to come together and ensure that the lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic are studied and to then prepare a strategy for the world to succeed better in handling such crises in the future. 

The Union Minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN)'s 23rd Annual General Meeting in Pune today.  When the power of government, scientists and industries are combined with national and international organizations, then all health challenges can be faced and resolved, he further added.

The two-day event is being co-hosted by Serum Institute of India (SII) along with DCVMN on the theme ‘Global Equity and Timely-Access: COVID-19 and Beyond’. Vaccine manufacturers, scientists, experts and industry leaders participated in today’s inaugural session.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said that this event is special as it has been organized just prior to Deepavali - a festival which every Indian regards for 'ending darkness and moving towards light'. “I hope the darkness that was created by COVID-19 will be removed this Deepavali and an atmosphere of positivity will be created in the world”. 

Dr. Mandaviya said that we witnessed the importance of knowledge and wisdom when COVID-19 had spread across the world and scientists world over came together and succeeded in finding a solution for it. The Health Minister congratulated the Indian scientists who worked together with developed countries and became successful in developing vaccines for COVID-19. He said that India could become triumphant in developing 'Swadeshi Vaccines' because of the scientists' hard-work and PM Narendra Modi's faith in the country’s scientific community. 

Speaking about India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Health Minister asserted that 70 percent population of the country is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 today. He said that under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India could launch the biggest vaccination drive 'Sabko Vaccine, Muft Vaccine'. He added that India could attain the pride of achieving 100 crore vaccinations within a short period of nine months and had administered 200 crore vaccinations in 18 months. “India could achieve success in the vaccination drive because of Hon'ble PM's able leadership, scientific community's wisdom, vaccinators' hard-work and the indomitable spirit of the vaccine manufacturing companies”. Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Biological E and Zydus Cadila are the companies which assisted the Government of India at all stages of the vaccination program, said Dr. Mandaviya.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister said that bringing out vaccine is a great scientific achievement in the fight against diseases. It is the most cost-effective public health tool for preventing diseases across all countries, he added. “I feel happy as the vaccination coverage has increased across the world and lakhs of lives are saved as its result”. He also said that India has also continuously increased its vaccination coverage. The country's 'Universal Immunization Program' stands as an evidence for it, said Dr. Mandaviya. The country has also worked for improving the scope of health-care delivery at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, he also said. “We have a strong workforce in the healthcare sector, which includes ASHA Workers. Thus, healthcare services reach out even to the last citizen in the country”.

WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Serum Institute of India’s MD Cyrus S. Poonawalla and CEO Adar Poonawalla, Bharat Biotech Pvt. Ltd.’s Sai D. Prasad were present on the occasion, while WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, CEPI’s Dr. Richard Hatchett, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Regional Director of the WHO in the Americas Dr. Carissa F. Etienne and the President and CEO of PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health) Nikolaj Gilbert joined the session virtually.

नियंत्रित आहार तथा व्यायाम से ही हो सकता है मोटापे के 50 प्रतिशत रोगियों का इलाज

— विनोद कुमार

भारत के बारे में यह सामान्य धारणा है कि यह कुपोषित और कम वजन वाले लोगों का देश है लेकिन इसके विपरीत वास्तविकता यह है कि भारत ‘‘मोटापा विस्फोट’’ के मुहाने पर खड़ा है जहां की लगभग 15 प्रतिशत आबादी (करीब 20 करोड़ लोग) मोटापे से ग्रस्त हैं जो मधुमेह समेत अनेक गंभीर स्वास्थ्य समस्याओं से ग्रस्त हो सकते हैं। 

भारत आज मधुमेह की विश्व राजधानी बन गया है और विशेषज्ञों के अनुसार इसका मुख्य कारण यहां के लोगों में मोटापे का बढ़ता प्रकोप है। भारत में मधुमेह के आठ करोड़ मरीज हैं। यहीं नहीं, मोटे लोगों की संख्या के मामले में भारत का स्थान अमरीका और चीन के बाद तीसरा है। भारत में हर तीन में से एक व्यक्ति या तो मोटा है या अधिक वजन का है। 

ओबेसिटी सर्जरी सोसायटी आफ इंडिया (ओएसएसआई) के उपाध्यक्ष डाॅ. अरूण प्रसाद ने बताया कि मोटापे के कारण हृदय रोगों तथा उच्च रक्त चाप के खतरे बढ़ जाते हैं और दिल के दौरे के कारण मरीज की मौत की आशंका बढ़ जाती है। इसके अलावा मोटापे के कारण लीवर की बीमारियां, किडनी के खराब होने, कैंसर, स्लीप एप्निया के खतरे बढ़ जाते हैं। महिलाओं में मोटापे के कारण गर्भधारण नहीं होने, बच्चे पैदा नहीं होने और पोलीसिस्टिक ओवरी की आशंका अधिक होती है। 

डाॅ. अरूण प्रसाद कहते हैं कि कई लोग वजन घटाने के लिये सीधे बरिएट्रिक सर्जरी का सहारा लेना चाहते हैं, लेकिन सबसे पहले नियंत्रित आहार एवं व्यायाम का सहारा लेना चाहिये और अक्सर देखा जाता है कि करीब 50 प्रतिशत मोटे लोगों में इन उपायों के जरिये ही मोटापे का समाधान हो जाता है। वजन घटाने के लिये बरिएट्रिक सर्जरी, लिपोसक्शन अथवा बॉडी कॉन्टूरिंग का सहारा तब लिया जाना चाहिये जब आहार नियंत्रण, व्यायाम एवं जीवन शैली में बदलाव आदि के उपाय विफल साबित हो जायें। उन्होंने बताया कि वजन घटाने की सर्जरी बेहोश करके की जाती है और इस सर्जरी के लिये अब रोबोट की मदद ली जाने लगी है जिससे सर्जरी सटीक होती है। यह सर्जरी उन्हीं लोगों पर की जाती है जो 100 किलो से अधिक वजन के होते हैं। सर्जरी के बाद छह महीने में ही करीब 20 किलो वजन कम हो जाता है। इस सर्जरी पर करीब ढाई से तीन लाख के बीच खर्च होता है। 

डाॅ. अरूण प्रसाद ने बताया कि पिछले साल भारत में ऐसी करीब 12 हजार सर्जरी हुयी जबकि हमारे देश में हर साल करीब 50 हजार लोगों को इस सर्जरी की जरूरत है। देश में करीब 15 प्रतिशत लोग अर्थात करीब 20 करोड़ लोग मोटापे के शिकार हैं और इन्हें मोटापे से निजात दिलाने के लिये आखिरी विकल्प के तौर पर सर्जरी का सहारा लेना चाहिये। 

सही समय पर इलाज नहीं हो पाने के कारण बढ रहा है स्तन कैंसर का प्रकोप

 – विनोद कुमार

नई दिल्ली ‚ 15 जुलाई। भारतीय मरीजों में स्तन कैंसर के ग्रेड और चरण अन्य देशों की तुलना में अधिक उच्च होते हैं। यहां तक कि पढ़ी-लिखी जो महिलाएं स्तन कैंसर का इलाज कराती हैं वे भी इलाज के लिए वैकल्पिक विधियों को अपनाती हैं। 

कीमोथेरेपी या मास्टेक्टोमी सर्जरी के बारे में कई गलतफहमी और जागरूकता की कमी है और इसके कारण ज्यादातर महिलाएं समय पर इलाज नहीं कराती हैं और ज्याद दातर वैकल्पिक दवाइयों के विकल्प को चुनती हैं। हालांकि प्रारंभ में ऐसे उपचार मरीजों के लिए लुभावने लगते हैं लेकिन जैसे ही बीमारी के चरण बढ़ते हैं और बीमारी उनके नियंत्रण से बाहर हो जाती है, तो वे एलोपैथिक उपचार का विकल्प चुनती हैं। इस कारण वे समय पर इलाज नहीं करा पाती हैं। 

मैक्स सपर स्पेशियलिटी हॉस्पिटल  के ब्रेस्ट ओंकोलॉजी की वरिष्ठ कंसल्टेंट डॉ. एस. वेदा पद्म प्रिया ने कहा, " भारत में, सालाना हर पच्चीस में से एक महिला में स्तन कैंसर का निदान किया जाता है, जो अमेरिका / ब्रिटेन जैसे विकसित देशों की तुलना में कम है जहां सालाना 8 में से 1 रोगी में स्तन कैंसर का निदान किया जाता हैहालांकि इस तथ्य के कारण कि विकसित देशों में जागरूकता की काफी महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका रही है और वहां वहां शुरुआती चरणों में ही ऐसे अधिकतर मामलों का निदान और इलाज किया जाता है और इसलिए वहां जीवित रहने की दर बेहतर होती है। लेकिन जब हम भारतीय परिदृश्य पर विचार करते हैं, तो हम पाते हैं कि यहां उच्च जनसंख्या अनुपात और कम जागरूकता के कारण जीवित रहने की दर काफी कम है। जिन मरीजों में स्तन कैंसर की पहचान होती है उन मरीजों में से हर दो रोगियों में से एक रोगी की अगले पांच वर्षों में मौत हो जाती है जो 50 प्रतिशत मृत्यु दर के लिए जिम्मेदार होते हैं। शहरों में कई रोगियों में रोग की पहचान दूसरे चरण में की जाती है जब टी 2 घाव ऐसे गांठ होते हैं, जिन्हें स्पर्श करने पर महसूस किया जा सकता है लेकिन ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों के मामलों में, इन घावों का पता मेटास्टैटिक ट्यूमर में परिवर्तित होने के बाद ही चलता है

स्तन कैंसर दुनिया भर में कैंसर से ग्रस्त मरीजों में मृत्यु के प्रमुख कारणों में से एक हैग्लोबैकन 2017 के हाल के आंकड़ों के मुताबिक, भारतीय महिलाओं में स्तन कैंसर दुनिया भर में सबसे ज्यादा होता है। कैंसर की मरीजों के सबंध में नई प्रवृतियां सामने आ रही है और अस्पताल आने वाली नई मरीजों के आयु समूह में धीरे-धीरे गिरावट आ रही है और यह 55 वर्ष से कम होकर 40 वर्ष से भी कम उम्र तक गिर गया है। आईसीएमआर 2017 में दर्ज आंकड़ों के अनुसार, पिछले साल भारत में 1.5 लाख से अधिक स्तन कैंसर की मरीजों को दर्ज किया गया है। वैश्विक स्तर पर, 40 साल से कम उम्र की 7 प्रतिशत आबादी स्तन कैंसर से पीड़ित है, जबकि भारत में, यह दर दोगुनी है यानी 15 प्रतिशत है। और जिनमें 1 प्रतिशत रोगी पुरुष हैं, जिसके कारण विश्व स्तर पर भारत से स्तन कैंसर रोगियों की सबसे ज्यादा संख्या हो जाती हैस्तन कैंसर वंशानुगत होता है, इसके अलावा, कई अन्य जोखिम कारक जैसे निष्क्रिय जीवनशैली, शराब का सेवन, धूम्रपान, युवाओं में मोटापा और तनाव में वृद्धि और खराब आहार के सेवन को भी युवा भारतीय महिलाओं में स्तन कैंसर के मामलों में वृद्धि के लिए जिम्मेदार ठहराया गया है। एनसीबीआई 2016 द्वारा किए गए एक अध्ययन के अनुसार, शाकाहारी महिलाओं को स्तन कैंसर होने का खतरा 40 प्रतिशत कम होता है।

पिछले दशक में, हालांकि स्तन कैंसर के मामलों में वृद्धि हुई है, लेकिन कैंसर देखभाल के प्रति जागरूकता, पहुंच और नजरिये में परिवर्तन के कारण स्तन कैंसर से होने वाली मौतें धीरे-धीरे कम हो रही है। सरोज सुपर स्पेशियलिटी हॉस्पिटल के मेडिकल ओन्कोलॉजी के वरिष्ठ कंसल्टेंट डॉ. पी. एन उप्पल ने कहा, "लोगों में यह जागरूकता पैदा की जानी चाहिए कि प्रारंभिक चरणों में ही अधिकांश स्तन कैंसर का पता लग जाता है, क्योंकि स्तन कैंसर वाली अधिकांश महिला मेटास्टेसिस (जब ट्यूमर शरीर के अन्य अंगों में फैलता है) के बाद अस्पताल आती हैं। कैंसर के मेटास्टैटिक या उन्नत चरणों में, इसका पूरी तरह से इलाज नहीं हो पाता है और उपचार का उद्देश्य रेमिशन (जहां ट्यूमर सिकुड़ता है या गायब हो जाता है) प्राप्त करना होता है।"

165 Kg Obese Patient Undergoes Successful Knee Replacement at Shalby Hospitals Ahmedabad

• Heaviest person ever to undergo knee replacement.
• A novel implant manufactured by Shalby Advanced Technologies was utilized during the operation; it was the first of its kind in India.
• Five previous surgeries were performed on this patient from Sudan in a total of three different countries.
• Dr. Vikram Shah had successfully operated on a 162-pound Indian patient 12 years ago to perform a knee replacement. After the operation, he has had no knee problems.

Dr. Vikram Shah and his team at Shalby Hospitals in Ahmedabad performed a knee replacement surgery on both knees of a 60-year-old Sudanese woman weighing 165 kg. Mrs. Samia Ahmed is from Khartoum, Sudan's capital. Her husband is a businessman, and her son and daughter are both doctors. Another son is a medical student in Egypt. In 2005, she was diagnosed with elephantiasis, often known as elephant leg illness. The affected person's legs and limbs expand abnormally in this unusual illness spread by mosquitoes. She began to gain weight quickly because of this disease.

Our knees and hip joints bear the weight of our bodies. Obese people's knees and hips are strained because of their weight. Thus, knee osteoarthritis (arthritis of the knee joints) is a prevalent ailment among persons who are extremely obese. Mrs. Ahmed had already had two leg fractures. She broke her lower third tibia (bone just above the ankle) in her right leg in 2012, and her proximal tibia (bone just under the knee) in her left leg in 2015. She has already undergone five orthopedic surgeries for them. Two of them were completed in Sudan, two in the United Arab Emirates, and one in Egypt. She had been bedridden for several months and could only move around with extreme agony and acute pain in her knees. This case is exceptional because of her history, trauma, and significant obesity, which caused her knee joints to become profoundly arthritic and so damaged.

 

At a press conference organized at Krishna Shalby Hospitals in Ahmedabad Shalby’s team of surgeons and talked about this case in detail. The patient and her sons were also part of the conference. Shalby’s team at the conference included Dr Vikram Shah, World-renowned Joint Replacement Surgeon and Chairman & Managing Director of Shalby Hospitals, Dr Nishita Shukla, Group COO of Shalby, Dr Bharat Gajjar, Global OPD Director, and Shalby’s senior surgeons Dr Srirang Deodhar, Senior Joint Replacement Surgeon, Dr Ashish Sheth, Senior Joint Replacement Surgeon and Dr Jayesh Patil, Senior Orthopedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon. 

 

Dr. Vikram Shah, who headed the team of surgeons who performed this extremely difficult procedure at Shalby, said, "People claim that knee replacement is not advisable in excessively obese individuals. This, I believe, is a myth. In 2010, we performed knee replacement surgeries on both legs of a 162 kg Jodhpur patient. He is currently 83 years old, and none of his legs have any knee related issues. Mrs. Shamisuddin's knee replacement surgery was likewise a success. She will be able to walk now, which will increase blood circulation, and in turn, help reduce the intensity of her elephantiasis. Obesity and knee osteoarthritis are inextricably linked. Because obesity limits people's activity, they tend to gain more weight, exacerbating the illness. They can walk after the knee replacement, which helps them lose weight and results in overall better health for the patient."

 

Dr. Vikram Shah describes the surgical procedures of this exceptional case, saying, "Her high weight has put significant pressure on her knees, leading to progression of her osteoarthritis." Furthermore, she had sustained acute fractures in her legs at her knees, complicating her case even further. During her earlier procedures, plates and implants were placed into her bones. When implants are very old, they get interwoven into the bone and are extremely difficult to remove. In addition, we wanted the surgery to be as little invasive as possible, so we used a specific resurfacing tibial base plate implant, which is used when the proximal tibia (bone immediately below the knee) is obstructed by implants used in earlier surgeries. This implant, which is made at our implant manufacturing facility in the United States, is being utilized for the first time in India. Keels are normally used to secure a total knee replacement implant, however, this does not. It is a keelless tibial base plate. This implant is manufactured by Shalby Advanced Technologies and is the first of its kind implant used ever in India. "

 

"I am a doctor, as is my sister, and my brother is pursuing medicine," adds Waddah Shamisuddin, the patient's son. We wanted to be certain because selecting a doctor and hospital for my mother was a challenging task. We chose Dr. Vikram Shah and Shalby after conducting extensive study and polling a large number of individuals. I'm glad her knee replacement went well, and we're looking forward to her gradually returning to regular life."

 

Mr. Ganpat Lodha, 83, who had a knee replacement performed by Dr. Vikram Shah in 2010 when he weighed 162, says, "I had consulted many doctors at different hospitals because my condition was unique due to my weight, but I felt secure only when I met Dr. Vikram Shah. Since my operation 12 years ago, I have had no problems with my knee."

Do adults also need to be vaccinated?

 - Vinod Kumar 

Vaccination annually prevents ~6000000 vaccine preventable diseases worldwide. Vaccines contain the same germs or sometimes only a part of the germ that cause disease, but they have either been killed or inactivated to the point that they do not cause a disease but stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies, thus providing immunity from the disease.

“Prevention is better than Cure” is something that we have always known of. But did we know that the most effective way to prevent an infectious disease or its severe outcome, is vaccination? 

Diseases that used to be common around the world, including polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, rotavirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) can now be prevented by vaccination. 

However, when we think of vaccines, we envision teary-eyed children at the doctor’s clinic. Vaccines and immunization in India, so far, have been primarily directed towards infants and children, although, vaccination is as important for adults as it is for children. 

According to Dr. Vivek Nangia, Director, Pulmonology, Medical ICU and Sleep Medicine at Fortis Hospital, New Delhi , the adolescents and adults suffer a much a greater burden of illness and death due to vaccine preventable infectious diseases than do children. The success of our national childhood immunization program has resulted in the dramatic reduction in the incidence of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in the younger population but for it to benefit the population at large it needs to be complemented by vaccination in adults.

The vaccine recommendations for the adults depend on factors like age, lifestyle, high-risk medical conditions, travel plans, and what vaccines one has received in the past.

Not everyone was, or is, fully vaccinated as a child. If one missed getting vaccines for diseases like Measles, Mumps, And Rubella or Chickenpox (or varicella) as a child -- or any of those diseases themselves – then one must get the vaccination as an adult.

Importance of adult vaccination:

You may think that vaccines are only for children and may not realize that even adults get sick from vaccines preventable diseases. You need vaccines throughout your adult life, more so in the later decades when your immune system starts getting weak and you are prone for more diseases. Vaccines are important to your health and here are some reasons why.

1. You may be at risk for serious vaccine preventable diseases that are still common

2. Chronic diseases like Diabetes, Heart disease, Kidney disease or Lung disease increases the risk of some vaccine preventable diseases:

Diabetics, in particular, are highly vulnerable to many infections.

3. You can’t afford to risk getting sick:

4. You can protect your health and the health of those around you by getting the recommended vaccines:

5. Immunization provides the safe and best protection against vaccine preventable diseases:

For diseases like Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (whooping cough) immunity is not lifelong. One may have received the DPT vaccine in childhood but a booster shot of Tdap and then Td vaccine is recommended every 10 years.

An estimated 43 million episodes of ARI (acute respiratory infections) are documented, of which 4–12% of respiratory illnesses, are due to influenza

Influenza (common Flu) spreads very easily and can be a serious illness. Besides being very debilitating, it can also be life threatening, especially, in those with a weak immune system. Influenza virus undergoes mutations and changes in its genetic constitution very often, thus creating new strains and rendering the previous immunity useless. Hence, each year a new vaccine is developed to protect against the three or four strains of influenza anticipated to be most commonly circulating in the upcoming flu season. All children, adolescents and adults must receive a Flu vaccine every year at the onset of autumn, if they do not have a medical reason not to receive the vaccine.

Herpes Zoster or Shingles is a disease primarily of the adults. It is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox and can occur more than once. It manifests as a rash anywhere in the body including face and eyes with excruciating pain. This pain could interfere with day to day activities like eating, speaking, sleeping and could last for months. All adults more than 50 years must receive the shingles vaccine, even if they have suffered from the disease.

Hepatitis B is a severe liver disease. It is 50-100 times easier to be infected by hepatitis B than by HIV. It can be acquired by coming in contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids. This could happen during a sexual intercourse or just by sharing personal items like toothbrush and razors. Most infected people are symptom free in the initial stages, thus they appear normal and yet are capable of transmitting the disease to others. One’s partner may not appear ill, but could be carrying the disease. A 3 doses course of Hepatitis B vaccination is all it takes to acquire protection from this deadly disease. It also reduces the risk of liver cancer to some extent.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is another common sexually transmitted viruses which is the most common cause of cervical cancer in women and oral and genital cancers in men and women as also of genital warts in both the genders. At least half of sexually active individuals get infected with HPV sometime or the other in their lives. The vaccine to prevent HPV is most effective when administered at the onset of puberty (12-13 years of age) but can be given to girls until the age of 26 years and boys up to the age of 21 years.

Pneumococcal disease is caused by a bacteria, and can lead to serious life threatening infection in the lungs, brain and bloodstream. It can also cause debilitating disease in the joints, heart, ears and sinuses. It is transmitted through droplets released by an infected person while talking, laughing, coughing or sneezing. Anyone can get pneumococcal disease. The risks are higher in elders (> 65 years of age), cigarette smokers and in those suffering from asthma, HIV, chronic diseases of heart, lungs, liver or kidneys and diabetes. Those suffering from cancers, leukemias, lymphomas, those on chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy are also vulnerable to acquiring this disease. India alone constitutes to around 43 million childhood pneumonia cases (23% of the world’s total) and the estimated incidence of 0.37 episodes per child-year for clinical pneumonia is predicted. 

There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines (PCV 13 and PPSV 23) that are now available and both must be given to all the elders. In the younger age group PPSV 23 or both may be given depending upon the medical condition.

Typhoid and Hepatitis A are diseases which are transmitted through contaminated food and water and can be easily and effectively prevented by appropriate vaccination.

For those traveling to Sub Saharan Africa and Tropical South America, it is mandatory to take the Yellow Fever vaccination.  A single dose is sufficient to protect against the disease for as long as 10 years.

Research has shown that cost involved in vaccination is significantly outweighed, by the long term benefits that it provides. In today’s busy and high pressure lives, missing work because of a preventable illness can result in major financial losses. With ever increasing costs of healthcare, the cost of the vaccine is only a fraction of what one would have to incur towards its treatment, leave alone the irreparable organ damage that the infection may leave behind, if one survives it. Vaccines work with the body's natural defenses to reduce the chances of acquiring certain infections and suffering from their complications. Unlike most medicines, which treat or cure diseases, vaccines prevent them. Vaccines are regarded as one of the top ten effective public health interventions. Gift yourself a vaccination program this festive season and lead a more confident, protected life. Remember, you are never too old to get vaccinated.

Spike in brain diseases post Covid : Doctors

- Vinod Kumar

Covid has significantly impacted the incidence of various brain diseases in India and its full effects are going to be visible in the coming years,  Doctors have reported seeing a significant surge in cases of brain disorders like brain strokes and benign brain tumors after the Covid pandemic. 

Said Dr. Kamal Verma, Director, Neurosurgery, Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector 8, Faridabad: “Covid is a new disease that has affected all parts of the body, including the brain. We are seeing an increase in incidence of diseases that were not very common earlier. We are witnessing a significant increase in brain stroke patients. Its incidence in the younger population has increased after Covid by 5-10 percent. Other diseases of the brain like autoimmune diseases like the Guillain-Barré syndrome and paralysis have also seen a significant spike after the onset of Covid. In addition, we are seeing large number of patients with brain tumors in the last two years, whose number was not very significant before Covid.”

 

He added: “The effect of long Covid on brain is now manifesting itself, even though it is early days since the pandemic abated. It will be a few years before its full impact on the human body is understood and the reasons for the spike in various brain disorders positively corelated with Covid.”

 

Common brain diseases that in India can be divided into those caused by infections such as meningitis, viral diseases and tuberculosis of the brain, etc. and others including brain strokes, brain tumors, abnormalities like aneurism. Children too can suffer from brain diseases including tumors and birth defects. Around one lakh brain tumors are diagnosed every year in India, which is the highest in the world. Strokes too have a very high incidence, with three to four brain strokes occurring every minute in India.

 

Dr. Kamal Verma said: “Cases of brain tumor and brain strokes have increased significantly in recent times, compared to brain diseases caused by infection. Lifestyle diseases like uncontrolled blood pressure and diabetes are driving the incidence of brain strokes. The population of elderly people is also rising who are more susceptible to brain stroke due to old age. Another trend we are witnessing is an increase in the number of brain tumor patients who require surgery.”

 

Dr. Kamal Verma laid down three main risk factors for brain diseases, including smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, and blood pressure. “Smoking is a major risk factor. When we smoke, our blood vessels become narrow, adversely affecting blood supply to the brain, leading to a stroke. Uncontrolled diabetes is also a major cause of brain stroke. India is considered the diabetes capital of the world, leading to a high incidence of brain strokes. High blood pressure can cause blood clots to form in the arteries leading to the brain. They can block blood flow and cause a stroke.”

 

Dr. Kamal Verma added: “People’s lifestyle has been changing from physical activity to desk jobs and lack of exercise. The concept of preventive health does not exist in India. People do not visit a doctor for routine check-ups till they have a health problem. They do not keep their blood pressure and blood sugar controlled. This has increased the risk of brain strokes. Brain is the most important organ of the body. Just like we try to keep our body healthy, we have to learn to keep our brain healthy too by reducing the risk factors that can lead to brain diseases.”

Doctors take to road on bikes, jeeps to create awareness about cardiac health

 

Bengaluru Oct 16, 2022: A group of cardiologists, neurologists, nephrologists and other doctors from Sagar Hospitals took to the road as a part of a unique Bikeathon on Sunday Oct 2 to create awareness about heart health on the occasion of World Heart day.

The Bikeathon, organised in association with Harley Davidson , Mudstar Jeep & Traffic Warden Org., saw 45 high end bikes and 20 Jeeps with medicos riding them with pillion riders holding informational placards about heart health.

"Take care of your heart and your heart will take care of you" read one placard. Banners with messages like “Vegetables are the savior of your heart” and “Rest a little more, run an extra mile to save your heart” were also being carried to create awareness amongst the public. 

The Bikeathon was flagged off from Sagar Hospitals, Banashankari at 7 am by Member of Lok Sabha, Mr Tejaswi Surya along with popular Kannada actor Mukhyamantri Chandru. The Bikeathon followed a prescribed route that covered Kadirenehalli underpass-> Devagowda petrol bunk flyover->Ittamadu signal-> u turn under Hosakerehalli flyover-> kamakhya signal-> u turn at Sarakki signal.

 

The Bikeathon finally culminated at around 8 am outside the hospital where a talk was organised on emergency measures to be taken in case of a serious cardiac condition or a heart attack. Healthcare professionals also shared their knowledge and provided tools that one needs to live longer, healthier lives. Also, at the heart health stall, the hospital distributed the information leaflets prepared by the Cardiology Department.

 

Created by World Heart Federation, World Heart Day is a global campaign where individuals, communities and governments participate in activities to create an awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) including heart disease and stroke, which is one of the leading causes of death every year. On this World Heart Day, we are celebrating good heart health, highlighting actions that individuals can take to prevent and control Cardiovascular diseases. This year’s theme is “Use Heart for Every Heart.”

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Speaking about the event, Ms. Ishiqa Multani, President, Sagar Group of Hospitals said, “World Heart Day is one day that insists us to reflect upon our heart health, the choices we make, for the next 364 days of the year. Our overall well-being is extremely important for us and our loved ones. So let’s take charge of our and our family’s well-being NOW. We at Sagar hospitals are committed towards building healthier communities by engaging with people around us, by providing them quality healthcare which is affordable and accessible.”

 

Addressing the gathering, Dr. K.S. Kishore, Sr. Consultant Cardiologist, Sagar Hospitals, said, “The main objective on this day is to create maximum cardiac awareness, which will help us to lower the cardiac incidences. Our team of specialists at the Cardiac Department remain totally committed to offering patients effective evidence based structured programmes to prevent and treat cardiac issues.”

 

The audience included a mix of people from all over Bangalore. As heart health gets more and more traction in the country, Sagar Hospitals wishes to provide a holistic environment to its patients by continuously creating awareness about heart health, and treating people with the best state-of-the-art technologies and techniques for better outcomes.

Ayurveda industry set to enter cardiac department with scientific evidence

- Vinod Kumar  

Ayurveda industry set to enter cardiac department with scientific evidence. Industry scouts for scientific evidence-based Ayurveda to combat cardiac illness

In a bid to promote scientific evidence-based Ayurveda across the country, a four-day National Ayurved Cardiology Symposium – first of its kind in India, was held to present and share various case studies supported with clinical data about Ayurveda’s success in treating and reversing cardiac diseases. Madhavbaug, brand of Vaidya Sane Ayurved Laboratories Ltd, a specialist in treating and reversing cardiac related ailments through their Ayurvedic treatment and therapies brought together about 5,000 doctors from across India for this virtual conference, which saw even wide participation from the practitioners of modern medicines.  

The Symposium was powered by Medemy.in and MIPC chair of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences was the knowledge partner.

Addressing the participants, Dr Rohit Madhav Sane, MD & CEO of Madhavbaug underscored the need for scientific evidence based practice of Ayurveda to unleash its real potential. “A major concern about Ayurveda is the lack of evidence based approach in its treatment procedure. Any treatment method to stand the test of time should be scientifically proven. We have taken a major initiative in that direction by developing a standard treatment protocol for over 100 disorders based on clinically validated data,” Dr Sane added.

In her inaugural speech, Dr Madhuri Kanitkar, Lt. Gen (Retd), Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHA) made a strong pitch for the proper documentation of Ayurveda’s success in treating various illnesses.

Echoing a similar thought, Dr Jagdish Hiremath, Chair Professor of Madhavbaug Institute of Preventive Cardiology chair by Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, said proper scientific record of various Ayurvedic treatment therapies and drugs will help the industry to make a major mark at the global level.
1510 Ayurveda Doctors participated on virtual platform of ZOOM, FB, LinkedIn etc, The four day virtual event witnessed around 82 ayurvedic cardiac specialists from Maharashtra, Gujrat, MP, UP, Karnataka, Goa presenting their extra-ordinary and challenging case studies supported by clinical data about ayurvedic management of various cardio metabolic disorders. 

Some of the major case studies presented during the symposium include role of Pranayama in Chronic stable angina, role of sasneha virechana in hypertension, role of vrana upkrama in diabetic wound management, role of set of asanas in primary prevention of CHF, effect of Langhan in fluid retention in known case chronic heart failure, obesity management in patients with comorbidities and role of 800 cal low carbohydrate diet and herbal medicines in diabetes patients among others.  

Dr Omkar Chaudhari, Dr Aman Kapoor, Dr Nilesh Kulthe, Dr Saadik Khan, Dr Ranjit Narang and Dr Pravin with Team of technical support Organised the complete Event.

The event assumes significance in the backdrop of sharp increase in deaths due to cardiovascular ailments, witnessed even in younger population. According to various industry reports, incidence of death due to cardio vascular disease has increased by 32 per cent in last 25 years. Interestingly, cardio related ailments remained a prime cause of hospitalisation, often a major drain on families saving and premature deaths in India. With modern medicine unable to reduce high incidence of deaths on account of cardiac illness, evidence-based success stories from Scientific Ayurveda – spearheaded by Madhavbaug is expected to make cardiac treatment affordable and accessible to many individuals across India.

Madhavbaug, has published over 150 research reports in peer reviewed allopathic medical journals - nationally and globally highlighting its success in treating and reversing lifestyle disorders like diabetes, cardio-vascular disease, hypertension and obesity.

India Needs ‘Opt-Out’ Model for Organ Donation to Meet Shortages: Doctors

- Vinod Kumar

To address shortages of organs available for transplant, India needs an opt-out model for organ donation on the lines of some European countries where consent for organ donation is assumed to be granted by everyone unless an individual while alive had explicitly opted to bar donating his/her organs after brain death.

Said Dr. Tanmay Pandya, HOD & Director – Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, Faridabad: “India faces an acute shortage of organs harvested from cadavers for transplant. More than 2.5 lakh new kidney failure patients are diagnosed in the country each year. Transplant is the only long-term solution in these cases. However, kidneys harvested from people declared brain-dead account for less than 5% of kidney transplants happening in India. The rest are contributed by living donors such as family members. As a result, vast majority of patients of kidney failure continue to remain on dialysis.”

 

Organ donation rates are very discouraging in India. Increasing the percentage of people who opt to donate organs after death will radically change the organ transplantation scenario in India for the better.

 

Said Dr. Tanmay Pandya: “All organs that can be donated are in short supply in India. The nationwide deceased donation rate is less than 1 per million population here, compared to countries like Spain where this figure is 34. The difference is that Spain in 1979 moved to a ‘soft opt-out’ organ donor register, meaning that when someone dies, it is presumed they want to donate their organs, unless they actively opted out of the system when alive. India should explore a similar system which is being adopted in other Western countries too. If deceased donation rates improve to 8 to 9 per million population in India, there will be no need to harvest organs from living donors, and the waiting list will drastically reduce.”

 

He added: “There are other reasons too for low organ donation rates. Not many patients are declared brain dead in India, especially in smaller towns, due to lack of awareness among doctors and the belief that as long as the patient’s heart is beating, there is hope. This impacts the identification of potential donors. Even for brain-dead patients, the next of kin needs to give consent, but they are so emotionally devastated at the time, any talk with them for organ donation is very awkward and painful. They are not in the frame of mind to talk and cannot comprehend the donor formalities. Many of them are suspicious that the hospital may try to sell the donated organs. There are some misconceptions too. Many people feel that if they donate an organ, they will be born without that organ in their next birth.”

 

The solution is a continuing pan-India campaign to encourage organ donation, the doctor added. “Awareness about organ donation should start early in one’s life. School children should be taught about organ donation as part of their biology class. Also, movement of donated organs from one state to another wherever there is a need should be encouraged and made easier. For this, coordination between states needs to improve. In the absence of an opt-out system in India for organ donation, the family of donors should be incentivized by the government in some way to make them more receptive to the idea.”

Input cost inflation continues to push up corporate revenues but disrupts margins: ICRA

 

·       While Corporate India reported positive revenue growth trends during Q1 FY2023, earnings pressure continued due to commodity and energy cost inflation, and supply chain disruptions

·       ICRA’s sample of 620 listed companies (excluding financial sector entities) reported 39% YoY growth in revenues during Q1 FY2023, while OPM contracted by 213 bps

·       Margin recovery is expected from H2 FY2023, although contingent on resolution of aforementioned challenges

 

A study of 620 listed companies by ICRA Research of Q1 FY2023 performance has expectedly shown positive trends in revenues, with Corporate India’s  aggregate revenues (excluding financial sector entities) growing by 39.1% on a YoY basis. This growth in revenues was optically aided by the low base of the previous year, which had been impacted by the second wave of the pandemic, as also the price hikes witnessed across several sectors. However, the sequential growth in revenues during the quarter was dismal at 1.5% and the trends varied across sectors. Companies were however, unable to realise the benefits of the revenue growth in its earnings performance, with the OPM contracting on both the YoY as well as the sequential basis during Q1 FY2023.

 

Commenting on the trends, Ms. Kinjal Shah, Vice President & Co-Group Head, ICRA, said, “Demand revival post the pandemic led to the sharp rally in prices of most commodities especially metals to multi-year highs during FY2022, exerting pressure on India Inc.’s margins. Prices of other commodities have also moved up over the past four-five quarters, and continued to act as headwinds to margins in Q1 FY2023. Consequently, the operating profit margin (OPM) contracted by 213 bps to 17.7% during the quarter. While these have seen some softening over the recent months, they remain at elevated levels.  In addition, several sectors also faced rural demand softening, which impacted revenues and margins to an extent. Nevertheless, price hikes taken by several entities across sectors, coupled with the softening in input costs during Q2 FY2023, should provide some comfort to the OPM going forward.”

 

In terms of industry-wise performance, while sectors like hotels, power, retail and oil & gas, among others, reported significant QoQ growth in revenues in Q1 FY2023, a few other sectors like airlines, construction, capital goods and iron & steel witnessed sequential decline in revenues. ICRA notes that the sequential growth momentum was most pronounced in energy-oriented sectors such as oil and gas, power, and also hospitality sectors such as hotels, with both volume and realisation growth supporting revenues during the quarter. Sectors like FMCG, on the other hand, reported modest single-digit growth, primarily led by price hikes undertaken to offset the input cost inflation, while volume growth was subdued.

 

The interest coverage ratio of ICRA’s sample, adjusted for sectors with relatively low debt levels (IT, FMCG and pharma) witnessed a YoY improvement in Q1 FY2023 to 5.5 times, despite the moderation in OPM. The YoY improvement in credit metrics was on account of the a) expansion in absolute operating profits as the demand situation improved and b) reduction in interest costs, given the general deleveraging trends across most sectors.

 

Ms. Sruthi Thomas, Assistant Vice President & Sector Head, ICRA Ratings, added, “While the credit metrics remained at an adequate level in Q1 FY2023, marginal improvement is likely going forward given the recent trends in softening of commodity prices, reduction in energy cost and easing of supply chain constraints. However, the ongoing geo-political developments, as well as the changes in Monetary Policy, including firming up of interest rates, and their impact on the demand environment, remains to be seen.”

ICRA believes that the Q2 FY2023 performance of India Inc. would face similar constraints as supply chain issues are easing only gradually, while commodity-led headwinds continue, especially in the wake of the elevated crude oil prices, depreciation of the INR vis-à-vis US$ and the geo-political developments. Further, the progress of monsoon will be critical to support demand recovery in rural markets, which have been subdued. The combined impact of these multiple factors on the credit metrics of India Inc. remains to be seen. The weakening of overall performance would be especially visible in sectors which have limited ability to pass on the inflationary pressures through price hikes to end customers. Fear of global recession also remains an evolving risk for export-focused sectors such as IT, automotive and industrials. 

Ahead of World Heart Day, Doctors Collaborate with IACTS to Launch its Outreach Program

- Vinod Kumar

The outreach program’s launch coinciding with World Heart Day aims to disseminate knowledge to the public and influence fellow healthcare professionals to foster cardiac health 

 

Bengaluru, 13 October 2022: Fortis Hospital today joined hands with The Indian Association of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgeons (IACTS) for the launch of its Outreach Program organized at the hospital. 

Inspired by Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the outreach program is a nationwide initiative launched by IACTS to engage with the public to foster cardiac health and inspire a new generation of cardiac enthusiasts to make every heartbeat count.  

 

Fortis CG known for its excellence in interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery has always been at the forefront of promoting heart health and delivering state of the art cardiac care to the patients. In line with its objectives, the hospital has partnered with IACTS to strengthen its mission and reach of the same.   

 

The event witnessed introduction of the outreach program by Dr. CS Hiremath, Secretary, IACTS and a video message from the President of IACTS followed by a talk on cardiac health awareness by Dr. Vivek Jawali - Chairman: Cardiovascular Sciences & the Executive Council of the Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore and Past-President, IACTS. A yoga session was also conducted post the talk to demonstrate how yoga promotes heart health to commemorate World Heart Day.  

 

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Vivek Jawali – Chairman: Cardiovascular Sciences & the Executive Council of the Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore and Past-President, IACTS said, “I congratulate IACTS on the launch of the Outreach Program. This is a great initiative by IACTS which not only helps in creating awareness on cardiac health but also provides support and exposure to the medical community that they demand and deserve. Maintaining our heart health is extremely important. However, unfortunately many ignore it as it does not have immediate effect on the body. Sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits, unhealthy food choices and stress can all contribute to your chances of developing a heart disease. Having said that, maintaining a healthy lifestyle while getting regular heart screenings can minimize the risk factors and diagnose your conditions at an early age as well as minimize the risk factors respectively.”  

Speaking on the launch Dr. C.S Hiremath, Secretary, Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons, said, “We are extremely pleased and honoured to have Fortis CG join hands with us to launch IACTS Outreach. Through this program, we intend to strengthen the Association's activities beyond the CTVS community. The goals of the program are to educate everyone about heart health and persuade healthcare professionals to promote cardiac health, and make every heartbeat count.” 

One Tele-MANAS Cell to be established in each State/UT

Vinod Kumar

10 OCT 2022 4, New Delhi. Establishing a new milestone in the field of mental health on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare was launched today virtually by Sh. Thawar Chand Gehlot, Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, in the presence of Dr. K. Sudhakar, Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education, Karnataka & Vice-President, NIMHANS.

•  Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative launched on occasion of World Mental Health Day
• 24X7 tele-mental Health Services available on Toll Free Number- 14416
• Network of 23 tele-mental Health Centres of Excellence created; NIMHANS, Bengaluru and IIITB to be nodal mentoring Institutes
• Reiterating Government’s vision for providing access for all to mental healthcare services, at least One Tele-MANAS Cell to be established in each State/UT

Acknowledging the mental health crisis in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and an urgent need to establish a digital mental health network that will withstand the challenges amplified by the pandemic, Government of India announced National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) in the Union Budget 2022-23. 

Tele-MANAS aims to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly catering to people in remote or under-served areas. The programme includes a network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence, with NIMHANS being the nodal centre and International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIITB) providing technology support. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bengaluru and National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHRSC) will provide the technical support.

The Union Government aims to open at least one Tele-MANAS Cell in each State/UT.

A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) has been set up across the country allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. Service is also accessible with 1-800-91-4416. The calls would be routed to Tele-MANAS cells in the respective state and union territory.

Tele-MANAS will be organised in two tier system; Tier 1 comprises of state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists. Tier 2 will comprise of specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation. Presently there are 5 regional coordination centres along with 51 State/UT Tele MANAS cells.

The initial rollout providing basic support and counselling through centralized Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) is being customized for use across all States and UTs. This will not only help in providing immediate mental healthcare services, but also facilitate continuum of care. Specialised care is being envisioned through the programme by linking Tele-MANAS with other services like National tele-consultation service, e-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, mental health professionals, Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres and emergency psychiatric facilities. Eventually, this will include the entire spectrum of mental wellness and illness, and integrate all systems that provide mental health care. NIMHANS has conducted training for 900 Tele MANAS counsellors from majority of States/UTs.

The mentoring institutes are as follows: AIIMS, Patna, AIIMS Raipur, CIP Ranchi, AIIMS Bhopal, AIIMS Kalyani, AIIMS Bhubaneshwar, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Hospital for Mental Health, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Inst. of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour Bambolim Goa, AIIMS, Nagpur, AIIMS, Jodhpur, KGMU Lucknow, AIIMS Rishikesh, IHBAS, Delhi, IGMS, Shimla, Psychiatric Diseases Hospital, Govt. Medical College, Srinagar, LGBRIMH, Tezpur, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, IMHANS, Kozhikode, Kerala, IMH, Chennai, IMH, Hyderabad, JIPMER and AIIMS, Mangalagiri.

States/UTs launching Tele Mental Health Programme today include Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli and daman and Diu, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director, NIMHANS, Shri Vishal Chauhan, JS (MoHFW), students, faculties and other dignitaries along with the senior officials of the Ministry were present at the event.