Articles by Somita Pal
City’s mental health helpline got 1.19 lakh calls in three years
Data from the helpline highlights people’s growing struggle to cope with the demands of a fast-paced lifestyle. Twenty-four percent of calls were related to depression, 22 percent to anxiety and seven percent involved suicidal thoughts. The service provides counselling and support tailored to individual mental health challenges
Updated on Feb 05, 2024 06:58 AM IST
Foreign grad faces hurdles in registering as doctor
A medical graduate from China, who passed the FMGE and completed a year-long internship, has been denied permanent registration as a medical practitioner by the Maharashtra Medical Council due to a two-year internship requirement imposed by a new notification. The graduate argues that the requirement does not apply to her since she cleared the FMGE before the notification was issued. The council has rejected her application twice and she is considering legal action. There are several similar cases pending with the council, which is currently operating without a committee.
Updated on Feb 01, 2024 07:46 AM IST
10-year old brain-dead boy’s organs donated at Nanavati Hospital
This is the fifth cadaver organ donation in the city and the second in Nanavati hospital in 48 hours. However, it took nearly 10 hours to convince police officials at the Santacruz police station to give a No Objection Certificate (NOC)
Updated on Feb 01, 2024 07:30 AM IST
Over 63K new TB cases in 2023. BMC calls it a result of better search and diagnostics
New tuberculosis (TB) cases in Mumbai have reached pre-pandemic levels for the second consecutive year, with 63,644 new cases recorded in 2023. The increase is attributed to better search and diagnostics efforts by the city's health officials. However, TB activist Ganesh Acharya emphasized the importance of administering medicines to patients on time and addressing potential drug shortages. India has the highest burden of TB cases globally, with Mumbai reporting the highest number of cases.
Updated on Jan 31, 2024 07:42 AM IST
Govt officials to attend funerals of organ donors
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed health department officials to attend funerals of organ donors to boost cadaver donations in the state. This move aims to provide support to the families of organ donors and increase awareness about cadaver donations, including among the police. The government's decision also aims to streamline administrative processes and provide comfort to grieving relatives during the mourning period. Maharashtra saw 149 cadaver organ donations in 2023, with Pune recording the highest number in a single city.
Updated on Jan 29, 2024 07:26 AM IST
Alert doctor at Dr Ambedkar Hospital averts tragedy
The incident occurred at around 1.50am on Sunday, and six patients who were under treatment at the hospital’s 10-bed ICU on the ground floor were promptly shifted out
Updated on Jan 22, 2024 08:26 AM IST
Everyday heroes spread sunshine outside Tata Memorial Hospital
Every day, approximately 3,500 patients visit the Mumbai OPD, among them outstation patients who sometimes have to live in this inordinately expensive city
Updated on Jan 22, 2024 04:43 PM IST
Cop who underwent sex change surgery becomes father
A police constable in Mumbai, Lalit Salve, who underwent sex-reassignment surgery to become a man, has become a father and plans to provide a gender-neutral environment for his child. Salve, who underwent the surgery in 2017, is now offering counselling to others seeking sex reassignment. He highlighted the importance of family support and warned about the high cost of private surgery, with only two public hospitals in Mumbai offering the procedure. The surgery process typically takes more than two years, including pre-operative counselling and hormone therapy.
Updated on Jan 20, 2024 07:54 AM IST
JJ Hospital advances med education with virtual dissection table for MBBS students
Sir JJ Hospital in Mumbai is introducing a virtual dissection table in its anatomy department to address the shortage of cadaver bodies for study. The project, costing ₹2.77 crore, will provide high-resolution 3-D imaging and intuitive software, enabling medical students to simulate cadaver dissections and refine their surgical skills. The virtual dissection table will also offer a digital rendition of the human cadaver and a library of anatomical structures and pathologies to enhance students' understanding of complex structures. However, some experts stress the importance of practicing on real human bodies for hands-on experience.
Updated on Jan 19, 2024 08:04 AM IST
KEM gets licence to perform heart transplants, first public hosp in state
Mumbai's King Edward Memorial hospital is set to start a heart transplant programme, becoming the first public hospital in the state to do so. The hospital plans to purchase the necessary equipment and seek guidance from experienced heart surgeons to start the service this year. Currently, heart transplants are commonly performed in private hospitals in the city, with a waiting list of 51 patients. The introduction of a heart transplant programme in a public hospital is expected to reduce the cost of the procedure and boost cadaver organ donations.
Updated on Jan 16, 2024 07:37 PM IST
Tata hospital finds a cheaper option to treat chemo-induced vomiting
The current recommended standard dose (10 mg) is associated with a troublesome side effect of excessive daytime sleepiness. This again is detrimental as the patient remains inactive for 3-4 days and hence, cannot be given to the majority of patients world over
Updated on Jan 14, 2024 07:14 AM IST
HC to address concerns over lack of custodian for Living Wills
The Bombay High Court is set to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the failure of local administrations to appoint a custodian for living wills, nearly a year after the Supreme Court simplified the guidelines for passive euthanasia. The PIL highlights the struggle to identify a custodian and calls for the court to direct the local administration to promptly appoint one. It also calls for the creation of awareness among the public and healthcare professionals regarding notarizing living wills.
Updated on Jan 12, 2024 08:12 AM IST
‘App seeks to raise mental health awareness, close treatment gap’
Dr Neena Sawant, professor of psychiatry at KEM Hospital, Parel, has unveiled a distinctive app focusing on mental well-being. In an interview with Hindustan Times, she shared insights on the app and its purpose in assisting individuals with mental health assessments
Updated on Jan 10, 2024 07:50 AM IST
Bond served in BMC hospitals through parallel counselling null and void: DMER
The one-year mandatory bond served by senior resident doctors in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-run medical colleges will be considered null and void. This decision aims to prevent the BMC from giving preference to their students, leaving other students from the state at a disadvantage. The move has been welcomed by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, but the BMC MARD opposes it and threatens to go on mass leave from January 15. The centralised state-level counselling conducted by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research is seen as more transparent and merit-based.
Updated on Jan 09, 2024 07:46 AM IST
MUHS launches mental well-being programme for resident doctors
The Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has proposed a mental well-being programme with the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to address the mental health issues of resident doctors in the state. The decision was made during a townhall meeting held at the university's headquarters in Nashik. This is the first time MUHS has held a townhall with resident doctors in response to conflicts between professors and resident doctors, along with allegations of mental harassment. MUHS has also suggested introducing scientific and hobby clubs to help doctors with stress.
Updated on Jan 08, 2024 08:10 AM IST
What is the meaning of ‘moderate’ AQI in this haze?
Residents complain of an uptick in respiratory infections and illnesses, even as doctors advise children, and the elderly to avoid going outdoors
Updated on Jan 06, 2024 04:51 AM IST
Now, resident docs get a platform to air grievances against seniors
In response to escalating conflicts between professors and resident doctors, backed by allegations of mental harassment, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has decided to conduct its first townhall with resident doctors on Sunday
Updated on Jan 04, 2024 07:36 AM IST
KEM Hospital to resume liver transplant service with state-of-the-art facilities
Mumbai's King Edward Memorial Hospital is set to restart its liver transplant unit with five dedicated ICU units, after suspending the program during the Covid-19 pandemic. The hospital has a waiting list of 23 patients and has invested in state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. The liver transplant program will be led by renowned surgeon Dr Ravi Mohanka and will offer surgeries at a significantly lower cost than private hospitals. The hospital has also implemented a "WhatsApp detection program" to identify brain-dead patients for potential organ donations.
Updated on Jan 03, 2024 08:42 AM IST
Tata Memorial Centre proposes hub-and-spoke model to address soaring cancer cases
The proposal aims to establish 30 to 40 specialised hubs, with each hub catering to a population of five to six crore, and accompanying spoke centres offering treatment to as many as one crore people
Updated on Dec 29, 2023 07:38 AM IST
Doctors root for new guidelines to gauge and manage obesity
Eight doctors in Mumbai have prescribed new obesity guidelines based on associated functional, psychological, and metabolic conditions, challenging the previous guidelines that only considered Body Mass Index (BMI). The new guidelines emphasize the importance of treating obesity in individuals with moderate obesity and co-morbidities. The doctors have graded obesity into four stages for preventive action, taking into account the impact on physical, mental, and metabolic well-being. The guidelines aim to provide expert recommendations and an adaptable algorithm for obesity management in India, considering factors such as patient psychology and long-term outcomes.
Updated on Dec 28, 2023 07:52 AM IST
No end to MRI woes at Nair Hospital
The MRI machine at BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai has been dysfunctional for a week due to a lack of helium gas. Patients are being referred to other hospitals. The machine previously broke down in September and the hospital is currently in the process of buying a new one.
Updated on Dec 27, 2023 07:30 AM IST
Maharashtra University of Health Sciences to start research wing on infectious diseases next month
The research wing will be led by Dr Jayanthi Shastri, the ex-microbiology head of the department of BYL Nair Hospital, who was heading the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory
Updated on Dec 26, 2023 06:52 AM IST
Sewri TB Hospital to start 10-bed intensive care unit from Feb
Asia's largest tuberculosis hospital in Mumbai, Sewri TB Hospital, will open a 10-bed intensive care unit (ICU) in February 2024 for tuberculosis patients with acute respiratory failure. The decision was made following a report highlighting the struggle of a patient to find an ICU bed in Mumbai hospitals. The hospital is currently in the process of hiring intensivists and a team to handle the ICU. TB patients often require high flow oxygen, which the ICU can provide. TB activists are calling for more ICU beds for TB patients in public hospitals in the city.
Updated on Dec 25, 2023 07:04 AM IST
State plans door-to-door care for mental health patients
The state health department in Mumbai will soon begin door-to-door services for mental health patients in an effort to reduce long stays in hospitals. A team comprised of primary and community healthcare workers, as well as nurses and doctors, will visit patients at home for follow-ups and treatment. The aim is to stabilise patients in hospital before monitoring their medication and care at home. The team will also provide other medical assistance if necessary. The department is planning to reduce patients' visits to primary healthcare centres by keeping a stock of medicines at the centres.
Updated on Dec 23, 2023 08:32 AM IST
Five months after landslide, Irshalwadi remains engulfed in sadness
The landslide of July 19 killed 29 villagers while 87 went missing beneath the mud and rubble. The remaining members of the community are still wondering when destiny will be done dealing them a rough hand
Updated on Dec 18, 2023 08:04 AM IST
No stopping after retirement: Dr Badwe to strengthen breast cancer dept at TMH
Dr Badwe joined Tata Hospital in July 1983 as a resident doctor and became a director in 2008. He got an extension as a director earlier. While there were only two hospitals- TMH in Parel and ACTREC in Kharghar when Dr Badwe took over as a director of TMC
Updated on Nov 30, 2023 07:02 AM IST
TMH study finds pediatric cancer survival rate shooting up
Of a total of 14,043 patients treated by the department between 2010 and 2018, 10,799 have survived, resulting in an overall survival rate of 48 percent throughout the study period. Dr Shripad Banavali, director of academics at TMC
Updated on Nov 30, 2023 06:54 AM IST
After CM’s intervention, hospital discharges patient amid billing controversy
Halima Sayed, 62, was discharged from Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai after a 36-hour ordeal due to a billing dispute. Despite her sons paying ₹7.9 lakh of the ₹11-lakh bill, the hospital insisted on full payment before releasing her. The issue was resolved after the chief minister’s office intervened. The incident highlights the need for government regulation of pricing in private healthcare. The Bombay High Court has previously called the practice of detaining patients over disputed bills "inhuman".
Updated on Nov 29, 2023 08:00 AM IST
Somita Pal, Mumbai
Breach Candy hosp to be pulled down; Jaslok to add more space
Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai will begin operations from a new 11-storey building next year, while Jaslok Hospital is undergoing expansion plans. The additional space will allow for the setup of state-of-the-art treatment facilities in order to compete with other private healthcare facilities in south Mumbai. The estimated cost of the new Breach Candy building is ₹300 crores and will feature an OPD, operation theatre, ICU, and patient wards. Jaslok Hospital is also revamping its facilities to improve patient movement and meet growing healthcare demands. Both hospitals will have separate parking facilities.
Updated on Nov 28, 2023 07:58 AM IST
Deceased five-year-old’s organs donated at Wadia Hospital
Five-year-old girl donated her heart, kidneys and cornea after she was declared brain-dead at B J Wadia Hospital, Parel, on Monday. The girl, a special child, was admitted last week to a Chembur hospital and shifted to Wadia Hospital on November 22
Updated on Nov 28, 2023 07:06 AM IST