Med officials get training to diagnose, treat snakebites
The programme took place at Nashik Zilla Parishad. Nashik ZP CEO Ashima Mittal, deputy director of health department of Nashik division Dr Kapil Aher, Pune-based Dr Sadanand Raut and other senior officials of the health department in the district attended the session. Medical officers were trained on snakebite first-aid protocols in snakebite cases. The medical officers were trained on administering anti-snake venom, identifying symptoms of bites from poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, and managing reactions to anti-snake venom.
Dr Kapil Aher said snakebite incidents are more prevalent in rural and tribal areas. "Due to the efforts of the Indian Council of Medical Research in Wani, Nashik, and Dr Sadanand Raut, a special protocol was created for dealing with snakebite cases. If the protocol is followed, the rate of deaths from snakebites can be reduced to zero," he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Insurance company directed to settle claim of pregnant woman
Dakshina Kannada District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed an insurance company to pay with interest the claim amount of a pregnant woman, overturning the company's decision to repudiate the claim on the grounds that the admission of the woman to the hospital was not required. The commission directed the company to pay the woman ₹45,704, with 6% interest from the date of repudiation of the claim, October 11, 2023, until the date of realisation. It also directed the firm to pay her ₹10,000 as compensation for the deficiency of service and mental agony. Furthermore, ₹5,000 should be paid to her as the cost of litigation, it stated. In the judgement on July 18, the commission said that the New Delhi-based Care Health Insurance Limited has not produced any documentary evidence to support its contention that fever, bodyache and throat pain in the claimant, for which she was hospitalised, was on account of pregnancy, and that hospitalisation was not required for these complaints. The company has clearly violated the terms of the health insurance policy by rejecting the claim without any valid grounds, the commission noted. Ruvin Shain D'Souza, a resident of an apartment in Chilimbi, was offered a Care Health Insurance policy by virtue of being a holder of a savings bank account with the Union Bank of India. Since May 2021, she has paid the premium regularly to renew the policy every year. She paid a premium of ₹10,107 for the policy valid between May 24, 2023 and May 23, 2024. She was pregnant and had fever, body pain and throatache. On the advice of her doctor, Ms. D'Souza was admitted to Father Muller Hospital on October 9, 2023. She was discharged on October 14, 2023. The hospitalisation and medical expenses charges totalled ₹45,704. The company rejected her request for a cashless treatment facility, as indicated in letters dated October 11, 2023, and October 13, 2023. The company gave reasons for rejection as 'admission not justified' and 'permanent exclusion admission primarily for investigation and evaluation'. Terming rejection as a deficiency in service, Ms. D'Souza filed a complaint demanding the settlement of the claim and necessary compensation. In the judgment, the commission, comprising president Somashekarappa Handigol and member H.G. Sharadamma, observed that the contention of the company was neither supported by medical records pertaining to the claimant nor had it examined the treating doctor to prove its contention.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Why Fatty Liver Is Affecting More Young People And What You Can Do About It
The cases of fatty liver among the younger generation is at a rapid rise. However, with certain lifestyle changes, fatty liver can be reversed. Liver ailments, once limited to older individuals, have now become quite prevalent among the youth also. A common condition experienced by many in the younger generation today is non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Due to many lifestyle compromises, including poor diets, excess fat and obesity, fatty liver is increasingly affecting young adults. If not treated on time, a fatty liver may ultimately result in diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. However, there is no need to hit the panic button just yet. By mixing correct medical treatment and certain lifestyle changes, you can reverse the fatty liver and rejuvenate your body. Here are five strategies based on evidence and study that could prove beneficial against fatty liver. Mediterranean Diet The liver's health is significantly influenced by the food you intake. Why, studies promote a Mediterranean diet for individuals to guard against liver ailments. According to the Journal of Hepatology, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish are highly beneficial for your liver and overall health. A Mediterranean diet, lacking refined carbs and processed sugars, is rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods that help reduce liver fat. A 2017 study by the Journal of Hepatology found that NAFLD and insufficient physical activity or a sedentary lifestyle are interlinked. Regular exercise is a powerful tool to conquer health problems, including liver ailments. Adding 150 minutes of weekly light to intense exercising and taking part in more physical activities is bound to support your liver and overall body functioning. Losing Weight Once you raise your physical activities or incorporate a fitness regime into your lifestyle, while eating a balanced diet, you naturally start losing fat and the excess weight you had been carrying. Gradual and sustained weight loss can be transformative and is considered one of the most effective ways to reverse fatty liver. Cut Down Sugar According to the US-based National Library of Medicine, reducing sugar intake is another easy means to counter fatty liver and its consequences. Excess sugar is directly linked to fat accumulation in your liver. Why, medical experts advise you to limit the soft drinks, pastries and other sweet delicacies that you so dearly love. Health advisers also suggest avoiding refined carbs and replacing them with whole foods and ones that have a low glycemic index. Coffee Coffee, especially black coffee, without sugar or cream, could positively influence liver health. Rich in antioxidants like chlorogenic acid, drinking coffee can help reduce oxidative stress in the liver. While excess caffeine is never good for your health, drinking coffee occasionally can give people with NAFLD lower levels of liver enzymes, reduced liver inflammation and decreased risk of liver fibrosis. view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 16:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
It's time to normalise the conversation around menstrual mental load
Cramps, mood swings, food cravings and more, periods come with a horde of symptoms. If it's anxiety and depression for some, it's headaches and acne for others. Yet, periods and the mental load that accompanies it is never really discussed. A report released by period panty brand Mahina, Beyond Blood: The Unseen Burden of Every Cycle in May, states that with every cycle, not only do women feel the cramps and changes in mood, they also experience a mental load, an emotional strain, that is often carried in silence. The report surveyed 1,000 menstruators across eight major cities, aged between 18-45 years. The mental period charge is the often unwritten emotional expense that women's periods cost them, says Dr Prachi Sarin Sethi, senior obstetrician, gynaecologist and laparoscopic surgeon, Motherhood Hospitals, Gurgaon. As Sethi explains, it's bigger than tolerating physical symptoms like pain or fatigue. 'It's the emotional expense of planning life according to a fluctuant cycle, ignoring the pain at the workplace and social spaces, and experiencing hormone fluctuations which have the potential to impact mood, confidence, and attention. It includes a silent arithmetic where one learns how it's possible to 'perform normally' when one feels far from it." 'Period mental load is an often unacknowledged burden that women carry every cycle. It's the constant mental effort of planning, adjusting, and worrying about leaks, and yet, no one sees it. The silence (masking symptoms to appear 'normal') is deeply ingrained in how we view periods; it's time we change the narrative and give women the space to be honest about their experiences," says Natasha Jamal, founder of Mahina. Citing data from the report conducted by her company, Jamal says, '2 out of 3 women feel like men expect them to hide the physical and mental toll of menstruation, even if they share a close relationship." 'When I first got my periods, they weren't a huge deal apart from the cramps. But over time, the mood swings kicked in, and now they hit hard. Today, I can tell by when I'll be getting my periods as even the smallest things – the tiniest sound, a comment, a glance – get under my skin," says Sony Anand, a 35-year-old Kochi-based IT professional. Pointing out to memes that make light of things with lines like, 'I know my period's coming when everything my husband does annoys me", Anand rues, 'We might laugh it off but it's really not funny when you're experiencing it. It's messy, overwhelming, and no one really talks about how draining it is." A 2024 study by Mpower Minds, a mental health organisation and Ujaas, a menstrual health initiative by the Aditya Birla Education Trust, that spoke to over 2,400 women revealed that 55 percent women had trouble focusing on or completing work and other everyday chores while on their periods. Poonam Patkar, head of Ujaas says, 'To me, the period mental load is the invisible burden that menstruators feel. It's a constant calculation of: 'Do I have enough pads for the day?" 'What if there's a stain?" 'Can I ask someone for help without feeling ashamed?" 'Should I speak up about my pain, or just push through like always?"" Patkar talks of interactions she has had with young girls and women about the lack of conversations and support around them during their cycles. 'Young girls, especially during their first few cycles, express a deep sense of fear, confusion, and self-consciousness. There's the normalizing of this strain—how so many women shrug off their discomfort as just part of being a woman. That silent acceptance, passed on from one generation to the next, is a reflection of how deeply embedded this mental load is in our lives," she notes. Despite increased awareness, silence around menstruation persists across cities, classes, and generations, says Payel Chakraborty, psychologist at Mpower Minds. 'Women may hesitate to talk about period struggles, fearing it will be seen as a sign of weakness or an excuse. The workplace, in particular, rarely offers psychological safety around these topics, reinforcing the need to mask pain and fatigue." Menstruation is a fundamental part of life for at least 50 per cent of the population. Yet, it is treated as something shameful and taboo. The struggle is real, says Jamal, sharing staggering statistics from the research conducted by her company– 41% women avoid long-distance travel while on their periods, 38% wake up in the middle of the night just to change products, and for 34%, social interactions are reduced. 'PMS (premenstrual symptom) or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) can significantly affect the mental health of a woman, which can trigger mood swings, depression, anxiety, feeling lonely etc. Many women also feel a bit disconnected at this time, and here the role of her support group also matters, whether her partner, family, friends understand her situation, are aware of this and do something to minimize their experience," Sethi adds. This quiet pressure on women to be 'resilient" to the point of invisibility normalizes suffering and pushes menstruators to ignore their bodies rather than listen to them. 'Women shouldn't hesitate talking about it," says Patkar adding that at Ujaas, 'one of our goals is to create space for these conversations—to say out loud what so many feel." Recalling a time when she wanted to just curl up and rest, but forced herself to sit through long hours and work, 'pretending everything was fine because talking about periods felt almost embarrassing," Neha Badlani, a 39-year-old Mumbai-based PR professional believes it is high time safe spaces were created where women can vocalise that they aren't okay while on their period and be heard. 'The shift needs to start now with more women speaking up." The Mahina report talks about the need to raise awareness and drive a period revolution — one that challenges taboos, demands safer and more inclusive products, and reclaims the narrative around menstruation. The goal, as the official statement notes, 'isn't just to create products that do the job, but to innovate with purpose and ease the mental and emotional burden that menstruators carry every month." Sumitra Nair is an independent journalist based in Kochi.
