Category Archives: Health

Health, National

Heatwave strikes Delhi, maximum temperature highest in 79 years

Leave a comment

PTI & Agencies, 29 May 2024 : Amid the intense heatwave in northern India, several cities on Wednesday witnessed temperatures well above 45 degrees Celcius. 


Delhi’s Mungeshpur on Wednesday logged a maximum of 52.9 degrees Celsius, the highest ever temperature recorded in the city, even as the India Meteorological Department said it is examining sensors and data of the area’s weather station for error.

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung Observatory on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in 79 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. It was 46.7 degrees Celsius on June 17, 1945.

Apart from the national capital, several places in Northern India are also reeling under the sweltering heat with temperatures hovering close to 50 degrees Celsius.

Here is a list of 10 other hottest places in India today:
Haryana’s Mahendragarh- 49.4 degrees Celsius
Delhi’s Najafgarh- 49.1 degrees Celsius
Haryana’s Rohtak- 48.8 degrees Celsius
Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj- 48.8 degrees Celsius
Punjab’s Bhatinda – 48.5 degrees Celsius
Uttar Pradesh’s Agra- 48 degrees Celsius
Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior- 48 degrees Celsius
Haryana’s Rohtak- 47.7 degrees Celsius
Rajasthan’s Alwar- 47.5 degrees Celsius
Uttarakhand’s Dehradun – 43.1 degrees Celsius

The national capital and large swathes of north India have been reeling under heat wave conditions for the past few days, with at least three weather stations here — Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh — recording nearly 50 degrees Celsius even on Tuesday.

Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung observatory on Wednesday recorded a maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, the highest in 79 years, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. It was 46.7 degrees Celsius on June 17, 1945.

On the temperature at Mungeshpur, the IMD, however, said it is examining sensors and data of the weather station for the area. “The maximum temperature over Delhi-NCR varied from 45.2 degrees Celsius to 49.1 degrees Celsius in different parts of city. 

Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees Celsius as an outlier compared to other stations. It could be due to error in the sensor or the local factor. 

IMD is examining the data and sensors,” the department said in a statement.

In a post on X, Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju said, “It is not official yet. Temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius in Delhi is very unlikely. Our senior officials in IMD have been asked to verify the news report. The official position will be stated soon.” Other areas of the city also sizzled with maximum temperatures recorded at 49.1 degrees Celsius in Najafgarh, 49 degrees Celsius at Pusa and 48.4 degrees Celsius at Narela, according to the data.

The temperatures soared in the national capital as hot winds blew into the city from Rajasthan, according to officials.

In the evening, there was a sudden change in weather, with drizzle in some parts of the city. However, this could increase the humidity level, compounding the unease for people as forecast shows heat wave and hot weather condition not relenting in the coming days. Delhi’s relative humidity oscillated between 43 per cent and 30 per cent during the day, according to the IMD. The city has been witnessing a steady rise in temperatures in the final days of May.

For Thursday, the IMD predicted partly cloudy skies with heatwave conditions in a few places along with the possibility of thunderstorms and dust storms accompanied by very light rain and drizzling with gusty winds at speeds of 25 to 35 kmph.

Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena directed that a paid break from 12 noon to 3 pm be given to labourers, along with water and coconut milk at construction sites, as he flagged the “lack of sensitivity” on the part of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Hitting back, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the AAP government was making heatwave preparations even before the LG office became active and urged Mr Saxena to “give up negativity”.

Mr Saxena directed that the three-hour break for labourers has been implemented by the Delhi Development Authority since May 20 and will continue across all sites till temperatures come down below 40 degrees Celsius, according to a letter sent to Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar by the principal secretary to the Lt Governor.

The Delhi government announced that a fine of ₹ 2,000 will be imposed on water-wasting activities like washing vehicles with a hose and using domestic water supply for construction and commercial purposes amid unprecedented summer heat.

Water Minister Atishi has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to deploy 200 teams across the city to prevent wastage of water.

The extreme summer heat also pushed Delhi’s peak power demand to an all-time high of 8,302 MW on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

It is the first time in the history of the national capital that its power demand has crossed the 8,300-MW mark. Power distribution companies had estimated the power demand to peak at 8,200 MW this summer, the discom officials said.

The threshold for a heatwave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches.

In a forecast released, the IMD has urged “extreme care for vulnerable people” due to the heatwave.

Explaining the reason behind the scorching heat in the outskirts of Delhi, Mahesh Palawat, Vice President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, said: “In open areas with vacant land, there is increased radiation. Direct sunlight and lack of shade make these regions exceptionally hot.” Palawat added that when wind blows from the west, it affects these outlying areas first in Delhi contributing to rise in temperature.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the regional head of IMD, said the city’s outskirts are the first areas to be hit by hot winds from Rajasthan.

“Parts of Delhi are particularly susceptible to the early arrival of these hot winds, worsening the already severe weather. Areas like Mungeshpur, Narela and Najafgarh are the first to experience the full force of these hot winds,” he said.

Open areas and barren land are contributing to higher temperatures due to increased radiation, said IMD’s Charan Singh. 
Health, Sikkim

Staff at Sikkim High Court to get menstrual leave

Leave a comment
Prajwal Khatiwada, the registrar general of the high court, issued a notification to the effect on Monday with the approval of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, 29.05.24 : Sikkim High Court has decided to grant menstrual leave to women employees for up to three days every month.

Prajwal Khatiwada, the registrar general of the high court, issued a notification to the effect on Monday with the approval of Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder.
“Women employees in the High Court Registry may henceforth avail menstrual leave of 2-3 days in a month, provided they approach the Medical Officer attached to the High Court first and obtain the latter’s recommendation for such leave,” reads the notification.

The notification added that “their leave account shall not be debited on availing such leave”.

Anamika Sharma, the project manager of DLR Prerna, a non-government organisation in Darjeeling that regularly conducts menstrual hygiene workshops, welcomed the move. “This is such good news on World Menstrual Hygiene Day which is celebrated today (Tuesday). Such a move is a great motivator to educators like us,” added Sharma.

She said it was not long ago that people, including menstruating women, would refuse to talk on the issue. “I think the continuous sensitisation on the subject is bringing about a change,” said Sharma.

The issue of mandatory paid menstrual leave for women employees was much debated in the country recently after Union women and child development minister Smriti Irani voiced her opposition to the idea.

Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha by MP Manoj Kumar Jha on paid menstrual leave, Irani said menstruation is a natural part of life and should not be treated as a handicap. “As a menstruating woman, menstruation and the menstruation cycle is not a handicap, it’s a natural part of women’s life journey,” Irani said.

Warning that such paid leave could lead to discrimination against women, the minister further said: “We should not propose issues where women are denied equal opportunities just because somebody who does not menstruate has a particular viewpoint towards menstruation.”

Irani’s statement drew flak from certain quarters.

Few countries have already implemented the national menstruation leave. These include Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan and Spain.

In India, Bihar had introduced two days of menstrual leave in 1992.
Courtesy & source- The Telegraph
Health, National, Regional

North, central India sizzle under severe heatwave, nearly 50 degrees Celsius in parts of Delhi

Leave a comment
The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30

PTI, New Delhi, 29.05.24  : Large parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions on Tuesday with the mercury crossing 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Churu and Haryana’s Sirsa and settling nine notches above normal in Delhi.

At least three weather stations in Delhi recorded maximum temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more. Mungeshpur and Narela in Delhi clocked 49.9 degrees followed by Najafgarh at 49.8 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
This was the highest maximum temperature recorded in the capital this season. However, Mungeshpur and Narela weather stations came up in 2022 and have records only for the last three years.

The IMD said respite from the heatwave conditions could be in sight after May 30.

It said that a fresh western disturbance was expected over parts of northwest India on Thursday which could bring isolated rainfall over the region on the weekend.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has attributed the heatwave conditions over northwest and central India to the absence of western disturbances during the latter half of May.

Western disturbances are extra-tropical weather systems formed over the Mediterranean Sea that move from the west to the east.

According to the IMD, 10 weather stations recorded the highest-ever maximum temperature and the highest for the month — Agra-Taj (48.6 degrees Celsius), Dehri in Bihar (47 degrees Celsius), Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh (49 degrees Celsius), Narnaul in Haryana (48.5 degrees Celsius), Ayanagar-Delhi (47.6 degrees Celsius), New Delhi-Ridge (47.5 degrees Celsius), Rewa in Madhya Pradesh (48.2 degrees Celsius), Rohtak in Haryana (48.1 degrees Celsius), and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh (47.2 degrees Celsius).

In some much-needed relief, south Rajasthan districts of Barmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Sirohi and Jalore recorded a drop in temperatures up to four notches on Tuesday due to moist wind incursion from the Arabian Sea, indicating the beginning of abatement of heatwave conditions over northwest India.

Numerical weather prediction models showed that this decreasing trend would further extend northwards, bringing gradual respite from heatwave conditions from May 30 onwards.

Also, the incursion of moist winds from the Bay of Bengal from Wednesday onwards is likely to result in a gradual fall in maximum temperatures over Uttar Pradesh from May 30, the IMD said.

“Today, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed over most parts of Rajasthan, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh,” it said.

It said that heatwave conditions also prevailed in many places over Vidarbha, in some pockets over Jammu and Kashmir and in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.

Churu in Rajasthan was the hottest place in the country with a maximum temperature of 50.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Sirsa-AWS in Haryana (50.3 degrees Celsius), Mungeshpur and Narela (49.9 degrees Celsius), Najafgarh (49.8 degrees Celsius), Sirsa (49.5 degrees Celsius), Ganganagar in Rajasthan (49.4 degrees Celsius), Pilani and Phalodi in Rajasthan and Jhansi (49 degrees Celsius).

Warm night conditions in isolated pockets are very likely to prevail over Uttar Pradesh, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi over the next few days, the weather office said.

The scorching heat prompted the Haryana government to advance summer vacations in all state-run and private schools to Tuesday.

The deadly heatwave is testing power grids and leading to water shortages in parts of the country.

According to the Central Water Commission, water storage in 150 major reservoirs in India dropped to just 24 per cent of their live storage last week, exacerbating water shortages in many states and significantly affecting hydropower generation.

The Maharashtra irrigation department said that the water stock in Jayakwadi dam in the drought-prone Marathwada region stood at a mere 5.19 per cent of its capacity on Monday after recording an evaporation loss of 1.15 MCM (million cubic metres) in a single day due to the heat.

The intense heat has already driven India’s power demand to 239.96 gigawatts, the highest so far this season, with air conditioners and coolers in homes and offices running at full capacity.

Experts anticipate that power demand could rise even further and surpass the all-time high of 243.27 GW recorded in September 2023.

Severe heatwaves have impacted a large number of people in parts of India for three consecutive years, affecting health, water availability, agriculture, power generation, and other sectors of the economy. 
Health, Misc, Regional

Tourists to Darjeeling, too, will have to abide by garbage dumping rules

Leave a comment

EOI, DARJEELING, MAY 27, 2024 : The civic body in Darjeeling on Monday formed a committee to keep vigil on people dumping their garbage in areas outside those which had been allocated for the dumping of garbage at the stipulated time. Violations may result in penalty on the defaulters.

This step by the Darjeeling Municipality has been taken because some residents of Darjeeling are in the habit of throwing their garbage throughout the day. The conservancy department staff collect wastes and garbage on a daily basis from residential houses and shops, but only at a stipulated time. .
Darjeeling Municipality, conservancy department In-charge Nitesh Gurung said: “An order was issued by the Municipality chairman today that as per the meeting held on May 3 there will be three teams made for the purpose of inspection of all hotels, restaurants and areas in the municipal area. These three teams have been made to check if the waste and garbage being disposed of by them are being done properly or not. 
They will also check if the local people are disposing garbage at the proper time or not and in the proper place. 
”“We have made a schedule for the hotels, restaurants and the local people to dispose of their garbage. People can only dispose of their garbage after seven in the evening till five in the morning in the respective allocated place in their area. If we find the people are not throwing their garbage in the allotted time and in the proper place then a penalty will be issued on them,” he added. 
Gurung said people caught not following these rules would be fined on the spot to the tune of Rs 500 to Rs 1000. He said that the new rules also applied to the tourists who would behanded over seizure list and fined on the spot, if they were found littering wastes. “As far as the tourists are concerned, they will not know about the rules here so we are making a brochure ready which will be handed to them indifferent places, informing them about the do’s and don’ts,” he said.
“At present we are seeing that as soon as the municipality collects the garbage from different areas then people go and dispose of their garbage there. It gives the wrong impression that the civic body is not doing their work,” he said, adding that they have also received videos showing people throwing garbage soon after their waste collection vehicles have collect the wastes. 
The civic body had removed garbage vats from most places in the recent past in an effort to minimize waste being thrown there as people used to throw garbage all around the vat area, making the whole area filled with garbage.
The civic body had the vats replaced with dustbins along with the introduction of a door-to-door collection of garbage.
However, what is being seen at present is people throwing more garbage than the dustbins can hold, making the area look filthy while in some areas the dustbins are missing.“ This is also to do with the mentality of the people. The civic body is doing its work, but the people should also be conscious and think that it is their Darjeeling and it is also their duty and responsibility to keep it clean. Everyone should be involved in keeping Darjeeling clean,” said Gurung.
Crime, Health, National

Bihar alcohol ban prevented 21 lakh cases of intimate partner violence: Lancet study

Leave a comment
 “Before the ban, males in Bihar increased their frequent alcohol intake from 9.7 per cent to 15 per cent, while in neighbouring states, it increased from 7.2 per cent to 10.3 per cent.

PTI, New Delhi, May 26, 2024 :  Bihar’s alcohol ban in 2016 prevented 24 lakh cases of daily and weekly consumption, and 21 lakh cases of intimate partner violence, according to new research published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal.


The ban is also estimated to have prevented 18 lakh men in the state from becoming overweight or obese, it said.

A team of researchers, including those from The International Food Policy Research Institute, Poverty, Health and Nutrition Division, US, analysed data from national and district level health and household surveys.

“Strict alcohol regulation policies may yield significant population level health benefits for frequent drinkers and many victims of intimate partner violence,” the authors wrote.

In April 2016, the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act brought about a near complete halt on the manufacture, transport, sale, and consumption of alcohol throughout the state.

The overnight launch and its strict enforcement made the ban an “attractive natural experiment to estimate the true causal impacts of a strict alcohol restriction policy on health and domestic violence outcomes,” according to the authors. Data from the National Family Health Surveys-3, -4, and -5 were included in the analysis.

“Before the ban, males in Bihar increased their frequent alcohol intake from 9.7 per cent to 15 per cent, while in neighbouring states, it increased from 7.2 per cent to 10.3 per cent.

“After the ban, these trends reversed, with at least weekly alcohol intake decreasing to 7.8 per cent in Bihar, while in neighbouring states it continued to increase to 10.4 per cent,” the authors wrote.

They also found evidence for reduced physical violence against women in Bihar, “with a 4.6 percentage points decrease in emotional violence and a 3.6 percentage points decrease in sexual violence”.

On the aspect of the ban’s impact on men’s health, the authors’ modelling estimated that cases of underweight men increased by four percentage points, and those of overweight or obese men decreased by 5.6 percentage points, compared to trends in the neighbouring states.

“We estimate that the ban prevented 2.4 million cases of frequent alcohol consumption, and 1.8 million cases of overweight/obesity among males, and 2.1 million cases of intimate partner violence compared to neighbouring states without a similar prohibition,” the authors wrote.

The findings will be valuable for policy-makers contemplating similar bans in other Indian states, the researchers said.

“While we do not recommend outright bans as a practical and economically viable policy, our study, combined with new evidence that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for humans, suggests that stricter alcohol regulation policies may yield significant population level health benefits for frequent drinkers and benefits for victims of intimate partner violence,” the authors wrote.
Health, Regional

Pedong in Kalimpong gets first cancer screening centre

Leave a comment
A Cancer Screening Centre (CSC) was inaugurated yesterday under the auspices of the Chhabi Sahayog Foundation (CSF) of Navi Mumbai at Topkhana in Pedong in Kalimpong district, amidst a large gathering of local dignitaries and residents.

SNS | Siliguri | May 27, 2024 : ACancer Screening Centre (CSC) was inaugurated yesterday under the auspices of the Chhabi Sahayog Foundation (CSF) of Navi Mumbai at Topkhana in Pedong in Kalimpong district, amidst a large gathering of local dignitaries and residents. Inaugurating the centre, noted hill educationist Dr GS Yonzone, former principal of Kalimpong College, and Partha Roy, the National General Secretary of CSF, said that the centre will go a long way in diagnosing and treating cancer in the region.

Roy dwelt at length on the various cancer care activities of the Chhabi Foundation ever since it was established five years ago. “The activities include early screening of people of different age groups, providing food and lodging facilities for long-distance patients, financial help and mental health counselling and most importantly, raising awareness among the people on how to prevent cancer from occurring,” Mr Roy said. According to him, the foundation has successfully treated hundreds of people and also helped cure those suffering. It has also established branches in Maharashtra, Delhi, Manipur, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Jharkhand and Assam.

Assuring full assistance and cooperation in taking the Pedong centre forward, Mr Roy said that the first activity of the foundation would be to organise a cancer screening test during the forthcoming months of September–October 2024, for which the local Kalimpong District Committee would have to come up with the necessary logistics. According to Dr Yonzone, the Pedong centre has been made possible with “extraordinary initiatives” taken by Sarvashri Vivek Choubey, Chewang Bhutia, Chandra Rai, Amrita Sharma, Rajen Thapa and others who were instrumental in maintaining contact with Mumbai and also in organising the event at Pedong, the first of its kind in the hill region. Stressing the need to generate awareness among the people, Dr Yonzone said that the hill region can definitely be made a cancer-free zone if everyone takes the cancer issue seriously. “Prevention is better than cure should be our aim. The Pedong centre now needs full-time trained staff to deal with the various aspects related to cancer treatment,” he said.
Health, Regional

North Bengal Med Hosp takes steps to curb brokering racket

Leave a comment
MP, 20 May 2024, Siliguri: The hospital authorities have taken an initiative to make patients and their families aware of fraud by brokers in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH). 
The hospital authorities will put up boards with awareness messages in this regard and contact numbers of hospital authorities will be mentioned on the boards. 
These boards will display awareness messages saying that if any broker demands any kind of money from the patient’s family, they should immediately report
matter to the officials of NBMCH. Along with this, the Rogi Sahayata Kendra (Patients help desk) and Grievance Cell have been operational round-the-clock. Patients’ families were asked to report any untoward matter to these cells as well. 
“We have made all kinds of arrangements to restrict brokering rackets inside the hospital. However, patients’ families do not inform us about the brokers and they usually come to us after they have lost their money,” said Dr Sanjay Mallick, Superintendent of NBMCH. 
He further said: “It is not possible to take action at that time which is why we request everyone to inform us immediately if any broker asks anyone for money. That will make it possible to take action in the moment.” 
A brokering racket has been going on here for many years. 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/north-bengal-med-hosp-takes-steps-to-curb-brokering-racket-564591
Health, Regional, West Bengal

‘About 40 people infected with new KP.2 Covid variant in state’

Leave a comment

MP, 19 May 2024, Kolkata: New variant of Covid has been detected in Bengal with 40 odd persons found to be infected with the same. The new variant KP.2 has affected 272 people across the country so far. 

A senior official of the state Health department said that in the past four months, several samples were sent for genome sequencing for the purpose of detecting variants and the new one KP.2 has been found in 40 cases. 
An offshoot of the Omicron strain, KP.2 was first detected in India in early January this year. There was an upsurge of cases in Maharashtra, especially in Pune, so it is also called the Pune variant. 
However, doctors have assured that there are no reasons for panic with this new variant as its severity has been found to be comparatively lesser than other variants. 
“It is infectious but its fatal effect is less. There is nothing to worry about in the present situation. New Covid sub-variants are expected to emerge in the days to come. Basic sanitisation like washing of hands, using of masks if affected with cough and cold should be followed,” said Dr Narayan Bandyopadhyay. 
According to city doctors, the symptoms of the KP.2 variant are the same as that of others. It includes trembling in fever, cough and cold and sore throat. There may be leg pain, headache and vomiting. 
America is presently leading in KP.2 variant affected cases globally. Since the beginning of Covid making inroads in 2019, health experts have reiterated that Covid will not completely bid goodbye , however its effect will gradually wane. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/about-40-people-infected-with-new-kp2-covid-variant-in-state-564465
Health, National, Northeast, Regional, Sikkim, West Bengal

Neonatal mortality rates worsen in multiple states in India, account for nearly 50 per cent of deaths in children

Leave a comment
Findings published in medical journal JAMA Network Open, underline an ‘immediate need’ for health authorities to focus on strategies to improve quality aspects of institutional deliveries
The neonatal intensive care unit of Rural Development Trust Hospital in Bathalapalli, Andhra Pradesh: File picture

G.S. Mudur, TT, New Delhi, 16.05.24 : Neonatal mortality rates have stagnated or worsened in multiple states in India in recent years and account for nearly 50 per cent of deaths in children under five years of age, researchers have said in a study.

Their study has found that nearly 50 per cent of deaths in children under five in India occurred within seven days after the child’s birth, both in 2016 and in 2021, alongside improvements in overall child mortality rates.
The findings, published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, underline an “immediate need” for health authorities to focus on strategies to improve quality aspects of institutional deliveries, the researchers have said.

India’s proportion of institutional deliveries — births in healthcare facilities — has more than doubled from around 40 per cent in 2005-06 to 83 per cent in 2019-21.

The new study led by S.V. Subramanian, professor of population health at Harvard University, has suggested that reductions in neonatal mortality have not kept pace with the rise in institutional deliveries.

Subramanian and his colleagues used three decades of datasets from the Union health ministry’s National Family Health Surveys — the latest in 2019-21 — to analyse child mortality patterns after seven days, 30 days, a year, and five years of birth.

They classified deaths within seven days as early neonatal mortality, deaths between 8 and 28 days as late neonatal mortality, and deaths between a month and a year as post-neonatal mortality.

India’s overall under-five child mortality has decreased to 42 per 1,000 live births in 2019-21 from 50 per 1,000 in 2015-16 and 75 per 1,000 in 2005-06. And most states have seen decreases in mortality rates across all the child age groups.

But between 2016 and 2021, early neonatal mortality increased in nine states or Union territories, late neonatal mortality either remained stagnant or increased in 13 states, and post neonatal mortality increased in 12 states, their study found.

Early neonatal mortality rose in Haryana, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar and Daman and Diu, late neonatal mortality rose or didn’t improve in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana and Andaman and Nicobar. Post-neonatal mortality rose in Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Telangana, Tripura, Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar and Chandigarh.

“While India has made substantial progress over the years in reducing the risk of mortality among young children, age-specific interventions may be needed to address mortality in different age groups,” Subramanian told The Telegraph. Early neonatal mortality may require improvements in quality of care in healthcare institutions while post-neonatal mortality would need a focus on ensuring vaccination and food.

The researchers’ call for urgent measures to address neonatal mortality comes against a backdrop of long-standing concerns among paediatricians and public health experts about neonatal deaths hampering progress towards infant mortality targets.

India’s National Neonatology Forum had in 2003 highlighted the need for intensified efforts to protect babies during the first four weeks of life as part of efforts to reduce infant mortality rates.

The health ministry has helped establish a network of newborn care facilities, including newborn intensive care units, sick newborn care units, and newborn stabilisation units in public health facilities across the country.
Education, Health, National, Regional, West Bengal

Autism centres set up in every district

Leave a comment

Pradip Chatterjee, MP, 9 May 2024, Kolkata: In a unique initiative the state health department has set up a ‘district autism centre’ in all the districts of Bengal to strengthen early screening and diagnosis of autistic children for their better treatment at doorsteps and also to ensure that toddlers get all the benefits that the state government offers. 

An autism centre has come up in the district hospital in the districts where there is no medical college. The new facility has been introduced in the medical college in case of the districts which have a medical college and hospital. Earlier, the autism centre was not available in all the districts. A proper treatment for autistic children was only available in Kolkata and other cities. 
The autistic children from the districts will now be able to avail treatment at their doorsteps at state government hospitals. Earlier the parents had to take their autistic children to various private health establishments where the treatment cost remained hefty. The patients did not get any disability certificates earlier. Instead, they used to get a certificate based on mental retardation. 
Now, the patients will get an autism spectrum disorder certificate as a result they will be eligible to enjoy several facilities which are offered to them both by the Centre and the State government. 
After the ‘district autism centre’ comes up in each district, the people in villages will now be able to avail treatment by trained personnel. Assessment of autistic children, speech therapy, behavioural therapy and special education are being provided at all the ‘district autism centres’ to bring these children back to the mainstream of life. 
The Bengal government provides these children Rs 1000 per month as a pension while the Centre issues UID card that gives facilities to patients in hospitals in other states. Through UID cards autistic children can get train concessions. 
“If a child is unable to walk after he/she attains one year and fails to speak even after attaining 2 years of age, the parents should be alert and bring their children to the autism centre of the districts or to a clinical psychologist. 
Parents and the people around should be aware so that the affected children are brought for treatment when they attain one and half years of age,” said Abhishek Hansa, clinical psychologist, at Balurghat District Hospital. 
The awareness programme not only boosts their knowledge but also helps them cope with it more positively. 
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), commonly called autism, refers to a lifelong condition that affects the ability of the person to communicate and relate with others. Children with autism often have poor language skills, less eye contact and have limited interaction with people around them. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/autism-centres-set-up-in-every-dist-563169
Health, Misc, National, Northeast, Regional, Sikkim, West Bengal

Heat intensity reduces in east, southern peninsular India

Leave a comment

IMD, KalimNews,

 5 May 2024 : Indian Meteorological Department has forecast that heat wave conditions with reduced intensity are likely to continue in isolated pockets over East India till Sunday and some places over south Peninsular India till 6th May. Heat wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema on Saturday and Sunday. Interior Karnataka will face heat wave conditions till the 7th of May whereas Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are likely to face heat wave till the 8th of May.

Yesterday, highest maximum temperature of 46.3 degree Celsius was reported at Nandyal in Rayalaseema. Heat wave conditions have been prevailing over Odisha since 15th April, Gangetic West Bengal since 17th April and Rayalaseema since 24th April. Rise in maximum temperatures by two to four degrees is very likely over many parts of Northwest India, except Uttar Pradesh, during next five days.

Meanwhile, Met department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall spell accompanied with thunderstorms and gusty winds over Northeast India in the next two days. Wet spell accompanied with thunderstorms and gusty winds is very likely over East India during 5th to 9th of this month with maximum intensity on 6th and 7th May.

PTI, New Delhi, May 4, 2024 : The intensity of the heat wave prevailing in east and parts of southern peninsular India came down slightly on Saturday, with the weather office predicting relief from the scorching conditions in these regions after two days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Telangana, with maximum temperatures settling 3-5 degrees Celsius above normal in these regions.

The mercury settled above 44 degrees Celsius in at least 10 places in these states.

According to IMD data, 13 places on Friday and 17 on Thursday recorded maximum temperatures above 44 degrees Celsius. Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh sizzled at 46 degrees Celsius and was the hottest place in the country for the third consecutive day on Saturday.

Maximum temperatures were recorded at 45.9 degrees Celsius in Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), 45 degrees in Mahbubnagar (Telangana), 44 degrees in Odisha’s Boudh, 43.5 degrees in Karur Paramathi (Tamil Nadu), 44.6 degrees in Nizamabad (Telangana), 45.4 in Andhra Pradesh’s Cuddapah, and 43.5 degrees in West Bengal’s Kalaikunda.

The IMD said the ongoing heatwave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue until May 5-6 and abate thereafter.

Light to moderate rainfall and thunderstorms are predicted in Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand from May 5 to 9.

Scattered light to moderate rainfall is expected in east Uttar Pradesh, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh during this period.

Scattered light to moderate rainfall is also very likely in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Karnataka from May 6 to May 9.

The Met office on Wednesday said above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May and a significantly high number of heatwave days expected over the northern plains, central region and adjoining areas of peninsular India.

April witnessed record-smashing maximum temperatures in east, northeast and south peninsular India, prompting health warnings from government agencies and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools.

A number of stations also recorded their highest-ever April day temperatures. Five active western disturbances led to rainfall, thunderstorms and hail storms over north and central India at regular intervals in April, preventing heat waves.

The IMD data shows that heat waves this April were far worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far.

This trend is likely to continue in May, with around eight to 11 heatwave days predicted over the south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada and the Gujarat regions.

The remaining parts of Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and some parts of Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, north interior Karnataka and Telangana may record five to seven heatwave days during the month.

Normally, the northern plains, central India and adjoin
Health, National, Politics

Make polling hours 6am to 7pm for May 7 Lok Sabha polls, Karnataka BJP urges EC citing heatwave

Leave a comment
 The petition highlighted the alarming rise in temperatures, which are expected to go beyond 40 degree Celsius, and also stated that the number of voters over the age of 40 is high and that they are vulnerable to the heatwave

PTI, Bengaluru, 03.05.24 : Citing the ongoing heatwave in the state, Karnataka BJP on Friday petitioned the Election Commission with a request to modify the polling hours to the 6am-7pm period in the 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state that goes to polls on May 7.

Polling is currently scheduled to be held in the second phase in the state in 14 segments in the northern districts between 7am to 6pm on May 7.

“It has become hard to come out and vote between hours 10.00 to 17.00 due to uncontrollable heat. The average heat in those parts (north Karnataka) covering 14 parliamentary constituencies are between 37 and 42 degree (Celsius). The mercury is rising at an alarming level and it would become hard for the electors to come out and vote,” BJP’s petition said.

The petition highlighted the alarming rise in temperatures, which are expected to go beyond 40 degree Celsius, and also stated that the number of voters over the age of 40 is high and that they are vulnerable to the heatwave.

“To keep up the good spirit of voting, necessary action should be taken,” the BJP petition urged the Election Commission, saying, “In this background, it is requested to modify the time of voting in the 14 parliamentary constituencies from 06.00 to 19.00 hours on May 7”.

Polling was held between 7 am and 6 pm during Karnataka’s first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies on April 26.
Health, Regional, West Bengal

Respite in sight: ‘Mercury likely to dip in next 48 hrs’

Leave a comment
Severe heatwave situations will, however, continue in districts like Bankura, Jhargram, West Midnapore, East Burdwan and West Burdwan on Friday

MP, 3 May 2024, Kolkata: The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore held out a ray of hope for the heatwave situation to change from Sunday or Monday with the possibility of rains in the coastal districts on Saturday. 

Severe heatwave situations will, however, continue in districts like Bankura, Jhargram, West Midnapore, East Burdwan and West Burdwan on Friday. 
The MeT office also predicted that mercury will start sliding down in the next 48 hours. Many of the South Bengal districts will receive rainfall between Sunday and Tuesday. The MeT office said that heatwave conditions are very likely to continue till Sunday over south Bengal, which has been reeling under a scorching sun. 
Several districts in the Western parts of Bengal have been consistently registering temperatures over 45 degrees Celsius for the past many days. 
The MeT office prediction said severe heatwave is likely to continue in Bankura, Birbhum, Jhargram, West Midnapore, East Midnapore and West Burdwan. There will not be any large change in maximum temperature during the next two days and thereby it will fall gradually in the subsequent three days in the region. 
The severe weather conditions in the southern and western districts of Bengal are being caused by dry westerly winds and strong solar insolation, the MeT office said. Kolkata is also bracing for severe heatwaves. 
The city and its adjoining areas like Dum Dum, Salt Lake, Barrackpore, Barasat already witnessed the highest temperature of over 42 degrees in the past couple of days. 
The Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha are all reeling under the extreme heatwave conditions, according to reports. 
Thunderstorms may hit districts like Nadia, Murshidabad, Birbhum, parts of North and South 24-Parganas and East Midnapore on Sunday. Rainfall may intensify on Monday. 
A mild breeze may also sweep through several parts of South Bengal. North Bengal districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri will receive thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds measuring around 30-40 kmph in the next 48 hours. 
Kolkata on Thursday registered the highest temperature at around 40 degree Celsius, Salt Lake 39, Dum Dum 39, Diamond Harbour 39, Midnapore 43, Purulia 43, Asansol 42. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/about-8631-clear-madhyamik-2024-562288?infinitescroll=1
Health, Misc

To Combat Heat, Puducherry Installs Green Shade Nets Over Traffic Signals

Leave a comment

 Other than praising this initiative, people also urged the government to plant more trees for a long-term solution.

News 18, MAY 02, 2024: By the time we reach May, many parts of India start recording temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius. Stopping at a signal and waiting for the light to turn green can feel like an hour-long task. Now the Public Works Department in Puducherry has set up green shade canopies for a few meters at the traffic signal. This offers respite to those who are on two-wheelers to escape the direct sun as they wait at the signal. On Thursday, an X user shared a video that showed these shaded nets over a small stretch of roads at the traffic signal.

This small clip got over 7 lakh views in less than 24 hours. In the comments, many people praised the Puducherry government for these considerate gestures.

Installing shades at traffic lights can help deter people from jumping red lights, especially during the summer when some individuals may be tempted to do so to escape the heat.

An X user praised this initiative and said, “What a wonderful initiative by the Pondicherry Public Works Department! Erecting a shaded structure at a busy traffic crossing is a simple yet impactful way to improve the daily lives of local residents and commuters. In the sweltering heat, having a place to find respite from the sun’s relentless rays can make a big difference, both in terms of physical comfort and overall well-being.”

An X user recalled, “Takes me 6 years back. Oh yes, I remember the PY sun. It was summer. I was starting work in a Cafe, as a Barista. Doing supply runs in this heat, on the same exact road. God knows how much I welcome this move. It’s the small things that count.”

Many people also urged the government to plant more trees alongside roads. Making this point, an X user wrote, “Rather than this, perhaps the government can focus on planting more trees, which would provide shade to individuals riding two-wheelers while also benefiting the environment and lowering temperatures by 3-5 degrees Celsius.”

Another person wrote, “There is a natural shade giver which has 20000 times more use than these tarpaulins- it’s called a ‘TREE’. Plant more trees at junctions out of the way of pedestrian footpaths and traffic, on traffic islands.”

This initiative of covering roads at traffic signals with shade is also implemented in other cities around south India such as Trichy, Bhubaneswar, Gadag-Betgeri and more.

Health, National, Regional, States

Report on Rare Adverse Side Effects of Covishield Causes Panic. But Should It?

Leave a comment
The risks which are now causing paranoia have been known since 2021 – and experts believe they do not outweigh the benefits the vaccine brought at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the adverse effects show up a few months after vaccine delivery, at the latest.
A vial of the Covishield vaccine candidate. Photo: Covid-19 vaccination/Flickr, CC BY NC 2.0

Banjot Kaur, The Wire, 01 May 2024 : New Delhi: The Telegraph‘s report that the maker of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was sold in India as Covishield, has “admitted” to an adverse event called ‘Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome’ or TTS in “very rare cases” has led to deluge of social media posts and a growing sense of paranoia among people.

TTS is a spectrum that involves blot clots along with a low platelet count in the body, which at times can cause serious injury or even death.

While there had been reported cases of deaths and serious adverse effects following the administration of the vaccine, all drug regulators and scientific bodies have categorised them as extremely rare occurrences. All of them have said there are risks, but the benefits of the vaccine, including saving lives, have outweighed the risks.

The Wire breaks down the risk v/s benefits scenario for those who took Covishield in India.

How rare is rare?

One of the keywords that was reported to have been used by AstraZeneca, in terms of adverse events occurring, was ‘rare’ – something that most of the commentary is now missing.

But how rare is it? By looking at the data from the UK and the European Union, the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety assessed that the risk was low. The committee consists of independent vaccine and other domain experts. It advises the World Health Organisation on vaccine safety.

“[The] data from the UK suggest the risk is approximately 4 cases per million adults  who receive the vaccine, while the rate is estimated to be approximately 1 per 100, 000 in the European Union (EU),” it said back in 2021. It was in late 2020 and early 2021 that the Covid-19 vaccination drive picked up globally.

There are several other studies that looked into the rate of TTS caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. One such study looked at the AstraZeneca Global Safety Database in 2022. They found the rate of this adverse event to be 7.5 per million vaccinated persons, while yet another meta-analysis, which studied two mRNA vaccines and the AstraZeneca vaccine, found the rate of severe adverse reactions with the latter as two per million vaccinated in 2020.

For how long does one run the risk of developing clots?

An Australian assessment says the serious adverse events may develop within four to 42 days of administration of the vaccine. The TTS can develop within a short stretch of duration, and not years after the vaccination. Hence any TTS event, or clotting, can’t occur with Covishield/Astrazeneca vaccine unless one has taken it in the immediate past.

“This time period may also stretch to 3-6 months,” Jacob John, an infectious diseases expert with Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, told The Wire.

“The vaccine can’t cause an epigenetic effect. It is not something that it has altered your genes,” he explained, and so can’t lead to the development of clots years down the line.

Is this new information?

Another claim that is doing the rounds is that this is the ‘first time’ we have come to know that TTS could take place in rare instances due to the vaccine. While it may be the first time the information has reached such a wide audience, scientific papers had spoken of the issue back in 2021.

Moreover, the company too had put in the public domain something called a ‘package insert’ while rolling out the vaccine for use. That package insert, shared on the AstraZeneca website, mentions the occurrence of clotting as a rare event.

However, what did not happen was adequate publicising of this information. Neither governments around the world, including India’s, nor the company itself, made meaningful efforts to let the risks be known on a large scale. Therefore, people are now raising questions regarding the transparency of governments and vaccine companies – even if such adverse events were rare.

How does the rare clotting happen?

The British Heart Foundation says the exact pathway is still being studied.

Satyajit Rath, a noted immunologist who has also been associated with Institute of Immunology in India, says  it may be due to an inadvertent event. Apart from making the antibodies against the Covid-19 virus, the autoantibodies against a protein found in blood called platelet-4 also got developed in some rare cases, he explained.

“This, in turn, seems to be contributing to triggering a cascade of platelet clumping, and, therefore, the clots,” Rath said.

He added that why it happens in the case of some people – even though rare – and not in others, is yet to be understood clearly.

Heart attack because of Covid-19

There are ample studies, like this long-term research, now, on Long Covid – a spectrum of diseases that many have developed even after patients have recovered from the initial infection. Heart attacks are the most common among them. The British Heart Foundation says the clots were far more common after a Covid-19 infection than after the vaccine.

This large-scale study looked into the records of 10.17 million vaccinated and 10.39 million unvaccinated people in the UK, Spain and Estonia. The researched concluded:

“[The] COVID-19 vaccination reduced the risk of post-COVID-19 cardiac and thromboembolic outcomes. These effects were more pronounced for acute COVID-19 outcomes, consistent with known reductions in disease severity;  following breakthrough [or reinfection] versus unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2 [virus causing Covid-19] infection.”

Another study by a group of scientists from Oxford University published in 2021 compared the possibility of thrombocytopenia after Covid-19 infection, and after the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

They concluded that there was an ‘increased’ risk of thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) and venous thromboembolism (clotting in veins) in short time intervals after the administration of the first dose of the vaccine.

But they also wrote that these risks were much higher if one got the Covid-19 disease, as compared to the vaccine.

“Importantly, the risks of these outcomes after vaccination were much lower than those associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the same population,” they wrote.

Countries suspended/stopped use of AstraZeneca vaccine for young populations

More than a dozen countries, especially in Europe, suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for an interim period after reports of clotting surfaced in 2021. However, many of them resumed using it a month or so later.

The governments in the UK and Australia have maintained that younger people, especially those below 50, should not take the AstraZeneca vaccine. They recommended alternative vaccines for this age group; Australia recommended Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine for the younger cohort.

Should India have altered its strategy too? The answer heavily rested on the fact that the Indian government did not allow the import of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Therefore, it had limited the options for itself, should a change in strategy have been required.

Moreover, the Indian government had hardly initiated any study, like the other governments, to understand the adverse effects of the vaccine on the younger population after its rollout.

“In order to make a good determination of Covid risk versus vaccine risk to an individual, it would be necessary to have really robust evidence for local transmission situations and clinical risk profiles,” Rath said.

Even though the Astrazeneca vaccine-associated adverse effects were rare, Rath questioned whether India had collected reliable background information as the basis for any potential decision to halt vaccine use in a specific set of the population.

Lack of adverse events monitoring system in India

One of the reasons that a paranoia of sorts has taken over people after the reports of AstraZeneca’s admission is the lack of a proper monitoring mechanism for the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines, or Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (AEFI), in India.

Till date, there is no public platform that the Indian government has built where one can easily look into the data regarding this. As against this, many governments around the world have been transparent.

A case in point is this website of the UK’s drug regulator, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

On this website one can look for the number of adverse reactions caused by each of the three available vaccines in the country – two mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna, and Novovax. Not only have they put in the public domain how many adverse events occurred, they have also put a summary of how many events were reported and studied to be finally characterised as adverse events.

The US’s Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) gives anyone the opportunity to download data for the vaccine’s side effects.

The public availability of this information is one point. Another worrisome point in India, as far as Covid-19 vaccines are concerned, is how one should report if an adverse event has occurred.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India created a toll free number for this. But there were no efforts made to widely circulate that number – definitely much less than the efforts taken to convince people to take vaccines.

There have been reports how registering an AEFI event caused due to Covid-19  vaccination has been an uphill task in India. On the other hand, the MHRA has an easy-to-use ‘yellow card reporting’ website for this.

There have been 180 reported deaths in India following Covid-19 vaccination, but experts don’t rule out some sort of an undercounting here

“Our regulator really needs to learn regarding creating an efficient AEFI reporting system,” CMC’s John said. There have been no post-approval real-life long-term studies in India done by the government to understand how the vaccines performed.

“If such a system [of monitoring] isn’t created, then it is bound to hit the trust of the people in Science. Worse, should an epidemic occur again, how are people going to trust [the vaccines],” John asked.

Other vaccines causing side effects

A panic has now set in among common people. They are questioning why this ‘unsafe vaccine’ was rolled out in India. However, there has been no vaccine against any virus in history which was shown to have 100% safety. Rare side effects have been associated even with those jabs which have been in use for decades now.

“The oral polio vaccine can, in rare instances, lead to vaccine-induced poliomyelitis disease,” Rath explained. He cited another example of the BCG vaccine which, in rare instances, can cause severe inflammation and abscess formation.

It is then not entirely unsurprising – and perhaps not a cause for widespread panic – that the Covid-19 vaccine too can lead to rare adverse events.
Health, National, Regional

सीएचसी : ठंड का असर,ओपीडी में कम हुई मरीजों की संख्या,सांस एवं त्वचा रोगी बढ़े

Leave a comment

बरेली/ शेरगढ़ । शनिवार को सीएचसी की ओपीडी में 207 मरीजों का पंजीकरण किया गया जिनमें खांसी, सर्दी, जुखाम तथा त्वचा रोग संबंधी मरीजों की तादाद ज्यादा रही।

शनिवार को ठंड का इस कदर असर देखा गया कि पर्चा बिंडो पर पहले की अपेक्षा कम मरीज देखने को मिले। चिकित्सा अधीक्षक डॉ गजेंद्र सिंह ने बताया कि सीएचसी की ओपीडी में रोज़ाना सर्दी,जुकाम,त्वचा एवं सांस रोगी पहुंच रहे हैं जिन्हें दवा वितरण के साथ ही ठंड से बचाव का मंत्र दिया जा रहा है वहीं बुजुर्गों एवं बच्चों को पोष्टिक आहार देने के साथ ही उचित देखभाल की सलाह दी जा रही है।

चिकित्सा अधीक्षक डॉ गजेंद्र सिंह ने बताया कि आगामी 10 से 28 फरवरी तक क्षेत्र में फायलेरिया कार्यक्रम चलाया जाएगा जिसकी तैयारियां पूर्ण की जा रही हैं कार्यक्रम की सफलता के लिए स्वास्थ्य कर्मियों को प्रशिक्षित किया जा रहा है। उन्होंने बताया कि अब क्षेत्र वासियों को एक्सरे के लिए इधर उधर भटकना नहीं पड़ेगा इसके लिए सीएचसी में एक्स-रे मशीन की व्यवस्था हो चुकी है। उन्होंने बताया कि एक्सरे टेक्नीशियन की व्यवस्था होते ही एक्सरे करने का कार्य आरंभ कर दिया जायेगा।

इधर सीएचसी में एआरवी प्रभावित मरीज भी पहुंच रहे है बीती एक जनवरी से 13 जनवरी तक तकरीबन 252 लोगों का पंजीकरण किया गया। जिसमें गुरुवार को 40, शुक्रवार को 15 लोगों का वैक्सीनेशन किया गया जबकि शनिवार को 20 लोग रैबीज के टीके लगवाने सीएचसी पहुंचे।

फार्मासिस्ट प्रमोद कुमार ने बताया कि सीएचसी में पर्याप्त मात्रा में एआरवी वैक्सीन उपलब्ध है प्रभावित लोगों को वैक्सीनेशन के करने के साथ ही सतर्कता बरतने की सलाह दी जा रही है।

Education, Health, National, Regional

बेहतर स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं के लिए स्वास्थ्य कर्मियों का प्रशिक्षित होना जरूरी-डॉ गजेंद्र सिंह

Leave a comment

बरेली/शेरगढ़। ब्लाक शेरगढ़ की एएनएम,आशा संगिनी एवं आशा बहुओं का चार दिवसीय अभिमुखीकरण कार्यक्रम सीएचसी में आरंभ हुआ जिसमें प्रशिक्षकों ने मातृ मृत्यु दर एवं शिशु मृत्यु दर की रोकथाम का मंत्र दिया।

चिकित्सा अधीक्षक डॉ गजेंद्र सिंह की अध्यक्षता में आयोजित चार दिवसीय जागरूकता प्रशिक्षण में गर्भवती महिलाओं का पंजीकरण,उनकी महत्वपूर्ण जांच,संस्थागत प्रसव,शीघ्र स्तनपान पर प्रकाश डाला गया। चिकित्सा अधीक्षक डॉ गजेंद्र सिंह ने कहा कि क्षेत्र वासियों को बेहतर स्वास्थ्य सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराने में एएनएम,आशा संगिनी एवं आशा बहुओं की भूमिका सर्वाधिक रहती है ऐसे में उनका जागरूक रहना अत्यंत जरूरी है। उन्होंने एएनएम,आशा संगिनी एवं आशा बहुओं को जिम्मेदारी का पाठ पढ़ाते हुए क्षेत्र वासियों को बेहतर स्वास्थ्य सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराने में सहयोगी की भूमिका निभाने पर जोर दिया।

यूनिसेफ के बीएमसी योगेश शर्मा ने कहा कि आशा संगिनी एएनएम एवं आशा बहुएं गांवों में भ्रमण के दौरान जन्म के 1 घंटे के अंदर शिशु को मां का दूध देने के लिए माताओं को प्रेरित करें। उन्होंने बच्चों का वजन,लंबाई की माप,टीकाकरण,शिशु की उचित देखभाल एवं पौष्टिक आहार पर विस्तृत चर्चा की। वहीं टीवी रोग की रोकथाम के लिए जांच करने के साथ ही प्रत्येक व्यक्ति का गोल्डन कार्ड एवं आभा आईडी बनाने को प्रेरित किया। उन्होंने कहा कि उत्तम स्वास्थ्य जीवन की आधारशिला है इसलिए प्रशिक्षण की बारीकियों को समझें और गांव-गांव जाकर स्वास्थ्य विभाग की योजनाओं का क्रियान्वयन करने में सहयोगी बनें।

कार्यक्रम में एएनएम उमेश चौहान, सलमा, मोनिका, किरन,संगिनी भावना गंगवार,कमलेश,सरिता,निर्दोष तथा आशा बहुएं प्रीति,सावित्री,सर्वेश,रेखा,चित्र रेखा,अर्चना तथा सरोज आदि समेत स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ता मौजूद रहे।