Chief Editor : Dr. Aniruddha Malpani, M.D. July’2012

PTN

Let us start a PINK REV-OLUTION of HEALTH-CARE in INDIA, byinvesting 10% of GDP inpublic healthcare by theGovt now, from a shock-ingly low 1%!. Only 7countries all round theworld, spend less than wedo, to look after the healthof citizens! 230 Indian mothers die during child-birth, compared to 50 per 1 lakh childbirths inother BRIC countries. 66 Indian children under 5yrs die in India, compared to 20 in other BRICcountries. Excellent facilities in hospitals, PrimaryHealth Centres, for preventive & curative treat-ments, in the Government sector can and shouldbe made possible with more funding and support.400 million poor people need this kind of supportbadly and immediately. Indians have a RIGHTTO LIFE, and a RIGHT TO HEALTH is a vital partof this constitutional right. It is a duty of the Govtto provide good hospitals and medicines for allcitizens now. Remember that we need to help the millions ofpoor underprivileged citizens of our country, andincreasing and upgrading the Govt healthcaresystem is vital and paramount to this goal. Somuch suffering of the poor is due to illness, andthis needs to be sorted out now. Private health-care will never be able to do so many of thethings the Govt healthcare system does in India,and around the world. The recent plan to in-crease spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2017 is toolittle, too late, and totally inadequate. We can andshould do much more to help the 400 million In-dians who are below the official poverty line ofRs 32/day. Severe or moderate illness episodein the life of these impoverished millions isenough to set them back in life even more &erase their already slim chances of improvingtheir living conditions.And sanitation, clean water, health education,also need to be improved side by side with thisalso. A toilet in every house, clean drinking water,sewage & electricity connections to each housein India in needed now. Internet based and citi-zen based monitoring of spending and other con-trols can be implemented for effective fundsutilisation.

Yes, we have to also work towards prevention ofcorruption in healthcare, as we do have to inother sectors. But it should not stop investmentnow. Corruption is not an excuse for the measlyhealthcare allocation that we have tolerated inindia for so long. Let us all wake up and help ourpoor fellow citizens by this awesome step ofvastly increased funding & healthcare up grada-tion by the Govt. Girish.K, Please sign the petition at http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Pink_Revolu-tion_of_Healthcare_in_India/?cIelYbb

Pink Revolution of HealtHcaRe in india

Speaking at the event or-ganized jointly by the Con-federation of IndianIndustry (CII) and the Cen-tre for Strategic and Inter-national Studies (CSIS), DrReddy lauded the ongoingefforts in the US to digitizehealthcare data through Electronic MedicalRecords and hoped that such techniques would bebrought to India as well.He also acknowledged the tremendous contribu-tions made by research organizations in the US indiagnosis, methodology, innovation, research andtechnology in the healthcare sector. Applying exist-ing innovations from US, Europe and other parts tocountries like India is thus critical, said Dr Reddywho pioneered the concept of corporate hospitalsin India in the eighties after returning from the USwhere he had a very successful practice as a lead-ing heart surgeon."The three biggest challenges India faces in thehealthcare sector are: paucity of hospital beds forpeople; lack of skilled health human resources; andrise in both infectious and non-communicable dis-eases," he said.India is facing alarming numbers of cases of heartdisease, cancer and diabetes, Dr Reddy said. Forexample, the number of diabetes cases in India,earlier projected at 36 million by 2020, has alreadysurpassed 75 million. Soon, one out of every fivediabetic patient in the world will be Indian.Noting that comparable surgeries in India cost one-tenth of the price in the US, he said high qualityhealthcare and cost benefit is hence a major prior-ity area.

Dr Prathap Reddy

Improving Patient & Family Health

Q. Is it safe to work withsomeone infected withHIV?Ans. Yes. Most workers faceno risk of getting the viruswhile doing their work. The virus ismainly transmitted through the trans-fer of blood or sexual fluids. Sincecontact with blood or sexual fluids isnot part of most people's work, mostworkers are safe.Q. What about working every dayin close physical contact with aninfected person? Ans. There are no risks involved. Youmay share the same telephone withother people in your office or workside by side in a crowded factory withother HIV infected persons, evenshare the same cup of tea, but thiswill not expose you to the risk of con-tracting the infection. Being in contactwith dirt and sweat will also not giveyou the infection.Q. Who is at risk while at work? Ans. Those who are likely to comeinto contact with blood that containsthe virus are at risk. These includehealthcare workers - doctors, den-tists, nurses, laboratory technicians,and a few others. Such workers musttake special care against possiblecontact with infected blood, as for ex-ample by using gloves.Q. If a worker has HIV infection,should he or she be allowed tocontinue work?

Ans. Workers with HIV infection whoare still healthy should be treated inthe same way as any other worker.Those with AIDS or AIDS-related ill-nesses should be treated in the sameway as any other worker who is ill. In-fection with HIV is not a reason in it-self for termination of employment.Q. Does an employee infected withthe virus have to tell the employerabout it? Ans. Anyone infected, or thought tobe infected, must be protected fromdiscrimination by employers, co-work-ers, unions or clients. Employeesshould not be required to inform theiremployer about their infection. If cor-rect information and education aboutAIDS are available to employees, aclimate of understanding may

develop in the workplace pro-tecting the rights of the HIV-in-fected person.Q. Should an employer testa worker for HIV?

Ans. Testing for HIV should not be re-quired of workers. Imagine that youare a worker with HIV infection andare healthy and able to work. As faras your work is concerned, the infor-mation about the infection is private.If it is made public, you could be a tar-get for discrimination. If AIDS-relatedillness makes you unfit for a particularjob, you should be treated in thesame way as any other employeewith a chronic illness. A suitable alter-native job can often be arranged bythe employer. The employers in differ-ent parts of the world are beginning todeal with these problems more hu-manely. Their associations and work-ers' unions can be consulted foradvice. Q. What if you are already infectedwith HIV? Can you still travel? Ans. If you are already infected, con-sult your healthcare provider for guid-ance well before you plan to travel.Some immigration officials insist onan HIV free certificate. Your travelcounsellor will advise you.Q. 'AIDS is mainly a problem of devel-oping countries.' or 'No, AIDS is reallya problem of developed countries'. SOURCE – NACO

PTN

PTN

HIV AND

WORKPLACE

The “ Speak Up “ Program in the USAencourages patients to:• Speak up if you have questions or

concerns, and if you don’t under-stand, ask again. It’s your bodyand you have a right to know.

• Pay attention to the care you arereceiving. Make sure you’re get-ting the right treatments and med-ications by the right healthcareprofessionals. Don’t assume any-thing.

• Educate yourself about your diag-nosis, the medical tests you areundergoing, and your treatmentplan.

• Ask a trusted family member orfriend to be your advocate.

• Know what medications you takeand why you take them. Medica-tion errors are the most commonhealthcare mistakes.

• Participate in all decisions aboutyour treatment. You are the centerof the healthcare team.

This does not mean that you askquestions just for the sake of asking– after all, doctors are busy peopleand do have other patients to see.The trick is to be inquisitive – and todo your homework ! The only stupidquestion is the one you did not ask.Asking appropriate questions aboutyour treatment and medicines willhelp you to acquire knowledge andwill also keep the doctors and hospitalstaff on their toes ( which is good forthem as well !) . The more the ques-tions you ask about your treatment,the more careful they will be aboutwhat medicines they are giving youand how they treat you . Never takeany medicine without asking : what itis, why it is used and what are itsside-effects. Remember, there arelots of patients and your physiciansees many everyday. There arechances that the staff may confuseyour details with another patient. So ,the more involved you are in yourtreatment, the more protection you

get from unintentionalerrors. The moreknowledge you gain,the more questionsyou will able to ask,and the more attentionyou will get!Thanks to the internet,it’s become increas-ingly easier for patientsto find answers to theirhealth-related ques-tions online. Learn touse the internet intelli-gently, so this will helpyou ask smarter ques-tions – and will alsosave your doctor time,because your routinequestions have alreadybeen answered !Don’t worry if you do not understandeverything on the first reading or inthe first sitting. It takes time to absorbthis information, and analyse it. Thegood news is that there are lots of re-liable websites to help you with Infor-mation Therapy. Even better, thereare now many expert patients online,who can help you make sense ofwhat is happening to youA lot of patients are scared to asktheir doctors questions. They areworried that the doctor is too busy toanswer them, and they don’t want towaste his precious time. They arealso secretly worried that the doctormay take offense at their questions,because he may think that they arequestioning his judgment, and thismay cause him to get upset and pro-vide poor medical care.Please remember that your health de-pends on good communication, andasking questions and providing infor-mation to your doctor and other careproviders can improve your care.Talking with your doctor builds trustand leads to better results, quality,safety, and satisfaction.Quality health care is a team effort

and you are the captain ! Becausetime is limited during medical appoint-ments, you will feel less rushed if youprepare your questions before yourappointment.Doctors are not mind-readers , andgood doctors want you to ask ques-tions, because they know that themore you know about your medicalcare, the happier you are going to bewith your treatment. Being well-in-formed will help you to have realisticexpectations of the treatment, and in-crease your satisfaction with the careyou get. Remember that if you wantVIP care from your doctor, you needto become a VIP – Very well-Informedpatient !Here are some useful questionsyou can ask.1. How will the results of this test

change my treatment options ?2. What is the natural history of my

disease ?3. Are there any other alternatives I

can explore ?4. Which is the best center in the

world for this treatment ?5. Can you refer to a website where

can I learn more about my prob-lem ? P

TN

Editor’sDesk

Dr. Aniruddha Malpani, M.D.

Founder Director,

Health Education Library for

People (HELP)

SubSCRIbE TODAyfor 12 Issues Just Rs. 100 Soft Copy by email

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PTN

• Pneumonia is the leading cause of

death in children worldwide.

• Pneumonia kills an estimated 1.4

million children under the age of

five years every year – more than

AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis

combined.

• Pneumonia can be caused by

viruses, bacteria or fungi.

• Pneumonia can be prevented by

immunization, adequate nutrition

and by addressing environmental

factors.

• Pneumonia can be treated with

antibiotics, but around 30% of chil-

dren with pneumonia receive the

antibiotics they need.

Pneumonia is a form of acute respira-

tory infection that affects the

lungs. The lungs are made

up of small sacs called alve-

oli, which fill with air when a

healthy person breathes.

When an individual has

pneumonia, the alveoli are

filled with pus and fluid,

which makes breathing

painful and limits oxygen in-

take.

Pneumonia is the single

largest cause of death in

children worldwide. Every

year, it kills an estimated 1.4

million children under the

age of five years, accounting

for 18% of all deaths of chil-

dren under five years old worldwide.

Pneumonia affects children and fam-

ilies everywhere, but is most preva-

lent in South Asia and sub-Saharan

Africa. Children can be protected from

pneumonia, it can be preventedwith

simple interventions, and treated with

low-cost, low-tech medication and

care.

Causes

Pneumonia is caused by a number of

infectious agents, including viruses,

bacteria and fungi. The most common

are:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae – the

most common cause of bacterial

pneumonia in children;

• Haemophilus influenzae type b

(Hib) – the second most common

cause of bacterial pneumonia;

• respiratory syncytial virus is the

most common viral cause of pneu-

monia;

• in infants infected with HIV, Pneu-

mocystis jiroveci is one of the

commonest causes of pneumonia,

responsible for at least one quar-

ter of all pneumonia deaths in HIV-

infected infants.

Transmission

Pneumonia can be spread in a num-

ber of ways. The viruses and bacteria

that are commonly found in a child's

nose or throat, can infect the lungs if

they are inhaled. They may also

spread via air-borne droplets from a

cough or sneeze. In addition, pneu-

monia may spread through blood, es-

pecially during and shortly after birth.

More research needs to be done on

the different pathogens causing pneu-

monia and the ways they are trans-

mitted, as this has critical importance

for treatment and prevention.

Symptoms

The symptoms of viral and bacterial

pneumonia are similar. However, the

symptoms of viral pneumonia may be

more numerous than the symptoms

of bacterial pneumonia.

The symptoms of pneumonia include:

• rapid or difficult breathing

• cough

• fever

• chills

• loss of appetite

• wheezing (more common in

viral infections).

When pneumonia becomes severe,

children may experience lower chest

wall indrawing, where their chests

move in or retract during inhalation (in

a healthy person, the chest expands

during inhalation). Infants may be un-

able to feed or drink and may also ex-

perience unconsciousness,

hypothermia and convulsions.

Risk factors

While most healthy children can fight

the infection with their natural de-

fences, children whose immune sys-

tems are compromised are at higher

risk of developing pneumonia. A

child's immune system may be weak-

ened by malnutrition or undernourish-

ment, especially in infants who are

not exclusively breastfed.

Pre-existing illnesses, such as symp-

tomatic HIV infections and measles,

also increase a child's risk of contract-

ing pneumonia.

The following environmental factors

also increase a child's susceptibility to

pneumonia:

• indoor air pollution caused by

cooking and heating with biomass

fuels (such as wood or dung)

• living in crowded homes

• parental smoking.

Treatment

Pneumonia can be treated

with antibiotics. These are

usually prescribed at a

health centre or hospital, but

the vast majority of cases of

childhood pneumonia can

be administered effectively

within the home. Hospital-

ization is recommended in

infants aged two months

and younger, and also in

very severe cases.

Prevention

Preventing pneumonia in

children is an essential com-

ponent of a strategy to re-

duce child mortality. Immunization

against Hib, pneumococcus, measles

and whooping cough (pertussis) is the

most effective way to prevent pneu-

monia.

Adequate nutrition is key to improving

children's natural defences, starting

with exclusive breastfeeding for the

first six months of life. In addition to

being effective in preventing pneumo-

nia, it also helps to reduce the length

of the illness if a child does become

ill.

Addressing environmental factors

such as indoor air pollution (by provid-

ing affordable clean indoor stoves, for

example) and encouraging good hy-

giene in crowded homes also reduces

the number of children who fall ill with

pneumonia.

In children infected with HIV, the an-

tibiotic cotrimoxazole is given daily to

decrease the risk of contracting pneu-

monia.

Source –World Health Organization

PNEuMONIA

PTN

1. Does excessive eating of salt in-

crease blood pressure?

Ans: Yes and No

Yes in certain individuals who are

salt sensitive, while this does not

happen in those who are salt insen-

sitive.

2. What are the foods to be avoided

by BP patients

Ans: (a) Salted snacks e.g. Potato

wafers

(b) Pickles and papads

(c) Ketchups

(d) Salted meat / salted sea

food

(e) Excess of fat

3. Will eating fruits cause

cold?

Ans: Cold is caused by a

virus. Most fruits rich in vita-

min C (like oranges), in fact

can protect against frequent

attacks of cold. Some people

may be allergic to certain

foods which may include

fruits. They should find out by trial

and error and try and avoid only

those fruits.

4. Is it good to drink water while eat-

ing? Will it reduce digestion?

Ans: There is no evidence to suggest

this. Some feel that it may dilute the

digestive enzymes, but this does not

occur, because the intestines pro-

duce several times more enzymes

than what is actually required for di-

gestion. Water intake may however

fill the stomach and thereby give a

feeling of fullness. This is common

among children.

5. Are artificial sweeteners harmful?

Ans: Scientific data does not indicate

that either saccharine or aspartame

are harmful to humans

6. Which is the best source of cal-

cium? Will calcium tablets prevent

fracture?

Ans: Best source of calcium is milk.

To a certain extent calcium tablets @

500 mg/day would help. Women

should take calcium well before

onset of menopause, as more than

50% of the calcium in the bones is

lost during the first 5 years of

menopause itself.

7. Which of the cooking oils are good

for health?

Ans: All oils are good in one way or

the other. Groundnut oil, mustard oil

are very good. It is always suggested

to use a combination of oils either

blended or by rotation. e.g. Ground-

nut oil, soya bean oil, sunflower oil,

rice bran oil so that you get the ben-

efit of all. Sunflower / any single oil

alone is not preferred.

8. Which is the best way to lose

weight?

Ans: A combination of physical activ-

ity of atleast a 30 minute walk per

day with a moderation in calorie in-

take would do wonders. Drastic

weight loss programs can be rarely

sustained. Just avoiding refined sug-

ars, disserts, deep fried foods, dairy

and bakery products, aerated

bottled drinks itself can cut

down a large amount of calo-

ries. Consuming at least 400

gms of fruits and vegetables

can also avoid the hunger.

9. Will eating tomatoes and

palak cause stones in the kid-

ney?

Ans: No! These are unfounded

fears. Eating tomatoes and

palak may be little harmful to

those who are prone to the

problem of formation of stones

in the kidneys.

10. Is alcohol drinking good for the

heart?

Ans: Alcohol in moderate i.e. 30-60

ml/day has been shown to be bene-

ficial. Red wines in addition has anti-

cancer effects. But if you are not

used to drinking, there is no advan-

tage in starting it now. If you are al-

ready used to it then limiting to 30-60

ml/day is beneficial and anything be-

yond has the opposite effects.

source-National Institute of Nutrition-

Hyderabad

Frequently Asked Questions on Nutrition

A popular TV program focus on Unethical practices inmedical profession caused discomfort to several med-ical organizationsI only wish that medical organizations had taken the in-formation as a feedback from the community and ap-plied its collective mind to initiate correctivemeasures to minimize the agony,if not to totally eradicate themenace of exploitationin general.I give further addi-tional feedback thatmight help in betteringthe system.Well, with my close associationwith the profession, observation and ex-perience I feel the profession should adopt much moretransparency in practice:1. Write the prescription in the way itis taught in medical school: Namewith qualification, Reg No, adress,prescriber's contact No, Patient'sname, age, sex, Special status likePregnancy, lactating mother etc,Name of the medicine (in caps),strength, dose and dosage regimen.2. Prescribe the low priced brand or

generics to make treatment more affordable3. Insist on the manufacturers that their product will beprescribed only if their prices are competitive.4. Shun the attitude that Doctors are no wrong doersand cannot be questioned.

5.Referal doctor should come to the rescueof the patient or their well-wish-

ers if there is a real med-ical negligence.

6. There is a checkand counter checkfor every system of

activity which is totallyabsent in medical prac-

tice. - Please understand that It is essential

for minimizing medication errors.There were days when peoplewere never addressing or talkingof the doctors in singular.There is a need to restore the oldglory and make the legendary'VAIDHYO NARAYANO HARI'true.P.S.BHAGWANRegistrar, Karnataka PharmacyCouncil, Bangalore P

TN

'SATYAMEVA

JAYATE

PTN

Arthritis means inflammation of the joint, which means

there is pain, swelling, tenderness around joint. This

simple looking disease arthritis is of many types. It’s im-

portant to know which kind of “Arthritis” one is suffering

from. This will make you able to nip it in the bud and

control this deadly dis-

ease easily.

The fact that 15 per cent

of the Indian population

suffers from this crippling

disease is alarming and

arthritis deserves immedi-

ate attention.

In India osteoarthritis, i.e.

degenerative arthritis,

which affects the knee, is

more prevalent with every

third person above the

age of 70 years affected.

The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is little less than in

the West.

More than 20 crore

Indians are suffer-

ing from arthritis.

Let us talk how to

manage os-

teoarthritis. Since

this is degenerative

in nature so we

should all under-

stand how to pre-

vent it. We can

prevent it by follow-

ings:

1. Reducing weight – keeping weight in normal limit

according to age, height, sex and frame of body

(small, medium, large).

2. Regular physiotherapy – strengthening muscles

around knee like quadriceps and hamstrings.

3. Maintaining strong bones by keeping normal

Bone Mineral Density

(Normal value is T score

– 1 and above). Regular

walking.

4. Maintaining normal

vitamin D 3 levels. A re-

cent survey showed that

health personnel are vita-

min D 3 deficient to the

tune of 65%. This is an

eye opener report as we

think that medical illness

is not meant for us.

In spite of all the preven-

tive measures osteoarthritis affects people and the af-

fected person feels the following features:

1. Pain while climbing stairs more on coming down.

The person looks for railing to catch hold.

2. Seeking for some support to get up from sitting

on ground.

3. Experiences some cracking sound while bending

knees.

4. Avoid going to Indian toilet and prefers western

commode.

5. Usually feels pain on inner side of knee joints.

6. Stiffness around knee joint.

Dr A K Agrawal, MS Ortho, MCH Ortho

Orthopedicand Joint replacement Surgeon

STMC & Krishna Hospital Kanpur

drakagrwak@yahoo.com

ARtHIRIts - KNEE PAIN

is a serious medical illness that in-

volves the brain. It's more than just a

feeling of being "down in the dumps"

or "blue" for a few days..Symptoms

persist and interfere with your every-

day life. Symptoms can include

• Sadness

• Loss of interest or pleasure in

activities you used to enjoy

• Change in weight

• Difficulty sleeping or oversleep-

ing

• Energy loss

• Feelings of worthlessness

• Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression is a disorder of the brain.

There are a variety of causes, including

genetic, environmental, psychological,

and biochemical factors. Depression

usually starts between the ages of 15

and 30, and is much more common in

women. Women can also get postpar-

tum depression after the birth of a baby.

Some people get seasonal affective dis-

order in the winter. Depression is one

part of bipolar disorder.

There are effective treatments for de-

pression, including antidepressants

and talk therapy. Most people do best

by using both.

DEPRESSION

If you test positive for latent TB infection, your doctor mayadvise you to take medications to reduce your risk of de-veloping active tuberculosis. The only type of tuberculosisthat is contagious is the active variety, when it affects thelungs. So if you can prevent your latent tuberculosis frombecoming active, you won'ttransmit tuberculosis to any-one else.Protect your family andfriends If you have active TB, keepyour germs to yourself. It gen-erally takes a few weeksof treatment with TBmedications beforeyou're not contagiousanymore. Follow thesetips to help keep yourfriends and family fromgetting sick:• Stay home. Don'tgo to work or school or sleep ina room with other people during thefirst few weeks of treatment for active tuberculosis.• Ventilate the room. Tuberculosis germs spreadmore easily in small closed spaces where air doesn'tmove. If it's not too cold outdoors, open the windows anduse a fan to blow indoor air outside.• Cover your mouth. Use a tissue to cover your

mouth anytime you laugh, sneeze or cough. Put the dirtytissue in a bag, seal it and throw it away.• Wear a mask. Wearing a surgical mask whenyou're around other people during the first three weeks oftreatment may help lessen the risk of transmission.

Finish your entire course of medica-tion This is the most important step youcan take to protect yourself andothers from tuberculosis. When

you stop treatment early orskip doses, TB bacteriahave a chance to developmutations that allow themto survive the most potentTB drugs. The resultingdrug-resistant strains aremuch more deadly and dif-ficult to treat.Vaccinations

In countries where tuberculosis is morecommon, infants are vaccinated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine because it can prevent severe tu-berculosis in children. The BCG vaccine isn'trecommended for general use in the United States be-cause it isn't very effective in adults and it causes a false-positive result on a TB skin test. Researchers are workingon developing a more effective TB vaccine.Source: Mayo Clinic

Tb PREVENTION

Vasavi Medical & Research Center is a 200 bed Multi Specialty Hospital, locatedcentrally in Lakdi ka pool, Khairtabad Hyderabad. The hospital strives to providequality medical care at affordable prices, serving all strata of the society. Specialfocus is on service to people categorized as BPL, with care, compassion and love.We have 4 operation theaters, C.C.U, PICU. NICU, Step down ICU, Post OperativeWards with high technique equipments

VAsAVI MEDICAL AND REsEARCH CENtRE

(Vasavi Hospital)#6-1-91, Lakdi-ka-pool, Khairtabad, Hyd.

RECOGNISED by AAROGyASRI, CGHS, bSNL,STATE GOVT., ALL INSuRANCE TPA’S

24hrs critical care unit, PICU & NICU with ventilators

Round the clock Pediatricians, Pulmonologists and General Medicines

The hospital has experienced and renowned Doctors and staff in the following fields:

* Critical Care Unit * General Surgery * Dental

* Nephrology * Obst.&Gynecology * Diagnostics

* Pulmonology * Laparoscopy * Endocrinology

* Pediatric * Polytrauma * Neurology

* Peadiatric surgery * Orthopedic * Skin & VD

* Urology * Cardiology * Psychiatry

* Surg.Gastroentrology * Gastroenterology * Plastic Surgery

* General physician * PICU * NICU

The Institute is geared to grow to greater heights in the near future, w ith the sole

motto of providing quality health care for all at affordable prices.

We have performed up to 5 thousand surgeries under Aarogyasri scheme with

99% success rate.

Sri. Ganji Rajmouli Gupta Sri.G.Chandraiah Sri.B.Dayanad Sri.K.Jayprakash Ram

Chairman Gen.Secretary Treasurer Convenor

IP-bLOCK

OP-bLOCK

Printed and Published by V.bHAVA NARAyANA for PHARMED TRADE NEWS, 3-3-62/A, New Gokhale Nagar, Ramantapur, Hyderabad - 500013, Edited by Dr.Anirudhha Malpani MD and Printed at Sai Likhita Printers, Lakdikapool, Hyderabad.

Jammu: The country is facing ashortage of 10 lakh MBBS doctors,which is affecting healthcare deliverysystem in rural areas, Union Healthand Family Welfare Minister GhulamNabi Azad on Thursday said.“There are seven lakh doctors in thecountry against a requirement of 17lakh, leaving a deficit of 10 lakh doc-tors. This is directly affecting thehealthcare delivery system in ruralareas,” Azad said.Speaking at a public meeting at Kil-hotran in Gandoh tehsil of Doda dis-trict, Azad said though the Centrewas providing adequate funds forconstruction of hospitals, there wasshortage of MBBS doctors.

According to the minister, to providebetter healthcare in rural areas, thesyllabus of MBBS doctors is beingamended so as to ensure traineedoctors serve in villages for one yearbefore getting the MBBS degree.

London: Doctors in Britain will have to appear in testsevery year to ensure they are fit to practise, a media re-port said on Friday.At present, doctors in the country can go for their entirecareer without any formal assessment of their compe-tency, the Daily Express reported.But from December, they will be assessed to see if they

are fit to stay on the medical register, according to theGeneral Medical Council. The test would take the form ofan annual appraisal.Doctors will be expected to demonstrate they meet clinicalstandards and have kept up with the latest developments.Appraisals will include feedback from patients and col-leagues.

british doctors to face tests every year

“The first point that I have on my agenda ishealth insurance for all the poor people ofour country. We have 750 million Indiansspending Rs. 150/- per month just to speakon the mobile phone. All we need is Rs. 10/-out of this Rs. 150/- to ensure the besthealth insurance program one can think of.This can be implemented just by minor pol-icy changes by the government and my sin-cere belief is that our government willdefinitely be willing to bring about requiredregulatory changes to make this happen.”

DR. DEVI PRAsAD

sHEtty

IndIA fAcIng ShorTAgE of 10

lAkh MBBS docTorS: AzAd