Friday 1 September 2017

Fortis Surgeons Create Pharyngeal tube with part of small intestine

Dr Surender Dabas, Director, Head, Neck and Thoracic Surgical Oncology
BS RAWAT

NEW DELHI: Vimla Devi had squamous cell carcinoma in the laryngeal region. The goal of the reconstruction was to protect the carotid artery and to restore speech and swallowing in the patient impacted by the tumour.

By taking a part of her small intestine and creating a new pharyngeal tube with it, the surgeons at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi, proved to be life savers for Vimla Devi from Rohtak.

The patient got a fresh lease of life after undergoing an over 12-hour operation on August 14, 2017, for removal of a malignant neck tumour.

Speaking to DTMT, the Hospital claimed the surgery was a "first of its kind" in North India.

Bimla Devi, 58,  who was earlier treated in Rohtak hospital was brought to the Fortis Hospital at Shalimar Bagh in a state of complete weakness and was being fed through an external apparatus as she had extreme trouble swallowing and breathing, doctors said.

An endoscopy and biopsy were performed proving the presence of a squamous cell carcinoma in the laryngeal region or hypopharynx. She had previously undergone treatment with radiation followed by eight cycles of palliative chemotherapy which had resulted in absolute dysphagia.

Dr Surender Dabas, Director (Head, Neck and Thoracic Surgical Oncology) told DTMT, "After reviewing her case, we decided to perform a total laryngopharyngectomy and reconstruction of pharyngeal tube with a free jejunal flap. Post the surgery the patient was kept on ventilator support for two days."

He said that the post-operative period was uneventful and smooth.

In this case, it was a post-cricoid carcinoma, her food pipe and windpipe that were affected, were removed," he said.

Dr Dabas stated, “ Pharyngoesophageal reconstruction requires great attention to detail, and there is no room for error. The ultimate goals of reconstruction are to provide protection of important structures such as the carotid artery, and restoration of funcctions such as speech and swallowing.”

"Vimla Devi is stable and kept under surveillance in the high-dependency unit. She would be discharged in next week," he said.

Mr Mahipal Bhanot, Director of the hospital, commended Dr Dabas and said: "It is with his positive and can-do attitude that even the most hopeless cases develop a silver lining and can be treated."

6.2 crore Indians suffer visual impairment: AIIMS

Dr Atul Kumar, Chief, RP Centre, AIIMS, Delhi
Rohit Shishodia

Consumption of steroids, tobacco use and even the use of smart phones among children contribute to blindness and visual impairment. Some 80 lakh Indians are totally blind.

Experts have expressed concern over the increasing visual impairment in India. They inform that around 6.2 crore people in India are living with visual impairment.

Out of these 6.2 crore, 20 per cent or 80 lakh people, are blind. It is estimated that India carries 20 per cent burden of blindness of the entire globe.

Dr Atul Kumar, Chief, RP Centre, AIIMS, Delhi, pointed out that a major awareness campaign among the masses is needed to arrest the march of visual impairment and blindness in elderly population and young children.

Dr Kumar informed that disease like diabetes, BP and poor lifestyle contribute to the occurrence of visual impairment. “Diabetes impacts the eyes around ten years after its occurrence. Therefore, people should go for regular eye check-up and consume green vegetables to avoid eye disorders due to other diseases,” added Dr Kumar.

Dr Kumar revealed that consumption of steroids also results in eye diseases. “Around 20 per cent of young children have blindness due to consumption of steroids. Over the counter availability of steroids must be stopped. Steroids cause glaucoma,” explained Dr Kumar.

Dr Praveen Vashist, Professor and Head-Community Ophthalmology at AIIMS-Delhi, says that cataract is the biggest cause of blindness in India. “Thereafter, it is retina which causes blindness. 65 lakh surgeries of cataract are conducted in India,” said Dr Vashist.

Dr Vashist informed that tobacco consumption is one of the major factors which contribute to blindness. “Tobacco consumption impacts the nerves of the patients which also causes blindness. Smart phones also result in visual impairment in kids of very young age. Parents must educate and keep their children away from smart phones,” explained Dr Vashist.

He informed Delhi-AIIMS is conducting a study in Delhi’s Trilokpuri area on 20,000 children to ascertain the number of kids suffering from visual impairment and the causes of the same.

Delhi Govt.'s lab technicians hold protest march

Delhi lab technicians holding protest march
BS RAWAT

NEW DELHI: The technicians have warned that the protest will be intensified if their demands, including the implementation of 7th CPC recommendations, are not accepted.

Demanding implementation of the 7th pay commission recommendations and immediate cadre restructuring, hundreds of medical lab technicians employed in Delhi Government hospitals gathered outside the GB Pant Hospital on September 1, 2017, and took out a protest march to the office of the Dean, Maulana Azad Medical College, and staged a 'dharna' there.

After submitting memorandum, the workers warned of a continuous protest-cum-pen-down-strike from September 6, 2017, in case their demands are not met.

The protesting technicians, under the banner of Indian Medical Laboratory Technologist Federation, had handed over a memorandum to Delhi chief minister Arnind Kejriwal last month warning of a pen-down strike over their long pending issues.

"The response of the Delhi government on our pending issues has been highly disappointing. We met almost every concerned officer, from health secretary to chief secretary and health minister to chief minister many times but we could not find any appropriate solution to our demands,” Pooja Saini, chairperson of the federation and one of the agitators said.

One hospital bed per 2,046 people in India: Govt. report

Rohit Shishodia

Against the WHO guideline of a hospital bed for every 500 people, Bihar has a hospital bed per more than eight thousand people.

The healthcare services in India are running against the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in terms of patient: hospital bed ratio. According to the National Health Profile (NHP) report, 2017, published by India’s health ministry online, there is only one hospital bed available per two thousand people in government hospitals. According to WHO guidelines, there should be one bed available for 500 people.

The situation is even more adverse for people who need treatment in northern states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The report reveals that there is only one bed available for more than eight thousand people in Bihar, while in Uttar Pradesh, there is one bed for more than three thousand people.

In Haryana, there is one bed available for around 3,427 people, in Arunachal Pradesh, there is one bed for 3,819 people, in Jharkhand one bed for 3,079 people and in Delhi there is one bed for 824 people.

The states which fare well and fulfill the WHO guidelines are Sikkim, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry.

The abysmal lack of hospital beds against the number of patients in India is quite worrisome. It may take years to improve the ratio between the availability of beds and patients unless concrete efforts are made to improve the infrastructure.

Sept. 6-10, 2017: WHO meet of S-E Asian health ministers

Amitabh Bachchan during World Hepatitis Day meeting
BS RAWAT

NEW DELHI: The main focus of the conference will be on climate change

Building health systems resilient to climate change, improving access to vital drugs for all and increasing efforts to end tuberculosis are among key topics that will be discussed at a World Health Organisation (WHO) conference of health ministers of the South-East Asia Region from September 6-10, 2017.

According to a WHO statement, the 70th regional committee conference of WHO South-East Asia Region will be hosted by Maldives.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom and regional director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh will address the conference which will also be attended by health officials from member countries and delegates of partner institutes.

WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in South-East Asia Region, Amitabh Bachchan, will join the conference to support urgent action against viral hepatitis, an avoidable disease that kills around 410000 in the region annually.

Increasing primary health care and growth towards universal health coverage are among other key issues being addressed at the conference.

"Main focus of the conference will be climate change - on how to make health systems resilient to climate change. A well prepared and responsive health scheme is vital for preventing and minimizing the rising health menaces posed by climate change," the statement said.

The conference will also analyse new progress on key schemes and discuss plans to maintain the health of people in WHO South-East Asia Region.

Amend Pharmacy Act: IPA urges IPC

Rohit Shishodia

The Indian Pharmacists association, on the strength of a Supreme Court ruling, is demanding that non-qualified persons must be barred from entering the pharma profession.

The Indian Pharmacists Association (IPA) has urged the Indian Pharma Council (IPC) to amend the Pharmacy Act after a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of India.

The apex court in July 2017, ruled about introduction of various changes in the pharmacy act including that only qualified pharmacists can enter the pharma profession. The IPA has also written to Indian health minister JP Nadda in the matter.

Mr Bhupendra Kumar, Secretary General, IPA, told DTMT that individuals who are unqualified and do not possess any degree or diploma are illegally engaged in the pharma profession.

“They are harming the profession and endangering the lives of patients by giving various medicines without having any knowledge about them. We have written a letter to IPC to amend the pharmacy act so that only qualified pharmacist can practice the pharma profession,” informed Mr Kumar.  

The IPA, in a statement, said that the Supreme Court ruled that any person who does not satisfy the qualifications as per the education regulations shall not be entitled to seek any entry in the pharmacy register.

The IPA mentioned that at present there are some lacunae in the Pharmacy Act which has been misused by a number of uneducated individuals. “Non pharma person or quacks, finding discrepancies in the pharmacy act, are making a mockery of Pharma Council of India, government and drug control department,” added IPA.

The IPA pointed out that these quacks are fatal for the health of the common man as pharmacy is a scientific profession and it requires detailed study of pharmacy subjects.

The IPA has demanded that IPC abolish all pharmacy tribunals and cancel registration of unqualified individuals who are practicing pharmacy.

The other demands include amendment in section 11, 30 and 32 of the Pharmacy Act, removal of section 14 of pharmacy act and cancellation of registration of 8,940 non-pharmacist persons in Jharkhand and some in Chhattisgarh.

Umaid hospital video: Baby alive, says Rajasthan Govt.

Umaid hospital Rajasthan
Rohit Shishodia

The Rajasthan government has acknowledged that two doctors were quarreling in the operation theater of the Umaid Hospital while the C-section delivery was in progress. However, it stated that both the baby and the mother are doing fine. The video of the doctors quarreling with each other had gone viral on social media sites.

The Rajasthan government has said that the baby that was reported dead in the Operation Theater in Umaid hospital where doctors were quarreling, is actually alive.

In a statement, the state government has said that various newspapers and news channels have wrongly shown that the baby died in the video where Dr Ashok Nainwal, an obstetrician, and Dr ML Tak, an anesthetist, started quarreling amidst the c-section surgery. The state government has said that the baby and the mother are doing fine.

The Rajasthan government has informed that both of the doctors have been suspended for their highly uncalled for and inhuman attitude in the operation theater where they started shouting at each other.

It also informed that it has constituted a panel headed by the upper district magistrate which will submit its report in the matter by September 2, 2017.

IGMPI wins ASSOCHAM Services Excellence Award-2017 in Education

Excellence Award-2017
DTMT Network

The Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices-India (IGMPI) has been conferred the ‘Best Education Provider’ award in the Education and Consulting category at the ASSOCHAM Annual Mega Summit.

The Institute of Good Manufacturing Practices-India (IGMPI) has been conferred the ‘Best Education Provider’ award in the Education and Consulting category at the ASSOCHAM Annual Mega Summit. The award was presented by Member of Parliament Dr. Udit Raj.

This prestigious award felicitates institutions that have been successful in providing quality service to its customers. The annual flagship event of ASSOCHAM, the diamond rated industry chamber of the country recognized excellent service providers that have been performing brilliantly over the years while maintaining consistent delivery of services.

IGMPI has been felicitated keeping in mind its fundamentally strong and resilient education and knowledge dissemination model including efforts made by the IGMPI in imparting education to research scholars and industry professionals. The Institute’s ‘Programme Feedback Procedure’, a feedback process to enhance quality standards, gave it an edge.

Mr. Syed S. Abbas, Director, IGMPI said “At IGMPI, we have innovated a unique model of education that has a tangible social impact. We believe in adopting holistic approach towards knowledge dissemination and deliver quality services to generate skilled professionals who are industry ready to perform their tasks with great precision in the areas of Pharmaceuticals, Food and Healthcare."

IGMPI is moving hand in hand with technology advances and has gained recognition as a global accredited training provider for Pharmaceutical, Food and healthcare professionals and fresh pass outs.

No Typhoid Vaccines in Delhi's Government Hospitals

Typhoid Vaccines
Rohit Shishodia

Poor children in Delhi are going without typhoid vaccination because no government hospital has been supplied typhoid vaccines for the last one year or so. This vaccination is supposed to be free. The poor can not afford the exorbitant cost of vaccination in private facilities.

Full and free immunization against typhoid for children seems to be a huge challenge in Delhi as the typhoid vaccine to be administered to children from two to five years age is unavailable in the national capital's government hospitals for almost one full year.

This has been revealed by a senior doctor and officials deputed in the government dispensaries and hospitals in Delhi.

The non-availability of typhoid vaccine is impeding the vaccination program in Delhi.Though the cost of the typhoid vaccine is not much, getting it administrated in private clinics is a costly affair for the poor.

Many a times, children miss this important vaccine due to its non-availability. Missing one or the other dose can lead to major health complications for the children now or in the future. 

Doctors deputed in various governmental health institutions inform that the typhoid vaccine has not been available for almost one year in the national capital. All Delhi government and MCD-run dispensaries do not have a single typhoid vaccine, forcing children to go without vaccination.

This has caused major convenience to the parents of children who cannot afford to buy the vaccine from the chemists. Parul, a resident of East Delhi and a mother of a two-year-old daughter, says that she has been taking rounds of dispensaries for the typhoid vaccine and she cannot afford have the vaccine administered in a private clinic due to financial constraints.

She has been advised by the dispensary doctor to get her daughter vaccinated from a private doctor. She says that not just typhoid vaccines, but many other vaccines such as MMR are also not available in the dispensary. There are many people like Parul who are facing the same problem.

The non-availability of the typhoid vaccine for one year exposes the Delhi government’s negligence. What is more surprising is that it may take several months to start the supply of typhoid vaccine in Delhi. It may be noted that not getting vaccination is one of the reasons for the increasing number of deaths in children in India.

Dr Suresh Seth, Senior official, Directorate of Family Welfare, Delhi, admitted that the typhoid vaccine is not available in Delhi. He said that the tender for getting the typhoid vaccine has been finalized and the technical bid will be finalized within a few days. “Some other modalities will also be finalized within a few days. After two months, the typhoid vaccine will be made available in Delhi", added Dr Seth.

DMC report blames firm for disrupting oxygen supply to Delhi hospital

BS RAWAT

NEW DELHI: The disruption in oxygen supply in the Delhi hospital in 2012 had killed five patients who were on ventilator. Now the DMC has said after five years that the Oxygen supplying firm is to be blamed and the doctors were not at fault.

The report of a long-drawn inquiry by the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) made public on August 30, 2017, has held the AMC company responsible for disrupting oxygen supply to the Sushrut Trauma Centre on December 4, 2012, due to which five patients died in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The report, presented after five years of the tragedy, said that there was no medical negligence on the part of doctors in the matter.

However, DMC Registrar, Dr Girish Tyagi, told DTMT that unfortunately lives were lost, due to administrative lapses. Hence, the Delhi government is requested to fix accountability and to initiate corrective measures to prevent such incidents from happening in future.

“The oxygen supplier firm AMC company had disrupted oxygen supply for which it is responsible, which it should not have done keeping in mind its life-saving job,” the DMC found.

“Disruption of the oxygen supply was a lapse on the part of the company, who was responsible to provide the continuous supply of oxygen. After which two doctors along with nursing staff called other doctors and nurses from operation theater etc. and managed/resuscitated all the patients and performed their duties with proper care and skill. All the five patients in question were on ventilators and critically ill, suffering from neuro-surgical problems with poor prognosis”, said the report.

KK's parting Lesson: Take care of your Heart! || KK || Dr. Vivek Gupta || Dr Rakesh Yadav

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