Health

In May 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, 14,857 people died in Mumbai. This was over twice the number of deaths that occurred in May of the previous year. Official COVID-19 deaths, however, accounted for barely 15% of them - 1,075 out of 8,014. The number of deaths increased in comparison to 2019 till October 2020. Over the year, they added up to 20,719 more deaths over 2019’s toll, but only around half, 11,116, were officially due to COVID-19. The rest are unexplained. A spike in the number of deaths was seen again with the second wave…

In March 2020, when the pandemic set in and lockdown was first imposed, spread of the virus, lack of adequate medical care, the lack of vaccines and loss of livelihoods of millions of citizens were the primary concerns among the government and the people. However, as time progressed and the radical changes to lives, livelihoods and lifestyles became more pronounced, increasingly, the discussions – both at a personal and at policy level – turned to the pandemic's impact on mental health. Add to that the several reports about skewed access to education and problems related to online education among children…

Is it safe to donate blood? This is the first question that comes to mind when we see messages requesting for blood donors, especially when COVID-19, masking up and social distancing are still actively being talked about. During the COVID-19 lockdown, regular donors were avoiding hospitals and blood banks, fearful of catching the virus. There were understandably fewer blood donation camps organised. Most blood banks were running on reserves. April 2020 newspaper clip about blood shortage. Mumbai's daily blood requirement pre-COVID was about 1,000 units per day. During COVID, with fewer surgeries demand dropped but it's returning to those pre-COVID…

By March 2020, along with the rest of the country, Mumbai went into a severe lockdown. Social distancing, wearing a mask and hand washing were necessary precautions, and access to them, the need of the hour. A majority of the population did not - and still doesn’t - have access to safe water or sanitation, nor the privilege of technology.  This exclusion in the time of a public health crisis is not new. Bombay has seen several epidemics in the past, but what is often overlooked in the discourse on public health is that many such diseases are waterborne. Furthermore,…

Translated by Sandhya Raju தமிழகத்தில் இந்த ஆண்டு ஜூலை வரை 2185 பேர் டெங்கு காய்ச்சலால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக, சுகாதார சேவைகள் இயக்குநரகம், சுகாதாரம் மற்றும் குடும்ப நல அமைச்சகம் (MoHFW), தரவு தெரிவிக்கிறது. கூடுதலாக, சென்னை மாநகராட்சியின் தரவுகள் படி, ஆகஸ்ட் மாதத்தில் மட்டும் சென்னையில் 100 பேரும், செப்டம்பர் மாதத்தில் 129 பேரும் பாதிப்புக்கு உள்ளாகியிருப்பதாக தெரிவிக்கிறது. இது கடந்த ஆண்டு தமிழகம் முழுவதும் இருந்த 2410 (MoHFW) என்ற எண்ணிக்கையை கடந்துள்ளது. மாநிலத்தில் மழைக்காலம் தொடங்கியதும் இந்த நிலை வரும் என்பதால் இது ஒன்றும் புதிதல்ல. 2020 ஆண்டு முன்பு வரை மாநிலத்தில் அதிக அளவு பாதிப்பு இருந்ததும் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. ஆனால், தற்போதைய பெருந்தொற்று காலத்தில் சுகாதார மற்றும் நிரவாகத் துறையின் முழு கவனமும் தொற்று பரவலை தடுப்பதில் உள்ளதால், டெங்கு காய்ச்சல் கவலை அளிப்பதாக உள்ளது. சென்னைவாசிகள், சுகாதார அலுவலர்கள் மற்றும் மாநகராட்சி அலுவலகர்களிடம் கொசுக்கள்…

“I am a great believer in the efficacy of the neighbourhood family doctor concept, somewhat in the manner it existed in my parents' time,” says Kanuru Sujatha Rao, a 1974 batch IAS officer of AP cadre and former Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Having spent 20 of her 36 years of government service in the health sector in different capacities at the state and federal levels, Sujatha Rao has extensive experience and expertise on India’s public health issues. Among the many key positions she has held, Sujatha Rao was chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of the Global…

As India celebrated the 74th anniversary of its independence in 2020, Prime Minister Narendra announced the launch of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), also known as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Terming it a revolution in the country’s healthcare system, Modi added that a digital national health ID for citizens will be generated to ensure easy and one-touch access to all their health information.  This digital health ID comes as a follow up to the National Health Policy 2017 that had provided for establishing an integrated health information system. The objective is to improve efficiency and promote transparency across all…

The threats induced by COVID-19 continue to warn the masses against large crowds and uncovered faces. Since masking became the norm, cases of flu viruses and common colds saw a rapid decline, but have resurfaced with the onset of the monsoon season. This might bring confusions in diagnoses, and people might wonder if they have COVID-19 or a viral fever. With so many viruses in the air, it is important to understand the differences between them for an accurate diagnosis and preventive practice. Read more: Walk-ins introduced in Mumbai’s vaccination centres to help local residents Mumbai | Masking norms had reduced…

In 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that roughly 7.5 per cent Indians suffer from some form of a mental disorder, and predicted that by the end of 2021, close to 20 percent of Indians will suffer from mental health illnesses. With a shortage of mental health professionals, a culture of denial and hesitation, a majority that cannot afford professional help, these statistics confirm that there is a desperate need for informed discourse around mental health and the systems that affect it.  Read more: Mental health helpline received 72,000 calls in a year, thanks to the pandemic Below is…

The nutritional status of growing children has always been a matter of great concern the world over. Even during normal days, several factors influenced the dietary intake of school going children. Like their socio-economic status, eating practices, the family’s likes and dislikes, regional menus. It’s not only the qualitative and quantitative food intake that varies. A lot depends on dietary habits. Some families eat together while some eat in isolation. Meal timings vary from family to family. Availability of nutritious food throughout the year in every part of a country like ours is another challenge. Every child has his own…