Navigating against the suicide clusters Navigating against the suicide clusters Content Editor: Dr. Prachi Goswami March 13, 2024 Center for Disease Control Mental Health, Suicides, Global health There were almost 48,000 suicides in 2021 in the US and suicide was among the 10 leading causes of death there. A suicide cluster is defined as a group of suicides or suicide attempts occurring closer together in time, space, or both than would normally be expected in a community. Although they are responsible for only a small proportion of suicides, they can have a significant negative effect on a community as these pose unique challenges and are often widely sensationalized. Hence suicide clusters are rare but impactful. Two types of suicide clusters have been reported- the point cluster (localized) and mass (dispersed) clusters are identified. Three reports in this supplement focus on the following: Up-to-date research findings on suicide clusters, findings of subject matter, and public health experts who work in suicide cluster identification Potential methods and data sources that can be monitored for suicide clusters to analyze and confirm them Guidance for local leaders and public health experts to develop response plans for suicide clusters.

Importance of public health service satisfaction on electoral priority - Study findings Importance of public health service satisfaction on electoral priority - Study findings February 25, 2023 The Hindu Public Health Services, Research findings, Satisfaction Indicators Lokniti - Centre for Study of Developing Societies, has come up with the level of voter satisfaction with public health services - An interview based survey. Access to health schemes like Ayushman Bharat, State Health Insurance Programmes, JSKK, JSY and Mission Indradhanush and degree of benefit from those schemes were evaluated. The findings revealed :- Schemes for women and children had the least access. The quarter of people who availed the health schemes , around half were more likely to be satisfied than those who did not benefit. The duration of waiting hours for medical treatment has been shown to have an inverse relation with the level of satisfaction. The quality of interaction of the public with health services has significant influence in voter satisfaction which in turn are critical in guiding policy making.

Digital India towards Digital Census - An Update Digital India towards Digital Census - An Update Content Editor: Dr.Sivanthiga.G June 7, 2023 The Hindu Census India, New initiatives, online portal, Digital India The 16th decennial census got postponed in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Plan was to conduct the Census in 2 phases: Phase 1: House listing and housing census(with 31 questions -notified) Phase 2:Population enumeration( with 28 questions -yet to be notified) A pre-test exercise was conducted at 76 districts in 36 States and Union Territories, covering a population of more than 26 lakhs. Among the improvisations suggested are: Rationalization of Mother Tongues Digitalization of the Census with coded options for questions & Mobile apps for data collection , Start of Census Management and Monitoring System(CMMS) portal online, The spectrum of types and causes of disabilities s hall be extended to acid attack, intellectual disability, chronic neurological disease, and blood disorder. New questions about living standards like access to drinking water, House ownership. A code directory with possible responses for ease of enumeration.

Global surge in measles: Need to bridge the vaccination gap Global surge in measles: Need to bridge the vaccination gap Content Editor: Dr Chinmay November 21, 2024 WHO News Section Measles, vaccination, International Health News Global measles cases rose by 20% in 2023, totaling 10.3 million, primarily due to insufficient vaccination coverage, according to WHO and CDC. Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, over 22 million children missed their first dose last year, with only 83% receiving the first dose and 74% completing the two-dose schedule. Achieving 95% vaccination coverage is essential to prevent outbreaks. Measles caused 107,500 deaths in 2023, mostly among children under five. While this reflects an 8% reduction in mortality from 2022, largely due to better healthcare access in affected regions, the disease remains a significant threat. Survivors often face severe complications, including blindness and brain damage. Outbreaks affected 57 countries, with nearly half in Africa, highlighting gaps in immunization programs. Efforts to eliminate measles require strengthening routine vaccinations, enhancing surveillance, and conducting high-coverage campaigns, especially in vulnerable regions. Partnerships aim to accelerate progress towards global measles eradication . Click here to read more.

Reinforcement of strategies for preventing insect bites Reinforcement of strategies for preventing insect bites Content Editor: Akhila Nandan August 26, 2023 Social Media Handles Public Health, Vector borne diseases, The CDC has reinforced strategies for preventing insect bites. The small steps but a giant leap to protect mankind from these not-so-mellifluous malicious arbovirus carriers are: Use of insect repellent- DEET, Picardin, Oil of lemon eucalyptus, etc. Loose-fitting, long-sleeved outfits Use 0.5 % Permethrin for clothes and gear Correct installation of mosquito nets Create Awareness among travelers to arbovirus disease-prone areas. Use of screens over windows and doors Use air conditioning Clear all the stagnant water sources and prevent stagnation For Babies and Children: Full dressing, covering arms and legs Cover strollers. Baby carriers with mosquito nets Avoid the use of insect repellents

Limited duration lifestyle intervention to control blood pressure not found to be sustainable, says a study done in Nepal Content Editor: Dr. Ismail Rifai Non-communicable disease, Lifestyle intervention • As part of Community-Based Intervention for Control of Hypertension in Nepal (COBIN) trial, cluster RCT was conducted, where 1638 adults aged 25-65 were recruited. • The participants belonged to three cohorts based on blood pressure, namely normotensive, pre-hypertensive, hypertensive and were allotted to either intervention or control arm. • Female community health volunteers (FCHVs) were trained to provide counselling 4 times in a 12 month intervention period for lifestyle modification, focusing on increasing physical activity, reducing consumption of salt, reducing alcohol, avoiding smoking, and reducing stress. • SBP was significantly lower in the intervention group compared usual care group, at the end of 12 month intervention, in all cohorts, ranging from –4•9 mm Hg in the hypertensive cohort to –2•3 mm lower in those with normal blood pressure. • The same cohort was assessed after 60 months (intervention was only for 12 months) and surprisingly found that mean SBP actually increased by 10•4 mm Hg (95% CI 9•1–11•6) in the intervention group and by 6•0 mm Hg (4•6–7•5) in the usual care group. • This study highlights the issues of limited duration interventions and its long term impact and the need for regular and timely counselling to sustain the beneficial effects of behaviour change interventions. Previous Next

Massive fire calls for progressive approach to waste management Massive fire calls for progressive approach to waste management Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti March 16, 2023 Onmanorama Waste disposal, Environmental Health On March 2, 2023, a fire broke out at the solid waste treatment plant in Brahmapuram, Kerala. After 12 days of firefighting , the blaze has finally come down with toxic fumes engulfing the city and its suburbs. The plant was maintained by Kochi Corporation until the state government warranted composting and biomining. In a drone survey conducted by the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kozhikode, 5.5 lakh cubic meters of waste lay over an area of 40.25 acres. 206 tonnes of waste are dumped daily. No segregation of waste makes processing laborious. With biomining occurring at a slow pace, environmentalists call for a decentralized approach to waste management , processing at source by the adoption of household composting techniques .

Telangana: The best state for organ donation and transplantation Telangana: The best state for organ donation and transplantation Content Editor: Dr Swathi Shenoy August 9, 2024 Social trends Organ donation, Transplantation, Public health On the 14th National Organ Day 2024, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) awarded Telangana State the title of best state for organ donation and transplantation. In 2023, the state's donation rate reached 5.48 per million population (pmp) , surpassing India's average donation rate of 0.8 pmp by a substantial margin. The Jeevandan Cadaver Transplantation Programme , started by the Telangana state Government in 2013, contributed significantly to this accomplishment. Since its establishment in January 2013, Jeevandan has enabled the collection of 5,541 organs and tissues from 1,465 deceased donors. Also, Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad, was recognized as the best private hospital with the highest cadaver donation. As of July 2024, there are 40 recognized facilities in Telangana that are authorized to perform cadaver transplants. Every transplantation has the potential to save up to 8 lives, underscoring the urgency to enhance the nation's capability for cadaver transplantations.

India gears up for the rising COVID-19 cases. India gears up for the rising COVID-19 cases. Content Editor: Dr. Sathya Prashaath January 10, 2024 Press Information Bureau COVID 19 The Union Health Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, chaired a high-level meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in India . The preparedness of the public health system was also assessed, including key points such as: Surveillance. Containment. Management of COVID-19. The Union Health Minister stressed the need to be alert and prepared against new and emerging strains of COVID-19 , especially considering the upcoming festive season. He urged states to ramp up testing and refer samples of COVID-19-positive cases to INSACOG labs for genome sequencing to track new variants . Following the meeting, the officials have been asked to undertake mock drills every three months at the central and state levels . This will be done to assess the functionality of medical equipment and oxygen supplies. States are urged to create awareness, manage infodemic, and ensure dissemination of factually correct information.

Urgent appeal by WHO Urgent appeal by WHO Content Editor: Dr.Sakshi Aggarwal February 8, 2024 WHO news Appeal for funding in healthcare by WHO "Disruptions to essential health services often mean the difference between life and death for those facing emergencies," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. The funding will encourage direct access to healthcare for communities in hard-to-reach areas, in partnerships with local organizations, and share information about document outbreaks and attacks on health workers. Distribution of funding, as announced: African Region - US$ 334 million Eastern Mediterranean Region - US$ 705 million European region - US$ 183 million Western Pacific Region - US$ 15.2 million South-East Asia Region - US$ 49 million Americas Region - US$131 million.