World No Tobacco Day observed in GGH Ongole
Following the instructions of the DMHO, Dr T Venkateswarlu, and under the guidance of the GGH officials, the students explained about the ill effects of tobacco to the people, and advised them to quit tobacco and its products to improve health conditions.
They explained that this year's observance centred around the theme, 'Unmasking the appeal: Exposing industry tactics on quitting tobacco and nicotine products', and highlighted the need to understand and counter tobacco industry tactics.
Speaking at the event, District NCD Nodal Officer Dr Bhagirathi announced that the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare, Mangalagiri, has mandated a comprehensive 15-day awareness campaign to mark World No Tobacco Day 2025.
She said that the campaign encompasses a wide range of activities designed to reach vulnerable populations, including adolescents, factory workers, migrant populations, tobacco farmers, rural and urban communities, pregnant women, and school children.
Key initiatives include promotional, preventive, and screening activities for tobacco users, along with information and education programmes, she added.
The event saw participation from the Vice Principal of Government Medical College, Dr Sudhakar, Fluorosis Medical Officer Dr Anil, District Mass Media Officer, D Srinivasu, Government Nursing College staff, and personnel from NCD and RBSK departments.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
AIIMS Nagpur, UNICEF to launch programme to address rising concerns of NCDs in children
Mumbai, The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur and UNICEF Maharashtra have come together to tackle the growing risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in children, which are under-recognised within the healthcare system and often undetected. According to the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2019 , there is a growing risk of NCDs among children in the age group of 5 to 9 years and adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in India. The most common NCDs, such as obesity, asthma, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and sickle cell disease, often originate from early-life risk factors, including poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and environmental exposures. Talking to PTI, Dr Meenakshi Girish, head of the paediatrics department at AIIMS Nagpur , said, " Childhood NCDs are often under-recognised within the health system, leading to delayed diagnosis and management. In many cases, these conditions remain undetected until significant complications have already developed, which can result in long-term health consequences, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare burden." The UNICEF, AIIMS Nagpur and the Maharashtra public health department have come together to address the rising challenge of NCDs among children. "The pilot of the programme is expected to be launched in September in Bhandara and Wardha in the Vidarbha region. We are working on designing the protocols and the training modules to ensure that the functionaries are well trained before the screening is rolled out," UNICEF Maharashtra Health Specialist Dr Mangesh Gadhari said. By the end of three years, the programme is expected to be introduced in 11 districts of Maharashtra. The task force for each NCD was formed in February, and in April, it got endorsement from the secretary of the public health department, he said. This NCD task force comprises experts from the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, government experts from medical colleges, academia and other professional associations. Since March, the department of paediatrics at AIIMS has operationalised an NCD clinic, which will be the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for childhood NCDs. Each day of the week is dedicated to a NCD condition, with experts and doctors working on early screening, management and awareness of these ailments. "This partnership merges the state government's unparalleled reach, UNICEF's advocacy, with AIIMS Nagpur's clinical expertise and research capabilities. Together, we're not simply treating individual cases, we are building a comprehensive, preventive ecosystem in the community that targets childhood obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory disorders at their roots," said Dr Prashant P Joshi, executive director of AIIMS Nagpur. By integrating joint community outreach programmes, capacity-building for healthcare workers, and robust data collection systems, through this programme, AIIMS aims to identify early-warning signs and intervene proactively, he said. "Our shared commitment to innovation and equity ensures that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, has the chance to grow up healthy," Dr Joshi added.
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
Retinal disorders a public health crisis, need immediate prioritisation, say experts
Advertorial Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in Healthcare/Biotech 1. Managing diabetes in a country obsessed with quick fixes: A scientific perspective Multi-stakeholders through different channels to maximise awareness Implement government mandates to ensure systemic integration Sensitise and leverage the existing healthcare ecosystem, including community (e.g. ASHA workers) Collaborate with trusted NGOs for nationwide scale, trust, and reach Dr. Manisha Agarwal (General Secretary, VRSI and HOD, Vitreo Retina Dept, Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi) [L to R] Dr. Vinod Agarwal (Professor of Vitreo Retina Services, AIIMS, New Delhi); Ms. Rajwinder (Rajji) Mehdwan (CEO and MD, Roche Pharma); Dr. Muna Bhende (Director Vitreo Retinal Services, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai); Dr. Rajeev R Pappuru (Consultant Ophthalmologist, Vice Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad); Dr. Manisha Agarwal (General Secretary, VRSI and HOD, Vitreo Retina Dept, Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi); and Dr. R Kim (President, VRSI and Chief Medical Officer, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai) [L to R] Dr. Manisha Agarwal (General Secretary, VRSI and HOD, Vitreo Retina Dept, Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi) and Dr. R Kim (President, VRSI and Chief Medical Officer, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai); Dr. Chaitra Jayadev (Senior Consultant- Vitreoretina Services, Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru); Dr. Vishali Gupta (Chief of Retina and Uvea Services at Post Graduate Institute (PGI) of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh) Implement uniform postgraduate training so all ophthalmologists can confidently perform dilated retinal exams. Train ASHA workers for doorstep identification, and skill nurses and primary care physicians to administer prescribed intravitreal injections. Train technicians to use low-cost, AI-enabled devices for grassroots screening, sending images to central hubs for specialist diagnosis. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Integrate DR screening into the national NCD programme via existing health and wellness centres. Expand Ayushman Bharat's DR screening nationwide, remove the mandatory OCT photo for reimbursement, and add coverage for intravitreal injections so that the best treatment options are made available to patients Replicate successful state models nationwide, such as Andhra Pradesh's camera distribution to diabetologists and Kerala's Nayan Amritham programme. (This article is generated and published by ET Spotlight team. You can get in touch with them on etspotlight@ A staggering public health crisis is unfolding in India, the world's diabetes capital, leading to a surge in irreversible vision loss from conditions such as Diabetic Retinopathy (DR).This disease damages the retina, the eye's crucial 'reel', and often strikes people in their most productive years. Lack of awareness remains a primary concern, with nearly 90% of diabetic patients having never had a retinal exam and seeking help only after permanent damage has occurred. The problem is worsened by a severe shortage of specialists and the failure to integrate eye care into routine diabetes combat this escalating threat, Mission Vision, a public health initiative by The Vitreo Retinal Society of India (VRSI) and The Times of India, with support from Roche, was launched in July 2025. Under the Mission Vision initiative, a VRSI-led multistakeholder task force called the VIEW (Vision Improvement Experts Working) Council is putting together a comprehensive roadmap to tackle DR and make retinal health a national to address gaps in awareness, screening, diagnosis and treatment, infrastructure, and capacity-building were discussed. When implemented, these potential solutions could preserve the sight of millions who are at risk following key actionables emerged from the discussion:A nationwide awareness campaign, similar to the Pulse Polio programme, is essential to address preventable blindness so that people can take action before it is too the need for a collaborative approach, Dr R. Kim, President, VRSI and Chief Medical Officer, Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, said, 'There are many people doing a great job of reaching patients, but it is happening in pockets. We must integrate the entire network: primary care physicians, diabetologists, optometrists, and chemists to ensure that every patient with DR is identified early on and taken care of. It is about starting a national conversation where every patient asks for an eye exam. We cannot afford to lose another person's vision to silence.'Policy reform is crucial to make DR screening a fundamental right for every diabetic patient by 2030. Dr Manisha Agarwal, General Secretary, VRSI and HOD, Vitreo Retina Dept, Dr Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi, said, 'Currently, Ayushman Bharat includes DR screening in 12 states but only upon submission of an OCT photograph, which restricts its use by physicians who may not have an OCT machine. Expansion of DR screening to all states and the implementation of scalable screening models can improve DR detection significantly.'The experts advocated for making annual DR screening a standard part of diabetes care. To facilitate this, screening must be linked to a patient's digital health ID or Aadhaar for effective tracking and follow-up. While screening and diagnosis are the start of the patient journey, the inclusion of intravitreal injections in Ayushman Bharat can go a long way towards improving access to treatment for DR, said most on the need for coordinated action, Roche Pharma's Rajwinder (Rajji) Mehdwan said, 'The question is not if we can eliminate preventable vision loss, but how soon we act to build a future where sight is accessible for all. Roche is committed to bringing its global healthcare ecosystem shaping expertise to make Mission Vision a reality.'A robust referral system is needed to ensure patients diagnosed with DR receive proper, timely treatment. Dr Vishali Gupta, Chief of Retina and Uvea Services at PGI, Chandigarh, said, 'One of the biggest hurdles for timely treatment is in getting patients to the right retina specialist, as the referral pathways in these cases are fragmented. There is a need for a holistic national referral pathway so that we all know what a patient's journey looks like and ensure every patient gets access to specialised retinal care that they need.'An accountable, pyramid model and significant upskilling of the healthcare workforce were suggested through the following actions:Experts recommended following comprehensive policy changes to manage DR, urging the government to recognise its severe economic impact, particularly on young, productive individuals:This comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach, driven by collective will and clear policy, is critical to transforming the landscape of retinal health in India. The ambitious journey to safeguard the vision of millions has begun with Mission Vision, aiming for a future where sight is accessible for all.
United News of India
6 days ago
- United News of India
Over 5 cr detected with hypertension, 3.4 cr with diabetes under NP-NCD: Govt
New Delhi Delhi, Aug 5 (UNI) A total 5.13 crore people have been diagnosed with hypertension, 3.45 crore with diabetes, 1.88 lakh with oral cancer, 41,386 with breast cancer and 91,291 with cervical cancer under the central flagship National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Disease (NP-NCD), the Government told Parliament today. So far, a total of approximately 389.5 crore people have been screened for hypertension, while diabetes screenings stand close at 387.7 crore. Screening for oral cancer has reached around 328 crore, breast cancer screenings total 172.1 crore, and cervical cancer screenings account for over 102 crore individuals, said Union Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. Regarding treatment, around 4.75 crore hypertension patients and 2.83 crore diabetes patients are currently under treatment. The number of patients receiving treatment for oral cancer stands at 1.77 lakh. Breast and cervical cancer treatments have been administered to approximately 61,742 and 97,085 patients respectively, the Minister said, talking about the government's ongoing efforts in screening and managing NCDs across the country. He said a population-based initiative for prevention, control and screening for common NCDs has been rolled out in the country under National Health Mission (NHM) as a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care. Under the initiative, persons more than 30 years of age are targeted for their screening. 'Prevention, control and screening services are being provided through trained frontline workers like Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM), and the referral support and continuity of care is ensured through community health centres, district hospitals and other tertiary care institutions,' the Minister added. Further, as per the announcement of Union Budget 2025-26, the government plans to set up Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) in district hospitals in the next 3 years, out of which 200 centres are to be set up in 2025-26, he said. UNI AJ SSP
