Health-Next

With so many cases of H1N1 flu been reported in the city, Chandigarh has geared up to put more doctors to treat the infected flu patients. A technical committee set up by the UT health department has declared on Saturday that the infection can now be considered as community spread, according to the guidelines of the central government.

The committee has decided to increase the number of doctors who can administer Tami flu tablets. The Indian Medical Association has been asked to give the names of 10 additional doctors who could be extended the permission. UT home-cum-health secretary Ram Niwas declared this in a review meeting that took place on Saturday.

In the meeting, the name of Command Hospital, Chandimandir was also been explored so that patients get another destination for flu check-up and medication. Haryana chief secretary, health had been called for to set up ICU facilities in places like Agroha, Mullana and Rohtak. According to the latest count, swine flu has affected 133 people in the city of which five deaths were reported.

Chandigarh affected 133; dead 5
Punjab affected 70; dead 15
Haryana affected 63; dead 10

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Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) junior doctors were on a strike that ended on November 18, 2009, demanding a boost of the monthly stipend provided to them and also the introduction of provisions giving them financial benefits of the residency scheme. In a bid to keep the strike going, the doctors had defied the Bihar Human Rights Commission (BHRC) directive.

The directive was issued by BHRC after listening to the grievances of the PMCH striking doctors. Commission member Justice Rajendra Prasad asked the doctors to call off the strike because patients are suffering owing to this. He also assured the striking doctors that the government will meet the demands that are genuine. According to Prasad, BHRC directive would be protecting the rights of the doctors.

Dr N Imam, spokesperson for PMCH Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) in a bid to continuing the agitation said that the association will not accept anything apart from a written assurance.

PMCH JDA operated an out patient department (OPD) on the premises of the hospital for arranging blood donation camps during the strike. The striking doctors donated blood to patients who needed it to show they cared for patients. Junior doctors of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital who were also striking did the same.

A lot of patients have died during the 8-day strike called by the junior doctors of PMCH and Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, due to lack of timely care and treatment. Bihar government’s unofficial sources stated that the administration is all geared up to get the striking doctors arrested, or get their medical licenses cancelled, and also levy murder charges on them in case they did not return to their duties in a day or two.

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A health check up programme starting in Surat from November 16 will witness around 8 lakh children from Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC)-run schools as well as private primary schools being covered.

The two-month long health check up is arranged every year by SMC’s health department for detection of health problems and their timely treatment. Health problems like anaemia, night blindness, worm infestation, ear discharge, boils, scabies, dental problems and poor vision are common among kids which are often ignored.

According to health officers, the main aim of the health programme is to ensure good health among children studying in anganwadis, private schools and SMC-run schools. This is a venture to spread health awareness among the community.

50 medical teams each having a medical officer as well as a paramedical worker will be visiting the schools and examining the children in the two-month long period. Hemant Desai, incharge deputy commissioner of SMC for health and hospital states that the children needing examination by specialists will be provided free of cost treatment at SMIMER Hospital, Maskati Hospital and New Civil Hospital (NCH). Children detected with kidney problems, heart ailments and cancer will be referred to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for free of cost treatment.

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According to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India is in need of structural reforms in its healthcare sector. Healthcare services need to be improved in the grassroots level and medical facilities should also be readily available to the underprivileged.

In the past two decades, the country has made a considerable progress in its healthcare segment. However, the PM adds that though the progress in healthcare has been good, it is still less than what could have been achieved. He also says that compared to healthcare system progress in South East Asia, the progress in India is significantly low.

The Prime Minister states that the quality of delivery of health services should be improved and aimed towards the poor and underprivileged, especially women and children. The minister also asked the central and state governments to work hard for increasing the 1 per cent GDP expenditure on healthcare to 2-3 per cent.

A new scheme is also on the way for upgrading the state government medical colleges; this will increase post-graduate medical seats throughout India. This is in view of having more doctors to cater to the mass and rural sector.

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When it comes to child care, India is way behind several nations. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the reason behind the country’s negligence in obstetric care is that it hardly witnesses injuries and deaths in the critical period that follows childbirth.

The country needs to fix the loopholes in its health care programmes and health system for children and pregnant women. Health experts are of the notion that maternal health can be standardized in the country only when women with pregnancy problems are provided the right care during the delivery of child.

Much needs to be done in protecting and monitoring women’s reproductive and sexual health for putting an end to the preventable deaths. HRW says that that the government’s count of deaths in health clinics and hospitals are often under-resourced, because it fails to know what happens to women 2-3 days after childbirth; a number of women die in this crucial owing to lack of proper care.

The solution is that the government should pay attention to providing women with pregnancy complications, appropriate medical care through the immediate postpartum period.

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There is good news for all concerned parents of babies and toddlers in northeast India. Shillong, capital city of Meghalaya, has recently witnessed the inauguration of the first-ever children’s hospital in the entire northeast part of India. The hospital comes with the state-of-the-art health facilities keeping in mind the health needs of children.

The set up of this child hospital is the initiative of the well-known paediatrician of the city, Dr. Debashish Das together with his wife Dr. C Kharbudnah. The hospital accommodates 30 beds and covers an area of about 20,000 square feet. The hospital is expected to offer superior quality health services to children and is also a playhouse with toys for children undergoing treatment here. The hospital is very spacious and hygienic; it houses a well-equipped laboratory, an operation theatre, advanced medical equipments, which are required for paediatric care and ultrasound facilities.

The hospital is three-storied and around three crore rupees were spent in the building of the hospital for children. The hospital was financed by State Bank of India. Dr Das wanted to have a hospital that would have a homely atmosphere for the children so that toddlers do not feel scared when they come to hospital for treatment. He further added that he wanted the ambience to be a fun-filled one for the children.

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