Hyderabad: Apollo Spectra Hospital Kondapur Hyderabad organised a Covid-19 vaccination drive for its doctors recently. The surgery speciality hospital that has an expertise in elective surgeries in the field of general, orthopaedic, ENT, urology besides many more and has been on the forefront of fighting the on-going pandemic.

During the vaccination drive organised by the government a total of 123 doctors and healthcare workers were given the Covishield vaccine.  With all the safety guidelines in place, Apollo Spectra is making it possible for patients to fight the paranoia created about visiting hospitals.  Once again the hospital and the doctors have set an example for the patients with this vaccination drive amidst the prevailing doubt and myths about the new vaccine.

The Covid-19 pandemic had brought the whole world on a pause but with the new vaccine, human life is slowly getting back to normal. The vaccination drives are being organised for the doctors and frontline workers first as they have been at the forefront of fighting the virus and restoring normalcy.

About Apollo Spectra Hospital:

As a specialty hospital, Apollo Spectra gives you the advantage of expert and quality healthcare with all the benefits of a large hospital but in a friendlier, more accessible facility. This is what makes us unique. With 15 centers across 11 cities – Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Jaipur, Kanpur, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gwalior, Patna and Pune, over 1,30,000+ successful surgeries with excellent clinical outcomes, and over 900+ leading doctors, Apollo Spectra Hospitals continue to set new standards in healthcare services. Advanced technologies, world-class infrastructure and the best of doctors all come together to deliver personalized care enabling faster recovery with near-zero infection risk. Our easy admission and discharge ensure a hassle-free experience for our patients. This is why patients across the country place their trust in us.

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Vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed at a ‘pandemic’ speed. Various clinical trial phases have overlapped and a lot of investments have been done by the government and industry so that all the processes can run parallelly. There has been no compromise on safety and efficacy. Due to these remarkable timely efforts, India is known as the hub for COVID-19 vaccine production, deliberated Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the 5th Meeting of Managing Committee of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 2020-21.

While congratulating the efforts and support of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Guleria mentioned that India has come a long way fighting against all odds in these crucial times. It has been a challenging time but we have come together as a nation and done extra-ordinary things. COVID-19 vaccine has been widely touted as the most effective public health measure to end the pandemic. The first vaccine has received authorization in countries like Russia, the USA, UK, Canada, and UAE. It has led to widespread optimism about the ‘beginning to the end’ of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Randeep Guleria shared that vaccines are currently the most promising approach for controlling the covid-19 pandemic. There are over 52 candidate vaccines in human trials and over 150 are in preclinical trials. The various viral platforms under trials are DNA/RNA (Nucleic Acid), protein subunit, viral vector vaccines, live attenuated, inactivated, and VLPs.

While explaining the vaccine design, Dr. Guleria explained the broad issues to be focused which included the selection of antigen; selection of vaccine platform; vaccination routes and regimens. We have a vaccine that exposes the body to an antigen that won’t cause disease but will provoke an immune response that can block or kill the virus of a person who becomes infected.

Dr. Guleria opined that the world has never before needed to implement mass immunization of its entire adult population. These have financial, logistic, and social challenges. The pandemic will only be over when it is under control globally. An international initiative like the COVAX Facility will ensure equitable distribution of the vaccines worldwide.

Dr. Randeep Guleria discussed the vaccine delivery and distribution that will be monitored via Co-WIN, a digital platform for COVID-19 vaccine delivery and management. The priority will be given to healthcare workers; frontline workers and, prioritized age groups.

Dr. Randeep Guleria emphasized that the COVID-19 vaccine development is a great achievement of modern medicine. This is only the first step in what has to be a global mass immunization campaign. However, it will likely be more than a year before the virus can be brought under control worldwide. Equitable global distribution of the COVID vaccine is imperative. Till then, public health measures need to be in place to constrain the spread of the COVID-19.

Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry while moderating the session lauded Dr. Randeep Guleria’s diligent efforts in handling the pandemic along with managing the vaccination drive in the nation.

Mr. Pradeep Multani, Senior Vice President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry while delivering a formal vote of thanks to the delegates and participants appreciated the efforts of Dr. Randeep Guleria for being a front-line warrior during the pandemic and handling the vaccination drive so that India becomes a COVID free nation. The session was attended by the leadership, Former Presidents, Management Committee Members along with the secretariat of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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• In a marked shift in mindset, Indians have specifically adopted preventive healthcare habits in last 12 months.
• 82% have added dietary supplements to aid preventive measures.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, VLCC released the findings from a survey to mark the Anti-Obesity Day, a public awareness initiative against Obesity launched by VLCC in 2001 and observed every November 26^th of the year. The survey specifically focused on people’s response to the crisis that accentuated the challenges related to overall wellness in general and Obesity in particular.

Sharing the findings of the survey , the company said that the comprehensive survey covered more than 5,000 respondents in the age group 22 to 65 , through 220 VLCC Wellness & Beauty Clinics across 135 cities in India. The survey reveals that the last eight months of pandemic has induced a radical shift in behaviour towards proactive health management, across age, in the country. The underlying message from COVID-19 was loud and clear, if your immune system is weak or if you are suffering from any lifestyle disease then you are amongs’t the most vulnerable set.

This concern perhaps is the reason for 78% of the respondents to consciously start making an effort to build their immunity in the last 12 months, said the company. 35% have brought changes in their diet while another 34% trust in augmenting immunity with a regular indulgence in fitness or yoga sessions.

Surprisingly, 82% of people would prefer to seek professional guidance for wellness needs rather than self-experimenting, at least until they get the vaccine. Another key insight that has emerged from the data is that 51% of Indians would also like professional guidance for their wellness and weight-management needs.

However, 95% of the respondents are not willing to seek professional guidance until they are sure of the highest standards of safety and hygiene at the wellness centres and 60% of the respondents are willing to pay 15 to 40% premium for ensuring high standards of safety and hygiene. Further 26% would prefer wellness centres having a team of qualified professionals, including medical doctors. The theme for this year’s Anti-Obesity campaign is “TRANSFiRM” that seeks to transform people’s lives by motivating them to take the first step to transform their lives with active management of body and mind.

Explaining the theme for the 2020 Anti-Obesity campaign Mrs. Vandana Luthra, Founder & Co-Chairperson, VLCC Group, said “All the living generations across the world are witnessing the worst health crisis of their lifetime. Being healthy and fit has become more consequential than ever before. It is heartening to see more and more people across age groups embracing proactive health management and giving the much-needed attention to nurture their mind, body and soul. I have always felt individuals can be responsible for their own well-being only when they have the awareness about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. This was our motivation for launching the annual Anti-Obesity Day initiative in 2001, which is now observed in over 150 cities in the 14 countries that we operate in, with the active participation of local communities, the medical fraternity, local administrations and the media.”

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The Covid-19 pandemic impact on heart can be very painful if ignored and heart patients must take extra care. In case of heart attack or other emergencies, one should not ignore these symptoms and try to consult doctor immediately.  Timely treatment and management of  heart diseases is very important during this pandemic.

As the entire world fights the COVID-19 pandemic, heart patients are at a higher risk of complications because of the ailment and a weaker immune system. It is important to ensure treatment compliance, monitor vitals regularly, stay in constant touch with your doctor. With a balanced and healthy diet try to stay active. Building one’s immunity and taking precautions is also a key factor.

Heart patients must take extra care:

Elders and heart patients must take extra care during this difficult times. Better to engage in only light physical activity and take all precautions like social distancing and personal hygiene while at home. Never forget to maintain a safe distance from a person  with flu-like symptoms and covering  your face with a mask.

In patients with Covid infections, studies have proved that there is an increased tendency to form clots in the arteries. This can lead to heart attacks or clots in the lungs. The virus also affects the heart muscle cell that may cause inflammation and weaken heart (‘Myocarditis’).

Timely treatment for heart diseases is a must as a delay can cause severe complications. Hence  be aware of symptoms like chest pain, breathlessness, sweating, giddiness, and loss of consciousness. If anyone in your family experiences any of these symptoms or develop complications such as an acute heart attack consult your doctor immediately.

Precautions for people with heart diseases :  

Some of  the precautions that should be taken by people with heart diseases are:

1. Consuming a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and moderate amounts of low-fat dairy and lean meats.
2. Avoiding smoking and drinking.
3. Staying active by doing at least 30 minutes of light physical activity every day.
4. Keeping a check on your vital signs such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and sugar.
5. Managing stress by undertaking activities that will help you relax and unwind.

Should not delay or postpone any treatment:

Heart patients should not delay or postpone any treatment or ignore symptoms  due to Covid-19 fear  as it will further deteriorate their health.  There is more than 40% deduction in heart patients visit due to Covid-19 fear. Covid-19 also affects the heart in many ways but no need to panic. Patients with pre-existing heart diseases, previous heart attacks, or low-pumping efficiency of the heart (heart failure) are at a greater risk of developing serious Covid-19 infection.

Those above 60 years with hypertension or diabetes have a five times greater risk of dying from it. Therefore, heart patients must protect themselves should not be afraid to seek medical attention. New observations show that the virus can affect the heart in previously healthy individuals also. The virus can cause severe inflammatory responses in the body that affect the arteries and, also causes an increased tendency for clotting.

This can lead to heart attacks and strokes, and people of younger age groups may not be immune to that. No heart patient should delay or postpone any treatment due to undue fears over Covid-19 if the need arises. Heart patients should realize that timely treatment can save their lives.

Watch video: Use Heart … for society, your loved ones and you

Dr Mahantesh R. Charantimath
Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist
Tathagat Heart Hospital at Mallige Medical Centre premises,
No. 31/32, Crescent Road, Bengaluru – 01
Phone : 080- 2235 7777 | 99003 56000
E-mail: mahanteshrc67@gmail.com
http://tathagathearthospital.com/

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New Delhi ,17^th July 2020: The recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Bihar has sharpened a debate that — How Bihar is tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. And how the next assembly election in the state will be conducted amid the grim situation. These are the burning issues of the state, which were addressed recently during the 1^st session of HEAL-Thy Samvaad Episode-3.

When asked about the upcoming assembly election in the state amid the lengthening curve of COVID-19, while addressing the HEAL-Thy Samvaad Episode-3, Dr Ashok Choudhary, Minister of Building Construction Department, Bihar, said,“We never expected such an unfortunate situation but it is upon us now, and due to the increasing rate of COVID-19 incidence, again, two weeks of lockdown from 16-31^st July has been announced to curb its upsurge. As far as the assembly election in the state is concerned, it’s a constitutional obligation, and the Election Commission has the discretion to take the final call.”

He further said, “We are planning to conduct virtual campaign (meetings, rallies) to avoid physical contact during the election campaign. This way we will maintain social distancing as it helps check the upsurge of the lengthening curve, because for us, people’s lives and their health are of prime importance.” “Regarding the time and safe mode of voting, whatever rules and regulations in the pretext of COVID-19 scenario are elicited by the election commission, being a responsible political party, we will follow each and every protocol”, he added.

Answering a query raised by Senior Journalist and Former Director-General of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC)Prof. KG Suresh about the preparedness for election and holding in such a time when the pandemic is on the gradual rise during the Samvaad, Dr Chowdhary said, “Bihar is not the only place where an election will take place during the COVID-19 crisis. Recently, elections have held in South Korea and Singapore. Also, the US is planning to have its presidential elections in November. So, whatever decision election commission takes regarding the conduct of the election, we will follow that.”

For the last four days in Bihar, fresh COVID-19 cases have been breaching the 1,000-mark, with infection rate rising consistently, and the total recorded cases in the state have crossed the 20,000-mark. Given the situation, when asked what steps Bihar Govt. is taking to tackle the situation, he said. “The state govt. has increased the workforce in the hospitals, besides increasing the number of isolation centres. Currently, 10,000 tests are being done daily, and there is a plan to increase it to 15,000 per day soon. The Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are also equipped. Govt. officials are visiting personally to inculcate awareness in the villages around COVID. And two free masks are being distributed in each family.”

Responding to a query of Dr Swadeep Srivastava, Founder HEAL Foundation during the Samvaad, on the permission of allowing private hospitals for testing and treatment considering the limited govt. hospitals and COVID centres, Dr Chowdhary said, “The govt. has identified some private hospitals and allowed some for testing also, but there is a guideline of ICMR that at least 50 beds in each hospital are required, which we have to adhere to.” HEAL-Thy Samvaad — a fortnightly series of dialogues on the stemming health issues in our society organised its 3^rd episode on 16^th July 2020 by the ‘healthcare advocacy’ group— HEAL Foundation in association with ICCIDD and with the support of the Consortium of Public Health Impact Partners (CPHIP).

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What is the meaning of health and what exactly do we refer to as being healthy? As per the definition given by the World Health Organization (WHO), Health is defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” So, being healthy would refer to achieving such a state of physical, mental and social well-being. A change in this health scenario took place, when the outbreak of the novel corona virus occurred in mainland China, that gradually rolled out over 188 countries.

The world is asphyxiating with the virus that has infected around 84,06,068 cases globally and claimed over 44,15,835 lives (as of June 18, 2020, 10:59 IST [WHO]). India is no stranger to this global health disaster and has been gravely affected by the pandemic, with a total 3,66,946 cases and 12,237 deaths so far (as of June 18, 2020, 10:59 IST [MoHFW]).The virus transmits through droplets when an infected person coughs or exhales within 1 meter of range to another person or on any object or surface followed by touching eyes, nose or mouth by the one who touches that object. Hence India along with other countries globally, has adopted various public health mitigation strategies to combat with spread of the fatal respiratory infection caused by the virus.

The pandemic situation has challenged all the aspects of being healthy, with the social distancing and community lockdown measures coming into play. In order to break the chain of transmission of the deadly virus COVID-19, India has observed a period of more than 70 days of complete lockdown. Amidst this crisis, people have been held up in their homes cutting them off from physical activities and social interactions leading to a greater threat being posed on the general mental health. Quite recently, we have witnessed the wrath of an ailed mental health with the suicide of the popular bollywood actor, Sushant Singh Rajput. This urges us to re-define the importance of health in our lives as a whole.

Acknowledge and prioritize – Have you checked on your health lately?

The medical director of Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Ben Crocker, says that “Social distancing and the loss of work and/or routine are tremendous pressures, both physically and psychologically. So, check in with yourselfand allow yourself to physically, mentally, emotionally check out on a regular basis. Intentionally create ‘shutdown’ time in your schedule. This can be healthy time alone, for meditation and quietude.”

Along with an extra effort to put on a healthy lifestyle, its important to prioritize self-health above others. Most of us have travelled in the flights and have heard the flight attendants giving instructions, as such – In case of decompression or low pressure, oxygen masks would automatically come down. Pull the mask first and place on yourself before helping others. This gives us a clearer picture, that its critical to take care of our own health, otherwise we would not be able to help others as well.

Healthyfying yourself – The physical health:

Staying caught up in the home for days has deprived us of all daily physical activities one resorts to stay fit and healthy. People who have been in a constant practice of doing regular physical exercises of some form or the other, have an extra advantage in this situation. Though many of us, still find it harder to do the normal regular sort of exercises in our daily life. But it should be understood that, prolonged sitting and staying at home invites a lot of lifestyle diseases and poses a threat on mental health. WHO’s Be Active campaign urges people of all ages to be as active as possible.

The details of the duration of the suggested physical activity per day as per different age groups are listed below;

The physical activities that can be practiced as a part of daily routine are;

1. Walking up and down on the stairs.

2. Breaking up the prolonged sitting time for 3-4 minutes and doing some light physical activity.

3. Dancing to music for few minutes.

4. Doing some or more stretching exercises.

5. Playing active indoor games.

Adapting to this active lifestyle during this lockdown, can help to prevent many non-communicable diseases such as obesity, Type-2 diabetes, risk of heart diseases etc. These would also help in reducing the risk of depression and improve the overall feelings of an individual. With these health behaviour changes; one also needs to prioritize sleep for getting the adequate rest needed by the body and get replenished for a new day.

Healthyfying yourself – Switch to a healthy diet:

Though no food has claimed to be potent enough to fight against the viral infection caused by COVID-19, but it is an essential component for a human being to survive. But switching to a healthy food habit has lot to do with strengthening the immune system and recuperate faster in cases of illness. So, it is essential to fuel our body with the right choices of nutrition, and the tips for maintaining a healthy diet are listed as under;

1. Eating a lot of wholegrains, fruits and vegetables.

2. Cutting the salt intake to not more than 5 grams a day.

3. Eating moderate amounts of healthy fats and oils.

4. Avoiding processed, baked and fried foods that contain trans-fat.

5. Limiting the regular sugar intake.

6. Drinking ample amount of water and staying hydrated.

7. Avoiding consumption of alcohol and tobacco.

8. Breastfeeding the babies and young children.

WHO has also suggested a 5 Key norm to adopt a safer food practice and prevent food-borne illness during the pandemic.

1. Keep the food clean.

2. Separate raw and cooked food items.

3. Cook food items thoroughly and adequately.

4. Keep food at safe temperatures (avoid storage at < 5⁰ Celsius and cook at > 60⁰ Celsius).

5. Use safe water and safe raw materials.

Healthyfying yourself – The mental health:

Social distancing, isolation and community lockdown, as we see them, have proven to be of great impact to prevent the rate of transmission and the risk of new infection. But we can’t deny their mental health impacts as well, as they bring with them fear, panic, uncertainty, and challenges about the present and the future scenario. People are getting inactive, facing the fear of getting infected, worrying about the economic loss, feeling lagged behind in their lives, getting uncertain about their future plans and many more.

Additionally, there has been numerous instances of violence and stigmatization against the frontline health workers. The stigma is also associated with the infected patients or those who have been quarantined at some point of time.Since the dawn of the complete lockdown, our prime minister and other health authorities are stressing to impart these healthy behaviours in our lifestyle, so that we can protect ourselves from the risk of the infection. In every interaction of the prime minister with the countrymen, he has shown his gratitude towards the frontline workers, who are now termed as corona warriors by him.

Despite this, violence against these corona warriors are also coming to light from some part of the country or the other. It’s a matter of shame and also a great concern in a situation where the ratio of patients to the healthcare providers are already below the minimum set proportion and these frontline workers are risking their lives to break the chain of infection. This situation calls for a dire need to take care of the mental health of oneself and the others. Fortunately, there are a lot of things one can do to look after the mental health and also help others who are in need for mental care and support.

1. Connect to family, friends and the community on the virtual platform.

2. Keep yourself informed but not necessarily burden up with news that can cause anxiety and distress.

3. Follow a healthy routine; including morning meditation, yoga, doing work from home, talking to people and also having an adequate self-time.

4. Adopt a hobby and make some time to indulge in that activity every day.

5. Listening to music that can help relax the mind.

6. Talking to someone virtually if you feel stressed or do vice versa if anybody else feels the same way.

7. Take out time for family members, relatives and friends.

8. Help others in the community you live in, who might be in need of mental health support.

9. Support the health workers who are living in your community.

If you have a mental health condition;

1. Make sure you take the prescribed medication.

2. Be in touch with people who you know can support you in cases of anxiety, depression and distress.

3. Connect with your therapist or doctor at regular intervals.

4. If you know someone who is in mental distress, extend help, care and support towards them.

Dr. Nabanita Mukherjee

Post Graduate Student

MBA Health and Hospital Management

Indian Institute of Health Management and Research (IIHMR University), Jaipur – 302029

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Bengaluru April 15, 2020: Portea Medical, has launched chemotherapy at home services in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. The service is intended to benefit people with cancer who have been undergoing chemotherapy at hospitals and are at a higher risk of developing infections in light of COVID-19.

Recently, 3 cancer patients undergoing treatment at the Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) Hospital tested positive for Covid-19 after having come into contact with infected healthcare workers.This highlights the fact that cancer patients and survivors have a weakened immune system making them vulnerable to a host of other health issues. Cancer is a complex and chronic disease. Many survivors end up with long-term disabilities and require ongoing care and support.  A trained  and certified chemotherapy nurse will administer the treatment to the patient in the comfort of their homes, while being monitored and supervised by Portea’s fulltime doctors.

Speaking about this, Meena Ganesh, MD and CEO, Portea Medical, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic, apart from being a deadly viral outbreak, has also rendered people with existing health conditions vulnerable. This is truer in case of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Apart from having weak immunity, they are also susceptible to hospital-acquired infections, now that most healthcare facilities are handling COVID-19 patients. It is for their benefit that we have launched the Chemotherapy at Home service. It will help them in two ways: one, they need not travel to the hospital for their sessions and two, they can recuperate in the comfort of their homes with their family for support. Our trained chemotherapy nurses will ensure that their treatment protocol is followed and that they are free of any mental stress about getting infected by COVID-19.”

 The chemotherapy will be administered to the patient as per his/her chemotherapy plan formulated by their treating Oncologist. The service has been priced at par with the hospitals offering similar services. The treating Oncologist’s go ahead will be taken prior to starting the service for their patients. Portea Medical has been undertaking various initiatives during the COVID-19 crisis. The company recently launched a chatbot in association with the Government of Goa to answer people’s queries around the pandemic. Portea also launched its Home Quarantine services to help people undertake a coronavirus test at home and also monitor their health over a 14-day period.

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