Latest news with #RegionalMedicalResearchCentre
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Sample of Odisha Covid patient sent for testing
BHUBANESWAR: A day after a 75-year-old man tested positive for Covid-19, the Health and Family Welfare department on Thursday sent his sample for genome sequencing. This came amid a global uptick in the prevalence of a new sub-variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The elderly man, a city resident, had suffered from a cardiac arrest and then pneumonia, necessitating the test. He is undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The last Covid case was reported in the state in October last year. Official sources said the sample has been sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre, a unit of Indian Council of Medical Research, to ascertain whether the infection has been caused by an emerging variant or a previously circulating one. The genome sequencing assumes significance in the backdrop of the WHO's recent update listing LP.8.1 and XEC as the two SARS-CoV-2 variants currently under monitoring due to their increasing global prevalence. Health secretary Aswathy S advised people to remain calm and not to panic. 'There is no cause for alarm. The state government is maintaining strict vigilance and is fully prepared to handle any situation,' she said.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
State to ready action plan to curb snakebite deaths
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The Regional Medical Research Centre (ICMR-RMRC) here on Wednesday hosted a brainstorming session to finalise a 'state action plan' for snakebite incidents. The initiative aims to address the critical challenge of snakebites, which continue to claim lives, particularly in rural and tribal regions. Odisha reported around 1,000 cases of snakebite every year, sources said. "The brainstorming session has brought together key stakeholders to consolidate inputs. Experts deliberated on the critical components of the action plan and outlined a comprehensive path forward for effective snakebite management in Odisha, as it is a high-burden state for snakebite," said Dr Srikanta Kanungo, scientist and nodal officer for the master of public health programme at ICMR-RMRC. Participants focused on five themes, including engaging and empowering communities, effective, speedy and timely treatment for snakebite victims, capacity building and collaborative effort for grassroots level workers, and reporting and data collection. Director of public health Dr Nilakantha Mishra said, "The govt is worried about the increase in the number of snakebite deaths in the state. We are in the process of creating awareness on snakebite so that people will seek medical attention without delay. We are also empowering the health system so that snakebite victims get appropriate treatment. We have set a target to reduce the number of deaths by 50% before 2030." Emphasising the need for free and timely treatment for snakebite victims, Subhendu Mallik, general secretary of Snake Helpline, said, "If the first 4-5 days can be managed free of cost in private hospitals also, people will go to the first hospital with ICU facilities instead of a govt hospital, wasting precious time during the golden hour. Our govt is providing Rs 4 lakh compensation per each snakebite death. Why not then provide Rs 50,000- Rs 60,000 in the first 4-5 days and save the life of the snakebite victim?" Kanungo said, "We are expecting the state action plan to be ready before the monsoon so that many lives can be saved."
