Health

Northeast monsoons are here and the fear of rise in Dengue and Chikungunya cases, is still very real. In the urban environment, it seems inevitable that high population and frequent movement of infected people increase the risk of infections. This is true in cases of large apartment complexes too. People residing in such complexes can take some easy steps to reduce the menace of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is responsible for spreading Dengue and Chikungunya. Water collected in discarded items such as coconut shells serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. File Pic Water collected in discarded items such as…

Unlike last year's scene in city hospitals where a sense of panic had gripped Bengaluru during the ‘swine flu' season, this year the city seems more aware about this illness. Also, this year, with the availability of the H1N1 vaccine, many have opted to protect themselves through this. Though vaccination against H1N1 influenza virus is not compulsory, those with chronic illnesses are advised to take it. Pic Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons. With the monsoons and winter closing in on Bengaluru, more people are also likely to seek vaccination now. Here is a detailed guide on whether one should get vaccinated, who…

Bengaluru observed the National Cerebral Palsy Day on October 3rd by organizing a walkathon of children living with cerebral palsy, their parents, doctors and rehabilitation professionals. The walkathon, flagged off by Governor HR Bharadwaj, started from Raj Bhavan and culminated at Rotary International Building. Initiated by the Spastics Society and other NGOs working with differently abled children, the walkathom supporters and volunteers from across genres and ages. Social media played a major role in bringing these supporters together. I got to know about the walk through a friend's tweet. It was a well organised, short walkathon for the special children.…

For 41 years now, Bangalore Kidney Foundation has been working for the cause of people with kidney problems, those whose kidneys are failing them and those who need dialysis, and sometimes kidney transplants. Having been a regular visitor to their annual fundraising event, 'Dhwani', and having contributed to the funds, I found myself curious about the origins and reach of the Bangalore Kidney Foundation (BKF), and decided to meet P Srinivas, one of the founder-trustees of the Foundation, at his home in Jayanagar. This septuagenarian's family owns Rapsri Engineering Industries Ltd. P Srinivas, Founder-Trustee of Bangalore Kidney Foundation. Pic: Deepa…

Jayanagar General Hospital is soon to undergo a makeover in a bid to provide better care, better facilities and to have more people use its services. The 300-bed hospital, one of the biggest in the city, is currently underused. On an average, only 60-75 per cent of the beds in the wards are occupied and there are only 600-700 patients who visit the OPD (Out Patient Department) daily. A development plan, spearheaded by a team consisting of Jayanagar MLA B N Vijaya Kumar, Principal Secretary (Health) Ramana Reddy, Health Commissioner D N Nayak, Associate Professor at IIM-B (Indian Institute of…

"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it." - Soren Kierkegaard I frankly do not know who Soren Kierkegaard is, but I agree with him. Walking is probably the cheapest and yet an extremely efficient way to exercise.The colony where I stay - Jalvayu Vihar has a fair share of walkers. Some prefer the early morning and others the evening.…

Brick in chilli powder, chicory in coffee, coal tar dye in tea leaves, soap in milk - the list of adulterated products in as endless as it is shocking. The latest adulterants to hit the market in Bangalore are artificially ripened mangoes.In Russell Market and other areas, mangoes like Malgova and Badami are treated with toxic calcium carbide powder to ripen them fast and supply to increasing market demands. This toxic powder, called ‘masala' in trader lingo is used to give the fruit a bright yellow colour much before time and could result in food poisoning, skin and stomach problems.…

The common adulterants in pulses, tea, soft drinks, sweets, oil, saffron, coffee and chilli powder and so on are as follows.Pulses: Stone is a common occurrence in rice and Tur Dal. Kesari dal is a banned product and is sometimes sold as Tur dal, especially at times when Tur dal prices are high. It contains toxins that can paralyse the individual if consumed for two or three months. "We discovered the dal (Kesari passed off as Tur dal) was being sold in Karnataka border for Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg and was being passed off for Tur Dal.…

Brookfields/Whitefield-Informer & Shopper (BWIS), a community neighbourhood yellow pages based in Whitefield in partnership with the Rotary Club of IT Corridor, Bangalore and Sahyog, an organisation working on social and legal issues, came together for a cause on a Sunday morning of April 25th. Their messengers were on wheels seeking hidden treasures.This initiative was a call to pledge your eyes by the Sankara Eye Bank, Sankara Eye Care. The message was clear: Miracles cannot cure the blind. You can, by pledging your eyes. Bhaskar Rao (second from right), flagging off the event. Pic credit: I-Light studio. The participants covered a…

Ever heard of a workplace only for individuals with disabilities? Yes, Swayam, a parent support group of the differently-abled adults opened its first sheltered work unit at 4th Block, Koramangala extension on April 1st. There seems to be no time to waste for this group of individuals with challenges as they have already got their first work order. Their first assignment is to decorate marada baganna sets for a wedding to be held in May. Reshmi, a Swayam member with Lalitha Bilgi. Pic credit: Swayam. “Swayam is not an NGO or a non-profit group,” clarifies Lalitha Bilgi, Parent Promoter of…