Health & Wellness Community

The AIIMS administration has made the decision to start a recruiting drive in order to meet the goal of having almost “zero vacancies” by September 2023. According to a recent TOI report, the institute has 1,055 paramedical staff positions open against 8,225 sanctioned posts and 363 doctor and faculty positions open against 1,207 sanctioned positions in several departments. A recruitment drive will be started at the institute, according to an office memorandum released by director M Srinivas on Wednesday, in order to improve cooperation between the examination section, recruitment cell, and faculty cell and to ensure that open positions are filled promptly. In order to make this process easier, Prof. Rajiv Narang has been appointed the “chief coordinating officer” and is in charge of closely monitoring the number of vacancies and the actions being done to fill them with the faculty cell, recruitment cell, and examination section. Every week, a report on actions taken will be sent to the director’s office. The major departments with vacancies, according to the information, are cardiology, general surgery, liver transplant, obstetrics and gynaecology, as well as the institutions Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, Dr BRA Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, and National Cancer Institute on the campus of AIIMS Jhajjar. In order to solve the workforce shortage at these institutions, the Union Health Ministry is also considering the introduction of centralised recruiting for faculty and non-faculty at various AIIMS throughout India. In this regard, a committee has also been established. Only 2,259 of the 4,026 sanctioned positions have been filled in the 18 new AIIMS, according to ministry data.

The inclusion of Covovax from Serum Institute as a heterologous booster dose for adults on the CoWIN portal is reportedly approved by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in light of the rising COVID-19 cases in various regions of the nation, according to official sources on Monday. A price of Rs 225 per dose plus any relevant GST would probably be listed for Covovax on the portal in a few days. The action follows a letter that Prakash Kumar Singh, head of the Serum Institute of India (SII), sent to the Union health ministry on March 27, according to the sources. Singh had stated in his letter to the ministry that Covovax is a top-notch vaccine that has been approved by the DCGI, WHO, and USFDA and that it should be listed on the CoWIN portal as a heterologous booster dose for adults, according to an official source. After receiving Covishield or Covaxin vaccinations, individuals can receive Covovax. The COVID-19 Working Group, led by Dr. NK Arora, also suggested this month that the vaccine be added to the portal as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have received two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin. The market authorization for Covovax for people who have received two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin was granted by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on January 16. The WHO and USFDA have both given Covovax their approval. The DCGI had approved Covovax for limited use in emergency situations for adults on December 28, 2021, for the 12–17 age group on March 9, and for children aged 7–11 on June 28, 2022, subject to specified criteria. Covovax is produced using technology that was transferred from Novavax. It has received conditional marketing authorization from the European Medicines Agency. The World Health Organization (WHO) authorised its listing for emergency use on December 17, 2021. With NVX-CoV2373, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, being developed and commercialised in India and low- and middle-income countries, US-based vaccine manufacturer Novavax Inc. signed a licence deal with the SII in August 2020.

At the Secretariat on Thursday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formally inaugurated a Health ATM that had been built by JK Tire Limited Company and Yes Bank as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Two additional Health ATMs were inaugurated at Vidhan Sabha Dispensary and Tanakpur Hospital in addition to the one at Sachivalaya Dispensary. Such health ATMs were also put by JK Tire Company at the Police Lines, JLN District Hospital, District Hospital Nainital, Joint Hospital Tankarpur, Community Health Centre, Jaspur SubDistrict Hospital, Ranikhet, and Almora. A total of 72 medical tests or examinations, including those for Hemoglobin, TLC and DLC, Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, Uric Acid, Cholesterol, HBAC, Blood Group, Lipid Profile, Trigylside, Lycoprotein, pregnancy, and kidney, could be performed by the public themselves as a result of these nine health ATMs. Also, a variety of significant medical tests might be conducted free at these health ATMs. The state’s department of health has issued an advisory to the general public, urging people to visit doctors rather than taking medications on their own in response to the test results they received at these health ATMs. People have been advised to seek appropriate medical counselling if the test results don’t come back normal. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed for cooperation in the health sector between the director general of Health and the abovementioned companies during a meeting on Thursday at the secetariat with representatives of IOCL, Yes Bank, and JK Tire and officials from the Department of Health. Moreover, Dhami inaugurated 40 True Net machines that are now accessible in all of the state’s blocks. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd installed the devices as part of their CSR programme. In order to better understand TB, covid, and other diseases, the True Net machines will be helpful. In 40 remote areas of the state, these devices are being made operational. CM said, “Being born in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is a privilege, but serving the people means even more. I consider it my good fortune to have this privilege of serving the people and take a lot of pride in it. I believe corporate firms can collaborate more towards better education, health and cleanliness.” The CM also urged IOCL to take additional steps to create job opportunities in the state.

According to a statement made by India’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, India has been elected as a member of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Although the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS supports and provides strategic direction for an international response to HIV/AIDS, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs supervises the execution of international drug control treaties. India has also been elected to the highest statistical body of the UN for a four-year term. “The Statistical Commission is the highest body dealing with international statistical activities and is responsible for standards set in the field of statistics. India was a member of the Statistical Commission last in 2004,” the statement read. “Thus, India is returning to the Statistical Commission after a gap of two decades. The experience of India in the field of official statistics especially with regard to its diversity and demography is immense and will be a value addition to the functioning of the Statistical Commission,” the statement added. The support they received during the election, according to India’s permanent mission to the UN in response to the results, demonstrates the trust the international community has in India’s abilities in these bodies. In order to advance multilateral solutions to global challenges, India will work to contribute appropriately in these and other organs, guided by the principle of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “The World is One Family.” Jaishankar also reacted to India being elected to the statistical body. Jaishankar tweeted, “India elected to the highest UN statistical body for a 4-year term beginning on 1 January 2024! Congrats Team @IndiaUNNewYork for coming through so strongly in a competitive election.” Moreover, he stated that India’s expertise in statistics, diversity, and demography had earned it a place on the UN Statistical Commission. India secured 46 out of 53 votes in the recently concluded UN Statistical Commission election, decisively surpassing competitors ROK (23), China (19), and UAE (15).  According to the sources, there were four candidates running for two seats in this multi-cornered election. Source: ANI

An official with the Odisha government said on Thursday that the state will soon provide free molecular tests for cancer treatment. Samples will be taken from a few state-run hospitals, examined at inDNA’s private laboratory, and then reports will be given back to the hospitals. He indicated that soon the facility in the institutions would begin. “Under the Nidan programme, the state government will cover all expenses. “Odisha State Medical Corporation Limited (OSMCL) issued an open tender, and the laboratory was chosen through that,” he stated. A tumor’s molecular analysis enables a more thorough understanding of its biology and treatment planning. For a number of hospitals and medical colleges in the state, OSMCL and inDNA have signed an agreement.

The National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 outlines all of the rare diseases that are eligible for full exemption from basic customs duty by the central government, which has issued a general exemption notification. This exemption covers all imported food and medications for particular medical uses as well as those that are imported for personal use. The individual importer must present a certificate from the District Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon of the district, the Central or State Director of Health Services, in order to qualify for this exemption. A basic customs duty of 10% is often applied to drugs and medicines, with a concessional rate of 5% or nil applied to specific categories of life-saving medications and vaccinations. The government has received several requests for customs duty relief for drugs and treatments used to treat various rare diseases, despite the fact that certain drugs for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy or spinal muscular atrophy have previously received exemptions. The expensive medications or specialised meals needed to treat these conditions must be imported. According to estimates, the annual cost of treating some rare diseases for a child weighing 10 kg can range from 10 lakh to 1 crore, with treatment being lifelong and drug dose and price rising with age and weight. This exemption will save a lot of money while giving the patients the much-needed relief. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), which is used to treat a number of cancers, has also been completely exempted from basic customs duty by the government.

At Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli in the Chikkaballapura district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday originally inaugurated the “Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR) & “Sri Sathya Sai Rajeswari Memorial Block,” a completely free medical college and hospital. Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence established the SMSIMSR hospital, according to an official release. It was stated that SMSIMSR, which is located in a rural location and was founded with the goal of de-commercializing medical education and healthcare, would offer high-quality medical care and education at no cost to everyone. According to the press release, the institute will begin operations in the 2023–24 academic year. Source: PTI

In addition to opening a specialised cancer outpatient department at Goa Medical College starting next month, the Goa government is planning to build a cancer institute in the state so that residents won’t have to leave for treatment elsewhere, according to health minister Vishwajit Rane. The minister met with representatives from Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Hospital on Thursday in Panaji to talk about how to establish a facility to treat cancer patients in the state. After the meeting, he tweeted, “With rising cancer cases in the state of Goa, we are working unabatedly to build a ‘State Cancer Institute’ so that citizens of Goa do not have to travel outside the state to seek treatment.” He stated in another tweet, “Tata Memorial Hospital provides world-class cancer treatment services and facilities. We intend to have a tripartite agreement between the Government of India, the Government of Goa and Tata Memorial Hospital, similar to the Assam model envisioned by Hon PM Shri @narendramodi.” According to Rane, Tata Memorial will offer all technical assistance in the fields of services, human resources, training, and research. “We shall be starting a pilot from 15th April 2023 where a dedicated cancer OPD will be started at GMC (Goa Medical College). I have given the necessary instructions to Dean of @GoaGmc and Health Secretary in this regard to ensure this is operational on 15th April,” he tweeted.

According to people with knowledge of the situation, Pfizer Inc. has agreed to extend its COVID-19 vaccination contract with the European Union from 2023 to 2026, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. According to the report, the manufacturer has offered to delay the distribution of the shots and reduce the amount of doses being delivered by 40%. According to the updated terms, Pfizer is demanding payment for doses that were ordered but were never produced, according to an FT report. Stella Kyriakides, the European Union’s commissioner for health, stated in a statement, “Working together we have achieved a significant reduction of doses, an extension of our contract in time far beyond 2023, and security of supply in case more doses are needed.” “If we want to modify vaccines deliveries, we need a deal,” Kyriakides added.  According to the report, the new terms were revealed to the member nations’ health ministers in a private meeting. Four-member states, including Poland, opposed them. Bulgaria’s acting health minister, Assen Medzhidiev, stated that his nation, along with Poland, Hungary, and Lithuania, opposes the proposed agreement on surplus vaccines. The proposed deal, in its current form, would not be supported by other EU members, Medzhidiev continued. Given the dire situation of vaccine overstock in Bulgaria and the unwarranted financial burden for items that are meant for destruction, the proposed Pfizer change to the Pfizer agreement is categorically unacceptable to us, according to Medzhidiev. “We call on the Commission to return to the negotiating table, taking fully into account the mandate given. Until a solution is found, all the deliveries must be stopped,” he said. A request for comment from Pfizer was not immediately complied with. In January, Reuters published a story on the discussions taking place in Brussels between Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in the midst of a global COVID-19 shot shortage, with Europe having a particularly large excess supply. The idea of Pfizer reducing the up to 500 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that the EU has agreed to purchase this year in exchange for a higher price was discussed.

The union government has advised states and union territories (UTs) to increase community awareness on adherence to respiratory and hand hygiene in light of the growing A Influenza type H3N2 cases across the nation. The centre has additionally requested that the state units of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) keep vigil over cases of influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory illnesses (ILIs and SARIs) and refer a sufficient number of samples for testing for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and adenovirus. In a letter to the states and UTs sent after an interministerial review conference with the NITI Ayog, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), acknowledged that an increasing trend in ILI/SARI cases was being seen nationwide. Integrated sentinel-based surveillance of ILI and SARI has detected an increase in influenza A cases during the second half of December 2022. Bhushan specifically raised as a matter of particular concern the prevalence of Influenza A (H3N2) observed in the samples examined in several labs in his letter. Young children, the elderly, and those with co-morbidities are more at risk for and vulnerable to H1N1, H3N2, adenoviruses, etc., according to the Government of India (GoI). The letter also highlighted the growing incidence of other respiratory ailments across the nation. The steadily rising COVID-19 test positivity rates were brought up by the Union Health Secretary as an urgent concern. The health official stated, “Despite low number of new cases, equally low number of hospitalisations and significant advances made in terms of COVID-19 vaccination coverage, there is still a need to remain vigilant and focus on the five-fold strategy of test-track-treat- vaccination and adherence to COVID-appropriate behavior.” The “Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in Context of COVID-19” are to be put into full effect by the states and UTs in order to conduct integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens that manifest as ILI/SARS cases. The number of Adenovirus cases in the nation has also increased. According to the testing of the samples being done by many of the ICMR’s VRDL network labs, over 25.4% of respiratory samples have tested positive for adenoviruses since January 1, 2023. The letter continued that while the majority of these agents typically result in a similar mild and frequently self-limiting illness, in some instances an acute respiratory infection with fever and cough, especially in older people, people with obesity and other comorbidities (like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic renal and liver disease, etc.), as well as pregnant women, may experience a more severe manifestation of these diseases requiring immediate medical attention. The centre has urged more community awareness of issues including often washing hands, not spitting in public, using a mask in crowded locations, covering one’s mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, etc. The union health secretary also gave state governments advice on improving human resource capacity based on current recommendations, ensuring that people are immunised against COVID-19 and influenza, and assessing hospital preparedness, including the availability of pharmaceutical drugs, medical equipment, medical oxygen, etc.