Household energy insecurity and Diabetes prevalence among US adults, 2020 Household energy insecurity and Diabetes prevalence among US adults, 2020 Content Editor: Dr. Soundhar October 26, 2024 Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) Non communicable disease, International Health, Energy insecurity Study used data from 2020 Residential Energy consumption survey(RECS) and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s US Diabetes Surveillance system to obtain 2020 state level diagnosed diabetes prevalence. Study stated that states with high prevalence of energy insecurity had higher prevalence of diabetes mainly among southern states. Additionally it found that reducing or forgoing food or medicine to pay energy costs was the most common form of energy insecurity. Low prevalence of ever receiving energy assistance gives opportunity to lower energy insecurity in states with high disease burden. Even though there are programmes they have been underfunded and subjected to budget cuts in giving energy related assistance programs for low income households. Click here to read more

The Gandhinagar Declaration: Sustain, Accelerate and Innovate The Gandhinagar Declaration: Sustain, Accelerate and Innovate Content Editor: Dr. M Swathi Shenoy August 25, 2023 Press Information Bureau Global health, Tuberculosis, SDG A ministerial meeting with the Health ministers of the member states of the WHO South-East Asian Region (SEAR) took place in Gandhinagar. The meeting- Sustain, Accelerate and Innovate to End TB in SEAR was co-chaired by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO. The Gandhinagar declaration was signed at the meeting, which includes the following key points: It commends the initiatives to increase community participation such as the use of Nutritional baskets. It also expresses confidence that the member states will be able to end TB by 2030 by continued efforts in the right direction. Dr. Mandaviya reiterated India’s commitment to eliminating TB from India by 2025 , five years ahead of the global Sustainable Development Goals. The Health Minister also emphasized the various initiatives undertaken by the country- including increased involvement of the private sector, the Nikshay Mitras, and the Nikshay Poshan Yojana initiative. India has achieved a 13% reduction in TB incidence and a 15% decrease in mortality from 2015 to 2022.

The NMC Registered Medical Practitioner Regulations, 2023 The NMC Registered Medical Practitioner Regulations, 2023 Content Editor: Dr. M Swathi Shenoy August 26, 2023 Medical Dialogues Laws and Regulations, Medical Practice, Ethics India's National Medical Commission (NMC) released the NMC Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) Regulations, 2023. This includes Code of Ethics The Geneva Declaration, known as the "Physician's Pledge," The ethical principles included in the code of ethics are: Beneficence Non-maleficence Empathy Respect for patient's autonomy and confidentiality Integrity Honesty Justice It was emphasized that these aren't laws but are standards that a physician is expected to practice as a medical professional. Under the code of ethics, there is a set of "must" follow guidelines and a set of "shall/should" follow guidelines. The Regulations also included the Physician's Pledge, a part of the Geneva Declaration. However, another release by the NMC clarified that these Regulations aren’t operative and effective until further notification is issued.

National Policy for Menstrual Hygiene in schools to be created by the Centre National Policy for Menstrual Hygiene in schools to be created by the Centre Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal April 14, 2023 The Hindu Mentrual hygiene, adolescent By providing sanitary pads, vending machines, and disposal facilities in addition to separate restrooms for females in schools, this would assist establish a regular policy to ensure menstrual hygiene. This is essential for young girls' public health, especially at government-sponsored and residential institutions. The court also directed the States and Union Territories four weeks to submit their menstrual hygiene programmes to the Union Health Secretary. The court further requested information regarding the ratio of female restrooms to male restrooms, the amount of money spent on sanitary napkins, as well as vending machines and disposal facilities at schools. After three months, the case was finally listed at the end of July.

Undiagnosed Disease Outbreak in Panzi: Children Severely Affected Amidst Healthcare Challenges Undiagnosed Disease Outbreak in Panzi: Children Severely Affected Amidst Healthcare Challenges Content Editor: Dr Chinmay December 24, 2024 WHO News section Outbreak, international health news, undiagnosed disease An outbreak of an undiagnosed disease has emerged in the Panzi health zone, Kwango Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, affecting primarily children. Since October 2024, 406 cases and 31 deaths have been reported, with a case-fatality ratio of 7.6%. The disease presents with a cluster of symptoms, including fever, headache, cough, runny nose, and body aches . Severe malnutrition is a significant concern, particularly among children under five, and is often present in severe cases. The remote location of Panzi, coupled with limited access to healthcare and diagnostic resources, presents significant challenges to the response. Rapid response teams have been deployed to investigate the outbreak, collect samples for laboratory analysis, and provide medical care. While the exact cause remains unknown, potential suspects include acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles, and malaria. However, the possibility of multiple contributing factors, including co-infections, cannot be ruled out. Click here to read more.

124 passengers on screening at ports in India tested COVID positive 124 passengers on screening at ports in India tested COVID positive January 6, 2023 Times of India COVID-19 Of the 19,227 international passengers screened at random for COVID-19 at Indian air,sea and land ports between 24th Dec 2022 to 3rd Jan 2023, 124 were found to be positive according to the Union Health Ministry. Of them 40 samples underwent Whole Genome Sequencing. In all 11 variants and 9 lineages of SARS-CoV-2 were identified. Of the 40 samples, 14 (35%) were of XBB lineage; 9 (23%) of BQ lineage; 3 of CH lineage. The variant BF.7 (currently one of the variants responsible for surge in COVID cases in China) accounted for 1.2% of samples sequenced, according to Indian Sars-CoV-2 genomic sequencing consortium, INSACOG. Omicron and its sub lineages (XBB) continue to be the major cause of COVID-19 in India (INSACOG).

Pop culture as a weapon for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Pop culture as a weapon for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Content Editor: Dr. Sakshi Aggarwal April 30, 2024 Social Trends AMR, Health Promotion The caricature, born from a co-design workshop at the Dutch Embassy last November, draws inspiration from Pac-Man and features AMR superheroes combating superbugs in a dynamic battleground, unveiled by Ambassador Marisa Gerards last Thursday. Antimicrobial resistance(AMR) is one of the top 10 worldwide health challenges of the twenty-first century, according to the World Health Organization. "AMR, a growing health concern, resulted in over 1.2 million deaths worldwide in 2019 due to antibiotic misuse in healthcare and agriculture, with antibiotic residues detected in the environment, water, and food, complicating treatment for severe infections," highlighted Gerards. This event is one example of community ownership for health promotion.

Case study of Kerala: The successful trendsetter for Community-based palliative care. Case study of Kerala: The successful trendsetter for Community-based palliative care. Content Editor: Dr.Sivanthiga.G June 2, 2023 The Hindu Palliative Care, Community engagement, Social care India’s palliative care coverage has not gone beyond megacities(approximately 4%). But, Kerala’s community-based model stands as a testimony showing that universal, cost-free, home care unit type of palliative care is feasible and sustainable . Palliative care in Kerala is comprehensive including medical, financial, bereavement, and rehabilitative support. Uninterrupted patient services, economic self-sufficiency, and volunteering efforts are the pillars of success here. It is supplemented by the State Government through the ‘Pariraksha’project . Need-based home care is rendered by Volunteers, nurses, and doctors where patients’ needs are 20% medical and 80% social .

Indian Institute is one of the top public health institutes in the World Indian Institute is one of the top public health institutes in the World Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala March 14, 2024 International Journal of Public Health Public Health, Research findings Researchers ranked public health institutes across the globe using 11 indicators . The ranking was based on quality, productivity, reader accessibility, and international-level collaboration. 26 Public Health schools were included in the ranking. The top 5 institutes consisted of: The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Public Health Foundation of India, then The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health The Swiss School of Public Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health This system aims to uphold the true standards of robustness and transparency in ranking the public health institutes that have huge implications on funding and Public Health policies.

Assessing TAK-003: A new frontier in Dengue prevention Content Editor: Dr. Gurumurthy May 15, 2024 at 1:30:00 PM Vaccine, Infective disease, Dengue Dengue, a significant global health issue, has led to the development of TAK-003 (Qdenga) by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. This live attenuated tetravalent vaccine, utilizing a chimeric approach with serotype 2 as the backbone and elements from serotypes 1, 3, and 4, is designed to combat all four dengue virus strains. It will be available as either a reconstituted solution or a single-use vial or syringe. TAK-003 is administered in two 0.5 ml subcutaneous doses three months apart and is licensed for individuals aged 4 and older. Tested in the TIDES clinical trial across Asia and Latin America, the vaccine demonstrated 80.2% efficacy against dengue and 90% against hospitalization during the first 11 months post-vaccination. However, its efficacy against DENV-3 and DENV-4 was lower in those not previously exposed to the virus, leading to its recommendation in regions with high dengue transmission. TAK-003 is well-tolerated, with adverse effects comparable to placebo, and is contraindicated in pregnant or lactating women, the immunocompromised, and those allergic to its components. Endorsed for use in endemic regions by WHO for children aged 6-16 , it is also advised for travelers previously infected with dengue and individuals with specific comorbid conditions. Despite some efficacy challenges over time, TAK-003 remains a critical tool in reducing the global burden of dengue. Click here to read more. Previous Next