Health

August 6 was World Organ Donation day - a day to celebrate the spirit of organ donation, the process of giving life to another human by donating an essential part of one’s body; to become useful even in one’s death, to leave behind something that will light up another life. How does one donate his/her organ? Well, except for kidneys, not while one is alive. Donating organs while alive, or transplanting organs of a live human is illegal. Transplantation of Human Organ Act - 1994 mandates that the organs be removed only from a dead body of a donor, with…

You have endured the tension those nine months could cause, and experienced the joy that lies in the anticipation of becoming a new parent. However, have you chosen the right place to welcome the young one? Yes, it is important. Choosing a hospital where the would-be-mom is comfortable is of utmost importance and should be planned in advance. While some of the would-be-moms choose to be with one hospital right through their pregnancy, there are a few who end up delivering at a different hospital with a different obstetrician, as they change doctors or hospitals towards the end of the…

As the monsoons hit Bangalore quenching the thirst of a parched landscape, the heavenly waters also bring with it the burden of deadly diseases like dengue. As industrial revolution and rapid scientific advancement made life easy for human life on this planet, it also brought in unforeseen challenges with regard to health and hygiene. Dengue fever, from being present in small pockets around the tropical earth, has now become a pandemic putting almost one third of the world population at risk. It is a flu-like viral fever spread by mosquito bites. The severe form potentially kills 1 in 5 affected…

Dr. Ashish Phatak, Prof. Vishal Diwan, Dr. Megha Sharma used famous comic characters Chacha Choudary and Saboo to promote their campaign 'Antibiotics Resistance- No Action Today , No Cure Tomorrow' Pic: Nikita Malusare Over the years, in India, increased antibiotic resistance especially in the case of tuberculosis has called attention of medical researchers to conduct a depth study in the effects of this microbial resistance. Three medical researchers working as an Associate Professors at R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, Dr. Ashish Pathak, Vishal Diwan and Dr. Megha Sharma, conducted a study in Ujjain to get to know the real…

I had one of the most disturbing experiences of my life yesterday. Got a phone call around 4 pm from Bangalore Traffic Police with one man - speaking fast and furious in Kannada - telling me that a lady I know has been in a road accident and has to be shifted to the St John's Hospital. Now, this is an acquaintance through work and although we've been in touch for years now and worked together "virtually" I dont know much about her except her phone numbers and e-contacts. I presume they called me from her last received call as…

Recognizing that accidents are one of the biggest killers of children in India is paramount to preventing thousands of hospital admissions, hundreds of deaths and disabilities every week, in children. Understanding that many of these are avoidable is important to provide a safe environment to nurture our children before they are scarred for ever. With the objective of ensuring a safe and healthy environment for our children and to enable them to lead more active lives, Dr Supraja Chandrasekar, an oncosurgeon in Bangalore and Ilaunched the Safe Children Mission. Our plan of action includes increasing awareness among caregivers, providing safety…

It is well known that cancer is one of the worst diseases in the world that takes away precious lives. It belongs to a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected. Cancer mortality is mainly due to metastatic tumours, that grow from cells that have travelled from their original site to another part of the body. RELATEDMy mother’s second home Continuous improvements are taking place in the discovery of new drugs with the objective of curing or slowing…

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), for the majority of women presenting with breast cancer, it is not possible to identify specific risk factors. Recently, Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie was in news after she underwent a double mastectomy following her learning that she was at risk for both breast and ovarian cancer. It was a genetic test that revealed she carried the mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. So what is this test all about? About five per cent of breast cancers are caused because of mutations in…

Health is not mere absence of disease. It would be better if we have an understanding of health risks, how do we monitor them, and take actions to prevent them from manifesting as a disease condition.You may ask, “Is it possible?”, and I say, the answer is yes. To begin with, take a look at what you have inherited from your parents and family. Typically, if one or both of your parents have heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancers, asthma etc, there is a possibility that  you may also get it some time or other. Map out your family history, and…

January 22th to 29th is observed as Cervical Cancer prevention week. According to a survey conducted by the oncologists of HCG Hospitals, Bangalore alone records 21.1% out of 100,000 fresh cases of cervical cancer every year. It is comparatively higher than other metropolitan cities. Delhi (17.9%), Kolkata (14.2%), in Mumbai (14.1%) and Chennai (18.5) contribute to fresh cervical cancer cases in comparatively lesser numbers than Bangalore. The survey also reveals that women living in rural areas are more prone to this disease.In India, around 80-85% of women are affected by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) before the age of 35 years.…