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Time of India
11-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Rabies is largely under control in TN, says min
Chennai: Rabies is largely under control in Tamil Nadu, health minister Ma Subramanian said on Friday. While local bodies are working to keep the dog population under control, the health department ensured anti-rabies vaccines are available in all primary health centres, he said. "TN is the only state where the CM chaired a meeting to review dog bite cases," he said after taking part in the 39th World Population Day events. "After we came to power, we ensured post-exposure prophylaxis for dog and snake bites is available in all PHCs and UPHCs," he told reporters. Tamil Nadu has seen a rapid increase in rabies. From 18 deaths in 2023, the deaths rose to 43 in 2024. This year, the state registered at least 18 deaths. Every day, the state registers at least 60,000 dog bite cases, and the directorate of public health announced it as a growing "public health concern." You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Earlier, he said the state brought down maternal and infant mortality across the state. While MMR dropped to 39.4 per one lakh live births from more than 90 five years ago, IMR dropped to 7.7, he said. In an attempt to control the population and prevent IMR and MMR, the state health department and social welfare are spreading awareness among adolescents to bring down early marriage, he said.
Business Wire
26-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
CWCI Finds California Workers' Comp Independent Medical Reviews Are Trending Up
BUSINESS WIRE)--After declining steadily from 2018 through 2022, the number of Independent Medical Review (IMR) decision letters issued in response to California workers' comp medical disputes is now trending up, increasing in 2023, 2024, and the first quarter of 2025 according to the California Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI), but the uphold rate for medical service modifications and denials that are reviewed remains close to 90%. After declining from 2018 - 2022, California workers' comp Independent Medical Reviews are on the rise, and new data show the trend accelerating. CWCI's latest review of IMR activity and outcomes examined 1.57 million IMR decision letters issued from 2015 through March of this year in response to applications submitted to the state after a Utilization Review (UR) physician modified or denied a workers' comp medical service request. As in prior reviews, CWCI tracked the number of letters issued each quarter; determined the distribution and uphold rates for disputed treatment requests by type of medical service (and the distribution and outcomes of pharmaceutical IMRs by major drug group); measured IMR response times; and calculated the percentage of IMRs associated with high-volume physicians. IMR, introduced in 2013, was expected to reduce medical disputes by helping to ensure that workers' comp treatment met evidence-based medicine standards, but it was not until 2019 that the number of IMR disputes began a steady decline, with the number of IMR decision letters falling by 31% from the peak level of 184,385 in 2018 to 127,215 in 2022. That decline coincided with a reduction in the number of job injury claims during the pandemic and a drop in the number of pharmaceutical disputes after the state added Pain Management and Opioid Guidelines to its Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS) in late 2017 and adopted the MTUS Drug Formulary in January 2018. More recent data, however, show IMR letter volume rose 2.9% in 2023 and 8.2% in 2024, and initial results for this year show the trend accelerating, with 38,393 IMR decision letters in the first 3 months of 2025, 13% more than in the same period last year. Even with the increase in IMR volume, the median IMR response time (from receipt of the application to the date of the decision letter) was 32 days in 2024, the same as in 2022. Furthermore, 25% of the letters were issued within 28 days, and 75% were issued within 38 days, all within the time allotted to the state's Independent Medical Review Organization to confirm the eligibility of the application; request, receive, and process medical records; assign the case to a physician reviewer; and issue a decision. Disputes over prescription drug requests represented 30.6% of all IMRs in the first quarter of this year – more than any other type of medical service, but down from 33.4% in 2024 and 50.7% in 2015. Much of that decline was due to the reduction in IMRs involving opioid requests, which dropped from 32% of all pharmaceutical IMRs in 2018 to 18.6% in the first quarter of this year. With prescription drugs representing a declining share of the IMR disputes, the percentage of IMRs involving disputes over other medical services has increased, with physical therapy disputes accounting for 13.6% of IMRs in the first quarter of 2025, injection disputes accounting for 12.9%, and disputes over durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies accounting for 9.7%. A small number of physicians continue to drive much of the IMR activity, as the top 1% of requesting physicians (81 doctors) accounted for 42.2% of the disputed service requests that underwent IMR in the 12 months ending on March 30 of this year, and the top 10 individual physicians accounted for 10.9% of the disputed requests. CWCI found that 7 of the providers on the latest top 10 list were also on the top 10 list the prior year. IMR outcomes remain stable, as IMR physicians upheld 89.1% of UR doctors' treatment modifications or denials in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 88.0% in 2024. As in the past, uphold rates varied by type of service, ranging from 77.4% for evaluation/management services to 92.9% for acupuncture. CWCI members and subscribers will find a more detailed summary of IMR experience through March 2025 in Bulletin 25-09 at Institute members can also access updated IMR slides under the Research tab.
Hans India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Naveen questions Majhi's claims of achievements
Bhubaneswar: The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday took a dig at the State government saying that development doesn't come from long speeches and glossy advertisements. Addressing party leaders at Sankha Bhavan here on Tuesday, Patnaik questioned various claims of achievements by the Chief Minister Mohan Majhi-led BJP government in Odisha. Reflecting on one year of the BJP government in Odisha, the BJD supremo said, 'It is being called a government of the people, butwhere are the people's voices? Development doesn't come from long speeches and glossy advertisements.' Patnaik further alleged that the health care sector in Odisha has deteriorated fast under the BJP government during the last one year. Highlighting the deterioration of healthcare services, he said, 'Under our government, 90 per cent of Odisha's population benefited from Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. Today, despite Ayushman Bharat being in place, people are not getting medicines and hospitals are not offering free treatment. 'Thousands are suffering — mothers, the elderly, children, and cancer patients. The health system has collapsed. Out of 30 districts, 19 CDMO posts are lying vacant. Is this the success of the current government?' Speaking on the issue of women's empowerment, he said under 'Mission Shakti', 70 lakh women were empowered. But in just one year, this movement has been weakened. Women are facing problems at banks and government offices. 'Many who once travelled to Dubai and Singapore, are now sitting hopeless at home, their self-confidence shattered. This is being touted as the government's achievement,' alleged Patnaik. The BJD president also questioned the government's commitment towards farmers, asking what happened to the promises made during the elections by the ruling BJP regarding ending middlemen and ensuring MSP for all. Patnaik accused the State government of ignoring farmers who are now at the mercy of millers. 'Even agricultural loans have become difficult to access. Under BJD, Odisha saw record levels of irrigation. But ongoing projects have been stalled,' claimed Patnaik. Highlighting his government's achievements in the economic sector, Patnaik asserted that when BJD took over in 2000, the State had a loan burden of Rs 18,000 crore and was running on overdrafts. 'By 2024, we left behind a surplus of Rs 45,000 crore. But today, the government is again running on record borrowings. In 2005-06, Odisha's poverty rate was 63.83 per cent. By 2023, it had come down to 11.07 per cent, lifting over 1 crore people above the poverty line. We made visible progress in IMR, MMR, and other development indicators,' Patnaik added. He said BJD is committed to playing the role of a responsible Opposition as mandated by the people of Odisha. He urged the party leaders and grassroot workers to continue serving the people with dedication.
Hans India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
LoP Naveen Patnaik takes a dig at Odisha Govt over 'failure' in different sectors
Bhubaneswar: The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday took a dig at the state government saying that development doesn't come from long speeches and glossy advertisements. Addressing party leaders at Sankha Bhavan here on Tuesday, Patnaik questioned various claims of achievements by the CM Mohan Majhi-led BJP government in Odisha. Reflecting on one year of the BJP-led government in Odisha, the BJD supremo said, 'It is being called a government of the people, but where are the people's voices? Development doesn't come from long speeches and glossy advertisements.' Patnaik further alleged that the health care sector in Odisha has deteriorated fast under the BJP government during the last one year. Highlighting the deterioration of healthcare services, he noted, 'Under our government, 90 per cent of Odisha's population benefited from the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. Today, despite Ayushman Bharat being in place, people are not getting medicines, and hospitals are not offering free treatment. "Thousands are suffering — mothers, the elderly, children, and cancer patients. The health system has collapsed. Out of 30 districts, 19 CDMO posts are lying vacant. Is this the success of the current government?' Speaking on the issue of women's empowerment, he said that under 'Mission Shakti', 70 lakh women were empowered. But in just one year, this movement has been weakened. Women are facing problems at banks and government offices. 'Many who once travelled to Dubai and Singapore are now sitting hopeless at home, their self-confidence shattered. This is being touted as the government's achievement,' alleged Patnaik. The BJD President also questioned the government's commitment towards farmers, asking what happened to the promises made during the elections by the ruling BJP regarding ending middlemen and ensuring MSP for all. Patnaik accused the state government of ignoring farmers who are now at the mercy of millers. 'Even agricultural loans have become difficult to access. Under BJD, Odisha saw record levels of irrigation. But ongoing projects have been stalled,' claimed Patnaik. Highlighting his government's achievements in the economic sector Patnaik asserted that when BJD took over in 2000, the state had a loan burden of Rs 18,000 crore and was running on overdrafts. 'By 2024, we left behind a surplus of Rs 45,000 crore. But today, the government is again running on record borrowings. In 2005-06, Odisha's poverty rate was 63.83 per cent. By 2023, it had come down to 11.07 per cent, lifting over 1 crore people above the poverty line. We made visible progress in IMR, MMR, and other development indicators,' Patnaik added. He said that BJD is committed to playing the role of a responsible Opposition as mandated by the people of Odisha. He urged the party leaders and grassroot workers to continue serving the people with dedication.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Low-cost test on anvil to detect life-threatening pregnancy complication of preeclampsia: expert
Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication, characterised by high blood pressure and kidney damage. It can endanger both the mother and the baby and, if left untreated, can progress to eclampsia, a life-threatening condition, according to S. Ananth Karumanchi, director of Renovascular Research Centre, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, the U.S. Dr. Ananth was in Visakhapatnam to deliver the Dr. GRK Raju Oration at the valedictory event of Waves 2025, the FOGSI Presidential Conference on Sunday (May 18). 'Preeclampsia affects both the mother and baby owing to high BP, and it can turn fatal for the mother. We have discovered molecules in blood that can be identified to detect the triggers of preeclampsia much before its onset. At present, the disease is being detected only after complications like high BP set in, affecting body organs. This new molecular test gives a much higher degree (92%) of accuracy than conventional tests,' Dr. Ananth told The Hindu on the sidelines of the conference. 'The molecular test has been approved by the US FDA and is being used in the U.S. and Europe. It's, however, very expensive right now. We are in the process of developing a low-cost test, and a study is being done in Delhi to validate the low-cost version. Once this gets approved, it can be a game changer to prevent the complications of preeclampsia in pregnant women and thereby bring down the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate(IMR) in developing countries,' he opines. On new therapies to combat eclampsia, Dr. Ananth says: 'As the pathway for early detection of preeclampsia has been found, we are in the process of developing RNA interference therapy, which can be given as a single dose during pregnancy.' 'An estimated 15% of maternal deaths during pregnancy in the world and 25% of [such] deaths in India are caused by preeclampsia. MMR [maternal mortality rate] is 93 in India and 45 in A.P.,' says T. Radha, the organising chairperson of the conference who had invited Dr. Ananth to update all the practitioners on the latest research on preeclampsia. 'After completing MBBS in Kilpauk Medical College in Chennai, Dr. Ananth pursued higher studies at Harvard University and later completed his Fellowship in Nephrology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. His path breaking research will usher in a paradigm shift in the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and provide solace to millions of pregnant women,' added Dr. Radha.
