Archive for category: News

A 24-year-old man was arrested for allegedly posing as a doctor at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in central Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

When Ashutosh Tripathi, a resident of Burari, was caught from the emergency department on Tuesday he was wearing a stethoscope and carrying a doctor’s coat in his bag, an official said.

A police officer said an FIR under section 170 (impersonating a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the North Avenue police station on the basis of a complaint filed by senior resident (department of surgery) Rahul Dhamija.

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NEET Aspirant Arrested For Posing As Doctor At Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, FIR Lodged

Foundation stone of Snayu Tirtha Medical College And Hospital laid by Mamata Banerjee

On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone of a new medical college and hospital named Snayu Tirtha Medical College and Hospital. The initiative, led by the Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata (I-NK), is located in Shason Gram Panchayat of North 24 Parganas, Barasat.

The medical college and hospital will have 150 MBBS seats and 800 beds.

For this project, I-NK has taken up a large site of 33 acres of land at Khamar Naobaad near Rajarhat in North 24 Parganas with an initial funding of Rs 500 crore. The reason behind taking land in North 24 Parganas is that all the medical facilities will be provided by the National Medical Council (NMC). Furthermore, the premises will also accommodate colleges of paramedical sciences and nursing.

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Mamata Banerjee Lays Foundation Stone Of Snayu Tirtha Medical College And Hospital, 150 MBBS Seats To Be Added

Faculty crisis in India: Shortage and disinterest, says panel

The shortage of faculty across the medical colleges in India is not only due to the genuine shortage of qualified faculty, but it is also because even the available faculty often lacks the inclination to teach at the college level, a Parliamentary Health Panel recently opined in its report.

In order to deal with the issue of faculty shortage and ghost faculty, the panel has recommended that the Government strictly enforce the regulations already in place to curb the problem of ghost faculty and zero attendance.

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Faculty Shortage In India Is Twofold- Genuine Shortage And Lack Of Inclination To Teach At College Level: Parliamentary Panel

Call for online medicine sales to Empower India

India, poised to become the third-largest economy by 2030, is making significant strides across various sectors, including space exploration, technology adoption, and startup ecosystems. Despite these advancements, the healthcare sector remains largely traditional, reliant on physical pharmacies for medication distribution. However, the potential for e-pharmacy in India is immense, mirroring trends in the European Union where online dispensing services have shown to improve medication adherence and consumer preference for home delivery.

According to a press release, the new guideline followed the rigorous process for developing guidance at WHO.

The guideline addresses Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT) use for diphtheria treatment. There is a worldwide shortage of DAT, and many member states requested evidence-based recommendations on DAT use.

The guidance also contains new recommendations on antibiotics. WHO recommends using macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, azithromycin) rather than penicillin antibiotics, in patients with suspected or confirmed diphtheria.

“This clinical practice guideline has been rapidly developed considering the global rise in diphtheria outbreaks. Outbreaks of diphtheria in Guinea, Nigeria and neighbouring countries in 2023 have highlighted the urgent need for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for diphtheria treatment. Given the sporadic nature of outbreaks, many clinicians in the affected regions have never managed acute diphtheria and its related complications,” the global health agency stated.

According to the WHO, diphtheria remains a neglected disease and vaccination is the top priority. At the same time, for patients with diphtheria, access to DAT, antibiotics, and supportive care can be lifesaving.

In 2023, outbreaks of diphtheria in Guinea, Nigeria and neighbouring countries and the incidences highlighted the urgent need for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for diphtheria treatment.

According to WHO, due to the sporadic nature of outbreaks, many clinicians in the affected regions have never managed acute diphtheria and its related complications.

Diphtheria is a severe contagious bacterial infection of the throat and nose. According to the WHO, respiratory diphtheria is caused by strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which have an affinity for the upper respiratory tract (nose and throat) and produce a toxin that causes local disease and, in severe cases, airway compromise and systemic complications.

Diphtheria can be treated with medications but in advanced stages, the bacterial infection can damage the heart, nervous system, and kidneys. Even with treatment, diphtheria can be fatal, especially in children.

Diphtheria spreads from person to person mostly through the air, and less frequently by direct contact. The incubation period is usually from 2 to 5 days.

The current treatment includes the neutralization of unbound toxin with DAT; antibiotics to prevent further bacterial growth; and monitoring and supportive care to prevent and treat complications.

The new recommendations by the WHO are as follows:

• In patients with suspected or confirmed diphtheria, WHO recommends using macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, erythromycin) in preference to penicillin antibiotics.
• In patients with suspected or confirmed diphtheria, WHO recommends not performing routine sensitivity testing before administration of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT).
• WHO suggests an escalating dosing regimen for diphtheria antitoxin based on disease severity and time since symptom onset, in patients with suspected or confirmed symptomatic diphtheria, compared with a fixed dose for all patients.

Meanwhile, the WHO has strongly recommended using macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, azithromycin) in preference to penicillin antibiotics. According to WHO:

• Antibiotics should be administered alongside DAT and should not be delayed.
• Recent evidence suggests an increasing resistance to penicillins and less resistance to macrolide antibiotics. Local antimicrobial susceptibility testing is vital to ensure the ongoing appropriate use of antibiotics.
• The choice of macrolide will depend on availability and feasibility.