56-Headlines of the day (All) Public Health News Snippets 01-10th February, 2024 Breakthrough wound care: AIIMS Delhi's innovative healing device The latest among Indian innovations in healthcare is a cost-effective simple device that uses a combination of negative pressure wound therapy and oxygen delivery to enhance wound healing in trauma and burn victims. This device has shown promising results in a couple of trials and succeeded in reducing average wound healing time from 30 days to a mere 7-10 days. Notable features of this device include : Reduction of wound exudate and edema from the wound Reduction of wound infections and maintaining vascularity at the site Maintaining temperature pressure and moisture at a level favorable for wound healing . Content Editor: Dr.KH Reddy Ministry of Science and technology, Govt. of India Source : Published on : Friday, February 9, 2024 Health and Technology, Health Research Empowering women: India's labor ministry leads the way The ministry of labor and employment reinforced its drive to increase women in the workforce and support female entrepreneurs by establishing an environment that is safe, healthy, and supportive of women. Some of the pivotal components highlighted by the advisory include : Availability of canteens, creches, restrooms and first aid boxes at all workplaces and adequate accommodation for construction site migrant workers Medical practitioners to ensure healthcare ICC to effectively address sexual abuse complaints at earliest. Compliance to Equal Remuneration Act, Maternity Benefit Act & ESI Act The advisory instructs employers to be aware of these regulations and actively implement them thus safeguarding well-being and dignity of women in workplace Content Editor: Dr.KH Reddy Ministry of Labor and Employment Source : Published on : Friday, February 9, 2024 Gender equality, Pay parity, Women empowerment, Laws and legislations SuperAgers and their advanced cognitive capacities The cross-sectional study conducted by Batra et al characterized clinical and neuropsychological capacities among the residents of Delhi. Methods: The cognitive abilities of the participants were assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-IV India, Color Trails Test, Boston Naming Test (BNT), and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Study Findings: Super Agers outperformed Typical Older Adults in all cognitive assessments ( P  < 0.001) and surpassed Younger Participants in BNT and WAIS-IV. Super Agers excelled in all cognitive domains demonstrating resilience to age-related cognitive decline. The above study shows that cognitive decline with aging cannot be generalized to all as it is linked to many clinical-social and lifestyle differences. Content Editor: Tanya Tanu Wiley Aging Machine Source : Published on : Friday, February 9, 2024 Geriatrics, SuperAgers, Mental Health Sleep woes: OSA symptoms and cognition link A cross-sectional study was done to find the association between OSA symptoms, poor sleep quality, and cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly urban populations; a total of 7505 adults were enrolled. Out of the total study population (with MMSE >26), 38.3% had a high risk of OSA symptoms 15.9% had poor sleep quality . OSA symptoms were negatively associated with cognitive domains of information processing, memory, and G-factor. Poor sleep quality was also associated with lower cognitive scores for G-factor, memory, and executive domains, but not with the information domain. Obstructive sleep apnea has been studied till now for its impact on quality of life and as a predisposing factor for many chronic illnesses. The above study adds to the evidence of its impact on sleep quality and cognitive function in India. Content Editor: Prayag Khandelwal International Journal of the Science and Practice of Sleep Medicine Source : Published on : Friday, February 9, 2024 Research Findings, Sleep patterns, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Combatting superbugs: NAP-AMR unleashes antimicrobial solutions The National Action Plan on Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR), led by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), was launched during the 12th five-year plan (2012-2017) in alignment with the Global Action Plan-AMR Recent initiatives include: Establishment of the National AMR Surveillance Network (NARS-Net) to gather quality data on AMR, An amendment to Drug and Cosmetics Rules for labeling medicine with withdrawal period of drug of containers for food-producing animals Guidelines on judicious antibiotic use for ailing animals Sensitization of State Drug Controllers/other stakeholders on drug prescription concerns Empowerment of State Licensing Authorities(SLAs) to enforce drug distribution compliance. Union Minister Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar communicated these updates in a Lok Sabha reply. Click here to read more Content Editor: Dr. Kishore Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : Friday, February 9, 2024 Antimicrobial Resistance Charting a Sustainable Future: Key Highlights from the Interim Budget 2024-25 The Ministry of Finance unveiled a progressive Interim Budget 2024-25, prioritizing comprehensive development and green initiatives. The Rooftop Solarization and Muft Bijli scheme, aligned with the Prime Minister's commitment, aims to provide one crore households with up to 300 units of free electricity monthly , fostering savings, electric vehicle charging, and creating employment opportunities. In the pursuit of 'net-zero' by 2070 , Finance Minister Sitharaman introduced strategic measures, including offshore wind energy funding, coal gasification, CBG blending, and support for biomass machinery. The Electric Vehicle Ecosystem will be strengthened, encouraging e-bus adoption through a secure payment mechanism. A groundbreaking Bio-manufacturing and Bio-foundry scheme promotes eco-friendly alternatives, envisioning a shift towards regenerative manufacturing principles for a sustainable future. As the government charts a course toward a sustainable and inclusive future, the Interim Budget 2024-25 stands as a testament to its commitment to green growth, renewable energy, and transformative initiatives for a resilient and environmentally conscious India. Content Editor: Dr.Manjeet PIB Source : Published on : Thursday, February 8, 2024 Health Budget Need to reduce the OOPE among breast cancer patients Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide , and it poses a significant economic burden on patients and health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries. A recent study published in The Lancet examined the cost of breast cancer treatment, out-of-pocket payment, and reimbursement in a cohort of 429 patients who sought treatment at a publicly funded tertiary cancer care hospital in India. The study found that the average total cost of breast cancer treatment was ₹258,095 (US$3531), of which 72.2% was paid out-of-pocket by the patients. The study also revealed that only 8% of the patients received full reimbursement and that the reimbursement from various sources was insufficient to prevent high out-of-pocket payments. The study suggested that there is a need to increase the insurance coverage and the reimbursement limits for breast cancer treatment in India, as well as to include cancer treatment in social health insurance schemes, to reduce the financial hardship of cancer patients. The study is the first to longitudinally capture the costs incurred by patients undergoing breast cancer treatment in India, and it provides valuable insights for health policy and planning. Content Editor: Dr Sathya Prashaath The Lancet Source : Published on : Thursday, February 8, 2024 Breast cancer, Health Economics Urgent appeal by WHO "Disruptions to essential health services often mean the difference between life and death for those facing emergencies," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. The funding will encourage direct access to healthcare for communities in hard-to-reach areas, in partnerships with local organizations, and share information about document outbreaks and attacks on health workers. Distribution of funding, as announced: African Region - US$ 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. Content Editor: Dr.Sakshi Aggarwal WHO news Source : Published on : Thursday, February 8, 2024 Appeal for funding in healthcare by WHO Cameroon kickstarts the world’s first Malaria Vaccination Drive In a historic move, Cameroon has become the first country to start vaccinating children against malaria as part of its national immunization program. This initiative began with the administration of the RTS,S or Mosquirix vaccine developed by GSK, marking a significant step in the fight against malaria - a disease that has long plagued Africa, particularly its young population. RTS,S is the first antimalarial vaccine to be recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The vaccine will be provided free of charge to all infants up to the age of six months old . The vaccine, which has been over 30 years in the making, was initially part of a pilot program in selected African countries. However, it is now set for a wider distribution across the continent. The first recipients of the vaccine were a pair of twins, whose mother, Helene, expressed her commitment to ensuring her children receive all four doses of the vaccine and take other preventive measures like sleeping under a mosquito net. This groundbreaking initiative is not limited to Cameroon, as other African countries like Benin, Burkina Faso, and Liberia are also finalizing their malaria vaccine rollouts, with support from WHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and other partners. Content Editor: Dr Sathya Prashaath BBC world Source : Published on : Thursday, February 8, 2024 Malaria,Infectious disease, High court's judgement on organ donation rules In a court ruling, the Delhi High Court directed the Union of India to frame detailed guidelines on what constitutes "exceptional medical ground" in the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules, 2014, clause 5(3)(g) . In view of a petition, the Court has decided on 30th January 2024 that the above guidelines shall be framed within 2 months . The petition was about a 17 years 4-month-old girl who was medically fit to donate a part of her liver to her father, a chronic patient of NASH (Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis) requiring a liver transplant for survival Content Editor: Dr.Urmimala Judgement in the High Court of Delhi Source : Published on : Thursday, February 8, 2024 Organ and Tissue Donation Dismissal of plea for late-term abortion On January 31, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of a 26-year-old widow seeking late-term pregnancy termination, emphasizing the need to prioritize the protection of the fetus's right to life. Termination was denied due to the gestation period exceeding the 24-week limit permitted by Rule 3(B) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Rules. The Court suggested adoption if she wished, on grounds of mental trauma following the birth of the newborn. Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale referred to the medical board's findings of no abnormalities in the fetus. AIIMS recommended extending the pregnancy by two to three weeks for maternal and fetal well-being. Seeking court permission, a medical board was formed to assess her health condition. Content Editor: Dr.Pradipta.S Social Trends Source : Published on : Monday, February 5, 2024 MTP act, Abortion Progress of the National Sickle Cell Anemia Mission As per the MoHFW health expert committee, SCD is one of 10 special problems affecting tribal people making it a public health concern To address this problem, MoHFW in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Mission to eliminate SCD by 2047 The Mission objectives emphasize strategies based on three pillars Health Promotion – Awareness & Genetic Counselling Prevention – Universal screening & Early detection Holistic Management & Continuum of Care As per recent updates, more than 1 crore population have been screened in 6 months with the Mission focusing on screening 7 crore in 3 years. Click here to read more. Content Editor: Dr. Kishore Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : Monday, February 5, 2024 Tribal Health, Sickle Cell Anemia, Noncommunicable diseases Food safety: A collective responsibility The FSSAI launched an awareness campaign among the various markets in Delhi. The awareness campaign was launched with a particular focus on the detection and mitigation of pesticide residues. The highlight of the event was the “Food Safety on Wheels” initiative , a mobile lab equipped with rapid testing kits that can help in the detection of pesticide residues. The attendees of the campaign were also sensitized regarding the following: Harmful effects of pesticide residue. Importance of FSSAI licensing or registration. Artificial ripening of fruits and wax coating. Availability of various laboratories for food testing. The event emphasized the importance of collective responsibility with the mantra, “Food safety is everyone’s responsibility.” Click here to read more. Content Editor: Dr. Swathi Shenoy Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : April 24, 2024 Food Safety, Hygiene, Pesticides Food safety: A collective responsibility The FSSAI launched an awareness campaign among the various markets in Delhi. The awareness campaign was launched with a particular focus on the detection and mitigation of pesticide residues. The highlight of the event was the “Food Safety on Wheels” initiative , a mobile lab equipped with rapid testing kits that can help in the detection of pesticide residues. The attendees of the campaign were also sensitized regarding the following: Harmful effects of pesticide residue. Importance of FSSAI licensing or registration. Artificial ripening of fruits and wax coating. Availability of various laboratories for food testing. The event emphasized the importance of collective responsibility with the mantra, “Food safety is everyone’s responsibility.” Click here to read more. 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0-Daily news snippets (All) Daily News Snippets 1- 6th February, 2023 Operation Dost - India's assistance to Turkey and Syria On 6th February, 2023 when two powerful earthquakes hit Syria and Turkey, 3 truck load of relief materials were arranged at Hindon airbase consisting of life saving emergency medicines and protective items within 12 hours. The consignment consisted of 5,945-ton emergency relief material which included 27 life-saving medicines, two kinds of protective items and three categories of critical care equipments, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore. The consignment for Syria consisted of 72 critical care drugs, consumables and protective items of 7.3 tons, valued at Rs 1.4 crore. Relief materials sent for Turkey included 14 types of medical and critical care equipments, valued at Rs 4 crore. Published on : Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Source : Press Information Bureau Health Relief Measures, Disaster Management, Operation Dost Mercury in skin lightening products - a serious public health issue requiring urgent attention. Use of mercury in skin lightening products is a serious public health issue requiring urgent attention. Limit of mercury in these products has been set at 1mg/1kg (1ppm) by Minamata Convention on Mercury. Test of skin products from 22 countries have found that approximately 10% of these products exceeded limits of which many contained mercury around 100 times more than the approved amount. The 14-million US$ , "Eliminating mercury skin lightening products" project, led by UN Environment Programme (UNEP), with support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI), brings Gabon, Jamaica and Sri Lanka together with an aim to enable policies towards best practices in cosmetic sector and phasing out mercury in skin products. Published on : Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Source : WHO News section Contaminants in Cosmetics, FDA The cost of inaction on physical inactivity estimated 499.2 million new cases of preventable major NCDs to occur globally by 2030 - The Lancet The Lancet Global Health has published the first global study to provide estimates of the number of new cases of preventable NCDs, and associated public healthcare costs that would occur from 2020 to 2030, that could be prevented if levels of physical inactivity are reduced or eliminated. The research findings estimated 499.2 million new cases of preventable major NCDs to occur globally by 2030 , and put the global cost of inaction on physical activity at $47.6 billion per year. Although 74% of estimated cases occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a larger portion of the economic cost (63%) would fall on high-income countries. A population-attributable fraction formula was applied to outcomes of diseases such as cancers, stroke, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, dementia and depression. Published on : Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Source : The Lancet Global Health, Non Communicable Disease, Physical Inactivity "Swastha Mann, Swastha Ghar" - Health Melas on 14th of every month in (AB-HWC) “Swastha Mann, Swastha Ghar” is a year-long campaign from November 2022 to October 2023. It will promote the theme of Health and Wellness to commemorate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. As part of the ongoing campaign, Health Melas will be organized on 14th of every month in 1.56 lakh Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWC) across the country. Activities like Yoga, Zumba, Teleconsultation, Nikshay Poshan Abhiyan, Non-Communicable Diseases screening and Drug Distribution, Sickle Cell Disease screening will be undertaken as part of these countrywide health melas. This is in line with the new National Health Policy, 2017 which focuses on preventive and promotive healthcare, and the Fit India Movement, 2019. Published on : Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Source : Press Information Bureau NHM, AB-HWC, Swastha Mann, Swastha Ghar, Health Mela List of measures to combat pollution in India The Government has taken several steps to combat pollution in the country, which include: Notification of National Ambient Air Quality Standards Notification of Emission standards for industrial sectors from time to time Setting up of monitoring network for assessment of ambient air quality Introduction of cleaner / alternate fuels like gaseous fuel (CNG, LPG etc.) Launching of National Air Quality index Leapfrogging from BS-IV to BS-VI fuel standards. Notifications of waste management rules/regulations which were issued include: Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 E-Waste Management Rules, 2022 Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016 Utilization of Ash from Coal and Lignite based Thermal Power Plant 2021. Published on : Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Source : Press Information Bureau Environmental Pollution, Air Pollution, Public Health Regulations Update on Generic Medications in India – “Janaushadhi Kendras” As per Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002, every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters. The National Medical Commission Act, 2019, empowers the State Medical Councils/ Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the Commission to take disciplinary action against a doctor for violation of the aforesaid Regulations. To promote generic medicines at affordable prices, as on 31.12.2022, about 9,000 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) have been set up across the country. Department of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) has a mobile application named Janaushadhi Sugam, which assists users to locate nearby PMBJK, search Janaushadhi medicines, telephone numbers, etc. Jan Aushadhi Diwas is celebrated every year on 7 March for further dissemination and spreading awareness about the Scheme. Published on : Tuesday, February 14, 2023 Source : Press Information Bureau Medicines, Indian government Steps to monitor single use plastic ban Special pan India enforcement drives were conducted in months of July, October, November and December, 2022 by the Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees to implement ban on identified single use plastic items and on plastic carry bags having thickness less than one hundred twenty microns (effective from 1st July 2022). For effective monitoring of the same, the following online platforms are operational: National Dashboard for monitoring of comprehensive action plan implementation. CPCB Monitoring Module for Compliance on Elimination of Single Use Plastic. CPCB Grievance Redressal mobile application. Published on : Tuesday, February 14, 2023 Source : Press Information bureau Environmental pollution, Single-use plastic ban Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness With an aim to make India the Global hub of "Shree Anna", the year 2023 being the International year of Millets, India is planning to launch Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness (MIIRA). Food security and nutrition being the top priority in agriculture at the G20 summit, MIIRA will aim to support research on millet crops and to connect millet research organizations across the world. India will contribute the “seed money” while each G20 member will have to contribute to its budget in the form of a membership fee. Published on : Monday, February 13, 2023 Source : Indian Express International Year of Millets, FAO, United Nations Steps taken by GoI to boost digital health infrastructure. The Union government will be borrowing ₹13,879 crore from international agencies like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency to strengthen health infrastructure. The World Bank has approved ₹8,243 crore IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) loans for Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). The mission focuses on filling the infrastructure gaps by construction of rural and urban Health and Wellness Centres, Block Public Health Units and Integrated Public Health Labs in all districts. Published on : Saturday, February 11, 2023 Source : The Hindu Health System Strengthening, Health Expenditure, Health & Wellness centres Death due to poor workplace safety at an Oil Mill in Andra Pradesh In an incident that took place at an oil mill in Andhra Pradesh, seven workers died of asphyxiation. One died while removing sludge from the edible oil tank whereas others died on attempting to rescue them. A joint committee has been set up to conduct enquiry on the case. ₹ 25 lakh has been approved by the state government as compensation to the victim’s family members. The above incident raises questions on issues of occupational safety at the workplace and the consequences faced due to its lapses. Published on : Friday, February 10, 2023 Source : The Hindu Work place safety, Occupational Health Hazard Gobal climate resilience fund - Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Announced by Former US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in partnership with Self Employed Women’s Association in Gujarat on February 5th 2023. SEWA (founded by Elaben Bhatt, has 25 lakh women workers in informal sector as members, in 18 states) will work to tackle challenges of rising heat due to climate change. This was done to advance the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) commitments made in 2022 to address critical global challenges like climate resilience, global health equity, inclusive economic growth and the global refugee crisis. The CGI, Rockefeller Resilience Centre, Desai Foundation, the AI Gore Foundation, Council for Inclusive Capitalism and the American India Foundation will work with SEWA to address this challenge. Published on : Monday, February 6, 2023 Source : The Indian Express Climate Change, Mitigation measures, Clinton Global Initiative Steps towards reducing air pollution in Delhi Delhi cabinet is likely to outsource the operation and management of 70 mechanical road sweepers, 210 water sprinklers, 250 integrated water sprinklers-cum-anti-smog guns for a project aimed at reducing air pollution costing ₹ 2000 crore. The above three are more effective than manual sweeping in reducing air pollution. Anti-smog guns will be mounted on trucks fitted with water tanks spraying Treated sewage water. Published on : Monday, February 6, 2023 Source : The Hindu Air pollution, National Capital, Environment Health Daily News Snippets Monthly Archives This is a title. View More This is a title. Click here to edit and add your own text. View More Subscribe to get Latest Public Health Updates SUBSCRIBE