Category Archives: Health

Ashray Akruti has made Ear and Hearing Care a Reality

Hyderabad: March 4, 2023: Ashray Akruti’s World hearing Day Celebrations has witnessed the importance of Ear and Hearing Care, creating awareness and making it a Reality. The event was attended by Chief Guest Ms. Sonali Deshpande Chief Trustee and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Persistent Foundation, Special Guest Mr. Shashi Reddy, Vice President (Engineering), Qualcomm, Guests of Honour Dr. Janardhan Rao Jagini, Cochlear Implant Surgeon, KIMS Hospital, Mr. George Mathew, Sr. Director, ADP, Mr. Ravi Shankar Marda, director with Premier Alloys and Chemicals Pvt Ltd, Mr. Nitin Sharma, Sr. Director Technology and Patent Counsel, Qualcomm, Mr. Vivekanandhan Somalingam, Sales Director- South Asia, Cochlear Medical Device company India Pvt Limited. Hearing Impaired Children along with their parents, Ashray Akruti employees, well-wisher’s and prominent personalities from different corporates. The event was conducted on 3rd March 2023, 11.00 am at The Plaza Hotel, Begumpet, Hyderabad.

Event started with auspicious lighting the lamp by Chief Guest and Guests of Honour. All the dignitaries and audience were moved by the life changing impact of Cochlear Implant surgeries. Tears rolled in the eyes of audience and everyone was emotional after witnessing the journey of the Hearing-impaired children. Chief Guest, Special Guest and Guests of honour has handed over the several hearing accessorise such as Sound Processors to the children.

While addressing the gathering Chief Guest Ms. Sonali Deshpande Chief Trustee and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Persistent Foundation has appreciated Ashray Akruti for its divine social cause and giving a new life to many Hearing-Impaired Children.

Later, Ashray Akruti has recognized the efforts of Positive Impact makers of the society especially their contribution in bringing the celebration of sound, education, skills etc among Hearing Impaired Children through CSR Awards. Mr. DPK Babu, Founder, Director, Ashray Akruti has presented the CSR Awards and also felicitated ENT Doctors for their remarkable contribution to the society especially for Children with Hearing Impairment.

Later, while addressing the gathering Mr. DPK Babu said, Hearing Impairment is an invisible disability if this disability is undetected at an early age. Ashray Akruti with its vast community outreach initiatives and CSR support is able to make a difference to the very young hearing-impaired children through its charitable initiatives.

The event concluded with the National Anthem in sign language by the WEST (Women Empowerment through Sign Language and Technology) program Trainees of Ashray Akruti followed by lunch.

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Your Happiness Matters at Happifyu.com; one-of-its kind portal launched to address mental health disorders

While the pandemic has been an eye-opener for many of us, exposing various and serious underlying mental health disorders, which are often left unnoticed among people of all age brackets alive. In an endeavour to bridge the demand gap between individuals and mental health professionals, a new online platform named – happifyu.com was launched recently.

Happifyu is a brain child of co-founders Divya Shah and Alok Saxena along with their partners Rajneesh Singh and Dr. Satnam Singh Deol. During the launch event a panel discussion was conducted to spread awareness on impact of mental health on individuals, homes and workplaces.

The panellists included Dr Nimesh G Desai, Former Director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi; Ms. Subha Chanrdrashekhar, Special Educator and Psychologist; Ms. Sonya Philip, Founder of Learning Matters; Ashish Goyal, Business Group Lead of Accenture; and Rajeev Mall, Vice President of Mondelez International.

Speaking about the inception and need for this platform, Ms Divya Shah said” The journey commenced in July 2020 as a small WhatsApp group to connect people during the covid19 lockdown. This small attempt helped people unwind, open, and talk about their emotional state, share their stories and helped build a community which supported each other during those testing times. Soon more people started to join from various parts of India and even abroad and helped us to shape it as an online radio channel ‘Radio diva’ solely dedicated to the cause.”

But after second wave and the grievances it brought forth, Radio Diva started conducting awareness sessions with counsellors and mental health experts to support people in issues of grief such as that of losing a loved one, anxiety of losing jobs and loneliness amongst all age groups.

“As the community grew, we also started getting requests for expert consults, we felt the need to convert it into an online platform to make it easier for everyone seeking help and to provide a faster way to connect to the experts; this laid the foundation for a need of a holistic platform and that was how happifyu.com was curated,” added Alok Saxena.

The team at Happifyu.com envisions to help individuals and organisations by conducting awareness and training programs, scientific assessment and evaluations on stress, anxiety, depression and various other issues that have an impact on organisations, individuals and the environment at home and workplaces. They offer a spectrum of therapists, clinical psychologists including hypnotherapists, coaches and mentors to assist individuals as well as organisations that are committed to provide for the over-all well-being of their workforce.

Talking at the launch, Rajeev Mall and Ashish Goyal shared the corporate perspective and said that there is a heightened awareness amongst organisations post the pandemic to create better workplaces for their teams. They added that organisations are actively taking steps on programs of mental health at workplaces.

Subha Chandrasekhar and Sonya Philip shared their experience on working with mental health for children and how home environment affects their growth.

Dr Nimesh pointed out that the stigma deters 80% of those affected from mental health to go to an expert on time. He emphasised that any changes in the behaviour leading to anger or sadness, any kind of suicidal thoughts are some alarming early signs and one must consult an expert.

According to a report by Deloitte from September 2022, poor mental health among employees cost Indian organisations around $14 Billion per year due to absenteeism and attrition. Their survey showed 80 % of Indian workforce reported issues of mental health.

Joint Replacement- Precision matters the most

Dr Ramneek Mahajan, Senior Director and Head, Joint Replacement unit (Knee and Hip), Max SMART Super Specialty Hospital, Saket , New Delhi

Why Knee replacement?

– Knee replacement surgery is a treatment for pain and disability in the knee. The most common condition that results in the need for knee replacement surgery is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is characterized by the breakdown of joint cartilage. Damage to the cartilage and bones limits movement and may cause pain. People with severe degenerative joint disease may be unable to do normal activities that involve bending at the knee, such as walking or climbing stairs, because they are painful. The knee may swell or “give-way” because the joint is not stable. The goal of knee replacement surgery is to resurface the parts of the knee joint that have been damaged and to relieve knee pain that cannot be controlled by other treatments. In determining whether a knee replacement is right for you, an orthopaedic surgeon assesses your knee’s range of motion, stability and strength. X-rays help determine the extent of damage.

Now, with an advancement of technology and innovation- Robotic joint replacement surgery is a new and exciting option for those needing hip or knee replacements. This new technology revolutionizes the way we think about joint replacement surgeries. Using robots to increase precision and accuracy during surgeries, results in shorter hospital stays, less pain and scarring, quicker recoveries, and improved outcomes for patients. The extra precision enabled by the robotic assisted technology should also prevent surgeons having to do redo hip and knee replacement operations that don’t work out the first time.

Myth -Robot will perform the surgery independently, but the actual fact, at no point the robot performs the surgery independently. It only assists the surgeon to perform the surgery with precision. It helps in creating precise bone cuts and implant alignment for patients Without the surgeon’s guidance, the robot cannot either move or make its own decisions.

Robotic joint replacement surgery is procedure that can be performed with minimal incisions, resulting in minimal scarring. It is performed using a computer-like electronic operating station where the surgeon operates a specialized camera and robotic arms to carry out the operation. Before the surgery, a CT scan is used to produce a 3D model of the patient’s knee. This helps the surgeon plan the surgery and also place the implant with the utmost accuracy. During the surgery, the robotic arm is used to precisely make cuts which are first planned on basis of 3D reconstructed CT images obtained pre surgery, as it works in designated safe boundary under control of surgeon holding the robotic arm it protects the surrounding tissue from unintentional damage. The surgery usually takes less than two hours for both knee joint and patients can typically go home in a day or two.

In Max SMART Super Speciality, Saket, MAKO system uses Triathlon Knee System (Stryker) which has 99.7% survivorship, rapid abandonment of crutches, lesser Anterior Knee pain and reduction in physiotherapy sessions. Robotic surgery preserves all the natural structures of the joint (less tissue damage), ensures minimal pain and early recovery

Happiest Health to Host Future of Medicine Summit

Bengaluru, March 2023: Health and wellness knowledge enterprise, by Ashok Soota, Chairman, of Happiest Health, is excited to announce our flagship summit, Future Of Medicine, on the 9th of March 2023 in Bangalore. The futuristic summit will focus on discussing innovative technologies that are transforming the future of medicine. The venue is Taj M.G. Road, Bangalore.

The Summit offers insights from research experts and thought leaders on four fundamental pillars shaping the Future of Medicine:

Gut Microbiome

Prof Arjan Narbad, Group Leader at Quadram Institute Bioscience , Norwich, UK. Human Gut Microbiome As A Source Of Novel Medicines.

Dr Yogesh Shouche, Professor, School of Arts & Sciences, Azim Premji University, Bangalore. Human Microbiome: A Global Snapshot Of Variation In Health And Disease.

Technology & Bioinformatics

Dr Paul Salins, MD, Narayana Hrudayalaya Multispecialty Hospital & Mazumdar Shaw Medical Foundation. How Technology And AI Are Shaping The Future Of Medicine

Stem Cell Research

Dr Jyoti Nangalia, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, UK. Understanding Ageing In Blood.

Genetics

Prof Sanjeev Jain, Principal Investigator, SKAN projects@ NIMHANS. Next-Gen Sequencing To Next-Gen Psychiatry:

Molecular Biology From The Bedside & Bench

Additionally, there will also be a fireside chat and a panel discussion on the usage of AI and medical devices for Smart Healthcare. With around 250 expected attendees and a vast audience reach, the event will serve as a platform for industry professionals to communicate and network around the latest trends in healthcare, allowing for the exchange of ideas and thoughts that will define the medical landscape in the years ahead.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor hands over the State-of-the-art Community Health Centre (Bidadi) to Ramanagara District Health Department to support affordable healthcare in the region

Bangalore, March 3rd 2023: In line with its commitment to support the growing healthcare needs of the local communities, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today handed over the state-of-the-art Community Health Centre (CHC), to Ramanagara district health department – Government of Karnataka, located at Bidadi (near Bangalore, Karnataka). This newly constructed CHC was inaugurated by Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education & IT/BT and Ramanagara district in-charge – Government of Karnataka, Dr. K Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister of Medical Education & Health – Government of Karnataka, and Mr. A. Manjunath, Hon’ble MLA of Magadi constituency – Government of Karnataka. The event also witnessed the presence of senior executives from TKM, Mr. Raju B. Ketkale, Executive Vice President and Mr. Sudeep. S. Dalvi, Senior Vice President & Chief Communication Officer.

The CHCs plays an integral role in the overall healthcare infrastructure of a nation. Needless to mention, it is essential to provide quality healthcare facilities which are not only affordable but are also accessible to citizens across geographies.

The Community Health Centre, built by TKM, is spread across 15,000 square feet with one building block including ground and first floor facilities that shall cater to more than 120,000 patients. With a cumulative investment of INR 13.3 crores, this facility also includes an exclusive oxygen plant set-up for the benefit of the patients, thereby enhancing the modern facilities needed for emergency medical treatments. The CHC unit also has an Outpatient Department (OPD)s for Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dental, Anaesthetist, Emergency Ward (male and female wards), amongst other facilities.

TKM places sustainability at the forefront of all its initiatives and the newly built CHC has been designed and developed keeping in mind energy efficiency, water conservation and longevity. The building is in the process of getting a Green Building certification and is also the first CHC project that TKM has invested in, with a vision to provide modern health facilities, to combat any health emergencies.

Commenting on this development in the region, Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education & IT/BT and Ramanagara district in-charge, Government of Karnataka, said, “Access to healthcare facility is the basic right of every citizen and Community Health Centres are of extreme importance when we want to reach out to every citizen in the state. The Government of Karnataka has always given Healthcare and necessary infrastructure paramount importance and it gives me immense pleasure today to be here at the inauguration of the Community Health Centre in Bidadi, through which we can support 120,000 citizens access quality healthcare facilities. Toyota’s support in developing this Centre is commendable and we are confident this will go a long way in serving the community, at the grassroot level.”

Marking the inauguration of CHC, Dr. K. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister of Medical Education and Health, Government of Karnataka, commented “Providing access to affordable and quality healthcare facilities has been a constant endeavour by the Government of Karnataka. We believe everyone is entitled to a healthy lifestyle, detection and prevention of diseases and illness. All of this leads to a healthy community, ecosystem and environment, which we strive to maintain at all times. We are happy to collaborate with Toyota Kirloskar Motor for developing this Community Health Centre and hope to have more such collaborations.”

Commenting on this occasion, Mr. A Manjunath, Hon’ble MLA – Magadi Constituency, Government of Karnataka, stated “This new facility is a testament to our shared commitment with Toyota Kirloskar Motor in providing quality healthcare services to all. We are happy that the people of Bidadi and nearby areas will be able to access the brand-new Community Health Centre which will provide a variety of medical facilities and help in addressing the needs of people across age groups in the community. “

Speaking during the handover of CHC, Mr. Raju B Ketkale, Executive Vice President of Toyota Kirloskar Motors said, “We are proud to be part of this initiative, which aims to provide quality healthcare services to the local community. The new CHC in Bidadi is an important addition to the local healthcare infrastructure and is expected to benefit over 1.2 lakh people. We believe that healthcare is a basic human right and are committed to supporting initiatives that promote better health outcomes.”

TKM continues to contribute positively to the local communities where it operates in. The company has undertaken several community development projects aimed at improving the lives of people. The handing over of the new CHC is a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards creating a healthy community and for the betterment of the larger society. With sustained contributions to the society, so far TKM has touched 2 million community lives. In this direction, TKM remains committed to enhance its social reach to make meaningful differences towards creating an ever better & happier society through various significant interventions.

Overview of TKM

Overview of TKM 1st Plant:

Overview of TKM 2nd Plant:

United Way Delhi Empowers Frontline Workers with Mental Health Awareness Program

Gurugram, Sohna 2nd March 2023: United Way Delhi, a non-profit organisation, has conducted a three-day mental health awareness program for frontline workers in Village Sohna from 27th February to 1st March 2023. The training program was organised under the Mental Health Pilot Initiative for Women of Rural Community at the Civil Hospital in Sohna, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The program was facilitated by Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, MBBS, MS MCH GB Pant Hospital, and director of Global Mediclinic, with the support of many co-facilitators from Global Mediclinic and United Way Delhi. A total of 29 frontline workers from Village Sohna and 16 from United Way Delhi participated in the program.

Talking about the training program Sachin Gowalkar, CEO – United Way Delhi said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the importance of mental health and wellbeing as a critical issue affecting societies worldwide. Despite the social stigma attached to the subject, mental health problems have worsened due to a lack of awareness, access to quality care and support groups, and early screening and specialised care services, especially in rural areas.”

Lauding the significant efforts of the government Gowalkar added – “The government has already taken steps to tackle these challenges, and the United Way of Delhi has launched the “Svasti” program in Sohna, Haryana to improve mental wellbeing for women and vulnerable groups in rural areas. The program aims to increase access to mental health services. A baseline has been established, and the first round of capacity building for 29 frontline workers (from February 27th to March 1st, 2023) has been completed with the support of the Health and WCD Department. The intervention aims to address sensitization and capacity gaps to enable early screening of the population. We are also assisting the District Administration in upgrading the resource centre for mental wellbeing at Civil Hospital, Sohna. There are several more interventions planned.”

The training program covered various topics, including understanding mental health and disorders, special focus on women, knowledge of National Mental Health Programme-DMHP, severe and common mental disorders, mental health first aid, positive mental health and mental wellbeing, and community-based system promotion.

The program aimed to equip frontline workers, including ANM, Asha Workers, and Anganwadi Workers, with the knowledge and skills required to identify and respond to mental health issues among rural communities effectively. The SMO from Civil Hospital joined the training program and expressed appreciation for the collaboration between United Way Delhi and Dr. Sanjeev Global Mediclinic. During the training, the SMO shared various examples of mental health patients and encouraged everyone to participate in this social cause. The participants also applauded the training and expressed their gratitude to United Way Delhi and Dr. Sanjeev Kumar for organising such a beneficial program.

Women Inspiring Network and Ficci G20 Empower Come Together to Celebrate International Women’s Day

New Delhi, Wednesday, 2nd March 2023: This International Women’s Day, Women Inspiring Network (WIN), an inspirational storytelling network, joins hands with FICCI G20 Empower, an accelerating women’s leadership action-driven alliance for a Global Mentoring Walk taking place on 2nd March 2023 at FICCI House New Delhi. Global Mentoring Walk will be attended by women leaders from across the fields of corporate, business, entrepreneurship, designers, influencers, and others. The panel discussion is also organized where the women leaders will share insights on various issues that women face in today’s time.

Stuti Jalan, Founder of Women Inspiring Network (WIN) believes “One of the most important things for young women to understand is that there are no boundaries and they can achieve anything they want to. It is of the utmost importance for us as women leaders to ensure that the right support and resources are made available to women in different walks of life for their ultimate holistic advancement. On this occasion of International Women’s Day, we are grateful to this dynamic group for coming together for the Global Mentoring Walk, which is an opportunity for women in our community, and around the world, to unite around a common purpose. Together, we will pave the way for the next generation of women leaders. Women Inspiring Network (WIN) in collaboration with FICCI, G20 Empower to join hands with the mutual goal of mentoring and connecting with one another to promote upliftment, because power expands the moment it is shared. “

Each year the Mentoring Walks take place in celebration of International Women’s Day. The Vital Voices global network of women leaders in more than 60 countries around the world, will host Mentoring Walks, sending the powerful message that women leaders around the world are giving back and investing in the next generation. Mentoring provides a unique opportunity for rising women leaders to unleash their full potential —and for established women leaders to share their successes and help future generations of women leaders grow and develop.

Thus, following the lead, Women Inspiring Network and FICCI G20 Empower are organizing the Global Mentoring Walk, where they want to encourage and strengthen women’s economic participation and leadership, increase women’s overall participation and strengthen the share of women in leadership positions, including growth in millennial leaders, women in startups, women in investment management, women in local and rural business communities, and women in SMEs.

The event will be graced by women changemakers like Payal Kanwar (Director General of Indo-French Chamber), Payal Jain (Designer), Angelique Dhama (CEO of Obeetee Carpets, Retail), Taranjeet Kaur (Project manager of Metabolic Balance India), Naina Ruhail (Founder and Co-CEO, Vanity Wagon), Malika Sadnani (Entrepreneur), Shivani Malik (Da Milano), Shailja Dutt (Corporate), Nidhi Modi (Entrepreneur- Mammlys), Harpreet Suri (Influencer), Akshra Dalal (JD Institue) and many more. It aims to inspire, learn, network, and celebrate women who are change-makers from different arenas and professions.

The panel discussion will raise awareness about careers for Women, Wellness, and Entrepreneurship. Through this Global Mentoring Walk, we want to encourage and strengthen women’s economic participation and leadership, increase women’s overall participation and strengthen the share of women in leadership positions, including growth in millennial leaders, women in startups, women in investment management, women in local and rural business communities, and women in SMEs.

Women Inspiring Network (WIN) has previously held several online webinars promoting various causes such as Breast Cancer Awareness, a Networking event at Qorum, Collaboration with Jai Hind College and Arthanomics, and online workshops and webinars.

Details of the event–

Day & Date: Thursday, 2nd March 2023

Time: IST 4:00-6:00 PM

Venue: FICCI House

Comedian Bharti Singh Reaches Famous Kidney Failure Hospital, HIIMS Meerut to Get Treatment for Her Mother’s Kidney.

New Delhi: Comedian Bharti Singh reached HIIMS Meerut for the treatment of her mother and mother-in-law. Both of them are undergoing treatment for kidney disease through naturopathy. HIIMS Meerut is an integrated hospital, which treats severe diseases through Naturopathy, Ayurveda and Homeopathy. HIIMS Meerut is Asia’s largest Institute of Naturopathy and Integrated Science with a capacity of 1000 beds. Here treatment is done under the guidance of Acharya Manish, founder of HIIMS and Dr BRC, an expert in naturopathy.

In a statement, Bharti’s mother said that after getting treatment from here, she has experienced a lot of improvement in her health. She now feels no need to take insulin injections at all. Witnessing the improvement in her mother’s health, Bharti herself visited HIIMS Meerut and received Neem Karela therapy, by which she was extremely impressed. After receiving this therapy, she felt that all the toxins were coming out of her body. When Bharti’s mother-in-law also faced the same problem, Bharti advised her to go to HIIMS Meerut as well. Both Bharti’s mother and mother-in-law are undergoing treatment in HIIMS Meerut and are feeling much better than before for which they are extremely thankful to the doctors and the team here.

Many incurable diseases like kidney failure, liver failure, cancer, thalassemia and autoimmune are successfully treated at HIIMS through lifestyle changes, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Panchakarma.

HIIMS is famous all over the country for its treatment of kidney failure. HIIMS Shuddhi Ayurveda centres have been established in many other cities of India apart from Meerut such as Chandigarh, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Sangrur, Bhagalpur, Gurugram, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Delhi and Goa. More than 200 specialist doctors are rendering their services in these centers across the country.

Health services platform launched by DrAtHome allows remote tracking of patient health by doctors real-time

Precision Medicine in Cardiovascular Care: Personalizing Treatment for Improved Outcomes

Dr. Brajmohan Singh, Consultant – Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, HCG Hospitals, Ahmedabad.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally. It includes a range of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias. While traditional treatments for cardiovascular disease have been effective, they are not always tailored to the individual patient’s needs. This is where precision medicine comes in, offering the potential to provide more personalized treatment options for patients.

Precision medicine involves using a patient’s unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors to tailor their medical care. It allows doctors to develop more targeted therapies that take into account an individual’s specific needs and characteristics. In the field of cardiovascular care, precision medicine has the potential to transform the way these conditions are diagnosed and treated. This approach requires the use of advanced technologies such as genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to identify genetic and molecular biomarkers that can predict a patient’s response to treatment.

Precision medicine has been applied in cardiovascular care to identify genetic variants associated with statin response, a widely used class of drugs that lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. While not all patients respond to statin therapy and some may experience side effects, clinicians can use this approach to tailor statin therapy to each patient’s unique genetic makeup, thereby maximizing its effectiveness and minimizing adverse reactions.

Additionally, it has also been applied in cardiovascular care to identify biomarkers that can predict the risk of adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke. Through a combination of genetic, molecular, and clinical data, clinicians can pinpoint patients who are at a higher risk of experiencing adverse events and customize their treatment plan to address their specific needs.

Moreover, it has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of heart failure, a complex and heterogeneous disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Current treatments are often inadequate, given the multiple underlying causes. By considering underlying causes such as genetic and environmental factors, precision medicine approaches offer the potential for more effective and personalized treatment of heart failure.

While precision medicine offers potential benefits in cardiovascular care, there are also some challenges to its widespread adoption. For example, genetic testing can be expensive, and not all patients have access to this technology. Additionally, there is a need for more research to identify new drug targets and develop personalized therapies for cardiovascular disease. There are also ethical and legal considerations surrounding the use of genetic and molecular data in clinical practice.

Despite the challenges, precision medicine provides a new way to personalize care and improve outcomes in cardiovascular disease. By taking into account an individual’s unique characteristics, including genetic and environmental factors, precision medicine can identify subgroups of patients who are more likely to benefit from a specific treatment, minimize side effects, and improve overall outcomes. The future of cardiovascular care is personalized, and precision medicine is paving the way for a new era in personalized treatment.