Promoting health equity: Initiative for thalassemia treatment Content Editor: Dr. Sumana July 9, 2024 at 2:30:00 PM Thalassemia, Genetic disorders, Transplantation Thalassemia is a rare inherited blood disorder requiring lifelong blood transfusions and other medical interventions. Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) or Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) is the only curative option for Thalassemia Major. Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana (TBSY), a CSR project by GoI, funded by Coal India Ltd., supports the curative treatment of Thalassemia. The scheme, initiated in 2017, is now extended until 2026. TBSY provides financial assistance up to Rs. 10 lakh per case for eligible underprivileged patients. The National Health Mission, Odisha, has recently urged medical institutions to raise awareness and publicize the scheme. Eligible thalassemia patients with matched donors can apply through the State NHM, 11 empanelled hospitals, or the Thalasemic India Society. A list of 11 empanelled hospitals that meet the eligibility criteria is under the Orrisa scheme. Previous Next

WHO guidelines on chronic low back pain WHO guidelines on chronic low back pain Content Editor: Dr. Rashmi Verma January 9, 2024 WHO News Section Chronic low back pain, Primary care, Global disability The World Health Organization has released guidelines for managing chronic low back pain (LBP) in primary care listing interventions for health workers. Low back pain is the leading cause of global disability. A 60% increase from 1990 to 2020 is projected to reach 843 million cases by 2050, with significant growth anticipated in Africa and Asia. WHO guidelines recommend non-surgical interventions to help people experiencing chronic primary LBP such as: Education programs that support knowledge and self-care strategies. Exercise programs . Some physical therapies (spinal manipulative therapy and massage). Psychological therapies (cognitive behavioural therapy). Medicines (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines). The guidelines emphasize holistic, person-centred, and equitable care for chronic primary low back pain due to potential harms outweighing benefits.

House of Lords, UK debate on threats to Biosecurity Content Editor: Dr. KH Reddy January 27, 2024 at 12:30:00 PM Biosecurity, Global health, Immigration, Antibiotic resistance, Antibiotic misuse The debate on UK Biosecurity was put forth by Lord Trees, whose opening statement highlighted the driving force of climate change in the rise of Infectious Diseases across the globe. The following diseases are projected to rise due to increasing bacterial growth with rising climatic temperatures: Dengue. Lyme disease. Chikungunya. West Nile virus. The house also discussed two other trends that are estimated to rise with climate change: Aging population. Antimicrobial resistance. The briefing also covers the government's 'Biological Security Strategy' (June 2023) , which acts as an overarching framework for reducing biological dangers and other area-specific policies. The government also pointed out that restrictions on imports are an integral part of the UK's biosecurity strategy. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Pledging for a “drug-free India” Pledging for a “drug-free India” Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala August 30, 2024 Social Trends Substance Abuse, Illegal drug trafficking Two men were held in Maharashtra for the illicit trafficking of 900 psychotropic drug pills- one of the many cases being dealt with under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985. As India lies at the wedge between the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle of illegal opioid production, it is a common route for the transport and trade of psychotropic drugs. According to the World Drug Report 2021, Amphetamine-type stimulants, Cannabis-type drugs, hallucinogens, opioids, both opiates and pharmaceutical opioids, and sedatives, among others, are the most commonly seizure drugs from India. These substances have been linked to Substance Use Disorders that are chronic and relapsing. At the inauguration of a zonal unit of the Narcotic Control Bureau in Chhattisgarh today, the Union Minister spoke about preventing substance abuse by giving foremost priority to preventing its illegal trade, strengthening the legal network of detection, and taking appropriate measures to punish those involved. Click here to read more.

Meet S.A.R.A.H : WHO’s new AI-powered robot Content Editor: Dr. Manu June 27, 2024 at 12:30:00 PM WHO, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning WHO’s new AI chatbot released on 2nd April called S.A.R.A.H. or the Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health faces new challenges as it settles into its proposed role to be a tool for educating people and filling staffing gaps in healthcare globally. The tool is built up on Florence , a virtual health worker project which provided basic information on Covid-19 and tobacco . The tools are designed by a New Zealand based company called Soul Machines Ltd. It’s trained using OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5 with data till September 2021, thus it often returns inaccurate results. It has a limited purview and lacks a diagnostic feature , something that is common in the early days of AI development. The tool saves human expressions from the user’s data to be able to mimic human emotions. While WHO claims the data is deleted after 30 seconds and is anonymised with regards to the IP address, using open software exposes it to risk from cybercriminals. Thus, the chatbot needs to be carefully developed to become useful in the future. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Fighting Gender based violence – "Nayi Chetana" campaign Fighting Gender based violence – "Nayi Chetana" campaign Content Editor: Dr Sumana Mukhopadhyay December 11, 2023 Press Information Bureau Gender-based Violence, Women Empowerment D eendayal A ntyodaya Y ojana-N ational R ural L ivelihoods M ission (DAY-NRLM ) launches the campaign's second year, addressing gender issues and violence. The campaign, titled "Nayi Chetana - Pahal Badlav Ki", enters its second year, focusing on combating gender-based violence. There is a significant increase in Self Help Groups (SHGs) from 2.34 crore to 10 crore, applauding the progress in gender equality. This campaign aims to tackle the normalization of gender based violence, lack of awareness, and absence of safe spaces through awareness-building activities and sensitization efforts. DAY-NRLM initiated "Nayi Chetna" successfully mobilized 3.5 crore people, engaging various stakeholders for a broader perspective shift. Taglines for the campaign included 'Sahenge nahin kahenge' and 'Chuppi Todenge'.

75 trucks flagged off for country-wide awareness about TB elimination 75 trucks flagged off for country-wide awareness about TB elimination Content Editor: Dr. Jasmin Nilima Panda March 27, 2023 Press Information Bureau Public Health, National Health Programme, Infectious disease In the Partnership Action against Tuberculosis (PAcT ) Summit held on 16th March 2023, Union Health minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya announced that more than 71,000 Nik-shay Mitras have volunteered to support over 10 lakh TB patients through Union Government’s Ni-kshay scheme. 75 Trucks of Apollo Tyres Foundation, branded with TB messages from five locations (Delhi, Mudra Port- Gujarat, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, and Agartala) were flagged off by him. Apollo Tyres Foundation has intensified TB-Free India Campaign by engaging - Heroes on Wheels (Truck Drivers) and other vulnerable groups across 32 locations in 19 States in the country to create awareness of Tuberculosis. They have also adopted 75 TB patients under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. Highlighting that truck drivers form an important cohort of TB patients, Dr. Mandaviya stated that this initiative will boost efforts to address TB among truckers’ communities and others closely associated with them. Multi-sectoral engagement is a key pillar of NTEP and hence the Union Minister urged everyone to come forward in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari to achieve the goal of making India TB free by 2025. He also urged other corporates, institutions, trade bodies, associations, and individuals for actively support India’s battle against tuberculosis. The Union Health Minister also distributed nutrition baskets to several TB patients at the event.

An update about infectious disease outbreaks across the world Content Editor: Dr. Manu Goel March 19, 2024 at 4:00:00 PM Infectious diseases, Disease Outbreaks In South America, dengue cases witnessed a surge in numbers. Brazil reported more than 1 million suspected cases of dengue according to a surveillance report revealed by their Health Ministry. This led to a response by the Government to increase production of dengue tests and the launch of a vaccination drive through its public system. Meanwhile, Peru declared a dengue emergency in 20 out of 25 districts, outpacing the record level of dengue cases in 2023. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) among commercial poultry flocks across five states in the United States. Four other states reported outbreaks of HPAI among backyard flocks. The USDA moved swiftly to mitigate the spread of these infections among animals and from animals to humans. In Africa, Nigeria reported a new polio case in the Kano state involving the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. This boosted the country’s total of cases in 2023 to 82. Click here to read more. Previous Next

WHO issues comprehensive guidelines for global tobacco cessation WHO issues comprehensive guidelines for global tobacco cessation Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet July 19, 2024 WHO News Section Non Communicable Diseases, Tobacco, Guidelines WHO’s new guideline offers a robust framework for tobacco cessation , targeting over 750 million users wishing to quit. The recommendations encompass all forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, waterpipes, and smokeless products . Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, highlights the guideline’s potential to reduce the global burden of tobacco-related diseases. The guidelines emphasize that effective cessation therapies combining pharmacotherapy (varenicline, NRT, bupropion, and cytisine) with behavioral support significantly improve success rates. WHO advocates for accessible treatments, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and prequalified Kenvue’s nicotine gum and patch in 2024. It also includes digital tools like text messaging and apps that complement traditional counseling methods. WHO urges healthcare providers and policymakers to adopt these guidelines to enhance global tobacco cessation efforts. Click here to read more.