Nov 22, 2024 New Delhi: Abbott has launched a pacemaker in India for the treatment of patients with slow heart rhythms. Abbott has introduced AVEIR VR single-chamber ventricular leadless pacemaker which has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, the company said in a statement on Friday. The product has also been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). “The AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker was designed to make the implantation and retrieval processes as seamless as possible for physicians and provide improvements over existing options,” said Ajay Singh Chauhan, General Manager for Abbott’s Cardiac Rhythm Management business in India, Southeast Asia, HK, Taiwan & Korea. People who experience slower-than-normal heart rhythm may receive a pacemaker to deliver pulses of electricity to trigger the heart to beat properly. Balbir Singh, Chairman Cardiology, Max Superspeciality Hospital said, “Leadless pacemakers address known complications associated with traditional pacemakers.” While traditional pacemakers require a chest incision and pocket for the generator along with one or more insulated wires ‘known as cardiac leads ‘to deliver electricity to the heart, leadless pacemakers do not require a pocket or leads. “In some circumstances where we believe a person’s therapy needs may change in the future, retrievability also becomes a critical device feature,” Vanita Arora, Clinical Lead Electrophysiology, Apollo Hospitals Delhi said. Source: Economic Times

Nov 19, 2024 Delhi: Boston Scientific Corporation, a leading medical device manufacturer, has announced the launch of its multi-modality guidance system, AVVIGO. This system is designed to generate IVUS vessel images and draw physiological graphs to assist in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. AVVIGO is an Al-enabled intravascular ultrasound (INWS) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) system that provides high-quality IVUS vessel images and enhanced guidance. By creating a physiological graph, it offers a comprehensive roadmap for treating diseased coronary arteries, the company stated. “AWIGO provides fast, intuitive, and accurate vessel and lesion assessment capabilities for percutaneous coronary interventions. This automated tool will help optimize these procedures, delivering better outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease,” said Madan R. Krishnan, Vice President and Managing Director, India Subcontinent, Boston Scientific. According to the release, IWS is a specialized diagnostic procedure that uses an ultrasound probe to create high-resolution images of the heart’s structures and functions from inside the body. Unlike traditional echocardiograms, which use sound waves to produce images from outside the body, INWS involves inserting a thin catheter equipped with an ultrasound probe directly into the heart. Source: Economic Times

Nov 20, 2024 New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday suggested the Centre to come out with a policy relating to the construction of feeding rooms and childcare rooms in public places. A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Justice N Kotiswar Singh asked the Centre to formulate a plan of action so that same be implemented by the state government and adjourned the matter for December 10 for further hearing. The top court was hearing the petition seeking separate and exclusive space for child care and feeding of children in public places. The top court said that before passing any directions on the petition, it would be appropriate to get the views of the Centre with regard to the implementation of the demand urged by the petitioner. The top court noted that currently there is no concrete law or policy on the issue. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appearing for the Centre submitted that there is no policy or law in this regard yet. The petitioner, NGO Maatr Sparsh, an initiative by Avyaan Foundation, which works towards setting up of feeding rooms, child care rooms and creches in public places, filed the petition through advocates Neha Rastogi, Animesh Rastogi and Abhimanue Shrestha. The petitioner had said that feeding rooms and child care rooms in all the public places are so much important in today’s scenario when women’s are equally participating in the economic growth of this nation and are stepping out in such a large numbers. “Therefore, basic facilities such as feeding rooms and child care rooms shall be provided at all public places so that women can lead her life with dignity and her privacy is also not infringed,” the petitioner said. “That right to life and privacy are inalienable and inseparable and integral part ofthe Constitution of India as enshrined in part III of the Constitution of India. That there are various provisions in Labour laws for setting up of creche and other facilities for women and child this clearly show that the right to have proper nursing of a child is his/her fundamental right and it is also recognized to be one of the most important rights,” the petitioner said. However, nursing of a child with privacy and dignity is a fundamental right of every single women which is being infringed each time due to lack of basic facilities such as feeding room and child care rooms for women and child at public places, the petition said Union of India and states are well aware that feeding room and child care room at public places are essential services which they ought to provide. However, no concrete steps have been taken by them for providing such basic facilities at public places there needs to be comprehensive guidelines for setting of these facilities at all public places, the petition said. The petitioner assumes importance, as the child has the right to receive proper nutrition through nursing, so is the right of a mother to be able to feed the child, in an environment which is conducive to her dignity and privacy and in no manner impedes exercise of any of her rights. “Article 42 and 47 of The Constitution of India casts a duty on the State, in the form of “directive principles of State policy”, to take adequate and effective steps for betterment and improvement and to rise of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health of women and child. State is bound to take adequate measures to provide health care, opportunities and social standing of women and child,” the petition said. Hence, the petitioner has sought to issue direction to all Respondents to act and construct feeding rooms and child care rooms etc. or any other facilities related to infants and mothers in public places and to ensure that the fundamental rights of nursing mothers and infants are protected. (ANI) Source: Economic Times

Nov 18, 2024 Lucknow: Over one and a half years since the launch of e-rupee vouchers in Uttar Pradesh, the govt has issued more than 14.5 lakh e-rupee vouchers, enabling pregnant women to access essential diagnostic services, particularly ultrasounds, at private centres across the state. According to data released by the govt on Sunday, Azamgarh has emerged as the leading district in voucher distribution, with over 61,000 vouchers issued, followed by Agra and Badaun, with nearly 56,000 and 53,000 vouchers, respectively. Of the 14S lakh vouchers issued, 6.81 lakh have already been utilised by beneficiaries across the state. Prayagraj secured the fourth position in voucher distribution, followed by Deoria in fifth, Ghaziabad in sixth, Gorakhpur in seventh, Bareilly in eighth, Ghazipur in ninth, and Hardoi in tenth. On the other hand, the lowest number of vouchers were issued in Kasganj (4,352), Bhadohi (4,876), and Shamli (5,749). Director of the National Health Mission (NHM), Dr Pinky Jowal, said that this initiative reflected Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s unwavering focus on maternal and child health. “The e-rupee voucher scheme ensures that pregnant women receive timely and essential diagnostic services to safeguard their health and that of their unborn children. These vouchers demonstrate the govt’s proactive approach to improving healthcare delivery in the state,” she said. Dr Jowal further said that the e-rupee voucher initiative aimed to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of healthcare services across the state. This programme has not only ensured timely health check-ups for women but has also played a significant role in curbing corruption. “As a fully digital scheme, it guarantees that the benefits directly reach the intended beneficiaries, reflecting the govt’s commitment to transparency and effective governance,” she said. Source: Economic Times

Nov 18, 2024 New Delhi: A separate central law to deal with offences against health care professionals is not required as the state laws have adequate provisions to address day-to-day minor offences and serious ones can be addressed by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, the National Task Force (NTF) has recommended. The NTF was constituted by the Supreme Court on August 20 to formulate a protocol for ensuring safety and security of medical professionals in wake of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. In a slew of recommendations made in its report, the NTF said 24 states have already enacted laws to address violence against health care professionals, whereby the terms “health care institutions” and “medical professionals” have also been defined. It said two more states have already introduced their Bills in this regard. The recommendations said most of the state laws cover minor offences and prescribe punishment for them and the major offences or heinous crimes are adequately covered under the BNS. “It has been observed that state laws have adequate provisions to address day-to-day minor offences and serious offences can be addressed by BNS. A separate central law to deal with offences against health care professionals is, therefore, not required,” the NTF said. The task force has recommended that in states where no specific legislation exists to protect medical professionals, the provisions of the BNS 2023 should be used immediately to address acts of violence against them. The Centre has placed the NTF’s report in an affidavit filed in the apex court. In its detailed report, the NTF said for the timeline of implementation, its recommendations have been divided into short-term, medium-term and long-term measures. It has stressed on ensuring due security in health care establishments, including constitution of security committee there, deployment of trained security personnel and coordination with local police. The NTF has recommended that depending on the size and nature of the health care establishments (HCE), adequate number of CCTVs are required to be installed for surveillance. “Distress call system is to be installed in HCE in critical, vulnerable/violence prone areas and other areas as per requirement which should be accessible to medical professionals,” it said. The NTF has also made recommendations about infrastructural development and strengthening of infrastructure, which included well- kept boundary wall with fencing and secured windows. “NTF recommends that medical institutions should endeavour to adhere to guidelines laid down/instructions issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) from time-to-time in respect of duty hours regulation and working conditions for resident doctors,” it said. In its recommendations for strengthening legal framework and capacity building, the task force has said timely intervention (lodging complaint/FIR, including Zero FIR), proper investigation and prompt legal action is necessary to deter potential offenders and create a sense of security amongst all medical professionals. It said public at large and medical professionals in particular may be made aware about legal provisions related to safety and security of medical professionals. The NTF has said effective communication between medical professionals and patients’ families is critical in ensuring a safe environment in medical spaces. “Poor communication is often identified as a major factor in frustration, mistrust and sometimes increased tension resulting in violence or even mob attacks on medical professionals,” it said. It recommended that an internal grievance redressal mechanism should be set up to enable medical professionals to register complaints and redress any threat or offences committed against them. The report stressed on constitution of internal complaints committee (ICC) under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 at each HCE. It said appropriate measures must be taken to prevent any stigmatisation of the complainant. “All HCEs should bring awareness regarding ‘Sexual Harassmentd electronic- Box (SHe-Box)’ which is a single window online access portald for every woman, irrespective of her work status, whether working ind organised or unorganised, private or public sector, to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment,” it said. The NTF has recommended that states and Union Territories (UTs) may utilise and further strengthen ‘Women Safety’ infrastructure which has been instituted across the country in last few years, both for safety of women in public places as also for speeding up probe of crimes against women and the judicial process to bring offenders to justice quickly. In its conclusion, the NTF report said implementation of these recommendations would need to allow flexibility in terms of size, scale and sophistication of the HCEs and cannot always be uniform for all. “Accordingly, committees may be constituted and SOPs (standard operating procedures) may be developed appropriately as may be required at different levels of HCEs for implementation of the recommendations,” it said. The task force has said monitoring mechanisms may also be devised accordingly for implementation of the recommendations and the Centre, states and UT administration may ensure that adequate support is provided to all HCEs in this regard. Source: Economic Times

Nov 17, 2024 Mangaluru: Health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday said chief minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate 10-bedded chemotherapy day care centres in all district hospitals next month. He told reporters after holding official review meetings that patients requiring chemotherapy have no proper facility in govt hospitals at present. Further, govt hospitals also lack oncologists. Hence, the govt has tied up with private hospitals to fill the gap. In Mangaluru, a 10- bedded chemotherapy daycare centre will be opened at Govt Wenlock District Hospital in association with the Yenepoya Hospital, the minister said. The minister said that he received complaints regarding patients being charged for MRI and CT scans at the Wenlock Hospital. “I directed the officials to take measures to resolve the issue or terminate the contractor. Patients should get the facilities free at the Wenlock Hospital. Hence, alternative measures should be adopted to provide the facilities from the hospital itself,” he said. The authorities of the Wenlock Hospital requested the minister to arrange special grants to construct a new building for the mortuary, paramedical college, kitchen, and a bridge to connect two blocks of the hospital. “It may require nearly Rs six to Rs 10 crore to provide all these facilities. I will try to arrange funds from the govt and also through CSR. I asked officials of the Wenlock Hospital and the Lady Goschen Hospital to attend a meeting to be held in Bengaluru to discuss all requirements in the hospitals. By Dec or Jan, all demands will be finalised,” he said. The KMC Hospital has to construct an OPD block for the Wenlock Hospital as per an agreement made in 2017, the minister said, adding that he will hold talks with the KMC Hospital management. He added that the construction of the Critical Care Block building at an estimate cost of Rs 24 crore and Integrated Public Health Lab (IPHL) at an estimate Rs one crore will begin soon at Wenlock Hospital. Rs 6.1 crore for Addoor-Polali bridge repair Dinesh Gundu Rao said the PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi has approved for the repair of Addoor-Polali bridge, which will be taken up at an estimate cost of Rs 6.1 crore. Meanwhile, an estimate cost of Rs 5 crore has been allocated to repair the bridge at Ulaibettu. The works will begin within a month and are expected to be completed in three months. A new bridge at Addoorwill require about Rs 50 — Rs 60 crore, he said, adding that the funds will be sanctioned on priority. Source: Economic Times

Nov 22, 2024 Berhampur: Three healthcare facilities in Ganjam district, among 10 in the state, earned the National Quality Assurance Standard (NQAS) certificate for their outstanding services, as recognised by the Union ministry of health and family welfare. The certified institutes in Ganjam district include Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) sub-health centres (SHC) at Ankushpur, Anantei and Chamakhandi. The Union health ministry assessment team assessed the performances of the sub- health centres earlier this month virtually and certified them under NQAS. Besides assessing the existing infrastructure facilities, the central team also assessed patient satisfaction, clinical care, services available, availability of drugs and facilities for diagnostics, infection control measures and healthcare outcomes, among others, to certify the institutes under NQAS. The assessment revealed an impressive performance score for the healthcare institutes. The overall score of the healthcare institute in Ankushpur was 87.03%, Anantei 84.16% and Chamakhandi 88.52%, sources said. “We are happy as three of our healthcare institutions have been certified under NQAS,” said Bijay Kumar Panda, chief district medical officer of Ganjam district. “The facilities are delivering quality healthcare and this will continue in the coming days,” he said. He also congratulated the teams of each healthcare institute. The other healthcare institutes that were also awarded the NQAS certificates include AAM SHC, Simulia in Balasore district, Patilo, Jambhara, and Rampas in Keonjhar district, Kantabad, Kodaberini, and Kantia in Khurda district, sources said. The National Health Systems Resource Center, the technical support institute with the National Health Mission under the ministry of health and family welfare, recently communicated to the mission director of the state about the certification of ten public health facilities in the state under NQAS, sources said. Source: Times Of India

Nov 19, 2024 “I still use checkbooks at the bank and don’t own credit cards, debit cards, or any net banking app,” says R. Sampathkumar, an octogenarian from Chennai. A retired deputy manager from Indian Oil Corporation, he is recovering from knee surgery performed seven months ago. He lives with his wife in Chromepet and receives a Rs.5,300 annuity from Life Insurance Corporation. Dependent on his children for most needs, he tells Frontline that people often forget about seniors like him. “Public facilities aren’t planned with old people in mind. The railway station near my house has no escalators, so I must climb stairs whenever I travel. It’s really tough for me.” The digital divide, he adds, makes things even harder. For 81-year-old H. Jayam, leaving her house is a daily challenge. She suffers from joint pain that restricts her movements. A former private school teacher, she tells Frontline: “I used to walk in the park before COVID-19 but had to stop because of my health.” Diabetic for several years, she underwent dialysis in 2014. Now in better health, she keeps busy with simple household chores and cooking for her family. “I’m happy I can still help them, even at this age,” she says. On October 29, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a health insurance scheme for all senior citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income, under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). The scheme aims to “overcome the despair of the poor when illness strikes”, with the government covering hospital expenses for beneficiaries up to Rs.5 lakh. Indians have long considered themselves superior to much of the world in treating the elderly, citing mythological stories to show respect for the old. Sadly, modern facts do not bear this out. An Observer Research Foundation (ORF) paper published in September 2024, titled “Caring for the Elderly: Need for a Sensitive Approach”, states that “40 per cent of elderly people in India are in the poorest wealth quintile, while about one-fifth have no income”. The Longitudinal Ageing Survey of India (LASI) 2020, conducted between April 2017 and December 2018, found that “at least five per cent of the elderly had faced abuse, some from those closely related to them”. This figure is especially alarming given the growing elderly population. Source: The Hindu

Nov 19, 2024 New Delhi: Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava has written to all Chief Secretaries of states and union territories, urging them to review and strengthen capacities for prevention, preparedness and mitigation against fire accidents in all health facilities. In a letter dated November 19, the Union Health Secretary said, “This is in continuation of this Ministry’s previous communication vide DO letters dated March 23; May 29; June 06; July 30 (copies enclosed), wherein State Health Departments were requested to review and strengthen capacities for prevention, preparedness and mitigation against fire accidents in all health facilities. Further, a detailed checklist on ‘Prevention and Maintenance of Fire Safety’ that may be utilized at facility level had also been circulated to all States/UTs (Copy enclosed).” This directive comes in the wake of a tragic fire at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Jhansi Medical College on the evening of November 15, which claimed the lives of at least 10 infants and left several others with burn injuries. Around 54 infants were being treated in the NICU at the time of the incident. In the letter, the Health Secretary has requested all states and union territories to immediately review and update their fire prevention plans for all healthcare facilities and training of all healthcare staff on fire safety protocols, evacuation procedures, and use of fire-fighting equipment. Additionally, states/UTs have been instructed to conduct regular fire safety drills including evacuation plans, and to implement effective fire prevention measures. This includes regular maintenance and inspection of electrical systems, as well as the installation and maintenance of fire detection and suppression systems such as smoke alarms and fire extinguishers – ensuring all equipment is regularly checked for functionality and compliance, including verification of expiry dates. The Health Secretary also requested all States/UTs to constitute a district-level committee, headed by District Collectors, to oversee fire safety inspections of healthcare facilities. These committees, comprising officials from health, fire services, and public works departments may also be directed to undertake suitable actions against the defaulters, as deemed necessary under the law. Source: Economic Times

Nov 23, 2024 For the first time in decades, public health data from the United States show a decline in drug overdose deaths across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 111,802 overdose deaths were reported in the 12 months ending August 2023. This number fell to 93,087 in June 2024 (the last month for which data are available) — a 16.4% drop in a 10-month span. But what is leading to this trend is both promising and disturbing. The good Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, lies at the heart of the United States’ drug crisis, and contributes to the majority of overdose deaths. Years of public health messaging and expanded access to treatment options for fentanyl overdose seem to finally be paying dividends. For instance, Naloxone and other medication for opioid addiction have become more affordable, and hence more easily available to drug users. Programmes offering sterile syringe exchanges and fentanyl test strips are also saving lives. The US government’s crackdown on Mexican cartels and international supply chains is making chemicals and other supplies used for making fentanyl harder to get. Pure fentanyl is thus becoming more scarce and expensive — and purity of the product has a direct correlation with its lethality. The bad The data show uneven progress among racial and ethnic groups, and geographic regions. This means that many communities that have been historically marginalised are yet to see much change, if any, in their situation. “There are entire communities that are not seeing that progress,” Dr Allison Arwady, the director of the US government’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, told The NYT. Perhaps more concerning is the fact that some experts actually believe that the government’s public health programmes have played a relatively marginal role in the recent trend. “We don’t have anything that would predict this magnitude of effect this quickly,” Dr Nabarun Dasgupta, an expert on street drugs at the University of North Carolina, told NPR. Addiction experts have pointed to some not-so-positive developments in this regard. The ugly The crackdown on fentanyl has spurred the rise of other drugs, mixed with fentanyl or sold on their own. Street fentanyl, for instance, is increasingly being cut with xylazine, a toxic animal tranquiliser which that can cause skin lesions (even leading to limb amputations in extreme cases) and other long-term health effects. But mixed with fentanyl, it is likely saving lives. This is because xylazine sedates people for hours. If someone consumes fentanyl mixed with xylazine, “you might not shoot another bag of fentanyl, because you’re knocked out,” Colin Miller, a researcher at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, told The WT. There is also some research to indicate that patients admitted to emergency departments for fentanyl overdoses had less severe outcomes when xylazine was also detected. The crackdown on fentanyl has led to the growing spread of other drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine which are not as acutely deadly as fentanyl, although still dangerous. A recent study showed a possible correlation in Ohio between plummeting opioid fatalities and a surge of meth in the state. Source: Indian Express