055. Who Will Catch Fake DMOs Who Catch Fake Doctors?

Who Will Catch Fake DMOs Who Catch Fake Doctors?

By Special Correspondent
Kerala Health Research Online

A District Medical Officer of Kerala caught a fake doctor in the private sector. But who will catch fake DMOs in the Kerala State Health Services Department? Justice M P Menon Commission that enquired into the fake mark list and MBBS certificate cases in the 1980s concluded its report by saying that the Commission, with its limited resources, time and staff, could only catch and expose a few fake doctors and the majority of them might still be working in the Health Services Department as Assistant Surgeons and Civil Surgeons. No follow up action was ever ordered and undertaken by the Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, Health Secretaries or the Directors of Health Services of Kerala. Most of them were duly promoted and some may have eventually become DMOs and other key Programme Officers. And it is, was, not the end of faking certificates and bribing for appointments. Things became only easier since then with the advent of computers, laser printers and other advancements available to those who want to fake things. Where do they actually verify the certificates a person claiming to be a doctor produces? There are three major recruiters in government sector- the Kerala Health Services Department, the Kerala Medical Education Department and the new, free, liberal and open route, National Rural Health Mission. In the last, anything is possible with its non-accountability. In the first two, there is no initial verification before appointment; everything is taken as gentleman’s word. After appointment, when the supposed doctor goes to the concerned institution to join is the SSLC Certificate and MBBS Certificate physically verified for proof of age and entry qualification, by a lowly clerk. They rarely hand over these to the clerks but just ask them to prepare a covering letter to the Accountant General without seeing them. A clerk in Trivandrum District once reported this to his superintendent and the superintendent said: ‘this person, from Sooranad, did not show them to even me, then how would to you? Anyway, give him the covering letter.’ SSLC Book of another doctor from Karunagappalli revealed that she secured 5 marks for English I Paper and 8 marks for English II Paper in Eighth standard. How will she ever become a doctor? When these facts were reported to higher authorities, the then Deputy DMO, DMO and DHS were very, very, very eager to suppress news; after decades, they sent this clerk away without four higher grades, promotion as UD Clerk on attainment of 50 years age, gratuity or even a pension, even though he had a corruption-less service of 32 years and was recruited through PSC. (Documentations are available online). They are such long-remembering and spiteful. So, before arresting others for faking, every doctor in the Kerala Health Services Department in Kerala, including the Director, has to prove before the public that they are not fakes. Let them put relevant details with scan copies of certificates in their official website and let people verify. Let IMA and KGMOA officials do it first.

Link to news article:

കൊച്ചിയില്‍ 20 വര്‍ഷമായി ചികിത്സ നടത്തുന്ന വ്യാജ ഡോക്ടര്‍ അറസ്റ്റില്‍

http://www.indiavisiontv.com/2014/09/18/353814.html?fb_action_ids=531725000290925&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582


Tags: Kerala, Kerala Health News, Health Research Online, Kerala Public Health, Health News, Health Corruption, Fake Doctors, Illegal Medical Practice, Kerala Health Department, DMO, DHS, IMA, KGMOA, MBBS,

054. Kasaragode Hospital Spends Lavishly For Artists, Not For Pediatric Equipments.

Kasaragode Hospital Spends Lavishly For Artists, Not For Pediatric Equipments

'Kasaragode General Hospital spent 50,000 rupees for drawing 30 pictures of Micky Mouse, Tom & Jerry and Donald Duck in the walls of the children’s ward. The hospital superintendent Dr. Narayana Naik told Indian Vision Channel that this was made possible with the help of Hospital Development Committee, and as the next step, every wall in the hospital would be painted and filled with colourful pictures.' (News reported by India Vision Channel Live on 14th September 2014)

Special Correspondent
Kerala Health Research Online

According to health and revenue authorities, Hospital Development Committees in Kerala are outdated and long due for reconstitution. No one cared to regularize and develop them as societies fit enough to hold enormous sums in custody. Kasaragode District Hospital’s HDC is no exception. The District Collector of Kasaragode has full responsibility for the money-spending of this HDC which seems to have unlimited funds accumulated through years but no sense of destination. The politicians in this retired committee are spending money lavishly and foolishly. Indian hospital rooms have their long-approved colour patterns- green below and white above- to create pacifying, soothing effect. Nobody will paint them in red, pink and violet- angry colours. Normal stay for a child in hospital is three days. On the first and second days, the children won’t see practically anything for they would be in pains. On the third day, the day of their discharge, they do not need see anything; they just wish to go home. If they have to stay for more than three days in Kasaragode District Hospital, this hospital is bad in administration, cross-infectious, useless and risky. Because there is money, we cannot spend it; it is our reserves. When large amounts of money needed for a pediatric ward cannot be obtained from government, then, and then alone, can we spend HDC funds. Somebody must tell the Hospital Superintendent and the District Collector of this truth. Does this hospital have enough Pediatric Exam Tables and Scale Tables? Do they have Neonatal Infant Care Infant Warmers? How many working Transportable Infant Incubators do they have? How many Portable Vital Signs Monitors, Hand-Held Pediatric Vital Signs Monitors and Oximeters? How many Baby Finger Print Pulse Oximeters? Do they have Automated External Defibrillators, Fetal Monitors and Fiber-optic Phototherapy Systems? Have they ever demanded these from the Director of Health Services or Medical Services Corporation or have ever written to government requesting these. Have this committee ever discussed these basic necessities of children’s ward in meetings and recorded in minutes? There is a limit to ignorance, negligence and incompetence. Either leave decisions to doctors and other medically-qualified professionals or resign decently from this ornamental committee. Only in hospitals would this cheap political power play become possible. Will Kasaragode District Collector allow and tolerate a politically constituted Collectorate Development Committee imposed upon him, making him a puppet in taking decisions? If this committee, which knows nothing about children’s treatment other than how to make children, want to know about what are needed in pediatric wards, come down from the skies and ask the B.Sc. and M.Sc. Nursing-qualified staff who will tell them to purchase Electric Cots, Mobile Aneroid Stand With Cuffs (Rs.20000/-), Hand-Held Oximeters (Rs.60000/-), Portable Pulse Oximeters With Finger Sensors (Rs.80000/-), Gamma XL Patient Monitor (Rs.300000/-) or even a Da Vinci Robotic Surgical System which will cost only £500,000. Let this HDC prove their mettle.

Mobile Aneroid Stand With Cuffs is a Blood Pressure Machine with reusable blood pressure cuffs of varying sizes to suit any child. Hand-Held Oximeters are used to monitor oxygen levels in babies to prevent damage to vital organs due to lack of oxygen. Portable Pulse Oximeters With Finger Sensors are hand-held devises to monitor pulse and oxygen level while child patients are moved from place to place. Respiratory Humidifiers heat and moisturize the oxygen that is being delivered to children during mechanical ventilation, to prevent them from becoming cold, thick airway secretions from building up, breathing tubes from blocking up and the little lungs from collapsing, based on the principle that humidified and heated oxygen will make children recover faster. Vital Signs Monitors in pediatric and neo natal wards and emergency wards reads, registers and provides all necessary vital signs of the sick child. Gamma XL Patient Monitor can be purchased for Rs.300000/- which will watch all vital signs including Pulse Rate, Temperature, Blood Pressure and Cardiac and Pulmonary functions, replace all other equipments and prevent children from being moved to different monitoring levels, floors or rooms. The latest thing to present a children’s ward in a hospital with is the Da-Vinci Robotic Surgical System which ensures more accuracy in surgery, lesser pain, smaller scars and quicker discharge. The surgeon at the console sees 3D images of internal organs, makes tiny incisions, manipulates miniature instruments and performs surgery. These are becoming popular now- U.S. has 300 0f them and U.K. 1. Why don’t Kasaragode try? Anything is possible, and do not tighten purses where children are concerned. Also take care of a few other things. How many High Dependency Unit Beds, Electric Cots, Pediatric Nurses, Consultant Pediatricians and Anesthetists trained in Pediatric Care are there? Is there a Children’s Ambulatory Care Ward, so that children needn’t stay even a day for surgery? Are cots, waiting room chairs, and equipments including thermometers and birthing-baths beyond or with in Accepted Infection Control Parameters and Standards? Are all beds provided with oxygen space and access to oxygen outlets? What about prevention of cross-infection? Are medical and surgical patients separated? What about cleanliness in children’s baths, toilets and closets?

Link to News Article:

ചികിത്സക്കെത്തുന്ന കുരുന്നുകള്‍ക്ക് കൂട്ടായി കാര്‍ട്ടൂണ്‍ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളും

http://www.indiavisiontv.com/2014/09/13/352453.html?fb_action_ids=530039403792818&fb_action_types=og.comments&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582


Tags: Kerala, Kerala Health News, Health Research Online, Kerala Public Health, Health News, Health Corruption, Kasaragode, Pediatric Equipments, Pediatric Wards, District Hospitals, Hospital Funds, HDC

049. Kerala Govt. Abandons Plans To Set Up Drug Manufacturing Units, To Please Bosses.

Kerala Govt. Abandons Plans To Set Up Drug Manufacturing Units, To Please Bosses.

By Special Correspondent

The Kerala Government had announced its desire, not decision, to enter the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing in the year 2012. Even after billions of rupees having flown into the coffers of multi national medicine manufacturing companies, the government has not cared to make common man’s dream come true. It is like the politicians in government, and their bureaucratic counterparts as well, do not like medicine manufacturing units to come up in the public sector, and the large corporates who contribute handsomely to their election funds and their children’s educational funds loose their huge sales in Kerala. Their loyalty is to large pharmaceutical companies, not to people or government. And they could not or did ever care to persuade these companies to stop extracting unrealistically high prices for life-saving drugs or refrain from withdrawing low-priced good drugs from the market. 

Even in 2013, the Government of Kerala was said to have been giving serious consideration to proposals for setting up drug manufacturing plants in the state, as was revealed in the health minister’s speech in the Emerging Kerala Global Connect Meet 2012, which in itself was an utter farce. Multi-faceted and many dimensional growth was assured in Kerala’s health sector by many participants but when they learned that it is not easy to cheat and lure the highly politicized people of Kerala as they do in states likes Bihar, these aspiring entrepreneurs suddenly vanished. Government’s declaration to set up state-owned drug manufacturing units today seems like a threat sent to large medicine manufacturers: ‘We are going to start; come up and pay’- which was it. If not, why did they defeat in every way the two dependable medicine manufacturing plants already functioning in Kerala, owned by the very government? 

The Pharmaceutical Corporation of Kerala Ltd for Indigenous Medicine, marketing medicines under the brand name of Oushadhi, was started even before India gained independence from the British. Started in 1941 as Sree Kerala Varma Ayurveda Pharmacy by the Maharaja of Cochin, it became a registered co-operative society in 1959 and then in 1975 was registered under the Indian Companies Act and renamed as The Pharmaceutical Corporation (Indian Medicines) Kerala Ltd, Thrissur. It has modern manufacturing units, regional distribution units, a full-fledged Research and Development Centre and a wide distribution network. It hands over crores of rupees to government each year as dividend. But, when the question of procuring medicines for government came, they were pushed back far, to stand behind large private companies. Politicians and bureaucrats in government are suffocating this company on the hope that it would vanish for ever and clear the field for favourite private companies.

The Kerala State Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a Public Sector Undertaking fully owned by the Government of Kerala, ‘has been manufacturing and supplying essential and life saving allopathic medicines to cater to the need of the common patients resorting to Government Hospitals in the State of Kerala’ since 1974. It is self-revealing to analyze how much they are favoured while procuring medicines for the state-owned Kerala State Medical Service Corporation. When the government directly purchased medicine from manufacturers in the past, this public sector unit still had a hope. When government established this particular corporation for procurement of medicine for government, good public sector companies lost all hope. This corporation with its undemocratic bureaucratic haughtiness has been favouring only private companies and has been behaving so from the first. When government directly purchased medicine, there indeed had been corruption by purchasing committees and directors of health services had been charge-sheeted with corruption, but corruption had been comparatively lower and transparency higher when compared with this corporation. It is not illogical to doubt if this corporation was set up to monopolize corruption in drug purchasing in Kerala.

The original news, announcing Kerala government’s decision to enter drug manufacturing field is here, as reported by Pharma Biz.

Kerala Govt. Planning To Set Up Drug Mfg. Units In Public Sector.

By Pharma Biz

Joseph Alexander, New Delhi
Thursday, October 25, 2012

Kerala, which is heavily dependent on other States for medicines, is weighing the options to set up manufacturing plants in the public sector on the lines of the central public sector pharmaceutical manufacturing units to make drugs affordable and accessible.

Kerala which accounts for more than 10 per cent of the national consumption of medicines has only a few manufacturing units to cater to the demand. Out of the 10,000 licensed manufacturing units in the country, the State may have only a few dozens of units, making it almost fully dependent on the other States, a senior official of the State Health Department told Pharma Biz.

“The Government is considering a proposal for setting up drug manufacturing plants in the public sector to make drugs affordable. Detailed modalities were being worked out and feasibility studies were being done. The working and profitability of the central public sector manufacturing units were also being examined to work out a model for the State,” he said.

The State also is weighing options like going for public-private partnership model. The objective is to make available quality healthcare to all at affordable costs, he said, adding that the State has already taken a number of initiatives to bring down the prices of medicines.

“We have a better distribution system with State-run stores to make affordable the drugs. However, the main problem now is the supply side and many were advocating the entry of the government to produce the medicines,” he said.

Referring to the Clinical Establishment Act which was already implemented by many States following the passage of the Bill by the Union Government, he said the State has initiated steps to formulate laws and adopt the same in the State with a view to improving the quality of care to patients by regulating hospitals and laboratories.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=71823&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz Dot Com

046. When Did Kerala Health Qualify For Central Grant For Total Automation?

When Did Kerala Health Qualify For Central Grant For Total Automation?

By Special Correspondent

The Department of Health, Kerala, in their Face Book page dated 24th January 2013, announced that they won a grant for total automation of the department. There was no mention of the amount involved or what specific uses the amount of this grant was ordered to be put into, as if it is their private pleasure and right to hide specific information from people and use this grant at their will. First we shall read here their own article from their Face Book. Do not mind the language and grammar, for it represents only the person going to benefit most from this ‘grant’. 

Then we shall look into the Face Book Set Up of this department to see how current, updated and sophisticated they are to receive such India Government grants for total automation. To tell the truth, they do not qualify for it. A screen shot of their page on April 05, 2014 denotes that they are 8 months back in digital updatedness and that they are not skilled and resourceful enough to control such elaborate e-health governance for an entire state, unless they outsource everything which is what they really wish to do. If they outsource it as is evidenced from this article, it is illegal and against the interests of the people. It seems this is going to become a sequel to the ill famous solar scam, involving perhaps the same kind of people. The government is quite unwilling to disclose the names of the people who ‘expressed their interest’ to participate in the various projects likely to come up in connection with the implementation of e-health in Kerala. Even then they ‘won’ a Union Government grant for total automation. How did this happen and which powers were behind it?

Their article which is reproduced here is just a blabbering of the uninformed and the uncaring in the health field of Kerala, knowing nothing about e-governance or electronic health informatics, interested only in the securing of funds from all possible sources and spending it at their will. They care nothing about people’s health or the privacy and confidentiality of people’s health data or government servants’ accountability. If what they say on doing things in the name of e-health is to be believed to be going to happen actually, they either intend to ignore the legalities of accessibility to health data, protection of health data, citizens’ rights to privacy and confidentiality of their sensitive health data and international guide lines for sharing patient data, or they think they can simply bypass these by sheer criminality. Certainly the health minister of Kerala, a politician who proclaims to know everything under the sun, the political parties of Kerala who assume the role of keeping suspicious views of everything, the various scientific, civil and human rights organizations who pretend to know about every law in the world and interfere in almost everything and the news media in Kerala who report every involvement above five lakhs rupees as scams, did not speak a word against this involvement which is sure to affect the life of every man, woman and child in Kerala. They all will have their piece of the pie, or their relatives or favourites will have it. Violating international chapters on safeguarding sensitive patient data, the people involved in e-health finance and administration in Kerala, are going to enlist private parties and outsource sensitive works to them, at the risk of data loss, theft and manipulation. If there are investigating agencies in Kerala, it is time they begin. 

Note that when it was assured that a considerable amount of money would be allotted by the Union Government, there were a rush of activities. Pages were opened in DHS and NRHM websites, news released to news papers and television channels and articles were posted in Face Book. When the money actually came to Trivandrum, it all stopped; there were no more updating or information release, ever. From then onwards, everything became secret and silent, till the alert and vigilant Treasuries Officers began to turn down e-health bills for enormous amounts.

Department of Health, Government of Kerala. Face Book Article On 24 January 2013. 

Health department Kerala was won a project grant from the Department of IT (DeITY) Government of India for total automation of the department. This will have three arms: automation of demographic data indexed on UID, State Data Centre (where all individual data would be stored) linked to all health institutions and accessed by field workers through a 3G enbled tablets and hospital automation. The field workers will digitise the family health register where each individual will be identified by UID. This data would be sent to the state data centre (SDC) through the Kerala State Wide Area Network (KSWAN). The field worker will be able to down load the demographic data she needs for her planned work for the data and be able to update the individual data at the SDC with new data generated (immunisation, Blood Pressure data) during her work for the day.

When the person visits any government health institution this data would be downloaded to the local server of the institution. This would be available at the OP, Consultation room, pharmacy, lab etc. It will contain alerts for the physician, pharmacist and other staff such as pre-existing condition, specific allergies etc. The communication between different parts of the hospital (e.g: Cinician and laboratory or Ward Nurse and Pharmacy) will be through the system. At the time of discharge an abstract will go back to update the data at the SDC.

Our aim to develop an Electronic Health Record for every citizen of the state. Once it is stablised the private sector may also be invited to participate. The project aims to make data available for planning, research and for individuals to manage their own health. Government of India sees this as a pilot project to apply IT to ensuring Universal Health Coverage in the country. 

The challenge is to develop good Functional Requirement Specifications. Our teams are on this task now.

Screen Shot of Department of Health, Kerala’s Face Book page. See how current they are:

045. Is The Era Of Antibiotics Over?

Is The Era Of Antibiotics Over?

By Health India.Com

October 28

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has announced that the world has reached ‘the end of the antibiotics era period’. ‘Humans and livestock have been overmedicated to the point that bacteria have grown so resistant to antibiotics that we are now in the post-antibiotic era,’ said Arjun Srinivasan, associate director at CDC.

The WHO had earlier warned that simple infections would no longer have a cure and the blame was on the overuse and the misuse of antibiotics for the situation. ‘We’ve fuelled this fire of bacterial resistance. These drugs are miracle drugs… but we haven’t taken good care of them over the 50 years.’

Doctors, according to him, are running out of therapies to tackle infections that could be easily treated earlier.  ‘There are bacteria that we encounter … that are resistant to nearly all- or, in some cases, all- the antibiotics that we have available to us,’ he said.

What are antibiotics? 

An antibiotic is any chemical substance derived from bacteria that can slow down or destroy other micro-organisms and fight bacterial infections. They usually are semi-synthesized and modify existing bacterium to fight diseases and infections. An antibiotic’s efficacy depends on various factors like host defense mechanism, the infection’s location and properties of the antibiotic. Their indiscriminate use can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It is therefore imperative to only use antibiotics when necessary and only as per the doctors’ prescription.

Antibiotics in India 

In February, the Indian Health Ministry had resolved to add warning signs on medication, a move which was welcomed by doctors who felt that indiscriminate self-medication needed to stop. Docs were observing that ailments which could be treated with mild antibiotics now needed stronger ones. This growing trend is attributed to the fact that micro-organisms are quickly developing a resistance to a number of commonly used drugs.  

When an antibiotic is used without a prescription or is not taken for the number of days prescribed, the organism knows enough about the antibiotic to mutate in such a manner that the drug is rendered useless. These organisms then get passed on to other people, creating a stronger and much deadlier form of the disease. A glaring example of this is the mutation of mycobacterium tuberculosis, the organism that causes TB. When the disease was first diagnosed, all doctors needed to treat the patient with were a simple antibiotic like penicillin. Over the years the TB organism has mutated to such an extent that it has become difficult to treat, and extremely drug-resistant forms have also been discovered.  

Sadly, it looks like we’ve reached the end of the glorious period which started when Sir. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928. Knowing humankind’s ingenuity, we sure hope we find something to replace antibiotics in the long run.

Link: http://health.india.com/news/is-the-era-of-antibiotics-over/

Republished here by courtesy of Health India Dot Com

044. Can Papaya Leaves Help Cure Dengue?

Can Papaya Leaves Help Cure Dengue?

By Health India.Com

Pavitra Sampath
October 4, 2013

The capital is grappling with the burden of dengue, and with the numbers steadily rising, people are looking for alternative methods to treat the disease. One such, much talked about remedy is, the use of papaya leaf juice to heal the body ravaged by dengue. While some people claim that it is simply a belief, others swear by the remedy. So, what is the truth? In this post we demystify the clutter.

Truth or hoax?

While some people say that it is simply a hoax, there might be some truth to papaya leaf juice’s claim to fame after all. A number of scientific papers have proved that papaya leaf juice is actually beneficial for the body. One of the first papers to talk about the benefits of the papaya leaf juice was a study by Dr. Nam Dang at the University of Florida Research Center. He found that the papaya leaf juice was capable of fighting cancer, was non-toxic to the body and had the capability to improve one’s immunity. While the plant’s leaf is well known for its curative properties in diseases like malaria and cancer, Dr Sanath Hettige, a general physician in Sri Lanka, found that the juice of young leaves can be used to treat dengue. His paper was published in the Sri Lankan Journal of Family Physicians in 2008.

How does it work?

Papaya leaves are known to be packed with the enzymes like chymopapin and papain which, according to Dr. Sanath Hettige, normalize the platelet count, improves the clotting factor, i.e. helps the blood clot normally, improves one’s liver function and repairs the damage to the liver done by dengue, therefore helping an ailing person recover from the disease. 

How to use the papaya leaf?

The young leaves from a fruit-bearing papaya plant should be used. According to Dr. Hettige, the leaves of the Red Lady Papaya Plant, found commonly in India, are more effective. The important fact is that one should choose leaves that are not too old, neither too young. Now, take only the leafy part and not the stalk, and wash them well with water. Crush the leaves using a wooden mortar and pestle without any additives like water, salt or sugar. Once they are crushed, squeeze out the juice with clean hands and drink it two times a day. Do not add any salt or sugar to the drink. According to Dr. Hettige, an adult should have 10 ml of the juice twice a day (or at eight hour intervals), children between the age of five and 12 should have 5 ml of the juice twice a day, and those below 10 years of age should be given 2.5ml of the juice. 

At what stage should a patient ideally have the juice?

According to Dr. Sanath, it is best the patient start having the juice as early as possible. This means that when they notice the first symptoms of dengue fever (when their platelets show a decline in numbers below 150000 cu mm or when the packed cell volume goes above 10%). It is also beneficial at later stages, but if the condition has progressed and has led to organ failure, the juice is not very effective.

Link: http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/can-papaya-leaves-help-cure-dengue/


Reproduced here by courtesy of Health India. Com.


Comment From The Editor:

The effectiveness of papaya leaves in the treatment of dengue is not a hoax but a truth. The people of Kerala have been using this remedy for a very long time. Allopathic doctors will not permit its entry into their hospitals. In their hospitals, what they do is supplying patients with blood bags, i.e. extracted platelets to supplement blood components and raise platelet count. Platelets are not easy to get from hospital blood banks. Only if we can donate blood ourselves or present enough healthy and fit people to donate blood would they give an equal quantity of blood platelets, after deducting their margins. It is a very costly treatment. Most people cannot afford it. They die out. We cannot present any blood donor; they have to belong to the same blood group as the patient. Health authorities in Kerala never reveal the numbers of patients who die in their hospitals due to inability to afford blood refill. Government hospitals do not have enough blood for all and even if they have, the hospital bureaucracy will not okay it in time before the patient dies. Private hospitals will provide blood but will realize enormous sums for it. Poor people have no way to recover from dengue. So, they take papaya juice to hospitals, private or governmental, and administer it to their beloved relatives there, secretly. If the doctor, nurse, security guard or nursing attendant sees this, the patient would be summarily discharged, without excuses. Their argument is that papaya leaf does not belong to the allopathic system of treatment and so, they cannot permit it in. Besides, they will say, the doctor is responsible for the treatment of the patient; if the bystander also decides to treat him, who will answer for the life of the patient? But people continue to do this and patients continue to recover from dengue. When they heal, the credit goes to blood bags, and not to papaya leaves. 99 percent of dengue recoveries in Kerala hospitals are due to papaya and not to blood bags. How sad and horrible it is for a relative to have to administer the most effective native drug in the world for the treatment of dengue to a patient, taking utmost care not to be seen doing it! They cry in their agony to save the patient and loath the whole allopathic establishment, bureaucracy and government for forcing them to do this in this way.

There is no vaccine for dengue as it is caused by different viruses. Every doctor and health authority knows this but they still deny papaya juice to patients. It is their insincerity and betrayal of people. Everyone knows that in these hospitals they are not treating dengue but ordering blood bags. A very good and dedicated doctor in Peroorkada Government Hospital in Trivandrum once wrote a letter in a news paper about how he had to administer papaya juice secretly in a government hospital like doing a punishable crime to save the life of his own child. The newspaper published this letter but we never heard any authority repeating it. He was hushed up by the Indian Medical Association, we have to believe, for this organization never took this up and inform people of the effectiveness of papaya leaves. They live in blissful ignorance of almost all their medicines and drugs being coming from plant preparations. But when some pharmaceutical company patents this native plant and put medicine in the market, they will prescribe it the instant. If a poor man administers the same medicine to his dying relative in a hospital, that is a heinous crime in their eyes which make them angry and discharge the patient. There is a chief minister, a health minister, a health secretary and a health director in Kerala who, if you ask them about papaya leaves, will pretend they are hearing about papaya leaves for the first time. And people are relying on them for for their lives. If they do not have the will power for okaying the official entry of papaya leaves into hospitals like decent men, why hold on to those chairs?

043. Dengue Fever: Do Not Give Aspirin Or Ibuprofen To The Patient.

Dengue Fever: Do Not Give Aspirin Or Ibuprofen To The Patient.

By Health India.Com

Dr. Reshma Nayak
October 4, 2013

The cases of dengue are at an all-time high this year, especially in New Delhi. While people are scrambling to find out more about dengue symptoms and its treatment, they don’t know something very important. Since dengue presents as a fever with body ache in the beginning, most people mistake it as a case of viral fever. They end up self-medicating themselves with either Aspririn or Ibuprofen. Now, this can be very dangerous and cause severe bleeding. Why?

The infecting organism in dengue affects the platelets which are responsible for clotting (stopping bleeding), increasing the tendency of the person to bleed. Aspirin and Ibuprofen also have similar action. Both of them together could cause the person to bleed excessively, pushing the patient into what is called the ‘Dengue Shock Syndrome’. And once in this stage, medical treatment is needed in an emergency basis and hospitalization becomes necessary.

So what is dengue?

It is a tropical disease, usually transmitted by mosquitoes and the common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and skin rash. There is no vaccine for dengue and the only way to reduce infections is to improve hygiene levels so as to prevent mosquito-bites and prevent mosquitoes from breeding. It’s particularly difficult to create a vaccine because it’s caused by different viruses and there are no animal models available for testing. The disease kills over five thousand Indians every year and is a seasonal threat, particularly during the monsoon seasons.

So what are the symptoms of dengue?

Characterized by severe flu-like symptoms, dengue affects infants, children and adults alike and could be fatal. The clinical manifestations of dengue vary with the age of the patient. A person suffering from high fever in the range of 40°C/ 104°F, accompanied by any two of the following symptoms could be suffering from dengue:

Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Nausea, Vomiting
Swollen glands
Muscle and joint pains
Rash

Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days. Dengue could progress to severe dengue, a potentially fatal complication, causing leaking of plasma, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding and organ impairment.

The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms along with a decrease in temperature are severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, and rapid breathing, bleeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue, and restlessness.

Link: http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/dengue-fever-do-not-give-aspirin-or-ibuprofen-to-the-patient/

Reproduced here by courtesy of Health India. Com

042. Iranian Technology To Control Dengue Through Larvicide.

Iranian Technology To Control Dengue Through Larvicide.
 
By Health India. Com
 
October 29, 2013
 

Authorities in Haryana’s Gurgaon district will experiment with an eco-friendly larvicide prepared by an Iranian company to control the spread of dengue and malaria, a spokesman said in Chandigarh on Monday. 

A delegation of scientists from Iran Monday met senior officials of the Gurgaon administration and Municipal Corporation and gave a presentation on how the larvicide could control the spread of these diseases. The delegation offered to give a sample of its technology.

‘This exercise will be completely on ‘no commitment, no costs’ basis. If the results are found to be fruitful, as per the claims of the delegation, then the larvicide would be used in whole of district Gurgaon on experimental basis as a pilot project,’ the spokesman said.

He said that the delegation had claimed that the larvicide is eco-friendly and only kills larva of mosquitoes. ‘It is harmless to plants, animals and even human beings. The water with this larvicide is safe for human consumption as well,’ the spokesman said, quoting the delegation. 

The delegation claimed that since 2000, when this larvicide was used in Iran to control malaria, number of cases of the disease reduced from 20,000 to less than 1,000 annually. It has been used in countries like Oman, Sudan, Turkey, Thailand, Nigeria and Malaysia, he added.

Link: http://health.india.com/news/gurgaon-to-try-iranian-technology-to-control-dengue/
 
Reproduced here by courtesy of Health India. Com 

041. Prevent Dengue With These 10 Practical Tips.

Prevent Dengue With These 10 Practical Tips.

By Health India. Com

Pavitra Sampath
July 10, 2013

With the monsoon come various diseases, and one of the most severe one is dengue. Also known as ‘break bone fever’ it is a painful and debilitating disease spread by mosquitoes. Caused due to the bite of an infected female aedes aegypti mosquito, the disease can be fatal. 

Once bitten, it takes about four to ten days for the symptoms to show. The most common symptoms are high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, muscle and joint pain and in some cases a rash. The more severe forms of dengue are hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. There is no clear treatment for the condition nor is there a vaccine against it, so the best way is to prevent the disease from occurring at all. Here are a few simple and practical tips to keep dengue at bay: 

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are known to bite humans during the day and their most common breeding grounds are man made containers. Therefore, it is advisable to not have any stagnant water around. Remember to clean out empty flower pots and not to over water potted plants. If the container that contains water cannot be emptied, remember to cover it well when not in use. 

Turn over empty pails and buckets, so that they do not collect excess water.

Use mosquito repellants regularly. Apply it well on all exposed areas, during the day as well as at night.

Make sure your window and door screens do not have any holes. If so, block those areas properly to eliminate mosquitoes.

If someone at home is ill with dengue, try to not let the mosquitoes bite them or others in the house.

Always sleep under a mosquito net.

If you use a cooler remember to empty out and clean the water tray regularly, even when not in use.

Always cover your trash can when not in use.

A natural method to keep mosquitoes at bay is to plant Tulsi near your window. The plant has properties that do not allow mosquitoes to breed. 

Using camphor as a repellant also works wonders. Light camphor in a room and close all the doors and windows. Leave it this way for about fifteen to twenty minutes to have a mosquito-free environment. 

Dengue is a completely preventable condition, all you have to do is take a few steps to keep yourself and your family safe. 

Link: http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/prevent-dengue-with-these-10-practical-tips/

Reproduced here by courtesy of Health India. Com

Comment:

Platelet count in dengue:

How many numbers of platelets are present in blood after being affected by dengue? If the count of platelets decrease, will it lead to dengue?

Normal platelet count in a healthy adult is 140,000-400,000 platelets/cubic mm of blood. When infected with dengue virus, our body’s capacity to produce new platelets is affected. Platelet count starts decreasing below normal. Dengue is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes from one human to another. So, the only way it can really be prevented is by avoiding mosquito bites. Low platelet count per se does not cause dengue.

037. Kerala Health Service being sold out wholesale to British.

Kerala govt to ink pact with London-based NICE to revitalize health sector in the state

By Pharma Biz

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Amid reports that the health sector in Kerala is bedeviled by many problems that have led to reduction in quality of service delivery in certain health institutions, the state government has decided to ink a pact with the London based National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to revitalize the entire health services in the state.

The tie-up will be for the next three years and with the intervention of NICE, best standard could be maintained in all spheres of health sector in the state, said Rajeev Sadanandan, principal secretary, health, government of Kerala. He was speaking at the valedictory session of the pharmacists’ conference at Thiruvananthapuram recently. The total system will become in a systematic and proper way and separate guidelines for treatment, medicine, services of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other para medical professionals will come into force. In future, there will not be any variation in the treatment, he said.

NICE, an arm of the national health services of the UK government, provides independent, authoritative and evidence-based guidance on the most effective ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease and ill health, reducing inequalities and variation.

“For the next three years, the department will be monitored by NICE, strict vigilance and standard can be maintained in each and every area of the health sector. They will carry out assessments of the most appropriate treatment regimes for different diseases. This will help the desired medical outcomes for patients. The use of new and existing medicines, treatments, clinical practice, guidance on treatment procedures, advice to patients and public sector workers on health promotion and ill-health avoidance will be provided by the experts of the organisation,” the health secretary said.

There are reports that the health sector in Kerala is bedeviled by many problems that have led to reduction in quality of service delivery in certain health institutions. Besides, unavailability of medicines in hospitals, high prices for essential drugs, inadequacy of sufficient staff and strikes by nurses have also affected the sector badly. The government is looking for a concrete solution to all these issues without chance for recurrence, it is learnt.

The health secretary said that in the next session of the state Legislative Assembly, the government will introduce the Clinical Establishment Bill which will standardize the fee being levied by private hospitals and clinical institutions for various services. Further, drug rationalization committee will also be formed in all district hospitals, which will prepare the list of medicines to be distributed under a scheme for providing generic drugs from November 1. In all the government hospitals in Kerala, generic medicines will be available on reasonable rates and a treatment protocol will also come into force from November, he added.

Regarding predicament of pharmacies in the hospital, the principal health secretary said he would look into the possibility of standardization of pharmacies and try to get accreditation from NABH for model pharmacies in the state. By receiving the set of guidelines prepared by the pharmacy council, he said the Council as well as the pharmacists association has to ensure the value addition to the health sector from their side.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70748&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz. Com


Comment:

There was an independent and reliable system of medicine-actually a system of a combination of ingenious and native treatment and nourishing system- existing in India before the British installed allopathy and revamped the field of Indian Medical Attendance. Today, almost all indigenous systems including the world famous ayurveda are ignored and neglected and only allopathy is being given importance and monopoly. In India, even now, poor people when they are sick, can still go to a government hospital and become healthy again, availing the benefits of the famous Free Indian Hospital System. It is when we have no money and therefore no nutrition that diseases afflict us. Therefore this free hospital system has been a great blessing to the Indian masses. It has been what sustained the people of India through their years of sickness. The money involved in retaining this system was people’s money, not the dowry money of Indian Health Authorities. It is the same money which funds the treatment of Government Ministers, MPs VIPs and Government Secretaries abroad; there is no shame in people regaining their health by availing free treatment. The very people in India who are directly partaking in bringing about this sale deed of a country's good will and charity are beneficiaries of this Free Indian Hospital System which they are going to abolish for ever. Which one of them does not receive free hospital care from government?

In the United Kingdom there is now no free hospital treatment. Either you pay money at the hospital or you pay money in advance for insurance. This is exactly what the British monitoring of Kerala Health Services Department is going to bring to Kerala. It is a full implementation of the British Health System, minus everything good in it. The first thing they are going to force without caring people’s resistance is abolishing every kind of free medical assistance. What is a collapsing British economy finding prospectful in extending managerial assistance to the health care sector of a thriving former colony, except exporting over-paid excess staff? -Editor-in-Chief.

036. Now anyone rich to study abroad can practice in India without tests.

Centre plans to allow overseas Indian medical graduates to practice without tests.

By Pharma Biz

Our Bureau, New Delhi
Friday, January 04, 2013

Centre is planning to amend the Medical Council of India (MCI) Act to allow  Indian doctors, who have graduated abroad, to practice in India without the mandatory tests and clearance.

A bill in this regard has been drafted by the Union health ministry which plans to push it during the Budget session of the Parliament, Union Health Secretary P K Pradhan disclosed at the ongoing Global Healthcare Summit in Kerala recently.

Soliciting ideas and partnerships from the private sector, Pradhan said the Government was planning to improve the secondary care by upgrading the district hospitals. “There is a huge scope for partnership with the private sector in the areas like diagnostic services and labs. We will encourage district hospitals to run medical college campuses to augment the capacity in PG education and private players can help in this area,” he said at the CEO Forum in connection with the meet.

Speaking on the occasion, managing director of Sami Labs Dr Muhammed said his company was inspired by Ayurveda, the mother of all sciences. “We have developed two natural drugs, one for glaucoma and another for treating psoriasis first time in the country. Three other drugs are in the pipeline,’’ he said.

DM Healthcare chairman Dr Azad Moopen suggested that the forum should be utilized to firm up concrete partnership, to begin with the idea of setting up medical colleges in each district. To achieve the inclusive growth, he also called upon the government to think of levying Sin tax on alcohol and even on soft drinks to part finance a proper social insurance scheme, a release said.

“On improving the quality, the Government can do it easily. Instead of voluntary systems of accreditation, government should make it mandatory for all clinical establishments to have certificates like that from NABH,” he argued.

Device Controller of India Dr Eswara Reddy, Chairman of Medical Council of India Dr K K Talwar, Principal Health Secretary in Kerala Shri Rajeev Sadanandan, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences medical director Dr Prem Nair, president of American Medical Association Dr Jeremy Lazarus, Health Attache from US Embassy in Delhi Mr Stevan Smith, Dr Rajan Badwe of Tata Institute, Dr Philip Augustine of Lakeshore Hospital, Mr Bob Miglani of Pfizer, Dr K M Cherian of Frontier Healthcare, Dr Neal Simon of American University of Antigua, Dr M Sahadulla of KIMS, Tridvandrum and Dr Faizal Khan of NIMS were among those to attend the high-profile meet.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=73014&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

Comment: 

Some fathers will go to any extreme to make their nincompoop sons and daughters doctors, and they will get anyone’s help too. It was the dream of all low-grade medical students who study abroad to practice in India without undergoing the stringent tests and examinations of India- the hall mark of Indian medicine which placed Indian doctors in much demand abroad. Now that dream is being fulfilled by rich fathers who are in total control of authority.

035. Major pharma companies behind vigilance raid: Drug Control Officers.

Major pharma companies behind vigilance raid in drug control offices in Kerala: KSDCOA

By Pharma Biz. Com

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai

Friday, August 17, 2012

The Kerala State Drugs Control Officers Association (KSDCOA) has said that the allegations being levelled against the state drug control administration by a section of the media on account of a state-wide vigilance raid at the drug control offices last week are baseless and ill-motivated.

According to the Association, there are certain major pharmaceutical companies behind the vigilance raid, against whom the department has recently initiated punitive action for violations of various sections in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (D&C Act).

KSDCOA has admitted that a performance audit conducted at the DC offices by the office of the Accountant General last year had raised the eyebrows of the auditing officers on the functioning of the enforcement officers. The association said the reason for the AG’s criticisms were due to lack of awareness about legislation and ground realities.

The enforcement officers said Rule 63 of the drugs and cosmetics rules stipulates that once an application for renewal is received on time, the licence is deemed to be in force until the application is disposed off. So there is no need of worry in any way for the trader or dealer. However, they maintained that the reason for the delay in issuing the licence was shortage of staff in the offices.

Regarding delay in issuing test results of samples, the association said the D&C Act foresees no role for the drug control officers in testing of drugs, which is the duty and responsibility of the government analysts attached to the drug testing laboratory. But the officers have admitted that most of the test results are obtained after the drugs were consumed by the patients. Here also, the officers found the reason for the delay is shortage of staff, machinery and laboratories.

By reiterating the fact that the state authorities have no role in price fixation of drugs, the drug control officers said they have not shied away from taking punitive actions against the dealer whenever a case of charging of excess price or refusal of drugs was detected.

While admitting that there are instances of corruption in the department as in other spheres of life, they said several of the officers are doing honest job to keep the state free from spurious and sub-standard drugs. They claimed that Kerala drugs control department is the first government agency in the country to launch prosecution against the pharma companies which had refused supply of drugs to a section of traders at the instance of All Kerala Chemists & Druggists Association (AKCDA). The incessant flow of drugs to the state owned Karunya Community Pharmacies has taken place due to the intervention of the department by initiating action against AKCDA, the association opined.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70665&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

034. Vigilance raid in Kerala Drug Control Offices.

Vigilance dept conducts raids in drug control offices across Kerala

By Pharma Biz

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Sleuths of the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) in Kerala conducted simultaneous raids in all the Assistant Drug Controllers’ and Drug Inspectors’ offices across the state on August 10 following informal complaints of rampant corruption against drug control officers, said a senior officer in the DVAC.

The vigilance officer said the department was receiving a slew of complaints from the drug traders from all the districts on alleged demand of bribery by drug inspectors and senior officials for renewal of the traders’ licences and for test reports from labs. According to him the drug control officials are deliberately delaying the services of the concerned offices for not giving them money as bribe by the traders.

He said his team has seized Rs.11000 from a drug inspector’s pocket during the raid. More cases of corruption are being investigated and surprise raids will be conducted further in all the offices, if needed.

Speaking to Pharmabiz, the officer of the anti-corruption department said all the problems pertaining to the price, quality, standard and availability of drugs are occurred in the state due to the inefficient way of operations of the drug control department. He said the department’s lackadaisical attitude is the main cause for the distribution of sub-standard quality drugs in the state.

However, he admitted that there is heavy work load in analytical laboratory of the department because of shortage of staff, but renewal of licences is delayed for collecting money from traders.

The vigilance officer, who led the team in the capital for raid, said a drug inspector asks for Rs.1000 per week from each medical store and senior officers demand a sum of Rs.5000 to find solutions for the traders’ problems with the government. When asked whether such cases of corruption were received against ayurvedic drug inspectors, he said there were some cases.

When contacted, state drugs controller CS Satheesh Kumar said there are limitations in the facilities of the drug testing lab, hence the test reports are getting delayed. Regarding renewal of licences, he said once the application is given for renewal, the trader can go on with his business until the department releases the renewed certificate and the delay does not affect his business.

Further he said there is shortage of drug inspectors and analysts in the department, and once the new lab under construction in Kochi is commissioned, all the problems will be solved.

The anti-corruption bureau has termed the operation as ‘Operation Tablet’. The officials inspected some retail shops to find out any irregularity and took stock of the situation.

This was the first time the vigilance conducted a raid in all the offices of the DC administration in the state. DVAC will submit a comprehensive report on the state wide raid to the government shortly for further action.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=70622&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz.Com

033. Do Not Build Drug Testing Labs So That Culprits Shall Escape.

Meagre allocation of funds by state govt holds up completion of Kochi drug testing lab

By Pharma Biz

Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
Thursday, March 21, 2013

The plan to commission the second drug testing laboratory of the Kerala drugs control department, being constructed at Ernakulam, is unlikely to be a reality in the near future owing to paucity of funds for the project. Even the completion of the building work is being held up. 

The state government has allocated only Rs.2 crore in the budget for three proposed drug testing laboratories including the Kochi lab. But, even for the completion of the on-going work at Kochi lab requires a minimum of Rs.6 crore, sources from the health department told Pharmabiz.

The department of drugs control had submitted proposals to the government with a plan outlay for Rs.24 crore for all the three labs. For completing the on-going project of Kochi Lab, it submitted a proposal for Rs.8 crore and to start work for the other two laboratories at Thrissur and at Kozhikodu, two more projects of the same amount were submitted.

Unfortunately, the state government did not accepted any of the proposals putting the upcoming project at Kochi into trouble. Due to scarcity of funds, the work of the lab cannot be completed as expected and commissioning of it was slated for May this year but will be delayed, it is learnt.

“The work of the Kochi laboratory is moving at a snail’s pace. We expected a minimum of Rs.6 crore to complete the work and commissioning of the lab planned in May this year. But government has sanctioned only a meagre amount for this project. This means that work for other two labs is also not able to start this year. The only hope is the diversion of unutilised funds from other departments towards this purpose and we are waiting for that,” said an official close to the department.

Currently, the department has only one drug testing laboratory situated close to the office of the department at Thiruvananthapuram and it has a capacity for testing 4000 samples per year. Whereas, the estimated capacity for the upcoming Kochi lab is 6000 samples. The total number of field staff collection is near about 300 samples per month. Due to lack of modern facilities and shortage of technical staff, all the samples can not be tested on time and delays the result for even one year. By the time, all the substandard or date expired drugs might have been sold out in the market. So, the state needs more drug testing labs with modern machinery in order to strengthen the regulatory mechanism, sources said.

Link: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=74398&sid=1

Republished here by courtesy of Pharma Biz. Com

032. NHRC issues notice to Kerala Health Department for causing eye sight losses.

NHRC issues notice to Kerala Health Department. 

By The Hindu
September 3, 2013

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Department of Health and Family Welfare of Kerala on reports that four persons lost their eyesight allegedly after undergoing cataract surgery in Thrissur Medical College.

A notice in this regard has been issued to the Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Kerala to submit a report on the matter within four weeks, a National Human Rights Commission release issued on Tuesday said.

The notice was issued after the Commission took suo motu cognisance of a media report that four persons, who had undergone cataract surgery in Thrissur Medical College two weeks ago, lost vision in their right eye.

The Commission observed that the press report, if true, raised a serious issue of violation of right to health of the victims.

More than a dozen cataract surgeries were reportedly conducted at the Taluk hospital from July 22 to August 5 this year.

Link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/nhrc-issues-notice-to-kerala-health-department/article5088855.ece

Republished here by courtesy of The Hindu

Comment: 

Read here soon about the notorious open air eye surgery camps in Kerala, which were convened for mere political popularity, resulting in eye sight loss to hundreds of good citizens, with no compensation payments or punishments.