Gut fungi exacerbate severe COVID-19 lung inflammation even after a year Gut fungi exacerbate severe COVID-19 lung inflammation even after a year Content Editor: Dr. Rashmi Verma November 20, 2023 Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy COVID-19, Fungal Infection, Long Covid A recent study published in Nature Immunology discovered heightened inflammation in severe COVID-19 due to gut fungi. Blood sample analysis reinforced this discovery when researchers found IgG antibodies against gut fungi and increased lung neutrophils in severe COVID-19 patients. Further, mouse models validated the role of gut fungi, particularly Candida albicans , in triggering increased neutrophils in both the blood and lungs. In COVID-19 patients, the long-term effects were noticeable. A year after the infection, activated stem cells continued targeting fungi, and antifungal antibodies remained in the bloodstream. Neutrophils and antibodies were reduced by IL-6 blockers and antifungal medications, especially in tocilizumab-treated individuals, suggesting possible treatment options. Though guidelines stand, findings suggest tailored treatments using antifungal antibodies, which could also be considered a marker of increased risk of COVID-19.

Report on the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission Content Editor: Dr. Akhila Nandan August 3, 2023 at 12:30:00 PM Jal Jeevan Mission, Water, Sanitation The Government of India has been implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission-Har Ghar Jal initiative since 2019 in partnership with the states. This initiative aims to provide tap water supplies to every rural household in the country. As of 2019, only 19% of rural households were equipped with a tap water supply, which has increased to 64.95% as of July 2023. This progress has been mirrored by the North-Eastern states, where 57.43% of the rural households were equipped with tap water supply as of July 2023. Additionally, under the mission, 10% weightage has been given to the population residing in the areas affected by chemical contaminants during the fund allocation. The states have also been advised to plan and implement piped water schemes for villages with water quality issues. Click here to read more Previous Next

Nayi Chetna 3.0: A shield against gender-based violence. Nayi Chetna 3.0: A shield against gender-based violence. Content Editor: Dr Sivanthiga December 10, 2024 Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India Gender-based violence, women empowerment, gender equality Nayi Chetna 2.0 was an effective outreach activity that facilitated more than 9 lakh community-led activities and reached over six crore individuals. Nayi Chetna 3.0 involves the following: Gender Resource Centers : 227 new gender resource centers were inaugurated across 13 states to provide support and safe spaces for survivors. Success stories of such survivors were a testimony shared in the launch event. Self-help group involvement: The initiative leverages the extensive network of self-help groups to foster gender equality and support survivors. Inter-Ministerial collaboration : An advisory involving eight ministries to enhance coordinated efforts against gender-based Violence was unveiled. Collective action promotes a ‘whole of society’ approach, encouraging community involvement in combating gender-based Violence. Awareness and empowerment: The month-long campaign aims to raise awareness, encourage community dialogue, and empower local institutions to act against Violence. Click here to read more.

Curbing junk food in colleges: A push for healthier canteens Curbing junk food in colleges: A push for healthier canteens Content Editor: Dr. Sakshi July 24, 2024 Social Trends Obesity, Unhealthy packaged food, Policy action India is grappling with a severe health crisis, marked by a surge in obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases . A staggering one in four Indians is affected by these conditions, according to the ICMR report of 2020-2023. National Advocacy in Public interest (NAPi) is a national think tank on nutrition-consisting of independent experts in epidemiology, human nutrition, community nutrition and pediatrics, medical education, administration, social work, and management. NAPi is urging for a transformation in school food environments to combat the escalating obesity and diabetes crisis. By banning unhealthy food sales and promoting nutritious options in school canteens , NAPi aims to accelerate the implementation of the National Multi-Sectoral Action Plan. In view of the advocacy measure, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has advised the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to forbid the sale of unhealthy foods, promoting healthier food options.

Launch of the "Impact well-being"- campaign to tackle healthcare workers burnout Launch of the "Impact well-being"- campaign to tackle healthcare workers burnout Content Editor:Anubhav Mondal November 21, 2023 Centre for Disease Control Occupational health, well being Impact Wellbeing is a new campaign launched by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This campaign provides hospital leaders with evidence-based resources to improve workplace policies and practices. These will help: Reduce burnout Normalize help-seeking Strengthen professional well-being. Impact Wellbeing assists hospital executives and their healthcare workforce by providing concrete measures to: Fine-tune quality improvements Build new workflows Make employees feel safe seeking help Furthermore, hospital administrators can eliminate one of the most significant system impediments to healthcare worker well-being: intrusive mental health questions on hospital credentialing forms. For more than 50 years, NIOSH has provided methods and resources to workers and employers, including hospital management, in order to promote sustainable, safe workplaces.

The South Tops the list- Healthy States Progressive India Report. The South Tops the list- Healthy States Progressive India Report. Content Editor: Dr. Akhila Nandan June 24, 2023 The Indian Express Health Parameter, NITI Aayog, Health index, state ranking • Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana garlanded as the top performers in the NITI Aayog’s Annual Health Index in the year 2020-21. • The NITI Aayog shared the fifth health index (2020-21) report – Healthy States Progressive India Report ranking all States and Union Territories. • The incremental and overall performance are the key determinants of the index in which the states and UT are categorized into ‘larger’ and ‘smaller’ states and UTs and then ranked according to their scores. • While Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana bagged the first, second and third places respectively, Bihar(19), UP(18), and Madhya Pradesh (17) were sloths among ‘larger’ states. • Among smaller states, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim took the top three slots in terms of overall performance, while Manipur (6th), Arunachal Pradesh (7th) and Nagaland (8th) were at the bottom in 2019-20.

Outbreak of West Nile virus in Kerala Outbreak of West Nile virus in Kerala Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala May 9, 2024 Directorate of Health Services, Kerala Communicable Disease, West Nile Virus, Outbreak West Nile virus outbreaks have been reported in recent years in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu in India. The West Nile virus causes a self-limiting illness presenting as fever, headache, and nausea. <1% of the disease presents as acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) or acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). The bite of the Culex mosquito spreads the virus, and the disease usually affects adults. Since May 2024, 6 confirmed cases, 1 death, and 1 suspected case of West Nile virus have been reported at the IDSP by the State Surveillance Unit, Directorate of Health Services, Kerala. A total of 7 cases have been reported this year from the districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Thrissur. The District Vector Control Units have stepped up the vector control measures, mosquito sample testing, and awareness activities. Click here to read more.

A systematic analysis of the gender gap: Findings from the global burden of diseases study Content Editor: Dr. Shubham May 14, 2024 at 12:30:00 PM Global Burden of Disease, DALY, Morbidity, Mortality There has been research to determine the factors contributing to DALY in GBD that affect women more than men , but a systemic analysis reveals another layer of gender-based inequalities that offers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of regional and worldwide trends. The absolute disparities between genders were calculated using the DALY rate for the 20 leading causes of disease. The DALY rates for females were higher than those for males for seven leading diseases. This includes diseases such as: Low back pain Depressive disorders Headache disorders Anxiety disorders Various musculoskeletal diseases Dementia HIV/AIDS. It also found that the absolute differences between the age-standardized rates of DALYs for men and women changed gradually with time. In particular, Depressive disorders had the second-largest absolute difference in DALY rates worldwide, affecting women disproportionately (1019·0 for females and 670·6 for males). With 1767·8 more DALYs per 100,000 among males than among females in 2021, COVID-19 had the biggest absolute difference between genders globally given its overall magnitude. Diabetes had an increase in the absolute difference between males and females in DALYs per 100,000, from 56·1 in 1990 to 142·7 in 2021, even though these conditions had an increase in the difference favoring females. Between 1990 and 2021, the gap in HIV/AIDS between males and females grew from being nonexistent to negatively affecting women. The difference in global DALY rates for males and females across age categories, in 2021 for cirrhosis and other liver illnesses, chronic renal disease, tuberculosis, Alzheimer's disease, other dementias, cirrhosis, and other diseases remained unchanged. Policymakers must consider the increasing morbidity rate among females and the growing proportion of females in aging populations. Click here to read more. Previous Next