FMG denied to appear in screening test for being underage during MBBS admission abroad: Madras HC directs NMC to allow medico to appear in screening test

Granting relief to a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG), who was denied to appear in the mandatory screening test for being underage at the time of MBBS admission abroad, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to allow the medico for appearing in the screening test.
Last year, Apex Medical Commission rejected his request to appear in the screening test. Following this, the student approached the Madras High Court seeking relief and filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in this regard.
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Nipah Virus: Kerala Unveils Strengthened Prevention Strategy

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, has announced plans to ramp up efforts to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus in the state, particularly during the months from May to September when the virus is most active.

Minister George emphasized the importance of extreme caution and outlined several key preventive measures.  

According to an ANI news report, She urged the public not to destroy bat habitats, as disturbing these could increase the risk of virus transmission. Additionally, she advised against consuming fruits that have been bitten by birds and drinking honey from banana peels, both of which could be contaminated by bats.  

Also Read:One Health approach in bolstering public health efforts in Kerala: Health Minister Veena George

Veena George also highlighted the necessity of proper hygiene, recommending that hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water if they come into contact with bats, their excrement, or objects they have bitten.

“We must all be vigilant and proactive in our efforts to prevent the spread of Nipah. By following these guidelines, we can protect ourselves and our loved ones,” said Minister George.

She stressed the importance of educating children about these precautions to ensure community-wide awareness and safety.

Nipah Virus, transmitted from animals to humans, can lead to severe illness and fatalities.

On May 19, 2018, a Nipah virus disease (NiV) outbreak was reported in Kozhikode district of Kerala. This was the first NiV outbreak in South India.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 17 deaths and 18 confirmed cases as of June 1, 2018. The two affected districts were Kozhikode and Mallapuram, news agency ANI reported.

The Nipah outbreak reported in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala in May 2018 was the third Nipah virus outbreak in India, the earlier being in 2001 and 2007, both in West Bengal.

Despite the challenges posed by the outbreak, Kerala’s robust health system played a vital role in containing its spread. The state’s proactive measures and emphasis on public health education contributed to its ability to manage the situation effectively.

Also Read:Nipah Antibody present in bats, confirms ICMR

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Health Bulletin 03/ June/ 2024

Here are the top health stories for the day:

Madras HC grants relief to underage FMG, directs NMC to allow screening test participation

Granting relief to a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG), who was denied to appear in the mandatory screening test for being underage at the time of MBBS admission abroad, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to allow the medico for appearing in the screening test.
Last year, Apex Medical Commission rejected his request to appear in the screening test. Following this, the student approached the Madras High Court seeking relief and filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in this regard.
For more information click on the link below:

Kolkata hospital, doctors fined Rs 75 lakh for delayed diagnosis after bariatric surgery, resulting in patient’s death
The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) recently directed a Kolkata-based hospital and its two doctors to pay Rs 75 lakh compensation and Rs 2 lakh litigation cost to the family of a man, who died due to complications after undergoing sleeve gastronomy, in the form of bariatric surgery.
After the patient’s condition worsened a week after the surgery, he was taken to the hospital again. However, the doctors at the hospital, a doctor of General Medicine and an Anesthetist delayed conducting a CT scan to diagnose the problem. Due to this delay, gangrene developed in the patient’s intestine, opined the NCDRC bench.
For more information click on the link below:

The High Court orders NMC and State to pay Rs 1 lakh compensation, grants relief to PwD doctor denied Senior Residentship
The Rajasthan High Court recently granted relief to a doctor with a benchmark disability, whose application for the post of Senior Residentship was rejected by the State Government authorities as the doctor had crossed the age of 45 at the time of application. Although the doctor argued that being a PwD candidate, he was allowed to get a 5-year age relaxation, the authorities including the National Medical Commission (NMC) opposed his plea.
While considering his petition, the HC bench of Justice Sameer Jain allowed him the age relaxation and directed the NMC and the State to pay Rs 1 lakh cost, to be divided equally, for the delay and hardship caused to the petitioner.
For more information click on the link below:

Banas Medical College interns on strike, demand stipend increase
Around 100 MBBS interns at Banas Medical College, Palanpur have called a strike demanding a stipend of Rs. 18,200 as opposed to Rs 12000 that they are receiving currently. The Interns are also demanding proper accommodation arrangements.
The interns of the medical college have stated that they are being paid Rs. 12,000 per month which is significantly less than the minimum stipend mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines.
For more information click on the link below:

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Tata Capital arm injects USD 20 million in Orbicular Pharmaceutical Technologies

Tata Capital Healthcare Fund II, an arm of Tata Capital has injected USD 20 million in Orbicular Pharmaceutical Technologies for an undisclosed stake.

According to the statement, Tata Capital Healthcare Fund II has made the investment in the Hyderabad-based specialty pharmaceutical company and the proceeds will be utilised for accelerating product development,

As per PTI, the statement said the USD 60 billion specialty generics industry is expanding rapidly driven by increasing demand for cost-effective alternatives to complex and high-cost branded medications, and Orbicular has a pipeline of niche products in the specialty generics space catering to the demand.

“This investment reinforces our fund’s core philosophy of identifying the big shifts in the industry and being a “capital plus” partner to our companies,” Visalakshi Chandramouli, Managing Partner, Tata Capital Healthcare Fund said.

“Having positioned Orbicular as a differentiated specialty pharmaceutical company in the complex generics space, the investment will further strengthen our global partnerships,” the company’s Managing Director M S Mohan.

The Tata Capital Healthcare Fund (‘TCHF’) is a growth oriented private equity fund focused on the healthcare and lifesciences sector in India. The fund is sponsored by Tata Capital Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Sons Limited. TCHF has raised ~ US$ 200 million across two funds – TCHF I (2012) and TCHF II (2022). Across both the funds, TCHF has invested in 16 companies, and has successfully exited 6 companies thus far.

Read also: Tata Capital health division pours USD 10 million investment into Apex Kidney Care

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Intoxication without alcohol: Auto-brewery syndrome

How can someone have alcohol intoxication without consuming alcohol? Auto-brewery syndrome, a rare condition in which gut fungi create alcohol through fermentation, is described in a case study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

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HPV-based screening can help eliminate cervical cancer

Implementing human papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening in British Columbia could eliminate cervical cancer in the province before 2040, according to a modeling study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

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Cancer patients often do better with less intensive treatment, new research finds

Scaling back treatment for three kinds of cancer can make life easier for patients without compromising outcomes, doctors reported at the world’s largest cancer conference.

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‘Sleeping on it’ really does help and four other recent sleep research breakthroughs

Twenty-six years. That is roughly how much of our lives are spent asleep. Scientists have been trying to explain why we spend so much time sleeping since at least the ancient Greeks, but pinning down the exact functions of sleep has proven to be difficult.

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US deaths linked to ATVs rose by a third in one year

In just one year, U.S. deaths linked to the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) jumped by a third, according to the latest report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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Sun Pharma anticipates high single-digit top line growth in current fiscal: Dilip Shanghvi

New Delhi: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, a leading pharmaceutical company, anticipates achieving a robust single-digit top line increase in revenue for the current fiscal, as stated by Managing Director Dilip Shanghvi.

In FY24, the Mumbai-headquartered company disclosed a consolidated total revenue from operations at Rs 48,497 crore, compared to Rs 43,886 crore in FY23.

“We expect high single-digit consolidated top line growth for FY25. All our businesses are positioned for growth,” Shanghvi said in an analyst call.

As per PTI, he noted that in the current fiscal, the drug firm will be in the investment phase for its several businesses.
“This includes, but not limited to, product launch costs in the US as the ramp-up of our global specialty business is expected to continue,” Shanghvi said. 
He noted that R&D investments will be 8-10 per cent of sales during the year.
Replying to a separate query, Shanghvi said, “We have to continue to invest for the future. And our effort would be that while we are creating that investment for future, we don’t do it at the cost of profitability.”
He further said, “But even if it does require some increased investment, we would do that because ultimately, our focus is on building a business which is strong long term.”
As per AIOCD AWACS MAT March 2024 report, Sun Pharma is ranked number one and holds an 8.5 per cent market share in the over Rs 1,970-billion Indian pharmaceutical market.
For the fiscal ended March 31, 2024, the company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 9,576 crore. It stood at Rs 8,474 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal

Read also: Sun Pharma new plant inaugurated in Bangladesh

Sun Pharma is an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The company manufactures and markets a large basket of pharmaceutical formulations covering a broad spectrum of chronic and acute therapies. It includes generics, branded generics, specialty, complex or difficult-to-make technology-intensive products, over-the-counter (OTC), antiretrovirals (ARVs), Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and Intermediates.

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