Docs to act for cancer awareness

For the last few days, Somnath Sonwalkar, an occupational therapist at KEM Hospital, Parel, has been a regular at the hospital's lawn after finishing work at the outpatient department.

Joining a group of theatre actors, Sonwalkar, 29, uses his college theatre experience to rehearse his lines to perfection for a street play against tobacco consumption.

On May 31 — World No Tobacco Day — Sonawalkar will be part of a 20-minute play at three different locations in Parel.
For the first time, the Mumbai chapter of the Indian Medical Association has organised a street play roping in medical and paramedical professionals along with the local 'Jidda' theatre group to raise awareness about ill effects of tobacco.
“We see several cases related to tobacco abuse and counsel them against its consumption. However, this play will allow us to talk to the general public and convince them in an different manner to stop using tobacco,” said Sonwalkar.
“The play peppered with songs will address issues such as reasons for smoking or chewing tobacco, effects of long term tobacco use and how to stop consumption,” said Dr Kishor Khushale, associate professor at KEM Hospital who has written and directed the play.
Rahul Bhandare, the hospital's ward boy, will assist with the play's music while three doctors will act as medical professionals providing information to patients and journalists.

Life-saving drugs at Govt Hospital soon

Rajahmundry: Development Committee of the Rajahmundry Government Hospital has resolved to purchase emergency medicines and to augment the basic facilities in the hospitals.

The meeting, which was presided by East Godavari District Collector Neetu Kumari Prasad, resolved to constitute a committee to purchase emergency medicines and to buy the drugs on the recommendations of the committee. It was also resolved to purchase air conditioners and fans in the emergency wards.

It was decided to use the National Rural Health Mission funds and the funds, which would be deposited through Rajiv Arogyashree Scheme for the purchases. She mentioned that the hospital committee meeting would be conducted in every three months and the directed the authorities to purchase emergency medicines and other commodities immediately.

She suggested that 165 KV generator should be purchased, which is required for the hospital and added that the repair works should be done for the ambulance. The District Collector urged the District Vidya Vidhana Parishath coordinator to purchase the medicine required by all the hospitals in the district on the feedback collected by the doctors.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajahmundry City MLA Routhu Suryaprakash Rao said that a dialysis unit was sanctioned for the Rajahmundry Government Hospital and it would be inaugurated very soon.

He assured that the MP and MLA developments funds would be used for the development of the government hospital. MLC Kandula Durgesh pledged Rs 5 lakh from his constituency development fund for the developmental works and urged the officials to show urgency in providing basic facilities in the hospital.

Hospital C member Jakkampudi Vijaya Lakshmi lamented that the patients are struggling due to lack of basic facilities and emergency medicines. Vidya Vidhana Parishath district coordinator, Dr M Chennayya said that the proposals were sent to purchase 165 KV generator for the hospital.

Hospital superintendent M Sulochana has asked for the permission to purchase AC machines, fans and other medical equipment for the hospital.

The committee has resolved to purchase two freezers additionally in the postmortem shed, to set up CC cameras in various departments in the hospital and monitor attendance of the doctors and the staff through bio-metric system.

India pledges free drugs for all citizens through public hospitals

The Indian government has said that it will make available free drugs in public hospitals in a bid to reduce the amount that patients spend out of their own pockets, which is tipping tens of thousands of households across the country into debt or poverty each year.

India’s health ministry is working with state governments to replicate nationwide a model for the free distribution of essential drugs at public health clinics and hospitals that has been successfully implemented over the past 15 years by the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The national government will cover 80% of the cost of the programme, which public health experts and health economists estimate will require about 60 billion rupees (£730m; €890m; $1.16bn) a year over the next five years.