Latest news with #DirectorateGeneralofHealthServices
Muscat Daily
6 hours ago
- Health
- Muscat Daily
Call to make premarital screening compulsory gains pace in Oman
Ibri – Ministry of Health held a seminar in Ibri, Dhahirah on Tuesday highlighting the vital role of premarital medical screening in building healthy families and raising community awareness. Held under the theme 'Premarital Medical Screening: A Step Towards Building a Healthy Family and an Informed Society', the seminar formed part of National Premarital Screening Programme to promote awareness on premarital testing. It was organised by the Directorate General of Health Services in Dhahirah and held under the patronage of Najib bin Ali al Rawas, Governor of Dhahirah. The seminar underscored the need to intensify awareness campaigns targeting youth and those preparing for marriage, and called for making premarital screening a mandatory requirement. Participants also recommended the establishment of dedicated counseling sessions to help prospective couples understand and manage test results in a scientific and compassionate manner. Emphasis was placed on upholding confidentiality and privacy of test results, and on preventing any misuse of such information. Dr Ahmed bin Saeed al Kalbani, Director General of Health Services in Dhahirah The seminar further called for stronger collaboration between health, educational, media and religious institutions to support and promote a culture of premarital testing. Among the recommendations was the need to provide psychological and social support for couples whose test results are incompatible, especially in cases where health issues could impact marriage plans. Inclusion of premarital screening topics in school curricula from Grades 10 to 12 and at the university level was also proposed to promote early awareness, foster scientific research, and reduce the incidence of genetic diseases. These initiatives align with Oman Vision 2040 objectives for public health and quality of life, focusing on prevention and community wellbeing. Dr Ahmed bin Saeed al Kalbani, Director General of Health Services in Dhahirah, described premarital screening as a cornerstone to preventing hereditary diseases, and a proactive step that can spare families long-term suffering. The seminar featured several presentations by specialists on the medical, social and legal aspects of screening. Prof Dr Salam bin Salem al Kindi, Senior Consultant of Hematology at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, reviewed key genetic diseases covered by the National Premarital Screening Programme. Dr Sarah bint Nasser al Waili, Director of Primary Healthcare Department, outlined the objectives and implementation mechanisms of the National Premarital Screening Programme.
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Medical representatives banned from visiting doctors in central government hospitals
NEW DELHI: The centre has directed central government hospitals, including Safdarjung and Dr RML Hospitals, to not allow medical representatives inside the hospital premises. This is not the first time the centre has issued such a stern message barring pharma companies' from influencing doctors'. In an order issued on May 28, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr Sunita Sharma, said, 'This is in reference to the earlier instructions regarding not permitting entry of medical representatives in hospital premises. In this regard, it is once again instructed that the medical representatives should not be permitted in the hospital premises. The head of the institutions shall give necessary strict directions in the matter to all officials,' said the order, which was marked to Medical Superintendents of Safdarjung Hospital and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and Directors of Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals and Rural Health Training Centre, Najafgarh. 'Medical representatives may be requested to share recent advances regarding any treatment/investigation/procedure by email or other digital media,' the notice clarified. 'It is requested to take necessary action in the matter and an action taken report may be furnished to this Directorate,' the order further added. Reacting to the order, RTI activist and ophthalmologist, Dr K V Babu said, 'Though I support not allowing medical representatives during working hours, blanket ban on entry is not a welcome decision." Dr Babu highlighted the issue of 30 doctors, who travelled to foreign countries, with the funding of a pharma company to the tune of Rs. 1.9 crore. He said he had filed an RTI on the issue. The DoP in its order, dated December 23, told him that they will share the details of the doctors. But, he said, "they are still sitting over it even after five months. No action against the pharma company was also taken despite the UCPMP code being in place.' The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) last year notified a new code that prohibits pharma companies from offering gifts and travel facilities to healthcare professionals or their family members. The Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024 also bans supply of free samples to those who are not qualified to prescribe such a product. However, the Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare (ADEH) has been demanding that the UCPMP be made mandatory to bring fairness in marketing of the drugs as the industry has failed to comply with the code on a voluntary basis.
Business Standard
5 days ago
- Health
- Business Standard
AstraZeneca Pharma receives marketing approval for Benralizumab in India
AstraZeneca Pharma India has received permission from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India to import for sale and distribution of Benralizumab 30 mg/ml Solution for Injection (Brand name: Fasenra) for an additional indication. Through this approval, Benralizumab is indicated as an add-on treatment for adult patients with relapsing or refractory eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). The receipt of this permission paves way for the marketing of Benralizumab 30 mg/ml Solution for Injection (Brand name: Fasenra) in India for the specified additional indication, subject to the receipt of related statutory approvals, if any.
Mint
6 days ago
- Health
- Mint
Low vaccine stocks in focus as new covid variants spread
New Delhi: As Covid cases rise in India amid low vaccine stocks, the Centre has set up a committee to review the situation and ensure that the country is ready to manage the unfolding situation. The panel, constituted by health and family welfare ministry, met earlier this week and last week to discuss covid preparedness, including low vaccine stocks, surveillance, testing, beds, and medicines, said two people familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The committee of nation's top scientists and officials called for keeping the surveillance strong, increasing the pace of testing and putting out advisory, said on of the two people. The panel also reviewed covid-19 vaccine stocks in view of the vulnerable and high risk population including the elderly or people with co-morbid conditions, and recommended augmenting the number of beds and medicines in the hospitals, the official said. The meeting was attended by officials from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Queries emailed to health minister JP Nadda's office, health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, and health ministry spokesperson on 28 May remained unanswered till press time. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and other government laboratories are conducting environmental surveillance, collecting and analyzing sewage samples to understand the latest covid-19 surge. Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram are seeing a spike in new covid patients. India has reported 1,010 active covid cases till 26 May, with seven people succumbing to the infection. However, the health ministry is yet to officially confirm the mortality numbers. The country has already started the genome sequencing of covid-19 cases to identify the variant behind the recent surge, with the genome typing being done by the National Institute of Virology (NIV-Pune). Two new variants of coronavirus—NB.1.8.1 and LF.7—found in India have mutated from an earlier JN.1 variant. Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech manufactured billions of doses of vaccines for Indians and for supplying more than 100 countries during the first few wave of the pandemic. However, after the situation eased, the last Covid vaccine batches were manufactured a year ago, with no visibility on new stocks. 'Right now, the virus looks very mild. We are tracking the number of covid-19 cases and hospitalisations happening across the country, and alerted all the laboratories,' said the second government official cited earlier. 'We have discussed covid-19 preparedness measures and other surveillance strategies.' Medical research shows vaccines give two different levels of protection. The first is against infection which is short-lived, and naturally wanes in about six months. Besides, the virus is also continually changing. The second type of protection is long-lasting, and protects our internal organs against severe diseases. A government scientist, while speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that almost all the individuals have contracted covid-19 infection multiple times. 'People have developed hybrid immunity (natural plus immunity via vaccine). In this situation, the requirement of booster dose becomes very negligible. This infection is now very mild and thus a vaccine may not be needed,' the scientist said. 'Earlier also there was no strong recommendation for booster dose. Hospitalisation are primarily due to co-morbid or underlying health conditions. Also, vaccines do not prevent any infection.' Public health experts have said there was no reason to panic because the cases were mild, while advising developing vaccine for the newest variant. 'There are a few reports of the hospitalisation and deaths, but these deaths are being reported in patients with comorbidities. The Tamil Nadu government also said that the death which occurred was a co-incidental finding of covid, because we have ramped up our testing capacity,' said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former director-general of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the former chief scientist at WHO. ICMR surveillance data indicates that there is not much increase in the severity of hospitals or deaths and a vaccine is anyway not going to prevent mild infections, Dr Swaminathan said, citing the Omicron wave despite vaccination. 'The immunity which we have now is protecting us that is why we are getting mild infections,' she said. 'Maybe in the future, it covid variant changes to another severe mutant, then we have to quickly modify and manufacture those vaccines and then have a program. Even in the current scenario, there does not seem to be any need for the boosters.' Dr Swaminathan suggested that companies must create a vaccine using the latest variant, which is possible to do now. 'The moment we get the genome sequencing data, companies should be able to create that vaccine. There's no point in giving the old vaccine made from an original strain of covid,' she said, adding the many companies in the West update their vaccines every year. The WHO has not classified the new covid mutation as 'variant of concern or variant of interest', and has advised senior and high-risk people to be careful and put masks when they go out. Covid vaccination approach has varied with every country, based on the disease burden, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, past president at Indian Medical Association (IMA), Cochin Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, citing the conservative approach of Scandinavian nations and aggressive vaccination in the US. 'India's population is already well-immunised. Our percentage of vaccination coverage is also high, with limited vaccine hesitancy. We rightly prioritised delivering vaccines to those who were at significantly greater risk of death and severe disease,' he said. 'In the subsequent years, the population has also been exposed to various versions of this virus. This has erased the lack of immune memory that had contributed to the deaths and severe disease in the early part of the pandemic.' 'The disease has become milder now, which changes the decision-making balance,' Dr Jayadevan said. 'While mitigation strategies are important to limit the spread, there is no role for universal booster vaccine shots at this time.'
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Business Standard
26-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Covid-19 cases cross 1,000 mark: 430 active cases in Kerala, 104 in Delhi
Covid-19 cases are witnessing a rapid surge across the country, with over 1,000 infections reported so far, including 752 new cases recently confirmed. Delhi has emerged as one of the key contributors to this spike, recording 99 new cases in the past week and a total of 104 active cases, reigniting public concerns about a fresh outbreak. According to government data, Kerala currently tops the chart with the highest number of active cases at 430. Other states with notable case counts include Maharashtra (209), Delhi (104), Gujarat (83), Karnataka (47), Uttar Pradesh (15), and West Bengal (12). Several states and union territories, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, have reported no active cases at present. Bihar confirms first Covid case in ongoing surge The patient is being treated at a private hospital and has not travelled outside the state recently. 'A man from Patna with no history of travelling outside the state recently has tested positive for Covid-19. The level of infection is very mild. The case is being monitored closely and all necessary protocols are being followed,' said Patna Civil Surgeon Abinash Kumar Singh. New Covid-19 sub variants detected in India India has detected one case of the Covid-19 subvariant NB.1.8.1 in Tamil Nadu and four cases of LF.7 in Gujarat, according to INSACOG, which is a network of laboratories across India that tracks and studies the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Both are listed by WHO as 'Variants under Monitoring' but are not 'Variants of Concern'. These sub variants are linked to rising infections in Asia. Meanwhile, JN.1 remains dominant in India, representing 53 per cent of samples, followed by BA.2 at 26 per cent. Govt issues new Covid advisory for Delhi Last week, the Directorate General of Health Services issued a new advisory directing all government and private hospitals to enhance preparedness. The advisory urges hospitals to ensure the availability and functionality of key equipment. 'All the equipment such as Ventilators, Bi-Pap, Oxygen Concentrators, PSA etc. are in functional condition,' it stated. Hospitals must also conduct staff refresher training, report ILI/SARI cases on IHIP, and submit all positive samples to Lok Nayak Hospital for genome sequencing. 'Respiratory etiquettes are being followed, including wearing mask in hospital premises,' it added.
