 | Health MattersSaturday | 23 November, 2024 |  |
| Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there |
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Poor AQI: when breath becomes raggedHealth Matters As the capital city chokes on itself in a winter that is just marching in, physically, the air is officially difficult to breathe in, necessitating strict restrictions on the movement of people | Photo Credit: ANI On Delhi’s alarming AQI levels, the diabetes crisis in India, violence in healthcare settings, the growing burden of antimicrobial resistance and more(In the weekly Health Matters newsletter, Ramya Kannan writes about getting to good health, and staying there. You can subscribe here to get the newsletter in your inbox.) As much as we tried to be cheery this week, an ill wind has rent our plan asunder. Quite literally, with Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching alarming levels, the sobering news that a quarter of the world’s diabetics live in India and, immense cause to be worried about safety in hospitals -- both for healthcare workers and patients. As the capital city chokes on itself in a winter that is just marching in, physically, the air is officially difficult to breathe in, necessitating strict restrictions on the movement of people. These restrictions are no doubt bothersome, but when a city chokes, some amount of authority controlling the pollution is fair game. A combination of winter weather conditions, combined with stubble burning and pollution that is caused simply by a city running itself, seems to have led to this state. According to the Central Pollution Control Board’s data, Delhi’s overall 24-hour average AQI was 484 at 8 a.m. on Monday (November 18), in the severe plus category, pushing it into what is called GRAP Stage-4 restrictions. This is Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) and means stricter pollution control measures for the Delhi-NCR including a ban on truck entry and a temporary halt on construction at public projects. According to the order, no trucks will be allowed into Delhi except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel, non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will also be prohibited, except for EVs and CNG and BS-VI diesel ones, and schools have been advised to suspend physical classes and shift to an online mode. Naturally, the impact of this deep pollution is reflected on people’s health, particularly respiratory health. Do read our other stories on the subject, but remember to take long deep breaths even as you do so. Delhi AQI drops to 361 in ‘very poor’ category as smog engulfs national capital Delhi air in ‘severe’ category with AQI of 426 — worst in India Delhi air pollution: Hospitals see spike in patients with respiratory issues This last week, on November 14, World Diabetes Day, there was some bitter news for India. I report on The Lancet publication that claimed India is home to about a quarter of all the diabetics in the world, the number standing at over 200 million people. The sheer numbers are staggering, even for a nation that is used to being on top of the population charts. There is no doubt that what we have at hand is a pandemic of diabetes, presenting with far more demands than highly-strapped State health systems can handle. The crisis clearly needs urgent attention, experts say, as if it’s a war. And they add that the government’s goals should be to prevent diabetes, treat all, and prevent complications from diabetes. Other stories we had on diabetes include: Bindu Shajan Perappadan elaborates on a lesser known complication: Uncontrolled diabetes increases risk of hearing loss; doctors call for more awareness, screening Dr. V Mohan presents some hope: Tackling diabetes epidemic with lifestyle modifications Dr. C. Aravinda provides some essential context on insulin: On the heels of World Diabetes Day, the story of insulin discovery and the Flame of Hope Sakthirajan Ramanathan and Tanuj Moses Lamech write on Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic (CKM) syndrome, an alarming, intricate interplay of lifestyle and the influence of globalisation on health: The CKM syndrome as the price of modernity The Hindu’s editorial Growing epidemic: On diabetes and India Doctors believe continual upskilling is crucial for diabetes management: survey There is scarcely any doubt that a healthy diet and active lifestyle are some tools to keep non-communicable diseases at bay. But these days, a lot more hinges on how nutrition impacts human beings. Dr. Biju Dharmapalan brings up a very important connect: Evidence emphasises irrevocable relationship between the gut and immunity. He argues that the foods we consume not only fuel our bodies, but also play a pivotal role in shaping immune responses, modulating inflammation, and influencing susceptibility to infections and diseases. Meanwhile, Jamuna Prakash tries to understand India’s transitioning food patterns, processed foods, and how they impact health. It is true that while modern meals are highly palatable, they are often devoid of essential nutrition. She joins other experts who call for a vital movement towards healthier food choices, and enhanced nutrition literacy among consumers. We all know of the harmful effects of alcohol on the liver, but what about those colourful and cool beverages offered as ‘welcome drinks’? These drinks could be a source of hepatitis A infections, if the water used is not hygienic and clean, say doctors in Kozhikode as they grapple with an unusually high number of such cases in recent months in the district. For further details, check this out: ‘Welcome’ that ‘drink’ with caution, say doctors as hepatitis A cases go up in Kozhikode The dastardly knifing of an oncologist at the government-run Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty hospital in Chennai earlier last week, dragged the attention to violence against healthcare professionals. The attacker was the son of a patient undergoing treatment for cancer, who was “unhappy with the treatment being provided to his mother”. Though he had been informed, in more than three hospitals, where he took his mother for treatment, about the side effects of the chemotherapy necessary for her treatment, he still allowed his frustrations to result in an attack that might have taken the life of the doctor treating his mother. Naturally, healthcare staff were up in arms, demanding protection from the state for doing their job. It is not just healthcare personnel, but the safety of hospitals for patients that was in question, after 10 babies admitted at a Jhansi Hospital, in Uttar Pradesh, died tragically in a fire, as per this report by Mehul Melpani. Do read these other stories, providing a rounded coverage of the incident and also looking at it from a larger prism. Demanding security, Tamil Nadu government doctors begin indefinite strike Yet another incident of doctor being attacked in Chennai Daylight assault on doctor inside Chennai hospital leaves medical fraternity in shock T.N. hospitals to have tag system for patient attendants: Health Minister Tamil Nadu government doctors call off strike after government assures them of security Serena Josphine M. and Shrabana Chatterjee weigh in on The ongoing malaise of violence in healthcare settings from Tamil Nadu and Kolkata Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan writes on the basis of a study that 35% doctors in India feel unsafe while at work Krishnadas Rajagopal reports an update from the Supreme Court: No need for Central law to tackle crimes against health workers: National Task Force files report in Supreme Court The Hindu’s editorial Saving doctors: On medical professionals, their safety Mayank Kumar follows up: U.P. government orders multi-level probe into Jhansi hospital fire that killed 10 babies, left 16 injured The Hindu’s editorial Jhansi hospital fire: Twin negligence Turning our attention to infectious diseases, there were some important updates this week. Serena Josephine M. reported that Tamil Nadu has begun preparatory work to decide on rollout of adult BCG vaccination. An idea that was born during the churn induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s good to keep track of its progress and implementation. Optical biosensor rapidly detects monkeypox virus, we reported. Researchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine, and Boston University have now developed an optical biosensor that can rapidly detect monkeypox, the virus that causes mpox. The technology could allow clinicians to diagnose the disease at the point of care rather than wait for lab results. The study was published on November 14, 2024 in Biosensors and Bioelectronics. More on mpox: U.S. health officials report first case of new form of mpox in travellers Dr. Subramanian Swaminathan, on the occasion of World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, beginning November 18, stresses on the importance of regulating Immunisation coverage and antibiotic use, and he asks, is India missing an opportunity? More on AMR, ICMR-NIN scientists reportedly conduct first gene profiles in poultry. For the first time, Indian scientists have reported antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene profiles in poultry from Kerala and Telangana, and have cautioned that this emerging resistance may be aggravated by the depleting antibiotics repertoire. Siddharth Kumar Singh reported on the alert from the US CDC, of the surge in Chikungunya cases among US travellers returning from Telangana. Providing short pharma-related stories here: The Supreme Court dismissed plea to mandate doctors to specify drugs’ side effects to patients. “It is not practical,” said a Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan, and recommended a printed proforma containing this information. R. Sujatha writes that Pharmacists issued a warning over plans to deliver drugs ordered through an online platform. This article by Dr. Nanditha, which explains the science behind the health benefits of heavy lifting has slid into the tailpiece slot this week. Do click on the link, and learn, as we did: weightlifting actually prevents joint injury, by strengthening the muscles around the joints. When muscle strength improves, it stabilises joints, reducing the likelihood of strains, sprains, and other injuries that often occur due to weak muscles and poor joint support. For our explainers, which we take a great deal of effort over, do see the following links: Zubeda Hamid looks at cognitive decline: Is there a scientific reason why online phishing fraudsters target senior citizens? D. Balasubramanian on eye donation and corneal transplant Raghav Gaiha,Vidhya Unnikrishnan,Vani S. Kulkarni Debating the ‘healthy longevity initiative’ Jagriti Chandra asks in the Parley podcast: Are pro-natalist policies the way to address the ageing population problem? The Hindu Data Team explains with figures: SDG goals at risk in nations such as India due to declining health spending: Data If you have a few extra moments, do also read: Bindu Shajan Perappadan provides an update: Ayushman Vay Vandana enrolment under AB-PMJAY touches 10 lakh within three weeks Ashokamithran T. writes: Affordable generics will stay relevant amid a premiumisation trend: Bhushan Arshikar Russia birth rate plummets to lowest in 25 years Dr. Reddy’s gets ₹27 lakh penalty from Mexican drug regulator EU regulator backs Eisai-Biogen Alzheimer’s drug For many more health stories, head to our health page and subscribe to the health newsletter here. |
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