Health & Medical Services – Page 4

KARNATAKA: INNOVATION – MEDICAL SERVICES / RESEARCH: Detect Diabetes with a Simple Antigen Test, says IISc study

Currently, researchers rely on Radioimmunoassay (RIA) to detect somatostatin levels which use radioactive materials and need to be carried out in labs only.

Detecting diabetes can become as simple as taking a rapid antigen test for Covid-19. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have discovered that fluctuations in levels of other hormones such as somatostatin, secreted by the pancreas, can have a major impact on developing diabetes.

Scientists argue that usually one gets diagnosed with diabetes when they have high blood glucose levels either because their pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin, or their body cells do not respond to signals from insulin that tell them to use up glucose. This can be avoided by keeping levels of somatostatin in check and potentially detecting diabetes sooner. “Changes in somatostatin secretion can be one of the first signs of diabetes,” said Nikhil Gandasi, Assistant Professor, IISc.

Somatostatin is secreted by specific cells of the pancreas, called delta cells. “It regulates insulin and glucagon which is another hormone that works hand-in-hand with insulin to maintain blood sugar levels,” said the study.

Researchers found that when a person is diabetic, their body will secrete less delta cells which means less Somatostatin hormone. The experiment was conducted in pancreatic cells extracted from both mice and humans. The study was published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences called ‘Somatostatin Containing delta-Cell Number Is Reduced in Type-2 Diabetes.’

The team used artificially synthesised somatostatin to test its binding against several commercially available antibodies, in order to identify the one that bound to it most efficiently, which was used to develop the assay. Similar to the Covid-19 rapid antigen test, the kit works like the standard Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay that uses antibody-coated plates to identify the presence of antigens in a sample.

Currently, researchers rely on Radioimmunoassay (RIA) to detect somatostatin levels which use radioactive materials and need to be carried out in labs only. “The procedure also takes three days to complete,” said Caroline Miranda, another first author and post-doctoral fellow at the University of Gothenburg.” The new kit will use less blood plasma compared to the RIA method. Researchers are developing the kit into a simple hand-held device that can be mass-produced.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

KARNATAKA: HEALTH SERVICES / CARDIOLOGY : Initiative offering ‘Cardiologists At Doorsteps’ of Patients launched in Dakshina Kannada

The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Pachayat, Health and Family Welfare Department, and Cardiology At Door Steps (CAD) Foundation jointly launched ‘Hrudaya Vaishalaya’, an initiative offering free consultation services of cardiologists at the doorsteps of people in the district.

As part of the initiative, cardiologists from the CAD Foundation will visit a primary health centre or a community health centre every Wednesday and conduct heart check-up of people from morning till noon. Apart from the check-up, people will be enlightened on lifestyle management.

District Health and Family Welfare officer M. Kishore Kumar said that ‘Hrudaya Vaishalya’ scheme is the extension of CAD Foundation’s initiative under which it has provided ECG machines and other ancillary machines to primary health centres for early diagnosis of cardiac problems. The latter was launched two years ago and CAD has so far provided ECG and other machines to 70% of 73 primary and community health centres in Dakshina Kannaada, Dr. Kumar said.

The first camp under the ‘Hrudaya Vaishalya’ scheme was held in the government health centre in Moodbidri on Wednesday. Inaugurating the camp, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Kumara said Dakshina Kannada is the first district in the State to launch this unique health service. The new programme is a part of the initiative of the government to take health services closer to people, he said.

Founder of the CAD Foundation and senior cardiologist M. Padmanabha Kamath said that he wants to spread ‘Hrudaya Vaishalya’ initiative across the State. Health officers and people should be actively involved to take this initiative to all needy persons.

The next ‘Hrudaya Vaishalya’ camp will be held in a primary health centre in Puttur taluk, Dr. Kishore Kumar said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: LANGUAGES: National Training Programme On ‘Basic Indian Sign Language (ISL) at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru May 24-26

Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication & Sign Language, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru, in collaboration with Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi, is organising a 3-day Short-Term Training Prog. on Basic Indian Sign Language (ISL) from May 24 to 26.

The resource persons are from ISLRTC, New Delhi, an institute focused on ISL teaching and research, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Speech Language Pathologists, Audiologists, Special Educators and students from various parts of the country will participate in the programme.

The programme has been given the status of Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) programme by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).

The inaugural function will be held at 9.30 am in the Seminar Hall of Academic Block, AIISH, Mysuru. K.M. Gayathri, CEO, Zilla Panchayat, Mysuru, will be the chief guest.

B. Elangovan, Principal, JSS Polytechnic for Differently Abled, Mysuru, will be the guest of honour. Prof. M. Pushavathi, Director, AIISH, will preside.

For details, contact A.R. Keerthi, PRO, AIISH, on Mob: 98441-81080.

source/content: starofmysore.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: CORONATION INVITATION: Bengaluru’s Dr. Issac Mathai Invited by Buckingham Palace to attend King Charles III Coronation

Dr. Issac Mathai, a city doctor and the Chairman of SOUKYA, International Holistic Centre, has been invited by Buckingham Palace, London, to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla on May 6.

Dr. Mathai, already in London, said he would attend the pre-coronation party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Dr. Mathai’s association with the British royal family goes back many years. While Camilla had visited SOUKYA around eight times for holistic treatment, Charles visited once in 2019.

Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Mathai said, “For 18 years, both the King and Queen Consort have been consulting me as a holistic consultant. The Queen Consort has visited SOUKYA eight times, and the King came once. They really enjoyed being in India at our centre for treatment.”

“Being a part of the coronation is the proudest moment of my life. I regularly meet the King and the Queen Consort in London. Other than medical consultation, the King has some interest in holistic medicine. The King and I also have a common interest in organic farming and climate change,” he said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: MEDICAL & HEALTH SCIENCES : ‘KMC-EREVNA 2023’, 2-day National Level Medical Undergraduate Conference held in Mangaluru

KMC-EREVNA 2023, a two-day national level medical undergraduate conference was held at Kasturba Medical College on the April 28-29, by the undergraduate students’ research body, Student Research Forum, KMC, Mangaluru under guidance from Dr Priyanka and Dr Deepthi.

The conference comprised of various sessions of scientific paper, poster and case report presentations, ideathon, medical research debate and quiz. Around 300 delegates from across the country participated in the conference.

The inaugural was held on the first day with the lighting of the lamp by chief guest honourable vice chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Lt Gen Dr M D Venkatesh, pro vice chancellor (Mangaluru campus) Dr Dilip G Naik was the guest of honour.

The dean of KMC Mangalore Dr B Unnikrishnan also spoke and Associate Dean (Research) Dr.Pramod Kumar welcomed the delegates.

The vote of thanks was proposed by vice president of EREVNA Janet. Earlier president of organizing committee Ms.Nishtha gave the opening remarks.

The vice chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education lauded the efforts of the student research forum and had some encouraging words for the entire team and participants.

The valedictory event on the final day saw Dr Ramesh Bhat, vice dean, Father Muller Medical College, as the chief guest and the Raghavendra Subramanya, senior vice president, regional head – Karnataka, DBS Bank was the guest of honour.

The associate dean of research Dr Pramod Kumar and the president of the Student Research Forum, Nishtha Gupta were also present.

Secretary of the conference committee Shruthi proposed the vote of thanks.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Celebrates Founder’s Day to mark Dr. T.M.A. Pai’s 125th birth anniversary

Founder’s Day was also celebrated by other institutions of the Manipal Group, Dr. T.M.A Pai Foundation, Academy of General Education (AGE), Manipal Media Network Limited and Manipal Education and Medical Group.

Udupi Pejawar Mutt seer Sri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha said on Sunday, April 30, that the Indian education system was altered by the inspirational community leader Dr. T.M.A. Pai. The level of success Manipal has achieved now only serves to highlight how equally committed the current leadership and other members of Manipal are, in improving society.

He was speaking at the 125 ^th birth anniversary and Founder’s Day celebrations of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in Manipal. Sri Vishwaprasanna said such dedication, commitment and service to society are extremely uncommon to see. His Guru, Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji had always held high regards towards Dr. Pai.

It is heartening to see MAHE continues the same vision of its founder through community-engaging initiatives, including Dvaita Philosophy Resource Centre, MAHE Mahabharata Research Centre, Discerning Tulunadu, Yakshagana Centre and other such projects, he said.

A release from MAHE said the Founder’s Day was also celebrated by other institutions of the Manipal Group, Dr. T.M.A Pai Foundation, Academy of General Education (AGE), Manipal Media Network Limited and Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG). MAHE celebrated the Founder’s Day to honour and remember the legacy of Dr. T.M.A Pai, founder of the Manipal Group, who developed the barren hilltop of Manipal into an education hub of International Fame.

MAHE president Ranjan R. Pai said his grandfather’s dream was to confront and address three fundamental issues facing society—poverty, illness, and illiteracy.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL & KARNATAKA: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) Hosts International Global Health Advisory Board meeting of the Global Health Programme April 15-16, Udupi

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) hosted the International Advisory Board of the Global Health programme on April 15-16 followed by the Global Health Symposium.

The board met under the aegis of MAHE and the occasion was graced on April 15 by Lt Gen (Dr) MD Venkatesh, vice chancellor, Dr Sharath Kumar Rao K, pro vice chancellor- Health Sciences, Dr Giridhar Kini P, registrar, Dr Karunakar Kotegar, director – International Relations and, Dr Helmut Brand, director – Prasanna School of Public Health.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Thijs Teeling, director, Covalence, with representation from seven partner universities, including Canada, Netherlands, Norway, Colombia, Thailand, India and Sudan.

Dr Thijs Teeling presided over the meeting and stated: “I am very happy to be in Manipal and grateful to MAHE for hosting the board and students for the symposium. I am impressed by the preparation and coordination of the events and am looking forward to meeting the students at the symposium. To this point, the meeting has been a great success.”

Video greetings to the board and MAHE leadership were presented from the president of Maastricht University, Prof Dr Rianne Letschert and the dean and vice-president, faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, prof Dr Paul M O’Byrne. The Global Health International Consortium website and logo were presented by Dr Agnes Meershoek from Maastricht University which was applauded as a step in the right direction.

Lt Gen (Dr) MD Venkatesh, the vice chancellor of MAHE stated: “Global health is of paramount importance and is in accordance with the vision of the founder, Dr. TMA Pai who had worked towards the provision of quality healthcare, education and development.” He also emphasized that the deliberations of the Advisory Board and the development of a website dedicated to the Consortium for Global Health were in line with the theme of India’s G20 Presidency – “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth. One Family. One Future.”

During the meeting, the guest speaker was Maj Gen (Dr prof) Atul Kotwal SM, VSM (retd)., executive director, National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), ministry of health & family welfare, government of India, and he provided comprehensive insights on the topic of ‘Global Health Leadership and Partnerships in Health System Strengthening Efforts’ emphasizing the example of India’s efforts towards equity with impacts on the local and global platforms.

Following the advisory board meeting, the annual Global Health Symposium will take place between April 16- 28, bringing together over 300 students and 37 faculty from partner institutions.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

REGIONAL – KARNATAKA : MEDICAL LABORATORY & DIAGNOSTICS: Lupin Diagnostics Opens Regional Reference Lab in Bengaluru as part of pan-India expansion

Lupin Diagnostics, a part of pharma major Lupin Ltd., has opened a regional reference laboratory in Bengaluru as part of country-wide expansion of its diagnostics networks. Lupin currently has 25 such labs in the country.

Lupin Diagnostics leveraged automation and streamlined processes to deliver highly accurate test results, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their health, said Ravindra Kumar, CEO of Lupin Diagnostics, while addressing a media conference here on Wednesday.

“Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective disease management. With cutting-edge technology and personalised smart reports, patients and doctors can gain valuable insights into health trends and make informed decisions about treatment options,” he said.

In addition to routine and specialised tests, the laboratory offers a comprehensive range of diagnostics services, including molecular diagnostics, cytogenetics, flow cytometry, cytology, microbiology, serology, haematology, histopathology, immunology, routine biochemistry, among others, he added.

Lupin is also planning to scale up the number of its sample collection centres across the country from 400 currently to 1,000 by the end of financial year 2023.

Lupin currently has a leadership position in the cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, and respiratory segments and has a significant presence in the anti-infective, gastrointestinal (GI), central nervous system (CNS), and women’s health areas. Also, it is the third-largest pharmaceutical company in the U.S. by prescriptions, as per senior executives of the company.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES: NIMHANS signs MoU with Mpower for implementation of Tele-MANAS across India

Tele-MANAS is a 24/7 mental healthcare facility which was launched under National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).

Taking a step forward towards the implementation of Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) services on the ground level across the country, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) on Friday, February 24, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mpower, a mental health initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust.

Tele-MANAS is a 24/7 mental healthcare facility (14416) which was launched under National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).

To support the implementation of the programme, Mpower has taken up the responsibility of setting up, operating and managing all day-to-day affairs at the Tele-MANAS centres. Mpower will be provided with the necessary access to the platform, operating guidelines, training and mentoring, monitoring and framework needed to operate the centres.

The collaboration is expected to integrate Tele-MANAS services locally and make qualified professionals and expert mental health counselling services available to individuals who need them.

“There is no health without mental health and the pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues among people of all ages. Now, we are looking forward to see how we can expand Tele-MANAS to the length and breadth of India,” said Pratima Murthy, Director and Senior Professor of Psychiatry at NIMHANS.

She added, “Our goal is to make sure that the Tele-MANAS services are accessible to all and in this journey, we are happy to look at Public Private Partnerships with strong knowledge of the space. At Tele-MANAS, we offer counselling services in 20 regional languages. We have a framework and we look forward to Mpower expanding this programme in various States.”

The two-tiered structure of Tele-MANAS includes State Tele-MANAS cells (Tier 1), which are staffed with qualified counsellors and mental health professionals. Specialists in Tier 2 are accessible at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for in-person consultations and through e-Sanjeevani for audio-visual consultation.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SCIENCES: 52nd Conference of Indian Pharmacological Society (IPSCON 2023) & Awards Presentation to be held in Mysuru, February 22-25th

The JSS College of Pharmacy will host the 52 ^nd annual conference of Indian Pharmacological Society to be held in the city from February 23 to 25 and will showcase the developments in the field of pharmacology in India.

M Pramod Kumar, Organising Chairman of 52nd IPSCON 2023, and Principal, G.V. Pujar, to media persons here on Tuesday that the theme will be latest technologies and better strategies to discover new drugs and the conference will also highlight several crucial and contemporary issues in pharmacology.

In all, 110 talks are planned by scientists from across the globe and experts as part of the conference and there will be a pre-conference workshop on Wednesday. More than 1,000 delegates are participating from across the country and there will be 17 scientific sessions comprising symposiums, plenary lectures, distinguished lecture series, current scientific updates, brainstorming sessions and panel discussions

The conference will also feature an exhibition of scientific equipment while a walkathon will be held on February 24 to create awareness about health. The walkathon will be led by former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath, according to the organisers.

During the inauguration three eminent pharmacologists will receive ‘’Lifetime Achievements Awards” for the contribution to drug discovery and development; 10 teachers will be awarded as “Best Teachers Awards”; 4 eminent pharmacologists will be given “Fellow of Indian Pharmacological Society-FIPS”; and eight researchers will be delivering the ‘orations’ talk during the conference.

Vice-Principal K.L. Krishna, Organizing Secretary of 52nd IPSCON 2023, B.R. Prashantha Kumar, Associate Professor, and other officials of JSS AHER and JSS College of Pharmacy faculty were present.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)