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Articles by Sumitra Debroy
Majority of Planned MBBS Colleges Found Lacking by National Medical Commission
Mumbai: The state's plan to start 10 new medical colleges and add 1,000 MBBS seats this year could hit a roadblock as the majority received unfavourable feedback from National Medical Commission (NMC) at last week's inspections. Of 10 proposed colleges, three or four, including one proposed at GT Hospital, Fort, hope to make the cut, while others may have to wait at least a year.
Dengue cases jump 122% in 1 yr, malaria fatalities drop 17%
Mumbai: Maharashtra saw a striking 122% surge in dengue cases and a 16% increase in those of malaria in a year, underlining a persistent rise in vector-borne diseases, which pose a growing threat. The economic survey report underscored the continued increase in reported cases of infectious diseases like leprosy and TB. As per the report, dengue cases surged from 8,822 in 2022-23 to 19,611 in 2023-24.
Wonder insecticide disrupts bugs' nervous systems and kills them
Mumbai: In a bid to tackle the mosquito menace, BMC is going for cyphenothrin from Japan's Sumitomo Chemicals which is said to be effective in killing adult mosquitoes. Last year, the city reported over 7,000 malaria cases and more than 5,500 dengue cases, with dengue causing double-digit fatalities.
City turns to Japanese chemical giant in fight against adult mosquito population
Mumbai: It's monsoon time, and the city is again grappling with the mosquito menace. With vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria endemic to Mumbai and recording a surge in recent days, BMC has turned to Japanese giant Sumitomo Chemical to source an insecticide against which it hopes mosquitoes are not resistant.
Expansion of Medical Procedures and Empanelled Hospitals in Maharashtra's Universal Healthcare Scheme
Mumbai: As the state rolls out universal healthcare, besides increasing the coverage amount for each family, the new version expands the number of medical procedures covered from 996 to 1,356 and empanelled hospitals from 1,000 to 1,900.
Ghatkopar billboard crash victims await relief
Mumbai: Nearly a month after the billboard collapse in Ghatkopar, the injured victims feel all but forgotten. Grappling with lost incomes and ongoing health problems from the incident, many are struggling with recurring medicine bills and travel expenses to and from hospitals. Many are demanding compensation to cover their living expenses, as they were the main breadwinners for their families.
Civic body to pursue 'trace and treat' strategy for fighting dengue, malaria
Mumbai: The 'trace and treat' strategy, which was pivotal in controlling Covid during the pandemic, will now be more systematically adopted to combat dengue and malaria in the city. BMC authorities said that the globally adopted '1-3-7' approach-which entails reporting cases within one day, investigating in three days, and implementing control measures within seven days - will be central to the city's dengue and malaria action plans that are being finalised.
CM's Sena wins Mum N-W in state's closest finish at 48
Mumbai: In a nail-biting finish, Ravindra Waikar of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena defeated Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) Amol Kirtikar by just 48 votes, the lowest margin in the state. Thackeray said his party will challenge the result in court. Waikar's win was declared around 8pm at the counting centre at NESCO in Goregaon. Security had to be beefed up as crowds of supporters of both candidates gathered outside the gates and raised slogans as the vote turned.
Soaring Temperatures See City Officially Record 3 Cases Of Heatstroke This May
Mumbai: The city, which is mostly cradled by the coast has officially documented three cases of heatstroke in May, state officials confirmed. Soaring temperatures across the state since April are a factor, but improved reporting of heat-related illnesses has also shed light on these previously unseen cases, officials said.
Only 1/4th of corneal blind get transplants, push for 'presumed consent' for donation
Mumbai: The possibility of implementing a 'presumed consent' system for cornea retrieval in cases of hospital deaths, unless individuals had explicitly opted out during their lifetime, was extensively discussed at a recent national meeting in Delhi to discuss ways of improving eye bank operations.
Centre sets 8-week deadline for living donations approval | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Hospital and state authorisation committees cannot take indefinite time to consider live related transplantations, the Union health ministry recently said while releasing stipulated timelines for approving or denying such permissions. It said the entire process—from submission of documents to decision-making—should not exceed eight weeks.
Govt pushes to fix data gaps, expand AI-powered heart attack programme | Mumbai News - Times of India
It has now asked districts to track the outcomes of these cases meticulously. Mumbai: Nearly three years after the implementation of its successful AI-powered STEMI project, designed to detect and treat heart attacks within the crucial ‘golden hour’, a critical gap has emerged: there is no information on the outcomes of patients who were identified with heart attacks through the programme.
Hospitals must identify brain deaths diligently: Centre | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Failure to identify and certify brain deaths by hospitals is reducing the country’s organ donation rates drastically despite a significant number of potential donors available, the Union health ministry recently stated in a directive, asking states to insist on hospitals to document brain stem deaths meticulously. The ministry said India’s cadaver organ donation rate continues to be abysmally low——less than 1 donor per million population a year.
Maharashtra Sees 40% Increase in Pre-Monsoon Dengue Cases in 2024 | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Maharashtra has recorded a 40% increase in dengue cases between January and May this year, compared to the same period in 2023. These cases have been reported prior to the onset of the monsoon, which is typically associated with a spike in mosquito-borne illnesses. The state attributed this rise to the creation of better surveillance through 50 sentinel sites, but experts say heat and erratic weather could have a role too.
Rajawadi readied crash survivors’ ward in 45 min | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Doctors at Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, were in the middle of a monsoon preparedness meeting when initial reports of a billboard collapse in Pant Nagar began trickling in. Moments later, a man with mild injuries stumbled in. He managed to convey fragments of the incident to the hospital staff, uttering words such as “hoarding,” “big accident,” and “many, many injured.” Shortly, a call from disaster relief confirmed their fears, asking the hospital to prepare for mass casualties.
Survivors could need 1-3 months to recover, fear losing out on livelihood | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Nearly a dozen injured victims of the billboard collapse are expected to need minor to major surgical interventions. With many of these primary breadwinners facing recovery periods ranging from one to three months, their relatives are calling on govt to provide blanket compensation to all the injured. A total of 74 people were injured in the incident of which 42 remain under treatment at various hospitals and 32 have taken discharge.
Survivors Recall Terrifying Moments of Billboard Crash in Mumbai | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Farhan Khan (26), an AC technician, remembers a loud thud and then complete darkness as the 250tonne billboard came crashing down on many people waiting at the petrol pump. “There was no time to run or escape,” he said, lying on the cot of Rajawadi Hospital. As the billboard hit him, he was knocked out of consciousness. “I came back to senses in a few minutes but I couldn’t move my hands or body.
Maharashtra Government Hospitals: Challenges of Finding Manpower and Running Services Efficiently in Semi-Urban Areas
Mumbai: Those from remote areas of the state like Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Bhandara and Chandrapur will finally get access to improved diagnostic and medical care with the public health department signing contracts with private firms to provide the services at district and sub-district hospitals. Broadly, under this model, these firms will develop infrastructure, procure machines, hire manpower and oversee operations within government hospital premises.
Uddhav should’ve stood by me, but that didn’t happen: Waikar | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Shiv Sena’s Mumbai North West candidate Ravindra Waikar said at a press conference Friday that he reached out to Uddhav Thackeray thrice for help after the probe agencies came calling, but was turned away. “I suggested to him that perhaps we could reach out to the higher authorities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to convey that the unfolding events were unjust. However, Uddhav expressed his inability to intervene. He said whatever it is, I have to face it on my own,” Waikar said.
City part of 5 dists with ‘no heat stroke cases’ this year | Mumbai News - Times of India
MUMBAI: The state public health department has flagged underreporting of heat-related deaths, with data showing that though 16 districts have breached the 40-degree mark in maximum temperatures between April 29 and May 5, they have collectively accounted for only 40% of heatstroke cases.
Provide drinking water, med services at election rallies to help tackle heat | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: The state health department has come out with a third heat advisory asking districts to safeguard citizens by providing drinking water and healthcare services at election-related meetings, rallies and any other mass events. The advisory was issued a few days prior to the third phase of polls that took place on Wednesday. At least 16 districts have recorded maximum temperatures above 40 degrees between April 29 and May 05, the advisory stated.
Mumbaikars, extreme heat is a big, sweaty drain on your health
MUMBAI: A city usually cradled by the coast, sweltered under brutal heatwave conditions this past week as temperatures brushed 40 degree Celsius, leaving residents battling fatigue, dehydration, and throbbing headaches. But experts warn the real danger lurks beneath the surface. This scorching assault isn't just about sunstrokes.
New Drug For Tb Eliminates Ones With Nasty Side-effects | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: JJ Hospital has administered bedaquiline to 29 children as part of a special project initiated in 2022. Four of them suffering from pre-XDR-TB have recovered. Barring one child who succumbed to complications of the disease, the majority are undergoing treatment, with good results. Bedaquiline, considered to be among the biggest breakthroughs in TB drug development, is given only to children above five in India.
42 years of Bachchan 'darshan': A hero worship like no other | India News - Times of India
Techie to labourer, Jaipur to Surinam and ‘Sholay’-loving to the ‘Piku’-doting, a diverse set gathers outside Amitabh Bachchan’s Mumbai bungalow, Jalsa, every Sunday – a testament to both the unique celebrity of the Bollywood megastar and the relationship with fans he has cultivated like no one else in Tinsel Town. Much before BAE & BFF became special relationship terms, Bachchan had the EF The clock inches towards 5.30 and the crowd gets restless.
No More Needle Pricks, Oral Drug For Kids Below 6 With Tb Gets Approval | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: In the battle against drug-resistant tuberculosis, young children have faced a particularly challenging hurdle: the painful injectables in treatment regimens. These medications, notorious for their severe side effects, added an extra layer of distress to an already daunting ordeal for infants and children. Now, with the approval of Delamanid for children under 5 in India in March, doctors anticipate a significant shift in paediatric TB treatment.
Pizza Outlet Gets Fda Notice For Discrepancies | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Maharashtra FDA served an improvement notice to Pizza Hut’s franchise owner Sapphire Foods India Ltd in Goregaon this past week citing 11 violations and asking it to make further rectifications to avoid legal consequences.
Talk like a woman: Surgery helps trans women find their voices
Those who struggle with their old, ‘male’ voices now have the option of completing their transition as voice feminisation procedures become more accessible in metros When you dial Payal Nikhumb’s number, the voice that greets you is calm and gentle. Her words flow at ease, drawing you in. The 27-year-old from Maharashtra’s Dhule district has come a long way from the confused, isolated Yogesh she once used to be.
Talk like a woman: Surgery helps trans women find their voices
Those who struggle with their old, ‘male’ voices now have the option of completing their transition as voice feminisation procedures become more accessible in metros When you dial Payal Nikhumb’s number, the voice that greets you is calm and gentle. Her words flow at ease, drawing you in. The 27-year-old from Maharashtra’s Dhule district has come a long way from the confused, isolated Yogesh she once used to be.
India’s 1st Hiv Treatment Clinic Marks 20th Anniv | Mumbai News - Times of India
The father's fervent request to the JJ doctors was: to help Sarla in surviving for at least a few years until her daughter had grown up. Mumbai: In the early 2000s, physicians in JJ Hospital's medicine department were moved by the plea of an elderly father. His daughter, Sarla, then in her mid-20s, had been diagnosed with HIV following her husband's passing from the same disease.
1,800 Docs, Nurses Given Poll Duties, Collector Says Order Will Be Revoked | Mumbai News - Times of India
MUMBAI: The city’s public sector medical fraternity went into a tizzy after over 1,800 doctors and nurses from BMC- and state-run medical colleges were sent letters assigning election duties for May 19 and May 20. Following stiff opposition, Mumbai suburban collector Rajendra Kshirsagar said late on Wednesday that the orders issued to doctors and nurses will be cancelled.
Cornea Donation Advocates Call for Separate Legislation to Boost Organ Donations | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Cornea and skin donation advocates have called for an urgent review of the country’s organ donation law, which groups tissues with solid organs such as kidneys, heart and livers. They argue that lumping it with solid organs is hindering reforms that can substantially boost skin and eye donations.
Leptospirosis Outbreak in Mumbai: Urgent Call for Collaboration | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: A Sion Hospital study that compared mortality rates in their ICU found that leptospirosis took a higher toll than malaria and dengue. At a symposium on Friday, doctors called for urgent convergence between animal husbandry, environmental researchers and public health experts to curb lepto cases and fatalities. The hospital, which receives some of the most complicated cases, recorded 582 admissions to its medical ICU from Jun to Nov 2023.
Health Dept to Devise SOP for Mental Impact of E-Gaming | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: The state’s public health department plans to devise standard operating protocol (SOP) to address health issues linked with online gaming. Maharashtra features among the top states for online gaming, as indicated by industry experts, owing to its heightened internet penetration and higher per capita income.
BMC Health Department in Rush to Invite Tenders Worth Rs 2,500 Crore for New Hospitals and Infrastructure Upgrade | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: With the schedule for the general election expected to be announced soon, the civic body is in a rush to beat the model code of conduct. The health department is hurrying to invite tenders worth nearly Rs 2,500 crore for six projects in the coming week. The tenders pertain to six projects to build new hospitals as well as upgrade current infrastructure.
'Bombay blood' group meets, takes steps for national registry of rare type
MUMBAI: At a unique gathering in Parel on Sunday, nearly 50 people possessing the rare Bombay blood group came together. It was a first-of-its-kind meet, where not only those with the uncommon blood type participated but also their family members. Keen to know if they too possess this rare group present in roughly 1 in 10,000 Indians, the families underwent testing. The gathering marked a formal step to create a national database of individuals with uncommon blood types.
Massive recruitment response: 30k vie for 1 | Mumbai News - Times of India
Mumbai: Public health department has been flooded with a staggering number of applications for the recently advertised medical officer positions — nearly 6,600 from MBBS and postgraduate doctors for 1,446 posts, and 23,000 from BAMS graduates for 283 medical officer (ayurveda) positions. This translates to fierce competition, particularly for the ayurveda posts, with more than 81 applicants vying for each spot.
Ready in Nov, new dental building awaits VIP inauguration at Nair
MUMBAI: A newly built 11-storey building at Nair Dental Hospital in Mumbai Central has been lying unutilised as it has been awaiting inauguration by chief minister Eknath Shinde for months. Despite having been completed 100 days ago, the state-of-the-art facility with spacious classrooms, air-conditioned seminar halls, patient wards, and modular operation theatres is yet to be pressed into service, impacting both educational activities and patient care.
Did McDonald's Really Use Cheese Substitutes in Their Food? Here's What You Need to Know
Sumitra Debroy TNNUpdated: Feb 27, 2024, 18:28 IST IST The Maharashtra FDA recently penalised a McDonald’s joint for using analogue cheese and not declaring it to its customers. But do you know what analogue cheese is, how widely it is used, and how harmful it can be? The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has thrust cheese into the national conversation by acting against global fast-food chain McDonald’s.
BMC-run hospitals and public health department affected as 25% of workforce on poll duty
The 715 employees are ‘C’ category staffers including nurses, clerks, paramedics & technicians who are involved in patient-care, scheduling of operations, operating computer system, managing accounts etc MUMBAI: The functioning of BMC's five major hospitals and the public health department have been hit with around 25% of their workforce diverted for pre-election tasks, such as house-to-house verification of election cards, it has been learnt.
Maharashtra FDA Cracks Down on McDonald's for 'Fake' Cheese
Also known as cheese substitutes or alternatives, they are products designed to mimic the taste, texture, and functionality of traditional dairy cheese MUMBAI: The Maharashtra FDA has cracked down on fast food giant McDonald's, slamming them for a cheesy deception -- using substitutes in burgers and nuggets instead of real cheese. It has suspended the license of a McDonald's outlet in Ahmednagar, prompting the chain to erase the word "cheese" from various items at the location.
Doctors’ strike continues in Maharashtra amidst cabinet stipend hike decision Original
As resident doctors initiated an indefinite strike across Maharashtra (excluding BMC-run colleges) on Thursday evening, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar assured that the Cabinet would review and potentially approve a stipend hike on Sunday. While urging the doctors to withdraw their strike, Pawar emphasized that the state is actively addressing their various demands, including hostel repairs. He noted that the state has already agreed to a Rs 10,000 stipend hike, pending cabinet approval.
Maharashtra witnesses decline in child and infant mortality rates
MUMBAI: Maharashtra has achieved a significant reduction in child mortality rates, with the infant mortality rate dropping from 19 per 1000 live births in 2018 to 16 per 1000 live births in 2020, according to the latest data from the central government’s 2020 Sample Registration System (SRS) report. A decline has also been observed in neonatal mortality, with the neonatal mortality rate now standing at 11.
JJ's paediatric surgery dept gets three resident doctors, shot at revival
MUMBAI: Three resident doctors have joined the paediatric surgery department at JJ Hospital that recently faced scrutiny for conducting minimal surgeries and redirecting cases to other healthcare facilities. While the state’s biggest medical college offers five MCh superspeciality seats in paediatric surgery, the department has been struggling to attract students for the past few years due to internal conflicts and inefficient management.
Covid left more Indians with lingering lung damage than others | India News - Times of India
MUMBAI: A significant proportion of Indians who recovered from Covid had lung function impairment and lingering symptoms for months, a study published by Christian Medical College, Vellore, has revealed. It found Indians had more lung function damage when compared to Europeans and the Chinese. While gradual return to normalcy may occur over up to one year in some, others may have to live with lung damage for life, it stated.
Covid left more Indians with lingering lung damage than others
India News 10 hours ago Picture of CJI DY Chandrachud's Mercedes number plate goes viral, sparks buzz Moneycontrol • 10h 'I couldn’t help notice his car’s licence plate number: DL1 CJI 0001,' business leader Lloyd Mathias wrote on X. A picture of the number plate of … Sonia Gandhi 12 hours ago Rahul Gandhi names Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in attack at PM Modi hindustantimes.com - HT News Desk • 12h Rahul Gandhi claimed no OBC or ST/SC faces were invited to the grand event.
Upgraded 108 ambulances to cost 10k cr in 10 yrs, eyebrows raised
MUMBAI: State is facing a potential expenditure of Rs 10,000 crore over the next decade for the upcoming and upgraded 108 ambulance fleet, a more than three-fold jump compared to the previous contract cost. The contract for the 108 ambulance service, previously managed by BVG Pvt Ltd for a decade, expired in Jan. Now, a consortium comprising BVG, Spanish company SSG, and a financial firm Sumit Enterprises, have secured a 10-year contract to operate the service in Maharashtra.
JJ forms probe panel over paediatric dept concerns
MUMBAI: The authorities at JJ Hospital, Byculla, have set up a four-member inquiry committee to investigate concerns surrounding the paediatric surgery department, which has raised eyebrows for its alleged refusal of surgeries and redirecting patients to neighbouring facilities. On Monday, TOI published a report highlighting an incident wherein the state's largest medical college had to request a surgeon from BJ Medical College in Pune to carry out a procedure on a 5-year-old rape survivor.
JJ Hospital has history, but needs to borrow surgeon from Pune | India News - Times of India
Mumbai: A few weeks ago, the dean's office at JJ Hospital, Byculla, made an unusual request to the medical education department: they needed to borrow a paediatric surgeon from Pune's BJ Medical College to perform a procedure on a 5-year-old rape survivor. Allegedly, JJ's paediatric surgeons were unwilling to handle the complex procedure themselves.
Pay Deductions for 500 Civic Docs Failing to Clock in 7-Hr Shift
MUMBAI: Over 500 civic doctors across KEM, Sion, Nair and Cooper medical colleges are up in arms after losing substantial salaries for January for clocking in fewer than the mandated seven hours daily. In a first, the salaries of doctors were tied to biometric attendance last month to enforce stipulated hospital working hours, which civic authorities claimed many doctors were not meeting. The cuts have left the doctors upset.
Perform kidney transplant of boy first, raise fundslater, organ panel tells hosp
MUMBAI: Patients awaiting an organ transplant for years often turn down the gift of life when a donor finally becomes available. Reason: insufficient funds as the cost of a transplant can range from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.
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