Latest news with #Selokar
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Leprosy on rise, don't ignore skin patches
1 2 3 Nagpur: The city is witnessing a steady rise in leprosy cases, with 34 new cases in last two months, accroding to data released by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) health department. This has taken the total count of leprosy patients to 222 this year. Health officials from (NMC), who are urging citizens to immediately consult a doctor if they notice any pale, reddish patches or numb spots on their skin, as delayed diagnosis can lead to deformities and disabilities. Leprosy is one of the slowest spreading infectious diseases and is caused by the Mycobacterium leprae, which affects the skin and nervous system. Despite being fully curable with MDT (multi-drug therapy), stigma and ignorance still surround the disease, especially in east Vidarbha, where its prevalence remains high. "Not every patch is leprosy, but every patch needs to be examined," said Dr Deepak Selokar, medical health officer at NMC. "Look out for signs like skin patches, nodules, thickened earlobes, or weakness in limbs. Early detection ensures full recovery and prevents lifelong disability." Dr Selokar emphasised the importance of immediately visiting the nearest NMC urban primary health centre or informing local Asha workers for free screening and treatment. "Leprosy spreads mainly through close contact with untreated patients, so early diagnosis not only protects the patient but also their family," he added. Under the leadership of NMC commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, and addl commissioner Vasumana Pant, a leprosy awareness campaign is underway to fight stigma and promote early diagnosis. "Our health teams and Asha workers are proactively identifying cases and spreading awareness, but community cooperation is vital," said a senior health official. Leprosy symptoms may appear mild and painless but ignoring them could lead to irreversible nerve damage and visible deformities. Common symptoms of leprosy include pale or reddish numb patches on the skin, numbness or weakness in hands and feet, nodules or lumps on the body, thickened earlobes, and thinning of eyebrows.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Mayo sends 2 Covid samples to Neeri for genome sequencing
1 2 Nagpur: Days after two patients with comorbidities died at a private and a govt hospital recently, Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) forwarded samples of two Covid patients for genome sequencing to Neeri lab on Wednesday. IGGMCH officials said these samples belong to their employees who tested positive and have recovered. No new Covid case was reported on Tuesday and the city now has only two active Covid patients who are under home isolation. The NMC too is likely to send samples of the two recent Covid victims for genome sequencing. NMC medical officer (health) Dr Deepak Selokar told TOI that all health workers have been kept on alert and testing would be scaled up if needed. "Samples of influenza-like illness (ILI) patients are collected and sent to medical colleges for testing. But currently there is no surge of ILI patients. We had just 10 Covid cases in May and two active patients at present," he said. Dr Selokar added that the deceased patients had underlying health conditions, yet it was decided to consider such mortalities as Covid deaths if the tests are positive. "One of the patients' samples was taken on the day he died at GMCH. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en San Nicolás De Los Arroyos (ver precio) Verisure Undo The other patient, a woman, had diabetes and renal failure. She started showing symptoms of respiratory infection, and hence her sample was taken, which tested positive. Accordingly, we updated the deaths on the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) portal," he said. Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services, held a review meeting with representatives of Disaster Management Cell, Emergency Management Response Cell, National Centre for Disease Control, Indian Council of Medical Research, IDSP, and Central Government Hospitals in Delhi, along with representatives from all states and UTs, to evaluate the current Covid-19 situation and preparedness measures. The participants concurred that most cases are mild and managed under home care. Forty-four Covid deaths have been reported since January this year primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses. State and district surveillance units under IDSP are closely monitoring ILI and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) patients. Testing is recommended for all hospitalised SARI cases and 5% of ILI cases as per guidelines. Positive SARI samples are sent for whole genome sequencing through the ICMR-VRDL network.
