The Supreme Court on Friday ordered that awareness be spread about the free treatment available for leprosy patients and directed the central and state governments to formulate rehabilitation schemes for those suffering from the disease.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud issued a slew of directions to thecentre and the states and asked them to ensure proper treatment of leprosy patients and end discrimination against them.

It directed that a “massive” awareness campaign be carried out by the government on curability of leprosy, adding that patients “should not be isolated” by the family or community as the person can “lead a normal life”.

The bench directed to “end stigma” against leprosy patients and to make sure they get adequate medical care and rehabilitation measures.

It further directed that the Centre and state governments to ensure that both private and government aided schools should not discriminate against children affected by leprosy.

The court also directed that leprosy patients should be given Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards so they can avail Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme, which provides highly subsidised food to the poorest families.

The judgement of the apex court came on a PIL filed by advocate Pankaj Sinha who had alleged that governments have failed to eliminate the disease despite medical treatment available since 1981.

He had claimed that leprosy affects over 1.25 lakh people annually in the country and had sought a direction to the governments that leprosy drugs be made available at primary health centres in the country.

He also pleaded that an appropriate scheme be formulated to bring people suffering from leprosy into the national mainstream.

Earlier, the apex court had asked the Centre to consider framing a law to repeal all laws that discriminate against those suffering from leprosy and granted six weeks to the government for taking a decision on the issue.

(IANS)

Over 50 countries around the world will hold a four-day meeting here to learn about the best Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices across the globe, the UNICEF said on Thursday.

The upcoming international meeting goes with the name Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC) organised by India’s Swachh Bharat Mission, will be held from September 29 to October 2, attended by ministers and other leaders from 50 countries– Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, Japan and others.

Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Secretary Parameswaran Iyer said that Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) aims to build a clean and Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by October 2 2019, as a befitting tribute to the 150 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

“Safe water, effective sanitation and hygiene are critical to the health of every child and every community – and thus are essential to building stronger, healthier, and more equitable societies ” UNICEF India representative Yasmin Ali Haque, said.

UNICEF said that women are the worst affected due to lack of sanitation facilities. India is on track to achieve open defecation free status by 2019, significantly contributing to the global achievement, it added.

(IANS)

Nearly 200 persons, including students, took ill after consuming temple prasadam at Bilichodi in Jagaluru taluk in the district on Saturday.

Within two hours of consuming the food, served during the Anjaneya Swami temple fair, several of the devotees started complaining of vomiting and loose motions.

The victims were immediately rushed to the Davangere district hospital while few were given preliminary treatment at the Bilichodi PHC.

The DHO Tripulambha visited the spot. Confirmed that this was a case of food poisoning he informed that arrangements had been made to treat the victims

During this last decade there has been a huge surge in the demand for bodybuilding supplements in the country. However, a study by Assocham and business management consultant RNCOS indicates that as much as 60-70 per cent of the dietary supplement being peddled across India is counterfeit.

Not only are the manufacturers of these fake supplements duping their customers, but using various unapproved and potentially harmful chemicals in their fake offerings and putting the youngsters of our nation in harm’s way.

Another study found that nearly 80 percent of the youth who are into bodybuilding consume one or the other form of dietary supplement. Assocham estimates that the market for dietary supplements is set to double from the current $2 billion to $4 billion by 2020. Why? Well, most Indian diets are vegetarian-heavy and lack the fast-acting proteins necessary for quick muscle recovery. Health supplements bridge this gap which, in turn, aids in muscle growth.

However, most of the high-quality health supplement brands available in the market today are imported which is on the expensive side (taxes, customs and overheads on imports) especially for young adults who form a sizeable chunk of the target market which is also completely clueless on how health supplements work thus making the perfect market for fake products.

How to identify fake supplements

One has to really look closely to figure out whether or not the supplement in question is a fake or not. Here are a few ways to tell the genuine ones from the fake:

* Check the hologram: One of the best ways to tell a fake product from the genuine one is to look for the brand’s hologram. Because most of the fake supplements in India are made in extremely low-quality facilities, the technology to properly replicate the hologram doesn’t exist

* Check the barcode: Most smartphones today support apps that can read barcodes and QR codes. Just do a quick scan; the scan of an original brand should ideally lead you to its website

* Check the packaging: This can be a bit tricky. Watch out for spelling mistakes, bizarre fonts, wrong logos and even wrong nutritional information

* Check the seal: If the seal of the product looks weird or of bad quality, chances are that it has been tampered with

* Dissolve a spoonful in water: Add a spoonful of the supplement to water at room temperature and stir for a few seconds. The original supplement will dissolve easily whereas the fake products usually leave behind clumps of the powder as residue in the glass

* Look for FSSAI approval on the packaging: The Food Safety and Standards Association of India or FSSAI is the regulatory body responsible for health supplements

India has a long way to go as far as the health and fitness of its citizens is concerned. The only way to achieve this is by empowering the youth with the right knowledge so that they really understand the science behind it.

A boost to the local manufacturers under the ‘Make In India’ initiative will give the youth access to high-quality supplements at affordable prices. Only when the youth start making informed choices will the black market of fake supplements die a well-deserved death.

As Kerala is slowly coming to terms with the devastating floods which wreaked havoc in the state, a new problem is rearing its head. Over 20 people have reportedly died due to Rat Fever, also known as leptospirosis. Representational Image Leptospirosis is an infection caused by corkscrew-shaped bacteria called Leptospira.

Rats, mice, and moles are important primary hosts of this bacteria. The incidence of leptospirosis correlates directly with the amount of rainfall, making it seasonal in temperate climates and year-round in tropical climates. Kozhikode has registered a total of 17 leptospirosis deaths from August 1 to September 2 which include six confirmed and 11 suspected deaths. On Sunday, four deaths including two confirmed and two suspected were reported from the district,

Minister for Labour and Excise T.P. Ramakrishnan told the media after a review meeting that an 85-bed isolation ward would be set up at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, and special facilities were being provided at the Government General Hospital in Kozhikode and government hospitals in Vadakara, Koyilandy, and Feroke as part of efforts to contain the outbreak, a report by The Hindu said.

Health Minister K.K. Shailaja advised people in the flood-hit areas to take precautions. She said contagious diseases were on the rise in post-flood Kerala. On Saturday, three north-central districts and low-lying Alappuzha reported a total of nine casualties due to the Rat Fever. Last month, 559 people took treatment for rat fever across the state. Of them, the disease was confirmed in 229 cases. In April-May this year, Kerala saw an outbreak of Nipah virus which claimed around 25 lives.

How does Rat Fever or Leptospirosis spread? Leptospirosis is transmitted by the urine of an infected animal and is contagious as long as the urine is still moist. Although Leptospira has been detected in reptiles and birds, only mammals are able to transmit the bacterium to humans and other animals. Rats, mice, and moles are important primary hosts-but a wide range of other mammals including dogs, deer, rabbits, hedgehogs, cows, sheep, swine, raccoons, opossums, skunks, and certain marine mammals carry and transmit the disease as secondary hosts. In Africa, the banded mongoose has been identified as a carrier of the pathogen, likely in addition to other African wildlife hosts. Dogs may lick the urine of an infected animal off the grass or soil, or drink from an infected puddle. [Health Ministry issues advisory to contain spreading of Nipah virus] House-bound domestic dogs have contracted leptospirosis, apparently from licking the urine of infected mice in the house.
The type of habitats most likely to carry infective bacteria includes muddy riverbanks, ditches, gullies, and muddy livestock rearing areas where there is a regular passage of wild or farm mammals. The incidence of leptospirosis correlates directly with the amount of rainfall, making it seasonal in temperate climates and year-round in tropical climates. Leptospirosis also transmits via the semen of infected animals.

Humans become infected through contact with water, food, or soil that contains urine from these infected animals. This may happen by swallowing contaminated food or water or through skin contact. The disease is not known to spread between humans, and bacterial dissemination in convalescence is extremely rare in humans.

A Kerala Minister on Sunday warned that strict action would be taken against the state government officials who were not making an objective assessment of the damages caused to houses by the recent floods.

With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan leaving for medical treatment to the US, Industries Minister EP Jayarajan, the de facto number two in the government, told the media that “very tough action” would be taken against erring officials.

“All complaints will be looked into and none will be spared,” he said.

Kerala floods have claimed 483 lives and the estimated loss is more than the annual outlay of the state. Thousands of houses have been destroyed, while a greater number of homes have been damaged.

With the state government starting a massive fund collection drive to rebuild a ‘new Kerala’, besides announcing compensation to the losses suffered, the local bodies officials have begun estimation of the losses.

Jayarajan spoke tough when he was told about specific cases of officials overestimating the damages suffered to residential properties in Malappuram district.

The state government has also announced an interim relief of Rs 10,000 to every family that has suffered on account of floods.

“This money will be given to all and there is no rule that this money will be given to only who were in relief camps. Every family who suffered the floods… even if they remained in their homes would get this. Only those who say they do not want, will not be given,” said Revenue Secretary PH Kurien.

Meanwhile, Kerala CM Pinarayi left for America for medical treatment in the early hours of Sunday. He took a 4.30 am Dubai-bound flight from Thiruvananthapuram airport. From Dubai, he will be leaving for New York to undergo treatment at the Mayo clinic in Rochester. His wife, Kamala, is accompanying him.

(IANS)

Rome The rapid onset of African Swine Fever in China – the country’s first reported outbreak – and its detection in areas more than 1,000 km apart, could mean the deadly virus may spread to other Asian countries anytime, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned, urging regional cooperation to guard against the disease.

“Outbreaks such as this one are important reminders to us all that we must work together in a multi-lateral and inter-governmental effort to prevent and respond to outbreaks of animal diseases because these diseases know no borders,” said Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

“Good communication and coordination with the region’s private sector is essential to strengthen cooperation in ASF prevention and control,” she added.

There is no effective vaccine to protect swine from the highly contagious disease which also infects wild boar but not humans. Outbreaks can be devastating with the most virulent forms lethal in 100 percent of infected animals, FAO said.

There are increased fears that the disease will move across borders to neighbouring countries of Southeast Asia or the Korean Peninsula where trade and consumption of pork products is also high, FAO warned.

Chinese authorities have culled more than 24,000 pigs in four provinces in efforts to control the spread of the disease, FAO reported.

“The movement of pig products can spread diseases quickly and, as in this case of ASF, it’s likely that the movement of such products, rather than live pigs, has caused the spread of the virus to other parts of China,” explained Juan Lubroth, FAO’s Chief Veterinarian.

[IANS]

London Drugs currently undergoing development to treat anaemia — lack of blood — could be repurposed to help prevent people with Type-2 diabetes from developing heart failure, according to a new research.

Researchers found that after a heart attack, a protein called HIF acts to help heart cells survive.

In people with diabetes, fats accumulate within the heart muscle and stop the HIF protein from becoming active. This means that a person is more likely to suffer lasting heart muscle damage, and develop heart failure after a heart attack.

“After a heart attack, people with Type-2 diabetes are more likely to develop heart failure more quickly, but we have not fully understood the reasons why that is the case,” said lead researcher Lisa Heather, research student at the University of Oxford in the UK.

“What we have shown with this research is that the metabolism of people with Type-2 diabetes means they have higher levels of fatty acids in the heart. This prevents signals going to the heart protective protein telling it to ‘kick-in’ after a heart attack,” she added.

In the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the team treated diabetic rats with a drug known to activate the HIF protein, and were able to encourage the heart to recover after a heart attack.

However, these initial results suggest that several drugs known to activate HIF and currently undergoing phase-III clinical trials to treat people with anaemia, could potentially be given to people with diabetes, immediately after a heart attack in the future, the researchers said.

“This research in rats has not only identified the mechanism that could explain why people with Type-2 diabetes have poorer outcomes after a heart attack, but also a practical way this might be prevented,” the researchers explained.

However, further studies will be needed to confirm if the same benefits are seen in humans, they noted.

[IANS]

New York Researchers from University of Central Florida in the US have taught a computer how to detect tiny specks of lung cancer in computed tomography (CT) scans, which radiologists often have a difficult time identifying.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) system is about 95 per cent accurate, compared to 65 per cent when done by human eyes, the team said.

“We used the brain as a model to create our system,” one of the researchers Rodney LaLonde said in a statement released by the university.

The approach is similar to the algorithms that facial-recognition software uses. It scans thousands of faces looking for a particular pattern to find its match.

The group fed more than 1,000 CT scans into the software they developed to help the computer learn to look for the tumours, according to the research to be presented at the MICCAI 2018 conference in Spain in September.

“I believe this will have a very big impact,” said Assistant Professor Ulas Bagci.

“Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the US and if detected in late stages, the survival rate is only 17 percent. By finding ways to help identify earlier, I think we can help increase survival rates,” Bagci added.

The next step is to move the research project into a hospital setting. After that, the technology could be a year or two away from the marketplace, Bagci said.

[IANS]

New York, Aug 26 (IANS) Individuals with weaker muscles do not typically live as long as their stronger peers, and are 50 per cent more likely to die earlier, finds a study.

According to researchers, muscle strength may be an even more important predictor of overall health and longevity than muscle mass.

In addition, hand grip strength specifically has been found to be inversely related to mobility limitations and disability.

However, despite being a relatively simple and cost-effective test, grip strength measurement is not currently part of most routine physicals, they said.

“Maintaining muscle strength throughout life-and especially in later life-is extremely important for longevity and ageing independently,” said lead researcher Kate Duchowny, post-doctoral student at the University of California-San Francisco.

The study, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, highlights the importance of integrating grip strength measurements into routine care-not just for older adults but even in midlife.

“Having hand grip strength be an integral part of routine care would allow for earlier interventions, which could lead to increased longevity and independence for individuals,” Duchowny said.

For the study, the team analysed data of 8,326 men and women, aged 65 and older.

After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, chronic health conditions and smoking history, the results showed that people with low muscle strength are 50 per cent more likely to die earlier.

[IANS]