Health

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…

According to data from the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, Tamil Nadu recorded a total of 2,185 dengue cases during the year 2021 (as of July). To add to that, data obtained from the health department of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) shows that Chennai alone recorded 100 dengue cases in August and 129 cases in September, which means that the total number of dengue cases in the state has already surpassed that of the previous year, which stood at 2,410 (MoHFW). This however, is not unusual as dengue has…

As fears towards an impending third wave – set to reveal itself in October according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) – have set in the city, there is a deeper concern among parents of young children who are yet to be vaccinated. To ensure the safety of their wards, many parents have restricted their children from playing in common premises where they would normally interact with other children.  On September 13, only ten children were admitted in Mumbai hospitals (nine in the NESCO COVID-19 care facility and one in Seven Hills Hospital) with moderate or severe symptoms of the…

Ever since she first read about Srinagar’s famous houseboats, Meenakshi, a resident of Pune, had wanted to stay in one. On August 23, she along with her husband landed in Srinagar and drove to the Dal Lake where they had booked a houseboat named Peacock. “After spending a day, I fell ill,” recalls Meenakshi. “I had severe cold, cough and fever. I wasn’t able to move out my bed. The houseboat owner called the boat ambulance and I was taken to the main road first and then to the city hospital. Luckily, I tested negative for COVID. The doctors then…

As Mumbai prepares for a third wave, housing societies watch closely as it marks the beginning of yet another harrowing time. The spike in COVID-19 numbers even before Ganesh Chaturthi festivities could begin, has rung warning bells in the city. As of 8 September, Mumbai had 50 buildings and only one informal settlement actively sealed with about 2,075 people considered high risk for having come into contact with a COVID-19 patient. Another 530 people had tested positive in a single day. The resurgence of the virus is being witnessed with nervousness, especially in large residential complexes where a number of…

Antibiotics left over in the strip after completing the 7-day course, capsules that cannot be consumed after the doctor decided that a different drug regimen was in order, vitamin supplements that are thankfully not required any longer. All of us have surely, at some point in our lives, found ourselves with medicines that we may not have a use for in the near future. On the other side, we have heard of people avoiding going to a doctor, fearing that they would not be able to afford the medicines that may be prescribed. "Discharge taken against advice" is a common…

With a massive shortage of vaccines staring in its face, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now devising ways to prioritise vaccination for its local population especially its lower-income groups. With an impending third wave of the pandemic, the BMC wants to ensure that it can reach and vaccinate a maximum number of people despite its limited resources. “We are now tieing-up with non-government organisations to help vaccinate those residing in the slums and the neglected, unpenetrated population,” said additional municipal commissioner, Suresh Kakani.  After focusing on specific high-risk groups like the frontline workers, pregnant and lactating women and even…