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Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
One In Five Adolescents In Delhi Sleep Deprived
New Delhi: Are you a youngster and sleepless in Delhi? Well, you aren't alone. One in five adolescents in the city is experiencing clinical sleep deprivation, according to a new study. The findings emerged from research jointly conducted by doctors at Sir Gangaram Hospital's Institute of Child Health and the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC). The assessment involved students from nine educational institutions located in central Delhi. The study, involving 1,521 students aged 12-18 years, found that 22.5% had insufficient sleep while 60% showed depressive symptoms, indicating an urgent need for mental health support. Academic scores differed significantly, with sleep-deprived students achieving 64% versus 67% among well-rested students. Moreover, 65.7% of the participants experienced mild to moderate cognitive challenges, showing the impact of poor sleep on academic achievement. Dr Latika Bhalla, senior consultant adolescent paediatrician at Institute of Child Health told TOI that proper sleep is crucial for learning capabilities and emotional regulation. Sleep deficit, she noted, could result in reduced academic performance and psychological challenges. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), sleep deprivation is "a condition where one doesn't get enough sleep to support optimal health, alertness and functioning". The current findings confirm that insufficient sleep adversely affects academic results, mental health and daily activities. Dr Bhalla indicated that the study's findings were significant and concerning, particularly regarding the high prevalence of depressive indicators and sleep insufficiency in adolescents. The study, she said, is a pioneering effort to enable evidence-based discussion about effects of sleep patterns on cognitive, emotional and physical well-being among school-going youth. Highlighting India's lack of proper sleep education programmes or policies for teenagers, Dr Bhalla said the research offers evidence-based suggestions to address this gap. The findings were presented to the health ministry on Friday. Researchers suggested training teachers and counsellors about adolescent sleep and screentime impact, displaying the Tele-MANAS helpline in schools, training Ayushma Arogya Mandir teams in sleep counselling, and implementing digital detox drives for fixed routines and screen curfews. They also recommended encouraging physical activity through Khelo India and supporting delayed school start times aligned with adolescent biology. The suggestions included incorporating sleep education into school curricula, such as sleep health modules in NCERT's secondary and senior secondary programmes, covering sleep importance, deprivation effects, common disorders, and good sleep practices. The researchers recommended conducting sessions to help educators recognise sleep issues and understand their health and academic impact, providing them with early intervention and referral strategies, and enabling teachers as 'sleep sentinels' to encourage healthy sleep habits. Moreover, they suggested that educators monitor daytime sleepiness indicators, including in-class drowsiness, reduced academic performance and behavioural changes, and share their observations during parent-teacher meetings. To highlight any concerns that may attention, they can include a 'red flag' section. Dr Sanjay Manchanda, chairman of department of sleep medicine at Sir Gangaram Hospital, observed that adolescent sleep problems often indicate future adult sleep disorders, stating, "Not thinking of sleep as essential is the biggest disorder." He supported policy changes regarding school timings, citing global studies and the report's suggestion to adjust school hours to match adolescent sleep patterns. He emphasised that early-life sleep disruptions can have enduring neurocognitive effects. Dr Aashima Dabas, professor in the department of paediatrics, MAMC and Lok Nayak Hospital, said late-night screen use and binge-watching, which disrupt natural rhythms and affect cognitive function, can disturb sleep cycles. She also noted that current schedules hinder alert, productive mornings. Dr Deepak Kumar, professor and head of psychiatry, IHBAS, observed that adolescent sleep issues often develop into adult mental health problems and require early intervention.
Business Recorder
30-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Spurious, sub-standard drugs: NA body grills DRAP
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC), Thursday, grilled the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) for ineffective monitoring and failure to control the spread of spurious, unregistered and sub-standard drugs across the country. The committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, MNA to discuss various pressing issues related to health, licensing of drugs, homeopathic and alternative drugs as well as three amendment bills. The committee disposed-off 'The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2024', moved by Shaista Pervaiz, MNA. Whereas, the debate on 'The Islamabad Healthcare Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2024', moved by Shaista Pervaiz Malik and 'The Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2024', moved by Abdul Qadir Patel, MNA were deferred due to absence of movers. Discussing the matters pertaining to the working and performance of the DRAP, the committee highlighted the acute shortage of resources, pending recruitments and the need for a robust regulatory framework to address pharmaceutical malpractice. It was recommended that rules for filling vacant positions in DRAP be expedited, alongside efforts to strengthen inspection mechanisms for pharmaceutical products and vaccines. Members also stressed the importance of harmonising drug licensing procedures to reduce delays and ensure the availability of quality-assured medicines. The committee urged DRAP to adopt a more proactive approach in monitoring drug efficacy, availability and pricing to safeguard public health interests. The committee members also recommended enhancing the existing penalties for non-compliance of standards. Additionally, the need to prioritize local manufacturing of essential vaccines was emphasised to minimise reliance on imports and ensure a steady supply. The committee commended DRAP for its efforts to digitize the drug licensing application process. It was noted that a standardised harmonised form has been developed to streamline licensing procedures. The committee emphasised the importance of establishing clear and stringent rules for drug licensing to enhance transparency and efficiency. Additionally, the committee directed DRAP to share the finalised licensing rules in the next meeting. Briefing the panel, Dr Obaidullah, chief executive officer (CEO) DRAP said that the organisation was facing serious shortage of staff not only at senior level but junior level, adding that monitoring and controlling of spurious, substandard and unregistered drugs was not only DRAP's responsibility but largely provincial governments' were responsible for it as health after 18th constitutional amendment was a devolved subject. He said that the DRAP was making all possible efforts to ensure effective regulation across the board and to deal with the staff shortage board has sent a summary to the federal government. The committee discussed several issues such as the regulation of food standards, healthcare governance and recruitment practices. The committee members expressed concerns over the Ministry of Science and Technology's delay in addressing unresolved matters related to food product standards, particularly the introduction of front-of-package warnings. Recognising the adverse health impacts of ultra-processed foods, the committee recommended imposing a levy on such products. The revenue generated would support health promotion initiatives aimed at combating non-communicable diseases. The issue of administrative inefficiencies and recruitment delays at institutions such as Polyclinic and the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) was also discussed in depth. Members urged immediate action to ensure transparency and fairness in hiring practices. The committee directed the ministry to submit detailed reports on recruitment processes and measures to enhance institutional accountability in the next meeting. The meeting was attended by MNAs, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Sabheen Ghoury, Farah Naz Akbar, Dr Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Aliya Kamran, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Shahram Khan, Dr Amjad Ali Khan, Shabbir Ali Qureshi, Azimud Din Zahid Lakhwi in person, whereas, Nisar Ahmed, MNA attended virtually. The minister for NHSR&C, the secretary along with senior officers from the ministry and its attached departments attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
02-03-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
HSA to fill 423 posts for health projects
The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) has tasked the Health Services Academy (HSA) for recruitment on 423 vacant posts ranging between BPS 1 to 22 for 10 more different public health projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). According to Controller of Examinations and Focal Person for PSDP projects at HSA, Nadeem Sajjad Kiyani, the academy has already successfully completed the recruitment process for five major teaching hospitals in the federal capital, where a screening test was conducted transparently for more than 150,000 candidates. The recruitment process will involve screening tests, psychological tests, skill and trade tests, and multiple other stages for the 71,487 applicants who have applied for the new positions. He further explained that all testing phases will be conducted following international standards, utilising advanced assessment technology to eliminate any possibility of errors or corruption. The use of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) systems will ensure the transparency of written exams, while the skill and trade tests will effectively assess candidate's actual competencies.
