pandemics

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Health, India, international, News, science and technology 5 April 2022

Is our response to pandemics and health emergencies missing organized medicine?

When health emergencies occur it is the doctors and other healthcare providers who are on the frontlines in responding to the humanitarian and public health crises. But they along with those impacted are not just part of the ‘problem’ but also key to effective solutions. Along with the most affected people, it is the frontline healthcare providers who should be shaping responses to pandemics and health emergencies. Associations of different medical specialities must join forces to give input to the government to help improve responses to pandemics like COVID-19 and other health emergencies. The same holds true for networks of other healthcare providers and key actors who have a critical role to play in such crises. Failing in organized medicine will only defeat us on the goals that public health and sustainable development initiatives are trying to achieve. Also, let us remember that it was healthcare workers who were on the frontlines in the severest phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 13th national conference of the AIDS Society of India (13th ASICON) in Hyderabad, India, opened with an important session hosted by the Organized Medicine Academic Guild (OMAG) of India – a network of over 15 professional medical associations in the country including the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP), AIDS Society of India, Indian Associations of Ophthalmologists, Orthapaedicians, Anaesthesiologists, INDUSEM, NCDC, among others. This OMAG session at the 13thASICON was chaired by noted HIV leaders Dr Basavraj Sajjan and Dr Prakash Bora. Dr Suneela Garg, President of OMAG and Professor of Excellence (Community Medicine) at Delhi’s Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) said that the Organized Medicine Academic Guild of India was founded in 2018 mandated to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals agenda of the Indian government. “It is our collective vision that will help accelerate progress towards achieving health of our societies,” said Dr Garg. “Global health security is one of the biggest challenges for a highly diverse and populous nation like India. That is why OMAG is already unifying different medical experts’ associations to improve responses to antimicrobial resistance, TB, trauma, non-communicable…

Rohit-Sardana

Health, India, international, News 30 April 2021

The devastating impact of the pandemic on media, deplorable situation in India

The devastating impact of the pandemic on media, deplorable situation in India Geneva/Guwahati, 30 April 2021: The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the media, Switzerland based media rights and safety body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) lamented on Friday in preparation for World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. Human cost of the pandemic is particularly high where over one thousand journalists have lost their lives due to novel corona virus aggravated ailments. India recently lost over 50 journalists in 2 weeks (3.5 per day). The human cost of the pandemic is particularly high where over one thousand journalists have lost their lives due to novel corona virus aggravated ailments. Journalists are engaged in a profession which is particularly exposed to the virus, as many have been forced to continue working in contact with the population. Until 29 April 2021, since March 2020, within 14 months, the PEC (www.pressemblem.ch/) has counted more than 1,200 journalists  who died from complications related to Covid-19 in 75 countries. “This is an unprecedented slaughter and a great loss for the profession,” said PEC secretary-general Blaise Lempen adding, “On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, we call for honoring eminent colleagues of all ages who have not survived the pandemic.” He appeals to all concerned governments to take action to help the media most affected and support the families of the victims on this auspicious occasion. PEC also considers there is a need to distribute vaccines equally all over the world, to stop spread of the virus and its new strains in developing countries. Vaccine production is limited and it is available for the wealthiest countries, preventing access to journalists in South America and South Asia. As long as this situation continues, deaths will keep on increasing, it added. The rate of deceased journalists accelerated further in April with the deaths of 126 journalists in one month or four media victims per day. Since the pandemic broke out in March 2020, four countries have been particularly affected with more than one hundred journo-casualties each including Brazil (more than 183 media corona-casualties), Peru (140…

Chu Viet Nga

Health, India, international, News 5 May 2020

Intergenerational model gives hope even during pandemics

“The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering for older people across the world”, said United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres last week on the launch of the policy brief on older persons and coronavirus disease (COVID-19). “The fatality rate for older people is higher overall, and for those over 80, it is five times the global average.” Beyond its immediate health impact, the pandemic is putting older people at higher risk of poverty, discrimination and isolation. It is likely to have a particularly devastating effect on older people in developing countries, added Guterres. The World Health Organization (WHO) also declared, “older people are at highest risk from COVID-19, but all must act to prevent community spread.” In India, government data shows that although only 19% of confirmed COVID-19 cases were among the elderly, 63% of deaths happened among them. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), population ageing has reached a level where it is having a significant impact on all sectors of the economy. To deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), governments need to ensure that people of all age groups can live healthy, active and fulfilling lives. We cannot leave the older people behind! The UNFPA adds: “In order to cope with the ageing of the population, it is therefore no longer sufficient to meet the expectations and needs of the older population only, but it requires a more comprehensive approach to address its effects on all population groups.” It recommends taking a life cycle approach. Preparing for old age from youth time will be very useful for a better life in old age and reduce the health burdens that may occur if unprepared otherwise. One generation can learn from one another, and aid each other to build stable, healthy and wholesome communities. Intergenerational approach In the ongoing Sustainable Development e-Talks (#SDGtalks) series, co-hosted by Indian Institute of Management Indore and CNS, Chu Viet Nga from HelpAge International in Vietnam, shared that any programme aimed at helping the elderly should not merely focus on food and medication. It should be fulfilling in a multitude…

Corona virus COVID19, Corona virus COVID19 image

Climate Environment and Science, Health, India, international, News 6 April 2020

Reproductive health services are essential services, including during pandemics like COVID-19

The recently released Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2020 shows that Asia and the Pacific region is not on track to achieve any of the 169 targets of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), including those around ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health services. Despite commitments made by governments, inequality in the region is growing and the economic gains made by it are not translating into poverty reduction and gender equity. A pandemic like corona virus disease (COVID-19) has added more fuel to fire to push the region (and perhaps the rest of the world too) several steps back to achieve ‘Health for all’ by 2030 by severely constraining (or threatening to constrain) health systems. It has also impacted delivery of several significant public health services, including sexual and reproductive health services. Leading experts voiced their concerns during the recently held #APCRSHR10 Dialogues, co-hosted by the 10th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (APCRSHR10) and CNS. The COVID-19 impact “While our day to day health needs, including sexual and reproductive health needs, do not stop because of an epidemic, but health service availability becomes still more difficult during such times:, said Alexandra Johns, Executive Director of Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA). Alexandra foresees a global shortage of medical supplies, including medicines for people living with HIV, contraceptives and antibiotics, as a fallout of lockdowns imposed by governments to stem the tide of COVID-19. The situation is all the more grave for key and vulnerable populations, including sex workers. With weak health systems groaning under the load of COVID-19, service delivery to cater to their specific needs, like access to abortion services, contraceptives, and life-saving treatments, along with a loss in wages, is bound to take a hard hit. Even in normal times, there is more focus on sexual and reproductive health services for women and not for sex workers, rued Kay Thi Win, Regional Coordinator of Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW). “It is very difficult for them to access these services, leading to unwanted…