Health

New campaign eyes a Hepatitis C-free Chennai It is not one of those killers that are widely discussed or feared by the masses, but an estimated 80,000 people in Chennai currently live with the insidious Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), one of the leading causes of liver cancer. What is even more alarming is that a majority do not even know that they have it. The good news, however, is that it may not be long before the city witnesses a new programme in action, that could well set an example for the world in how to effectively rid geographies of…

Blood donation is a simple, yet profound gesture - donate to an anonymous recipient, and who knows, someday an anonymous donor will save the life of someone close to you! Donate blood regularly, and be assured that there are no side effects as long as you follow the Do's and Dont's given below. Essential Information regarding Blood Donation Age and weight of eligible donors : 18-60 years, 45 kg or more Hemoglobin : will be checked on the spot, must be 12.5 or higher Quantity drawn : Donors upto 50kg - 350CC for single bag, will be used as whole…

What do you generally do when it rains? Curl up on a chair with your favourite book and watch the tiny droplets trickle down the window? Or are you fighting a battle to not reach into your pocket to find that lighter to light a cigarette? Well, if you’re the second kind, we’re here to tell you why you should kick the butt for good this World No Tobacco Day. What’s your reason? “I’m a social smoker”, says Venkat (name changed on request), a 23-year old college student. Smoking gives you a sensation, this becomes addictive”, adds Ashwin Aravind, another…

File picture of a slum near HSR Layout. Pic: Akshatha M International Symposium on Health in Slums 2016 was held in Smrithi Auditorium, Bangalore Baptist Hospital, Hebbal on April 30, 2016. This was a first-of-its-kind event provided a platform for health researchers, BBMP Medical Officer and NGOs involved in various aspect of health in slums. The population for study involved migrant and non-migrant populations. This was an opportunity to connect the investigators, with questions pertaining to the health and wellbeing of the slum dwellers, with those willing to offer solutions in the form cost-effective options of fuel, energy, technology and…

Citizen Matters had earlier reported that dengue cases in Bengaluru are severely under-reported, that the official dengue figures are only a fraction of the actual numbers. But when it comes to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, heart diseases, respiratory diseases etc., the situation is worse - these diseases are not tracked at all in the city. NCDs are now emerging as the leading cause of deaths in India, since communicable diseases like malaria and TB are under better control. But in Bengaluru, like in the rest of the country, no one is tracking them. Without data on these diseases, policy-making…

How clean do you think Bengaluru is? Would you like to rate the city in terms of its hygiene and sanitation? If yes, then here is an opportunity for you to participate in the Swachh Bharath Mission survey and rank your city. The Central government has taken up a new cleanliness survey of 75 major cities across the country under its ambitious Swachh Bharath Mission. With Bengaluru being one of the 75 cities, city-dwellers who are happy or unhappy about the city's solid waste management and sanitation scenario can voluntarily be a part of the survey. For this, all you…

What typically happens when you go to a pharmacy? You show the prescription, buy the medicines that you need, check the MRP, pay for it, collect the bill and leave. Sounds simple enough right? Not always... Here’s an example of why you need to be doubly careful when you purchase medicines. File pic.  When Rajeev Gupta (name changed on request) bought a nasal spray from a pharmacy, little did he know that checking the above mentioned were not the only things he should have done. When he finally opened the bottle a home, to his surprise, he found it empty.…

Patients waiting for their turn at the outpatient department in K C General Hospital. Pic: Shree D N What could be the number of people who suffered from dengue in Bengaluru? Out of 443 people who saw a quick survey conducted by Citizen Matters, 171 people replied positively about dengue cases. As many as 20 of them said they themselves got dengue since January 2015. This makes for a percentage of 4.5 cases of dengue on the readership of the survey. If 4.5% of the population in Bengaluru suffered dengue, what could be the numbers? How many might have died?…

We are trying to understand the incidence of Dengue in Bengaluru, and if and how serious an epidemic it is. Do take our survey to help us gather data. Results will be published on Citizen Matters, along with responses from officials. NO personal information will be shared publicly. Resources You can read some of our previously published articles for information about Dengue. Fever? Make sure it’s not dengue! Chikungunya and dengue: prevention and treatment Tips to prevent dengue and chikungunya in flats Should you panic if a dengue patient needs platelets? Why is the number of reported dengue cases less?…

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.” The Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting begins with the Serenity Prayer, recited mostly by the booming voices of men. Manjunath (name changed on request), a secretary for one of the Alcoholics Anonymous groups in Bengaluru, sits at the head of the borrowed schoolroom. As 11 am edges nearer, the crowd before him grows from 25 to 30 to nearly 40 people. They trickle in one by one, occasionally in pairs. Manjunath is a recovering alcoholic…