Successful people don’t do different things, they do normal things differently. It is very much evident that people who are excelling in their fields have a different approach to their quotidian day-to-day things. One such paramount thing is their morning routine. Do you want to perform exceedingly well in your field? Putting in some extra effort would make huge differences in no time. A structured morning routine will encourage you to set up your day realistically, which will promote mental and physical wellness. 

But before you get cracking with your everyday tasks, here is a simple list of things you can do to make the most of your day.

5 things to do in the morning for being successful:

1. Clean your surroundings: First things first, clean your bed after waking up. This way your sleeping area would become clutter-free, and so be your brain. Sometimes you encounter inner resistance and laziness, there are days when you don’t want to leave your bed and even doing your bed seems a hefty task. But don’t succumb to your inner resistance, instead, take it as the very first achievement of your day. Completing this very first task will boost your morale to stretch your limits throughout the day. This brings you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to fight your everyday battles.

 2. Self-affirmations would work wonders

Morning is the time when you can visualise some positive affirmations for yourself. This will create self-belief in you.

Self-care is the key to better health and wellness. Your state of mind in the morning can influence your whole day ahead. It’s quite natural that you doubt yourself and your capabilities sometimes, but starting your day on this note would make you feel gloomy and upset all day. Try to channelise your new morning energy into positive thoughts, you will gain the strength to tackle all the odds. A dramatic increase in self-confidence and efficiency can be achieved by this simple act. Repeat your affirmations daily with a firm belief and intention. 

3. Greet yourself

Most of us greet our elders and senior professionals, but we forget to greet ourselves or respect ourselves. While sitting on the bed or standing on the balcony, greet yourself aloud: “good morning to me. A beautiful day is awaiting me and I will accomplish all my tasks today.” 

Feel the positivity and warmth in your aura. The energy you feel when you realise your capabilities is surreal. Instead of seeking social validation and acceptance, start treating yourself the way you want to be treated right from the beginning of your day. You won’t need any external stimulation or materialistic things to make you feel happy.

Drink a full glass of lukewarm water or tea/coffee by the side of your window or on the balcony with your unfiltered thoughts. Nourish your individuality by paying heed to your notions in the early morning. You become what you visualise, hence start your day with a positive mindset.

4. Plan out your day 

There are fewer chances of slipping into your old habits when you have a list of things to do. Get up early in the morning, or at least wake up at a fixed time and save some extra time in your hands to organise your to-do list for the day. This way you can prioritise your important things and revisit your short-term goals. There are dime a dozen examples of achievers who got success by changing their habits.

Although it is possible that you might not be able to accomplish all your tasks, ticking off even a few things, in the beginning, is quite okay. Don’t overburden yourself.

5. Spend some time in nature: the antidote to exhaustion

Nature and music are the best healers. A recent study published in the International Journal of Mental health and addiction,2022 determined that mental health conditions like anxiety can be effectively cured by nature therapy. Go for some light stretching exercises or brisk walking in your garden area or porch along with motivational music or any music of your choice. Music and workout is the best fit to relax your mind and body.

Meditate and fit in a workout:

Data suggests that physically fit individuals have more productivity throughout the day. Your physical health reflects your mental health. Therefore, to be in the highest of your spirits, one must include workouts and meditation in their daily regimen.

Meditation and mindfulness relax your mind, resulting in positive affirmations. Take time to sit with your thoughts and visualise yourself to achieve your goals.

Each day brings new challenges and obstacles, but performing a retrospective by looking back at your previous achievements would encourage you for betterment. These morning routine tips are easy to follow, and religious follow-up of a morning routine can do wonders if you want to achieve great heights of success.

Along with these tips, we have gathered some scientific research that can increase your efficiency manyfold.

Avoid scrolling down your phone during the initial hours

Most people these days tend to check their phones as soon as they wake up. Scrolling down your phone leads to a waste of your crucial time which will put you on a guilt trip for the rest of day.

What are the ill effects of checking your phone first in the morning?

 Sleep cycle in terms of waves can be roughly represented as:

Delta waves(deep sleep) —– Theta waves(light sleep) —-alpha waves(just awake)— Beta waves(fully awake )

The human brain when switches from deep sleep to light sleep, makes a transition from the delta waves to theta waves, which then move and produce alpha waves when the person is just awake but the brain is not highly active. When the brain starts processing information and complex thinking, it reaches the beta stage.

By scrolling your phone first in the morning, your body makes a skip from delta(deep sleep) to direct beta stage( wide awake), leaving theta and alpha stages. This sudden transition can be risky in the long run as it puts an excess burden on your brain for making the quick switch.

According to the Scientific American reports, the theta stage has a very vital role as the mind’s free flow ideation and subconscious visualisation occurs in this state. Your subconscious mind plays a very important role in visualising your near future and becoming what you want to become.

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Article by Alishka Kushwaha

Life is stressful enough without adding to it, but many people do just that in one way or another, often without even realizing it. Recognizing when you might be unnecessarily making things worse for yourself is the first step toward relaxing. The same goes for the life of a student as well. Every year, it seems like the start of the school year goes by so quickly.. But don’t worry; there are lots of strategies to help you avoid the anxiety and stress that deadlines might bring on. 

Instead of blaming yourself, why not find out what you can do to quit the self-destructive behavior and become your own best stress-relieving ally? Here is a list of tried-and-true advice to help you stay organized and focused as you approach your examinations and any upcoming assignment due dates so that you don’t put too much pressure on yourself with your studies

Set up a plan

Even if you are unsure of the precise dates of each exam, you should at this point be aware of the week(s) in which it is planned. You should also have a good notion of when essays are due. Plan your work schedule immediately to gain a good start. Give yourself a goal to meet each week, whether it is for reading, researching, writing, or revising, to ensure that you are on track to do everything in time for the deadlines. It’s a good idea to buy a wall calendar or notebook so you can mark down significant events. You will benefit from being able to easily understand how much time you have left and when you will work on what.

Perfection is unattainable

Despite the urge to be perfect, this belief is harmful to your whole outlook on life and is not beneficial. Working hard is great, but there is a big difference between giving it your all and trying to be flawless. Problems arise when we try to make everything ideal and things don’t turn out as we had hoped. Self-doubt begins to set in at this stage. Everybody makes mistakes every day, and no one is perfect or always correct. Getting things wrong has several benefits, including the opportunity to learn from mistakes, which can help you advance and improve.

The key is balance

One of the best traits in life is the ability to work hard. It displays your concern. But it’s crucial to pay attention to how you feel at the end of the day, week, or day of school. Keeping your life in balance and releasing pressure on yourself are both essential components of stress management. Self-care is the primary strategy for managing stress. When it comes to properly caring for yourself, doing something that makes you feel peaceful and happy can go a long way. A relaxing lunchtime stroll, a friendly conversation with a friend, a weekend swim, or even a bubble bath at the end of the day are all good options. Regardless of how you unwind, taking care of yourself will support a healthy amount of pressure. Stress and pressure frequently coexist in people’s lives. Pressure can contribute to both. By keeping a journal of your feelings, you’ll be able to identify the internal cues your body uses to say, “STOP… A respite is necessary.

Establish a comfortable study atmosphere

If you intend to study at home, make sure your space is organized and your workstation is free of distractions. As the saying goes, a clear environment fosters a clear mind, which is exactly what you need when working. Additionally, if your study room is a place you enjoy being, you’ll have an easier time concentrating. To create your ideal study sanctuary, take a little effort like adding a potted plant and good lighting. Additionally, soothing music and scented reed diffusers can help you unwind and relax, which will help you focus on your task.

Take periodical pauses

Studies have repeatedly shown that regular breaks help pupils work more efficiently. By dividing up your revision or essay writing into small parts, you’re more likely to maintain attention and keep your mind engaged on the task at hand. You should leave your workstation for 15 minutes every 45 minutes of focused work. Your brain will appreciate it later whether you go outside for some fresh air, do some short cleaning, or stretch.

Eat healthily and drink plenty of water

Students frequently lose sight of their well-being during exam periods as they become too preoccupied with their work. Staying hydrated and avoiding junk food are the simplest ways to assist yourself in performing at your best. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to consume a large glass of water every couple of hours along with some wholesome fruit and nuts as you study. When you’re trying to be productive, the last thing you want is to feel angry and tired from eating foods heavy in fat or not drinking enough water.

Treat yourself

The secret to maintaining motivation when studying is to treat yourself. These can be little incentives, like a square of chocolate for every paragraph you write or an episode of your favorite Netflix show when you’ve mastered editing a particular subject. Consider rewarding yourself with bigger items, like a night out with friends or purchasing those pair of boots you’ve had your eye on for months, when you feel like you’ve been working very hard or when papers have been turned in and examinations have been completed. Never forget that just because it’s exam season, you still deserve to have fun.

Don’t stay up all night; you’ll regret it

You may believe that by working all night, you are keeping up with your academics. However, working all night and getting little sleep might harm your health and hinder your productivity. Staying focused and learning effectively depends on getting a good night’s sleep. When studying, memory consolidation during sleep is crucial for converting short-term memory to long-term memory. To ensure that you obtain the required amount of sleep each night, replace the extra cups of coffee with your bed.

Quitting self-imposed pressure is difficult. Perhaps you even worry that if you unwind a little, everything will fall apart. To feel better and lead a better life, you may need to put less pressure on yourself. Don’t forget that you don’t have to isolate yourself from the outside world and remain in your room if you have work to accomplish.

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Article by Sujata Bayan

We know anxiety is more than just “worries”. It can influence classroom performance just as much any other learning disability. Anyone who is worried and anxious isn’t doing it on purpose, the nervous system is acting automatically. That’s why “just relax” or “calm down” won’t be doing wonders.

As a student you’ve got a lot on your plate so sometimes stress can get in the way of this juggling act. Normal levels of stress from time to time are expected and can sometimes  be beneficial depending on the circumstances. But, when stress continues at unhealthy levels for an extended period, it can impact studying, concentration and self esteem. When not properly treated, stress affects all aspects of daily life. It can prevent students from reaching their academic goals, which can then lead to developing anxiety or other mental health conditions.

Although often used interchangeably, stress and anxiety have a couple of differences.

Physical Symptoms of stress include:

• Headache, dizziness or shaking
• Chest pains or racing heart
• Muscle tension or jaw clenching
• Aches and pains
• Trouble sleeping or exhaustion
• High blood pressure
• Weakened immune system

Physical symptoms of anxiety include:

• Stomach pain, nausea or digestive issues
• Headache
• Insomnia or waking up frequently
• Weakness or fatigue
• Pounding or racing heart
• Rapid breathing or shortness of breath
• Sweating, trembling or shaking
• Muscle tension

 

When you recognize that you have become overwhelmed with stress or anxiety are struggling to work through solutions, it’s a good time to ask for help or adopt strategies to help you manage your triggers more effectively.

Exercise

‘Regular exercise can help relieve stress in many ways.’ There is breathing centered exercise like yoga, which is good for grounding and breathing management. Aerobic exercise can equally manage stress hormones, release tension and increase endorphin levels creating a ‘feel good’ vibe. Sports and activities can add a social dimension that can additionally support someone with stress management, as we know that social engagement benefits our mental health and wellbeing.

 

Mindfulness

A relaxation technique originating in Buddhism, mindfulness is a popular coping mechanism for those tackling stress or anxiety. One of the most accessible ways to practice this is through the use of free smartphone apps. There is evidence that regular practice can improve the body’s response to stress and anxiety.

 

Talking to someone

Isolation can have an extremely negative impact on your happiness. Accepting that you need help and talking to someone is the first step to feeling better.

Talking about what is stressing you out can be useful. Try to be clear on whether you are looking for advice or just need someone to listen.

Speak to your friends and family- they know you best and care about you the most.

Time management

Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day? Well you aren’t alone. We often get stressed when they feel that they are running out of time to complete a task. However, simple time management techniques can help you to feel more relaxed and focused.

Try creating a written schedule, breaking your tasks down into manageable chunks, planning accordingly and allocating yourself time everyday to relax.

 

Getting enough sleep

This might sounds like an obvious solution but it’s often overlooked. Your mental health and wellbeing relies on you getting enough sleep, as we can’t function at 100% when we are tired.

Try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time each day. This might not be realistic every night but aim towards this goal more often than not.

Sleep is important for recuperating the body’s systems and allowing us to process. If we don’t get enough sleep, this can make us more irritable, impact on our concentration, coordination and make us more vulnerable to mental health problems.

 

Other stress-busting methods:

1. Take your mind off it. Do something you enjoy and that will distract you for a while like listening to music, reading etc.
2. Eat healthy and consume fresh food.
3. Change your mindset and adopt a positive attitude.
4. Take a break from social media. Comparing yourself and your productivity to others is a recipe for disaster.
5. Laugh (It’s a lame one). But yes laughing out loud actually increases oxygen and blood flow, which immediately reduces stress. So spending  time with a funny friend might help.

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Article by Avantika Gurjar

For clearing any competitive exam or for being a successful student, having a productive Sunday routine is very important. As Sunday is the only day in the whole week which we have completely to ourselves without any classes , utilising your day in an effective manner is a must.

What is the importance of Sunday in student life?

Everyday is equally important for a student, but weekdays are quite hectic and organising your weekdays according to yourself is quite tough as the time gets distributed in classes , but one can easily plan their Sunday in the most effective way to utilise every bit of it. By utilising Sunday, doesn’t only mean studying the whole day, that’s practically impossible. There are other things too, which will make your Sunday more profitable. As a productive Sunday will boost you up for the week ahead.

 

If you want to utilise your Sundays properly, the following list is a great place to start:

Wake up early, complete your daily chores

Set your goals

Prioritise your mental well-being

Analyse past mistakes and volatile topics

Clean your study space

Devote time to friends and family

 

What is a productive Sunday?

Taking Sunday as an extra credit and doing all your vitally important extra curricular things is considered as having a productive Sunday. This helps in yielding favourable results for the upcoming days.

Things you can do for utilising your Sunday:

1. Set goals

Set your weekly goals and targets. Make time to decide a tentative study plan for each day seperately.Long term study plans tend to seem vast and non-achievable, and not completing it on time would put you under pressure whereas short term study plans are more realistic and productive. You can make your short term plans for a week or for every single day in particular. Try to complete your targets, even if you are not able to fully stick to it, still it would motivate you for the next day to stretch your limits and do more.

 

Make sure you take some time out for  physical fitness in your schedule as it is scientifically proven that physical activities can increase your productivity. According to studies, students who participate in physical activities get better sleep and this increases their ability to focus and manage stress. It reduces the risks of anxiety and depression among students.

 

 

2. Give time to mental health

After a hectic week of studying, your brain also needs some rest . Although sleep can help in rejuvenating your nerve cells, another very important aspect for mental well-being is meditation. It does not only relax your mind but also helps you build concentration and focus. You already know the value of both for a student. It also helps in sharpening your retention power. In 2013, researchers found meditation can help in reducing anxiety and depression too. So, starting your Sunday with a light meditation and exercises would be very beneficial. For references, you can search out guided meditation on your browser or YouTube .

 

3. Analyse past mistakes and revise volatile topics

You must be facing topics which are hard to remember .Sunday is the day when you can alot at least 2 hrs to revise your previous volatile topics to remember them for a longer time.

 

Tests and mock tests are very important during preparation, but analysing your mistakes in paper and why you committed those mistakes have a greater importance. For instance, one should go through the paper after test and see for the conceptual errors, silly mistakes and new questions to jot down in a separate notebook,referred as mistake notebook.  Toppers reveal that they review their mistake notebook multiple times so that they do not repeat the same mistake. On Sundays you can revise your mistake notebook and short notes .

 

4. Cleaning your study space and room

Organising your room and study space tends to look a bit tedious task during weekdays but it can be done on weekends or every alternate Sunday. A clean study space helps in concentrating more. It spreads a whole new energy to your room.

 

5. Spend time with friends and family

Spending leisure time with your kith and kin fills you with joy and enthusiasm. If you are living away from home, take out time and talk to your parents or go for an outing with friends.

 

6. Hobbies

As students ,we don’t devote much time to extra curricular activities, but hobbies are what keeps us alive during continuous study time.  One can easily revisit their hobbies on Sunday.

 

 

In these ways , you can plan your day according to the  time slots which suits you best.

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Article by Alishka Kushwaha

AIDS, the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (sometimes called “slim disease”) is a fatal illness caused by a retrovirus known as the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) which breaks down the body’s immune system, leaving the victim vulnerable to a host of life-threatening opportunistic infections, neurological disorders, or unusual malignancies.  Among the special features of HIV infection are that once infected, it is probable that a person will be infected for life. There is no HIV cure. Strictly speaking, the term AIDS refers only to the last stage of the HIV infection. AIDS can be called our modern pandemic, affecting both industrialized and developing countries.

The World AIDS Day 2022 theme is “Equalize”.

We wear Red Ribbon to show support to HIV patients .

 

WHY IS AIDS A BURNING ISSUE?

 

• In 2019, there were 38.0 million (31.6 million-44.5 million) people living with HIV.
• 2 million (30.2 million-42.5 million) adults.

 

• 8 million (1.3 million-2.2 million) children (0-14 years).

 

• 81% (68-95%) of all people living with HIV knew their HIV status.

 

• About 7.1 million people did not know that they were living with HIV.
• 7 million (55.9 million-100 million) people have become infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic.

 

HOW HIV SPREADS?

 

Sexual transmission – AIDS is first and foremost a sexually transmitted disease. Any vaginal, anal or oral sex can spread AIDS. Every single act of unprotected intercourse with an HIV-infected person exposes the uninfected partner to the risk of infection.

 

Blood contact – AIDS is also transmitted by contaminated blood transfusion.

Among drug users who inject heroin, cocaine or other drugs, this route of transmission is significant because exposure is repeated so often, in some cases, several times a day. As a result, needle-sharing by drug users is a major cause of AIDS in many countries, both developed and developing, and in some it is the predominant cause. Any skin piercing (including injections, ear-piercing, tattooing, acupuncture or scarification) can transmit the virus, if the instruments used have not been sterilized and have previously been used on an infected person. It may be mentioned that transfusion of blood and blood products has played a minor role in the spread of AIDS in the developed countries.

 

Mother to child transmission – HIV may pass from an infected mother to her fetus

Through the placenta or to her infant during delivery or by breast feeding.

 

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF HIV?

 

• weight loss ≥ 10% of body weight

 

• chronic diarrhea for more than 1 month prolonged fever for more than 1 month (intermittent or constant).

 

• persistent cough for more than 1 month
• Recurrent common infection like ear infection, pharyngitis

 

 

HOW CAN I PREVENT IT ?

 

• Education – until a vaccine or cure for AIDS is found , the only mean available is health education to enable people to make life saving choices ( avoiding multiple partner, using condoms)
• One should avoid the use of shared razors and toothbrushes.
• Women suffering from AIDS or who are at high risk of infection should avoid becoming pregnant.

 

• Prevention of blood borne HIV transmission – people in high risk groups should be urged to refrain from donating blood, body organs , sperm and other tissues

 

 

The Sustainable Development Goal target is to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. UNAIDS has led the development of a global strategy, “Fast Track: Ending the AIDS Epidemic by 2030“

 

1. A focus on population left behind by the HIV response, such as adolescent girls, key population (sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and transgender people), migrants and children;

 

2. A focus on locations where the greatest HIV transmission is occurring and with the greatest HIV burden, and the use of data to support the impact of programmes;

 

3. An integrated HIV response that expands the contribution towards universal health care, including health workforce, procurement systems, injection and blood safety, and treatment of coinfections; and

4. Sustainable programmes with transitioning to domestic funding of essential HIV services.

Let us know if you found this article helpful, in the comments below and ask away the questions you have.

The majority of suicide deaths worldwide occur in India. In order to identify the main obstacles and top priorities for suicide prevention, a study on the state of suicides in India was conducted as the Indian government developed a national suicide prevention strategy. The study focused on epidemiology, risk factors, and existing suicide prevention strategies. Indian women and girls continue to commit suicide at a rate that is double the world average. When compared to other causes of death, suicide accounts for the majority of deaths in the 15- to 39-year-old age range. The most popular suicide technique is hanging, which is followed by self-immolation, drug overdose, and pesticide poisoning. The risk of suicide appears to be influenced by a number of social and cultural factors in addition to depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders. Effective suicide prevention is severely hampered by the lack of a national strategy, inappropriate media coverage, ambiguous legal definitions of what constitutes punishable suicide, and insufficient multisectoral engagement. In order to navigate situations where a person might be vulnerable to and at risk of suicide, interventions that are given at the right time, intensity, and duration are helpful in reducing suicide rates. emphasises multilevel action priorities for preventing suicide across various sectors in addition to laying out research and data priorities. In India, there is a call for immediate action to integrate suicide prevention strategies into every aspect of public health, with a particular emphasis on developing and implementing a national suicide prevention strategy.

 

The National Suicide Prevention Strategy, a groundbreaking government initiative to prevent suicides as a top public health priority, was announced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday, November 21. In the upcoming ten years, the ministry’s policy will lay the groundwork for the promotion of mental health and the prevention of suicide.

 

The WHO’s strategy for the South East Asian region served as inspiration for the Strategy, which is etched with evidence-based practises to reduce the number of suicides. The Strategy ties together numerous sectoral collaborations to provide a cohesive strategy and achieve the intended reduction in the number of suicides. The Strategy aims to establish efficient surveillance systems within the next three years, psychiatric outpatient departments in every district over the following five years, and to integrate mental health into the curricula in educational institutions within the following eight years. The Strategy is on the right track to achieving its objectives thanks to its focus on issues that are important to India, such as alcoholism and pesticide access. But the Government must continue in this direction until the goals are reached. Naturally, in a federal nation, any success is only possible if States are enthusiastic participants in the implementation.

 

What exactly does India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy entail?

The government claims that the strategy will lay the groundwork for promoting mental health and preventing suicides in the ensuing ten years. By 2023, the policy hopes to reduce suicide mortality in the nation by 10%. The strategy offers a framework for numerous stakeholders to carry out initiatives for the nation’s suicide prevention.

 

The strategy’s key goals are as follows.

-First, it aims to set up efficient suicide surveillance systems during the following three years.

-Within the next five years, it aims to establish psychiatric outpatient departments across all districts to offer suicide prevention services under the District Mental Health Programme.

-Third, it aims to integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next eight years. In the following eight years, it seeks to implement a mental health curriculum in all educational institutions.

 

-The National Suicide Prevention Strategy’s fourth goal is to increase suicide surveillance and continue evidence generation through evaluation, which will guarantee programme quality improvement.

 

 

Structure for implementing the National Suicide Prevention Strategy that has been proposed:

– Developing community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention and reducing stigma associated with suicidal behaviors.

– Strengthening leadership, partnerships, and institutional capacity in the nation.

– Improving the capacity of health services to provide suicide prevention services.

 

 

According to the annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), released in August, 1.64 lakh people died by suicide in 2021 — an increase of 7.2 per cent from 2020. This is 10 per cent higher than the COVID deaths (1.48 lakh) in India in 2020, and 6.8 times the maternal deaths (23,800) in the same year. The NCRB report also stated that more than 1,00,000 people die by suicide in the country every year. A total of 25,891 suicides were reported in the 53 megacities of the country during 2021, with the highest in Delhi. Most suicides in India are by youth and middle-aged adults — with 65 per cent of the suicides in 2020 being reported in the age group of 18-45 years.

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Article by Sujata Bayan

 

In India, November 17 is observed every year as National Epilepsy Day by the Epilepsy Foundation, to create awareness about epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a common brain condition which makes people have seizures. A seizure is when a discharge of electricity happens in the brain, and this causes a wide range of symptoms, including losing consciousness, jerking and shaking involuntarily, and making unusual facial movements.

Epilepsy affects both male and female equally

Causes

According to WHO ( World Health Organisation)

Epilepsy is not contagious. Although many underlying disease mechanisms can lead to epilepsy, the cause of the disease is still unknown in about 50% of cases globally. The causes of epilepsy are divided into the following categories: structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown. Examples include:

• brain damage from prenatal or perinatal causes (e.g. a loss of oxygen or trauma during birth, low birth weight);
• congenital abnormalities or genetic conditions with associated brain malformations;
• a severe head injury;
• a stroke that restricts the amount of oxygen to the brain;
• an infection of the brain such as meningitis, encephalitis or neurocysticercosis,
• certain genetic syndromes; and
• a brain tumour.

Because epilepsy is caused by abnormal activity in the brain, seizures can affect any process your brain coordinates.

Symptoms

• Temporary confusion

• Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs

• Loss of consciousness or awareness

• Psychological symptoms such as fear, anxiety.

Symptoms vary depending on the type of seizure. In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure each time, so the symptoms will be similar from episode to episode.

Doctors generally classify seizures as either focal or generalized, based on how and where the abnormal brain activity begins.

When to see a doctor?

Seek immediate medical help if any of the following occurs:

• The seizure lasts more than five minutes.

• Breathing or consciousness doesn’t return after the seizure stops.

• A second seizure follows immediately.

• You have a high fever.

•  You’re pregnant.

• You have diabetes.

• You’ve injured yourself during the seizure.
• You continue to have seizures even though you’ve been taking anti-seizure medication.

Lifestyle Modifications

Lifestyle modifications can include

• Adequate sleep: Fatigue is one of the most common seizure triggers, and disrupted sleep can make the brain more vulnerable to misfiring.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol: These can be triggers for seizures in patients with epilepsy. Even one or two drinks can provoke seizures.
• Minimise emotional stress: Although there is not definitive proof that stress causes seizures, those who maintain healthy stress levels have reported that they believe it reduces their risk.
• Frequency of exercise: In addition to a range of health benefits, regular exercise can help reduce risk of seizure. However, you should consult your physician before starting a new exercise routine, as some exercise can, rarely, cause seizures.

Prevention

An estimated 25% of epilepsy cases are preventable.

• Preventing head injury is the most effective way to prevent post-traumatic epilepsy.
• Adequate perinatal care can reduce new cases of epilepsy caused by birth injury.
• The prevention of epilepsy associated with stroke is focused on cardiovascular risk factor reduction, e.g. measures to prevent or control high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, and the avoidance of tobacco and excessive alcohol use.
• Central nervous system infections are common causes of epilepsy in tropical areas, where many low- and middle-income countries are concentrated. Elimination of parasites in these environment and education on how to avoid infections can be effective ways to reduce epilepsy worldwide.

Please never self diagnose or self Medicate. This is an informational article. Always consult your doctor before making any changes in lifestyle.

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Article by Rohit Baljot 

 

 

 

World Diabetes Day is held on November 14th each year to commemorate the birth of Sir Frederick Banting who co-discovered insulin in 1922. Today, this day is observed in 170 countries and territories.

The theme of World Diabetes Day 2022 is “education to protect tomorrow,” The blue circle is the universal symbol for diabetes. It was introduced in 2006 to give diabetes a common identity.

World Diabetes Day is a global occasion on which people with diabetes, health professionals, diabetes advocates, media, the general public and government organisations unite to raise awareness of diabetes.

As the theme of world Diabetes Day is Education to protect tomorrow, so we are going to make you aware of Diabetes so you can be saved from Diabetes tomorrow.

 

 

Our main objective is to make you familiar with term Diabetes and some control measures so you , yourself and your loving one can be protected.

 

The term Diabetes describes a group of metabolic disorders characterised and identified by the presence of hyperglycemia,, it simple mean is that your blood sugar has been raised.

Now we should be knowing the normal value of blood sugar so we can look for increased level of sugar.

Blood sugar level can be measured in different ways like

• Fasting sugar – it means we had overnight fast of 8-14 hours and then we checked our sugar level in morning without consuming anything.
• Random blood sugar – it means at any time randomly you checked your blood sugar .
• Post prandial sugar – it means you just had your meal and after 2 hours of meal you check your blood sugar level.

 

There are different cut off level for blood sugar level for different scenerio mentioned above.

 

Fasting sugar	72-110 mg/dl
Random blood sugar	110-126 mg/dl
Post prandial sugar	> 140, <200 mg/dl

      

Please note only a single raised value of blood sugar level is never a indicator of confirmed Diabetes ,

Check at least 3 times before starting treatment.

 

 

There are some general symptoms that a diabetic patient observe so we should be knowing about those symptoms so an early approach to a doctor can be done.

 

Diabetes is of different types

• Diabetes inspidus
• Diabetes mellitus type – 1 that occurs in age below 30
• Diabtes mellitus type – 2 that occurs in age beyond 30
• Gestational diabetes – that occurs in females during pregnancy, etc..

 

 

The majority of burden is of Diabetes mellitus type – 2 ,so our symptoms, risk factors and preventive measures are mainly concerned towards Diabetes mellitus type 2.

A diabetic patient feels

• Polyphagia – it means feeling hungry and having the urge to eat again and again.
• Polydipsia – it means the urge to drink more and more water.
• Polyurea – it means the urge to pass urine again and again.
• Delay in wound healing – a simple cut can take longer time than usual in a diabetic patient

 

So if ever your loving complaints this type of symptoms please look for a doctor.

 

Risk factors for diabetes

• Sedentary lifestyle – your sedentary lifestyle will push you in the web of diabetes.

Add some minutes of exercise in your daily routine.

• Diet – A high saturated fat intake has been associated with risk of Diabetes.
• Malnutrition – Children who receive nutritional deficiencies in childhood are more prone to diabetes, so provide proper nutrition to your kids.
• Alcohol – Excessive intake of alcohol can increase the risk of Diabetes by damaging pancreas.
• Obesity – maintain a healthy weight
• Smoking
• Genetic factors – If both the parents are suffering from diabetes there are high chances of their kid to be diabetic.

 

What advice can be given to a person suffering from Diabetes

• Brisk walk – Do brisk walking 5 days a week for 30 minutes

Brisk walk means 100 steps in a minute

• Meal in parts – Instead of taking your meal in a single go divide your meal seating in 3-5 times.
• Dietary fibre – Add salad to your diet.
• Avoid fruits such as Mango , grapes, sweet potato ( shakkar kandhi)
• Keep toffe along with you so if you feel lethargic, breathless, palpitations consume that toffe to overcome symptoms.
• Monitor your BP on regular basis
• Foot care – As we have already discussed, in diabetes wound heals in a longer period so your foot care is a must thing otherwise a single small wound can turn into a giant problem. Wear shoes throughout the day
• Eye examination – Give advise to diabetic patient for regular eye check up

In later stages of diabetes your eyes functions can be compromised so a early approach is better to this than complete vision loss.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking

 

We hope these preventive measures will save you from worse tomorrow

Life is not over because you have Diabetes.

Make the most of what you have

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Article by Rohit Baljot

 

 

Being a student is hard, among the hardest we feel. With uncertainty of future, comes stress. With tireless hard work, comes fatigue. What’s important to carry on your journey of competitive examination prep is a healthy mind and body. Being a student, it gets really difficult to keep track of what you put inside that body of yours, and this can lead to severe deficiencies, which if gone unnoticed can hinder you from your goal. Fear not, we are here to help you through this too.

In this article we have made a list of Nutritional deficiencies which are rampant in students and how to deal with it. Internet has the typical examples to deal with, but we’ll teach you how to incorporate changes into your lifestyle, that too subtly.

1. Iron

As students, one is prone to neglecting the leafy greens in one’s diet. Hence, first in the list is Iron. Its deficiency is commonly termed as ‘low hemoglobin’. Yes, same Hemoglobin as in your organic chemistry chapter. If, you are a female with heavy menstrual cycles, you too fall at risk.

Iron is necessary for many functions in the body including formation of hemoglobin, brain development and functions, maintenance of Immune system.

Lack of iron also hinders with the oxygen reaching the brain and hence affects memory.

Ways to deal with it:

1. Include peanuts in your diet. Peanuts are nutritious snack alternatives. Snacking on a handful of peanuts can be a good way to introduce it in your diet.
2. Alternatively, you can snack on assorted nuts and Raisins. Raisins are a rich source of iron.
3. Substitute Sugar with Jaggery at least once a day. Personally, I like a spoonful of Jaggery with peanuts. Try it, its heavenly.
4. Try introducing leafy greens in at least one meal of the day.
5. If you are a non-vegetarian, meat and poultry should be a significant part of your diet. I personally go for mutton- livers.

 

2. Vitamin- B12

Now, this is a tricky one. Vitamin B-12 only comes from Animal sources. You see, animals have tiny bacteria in their gut that secretes vitamin B 12 which humans don’t have

So, one is more prone to falling deficient. Reports indicates that there exists more than 30% deficiency in adults and children in the country.

 

Ways to deal with it:

1. If you are a vegetarian, the choices are very limited for you. But fear not, Try introducing a glass of milk or a bowl of curd in your daily diet. Cheese is also good snacking alternative.
2. Non-vegetarians, you are good with your favorite meat delicacies.

 

3. Vitamin A

 

Now, for a student, vitamin A is very crucial. It is indispensable for normal vision. Very important to fight infections and some reports claim it can fight off cancers.

Ways to deal with it:

1. This is easy, to be honest. Look for orange and yellow food. Mango, papaya, you get it.
2. Like we said, leafy greens, the darker green, the better.
3. Try having an egg every day.

 

 

4. Calcium

“All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy” isn’t just a saying. Students tend to spend most of their wakeful hours inside and are hence deprived of sunlight. You see, sunlight helps in formation of vitamin D which helps in absorption of calcium. So, spending 10-20 min under the sun is recommended.

Ways to deal with it:

A glass of milk and a handful of Nuts, it can solve a lot of your problems, honestly.

 

While this is not an extensive list, these are good places to start. Some of these deficiencies only manifest when it’s too late, and if you consistently fail to consume healthy nutrient dense foods or supplement them, you will eventually develop one of these deficiencies. Also, the dietary advices here are not medical. Please consult your doctor before making any radical changes in your dietary regime.

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Article by Rohit Baljot

Kota is not so very mysterious place, but is it a simple city? No. Kota is full of surprises and hence you should be prepared for what is coming unto your life when you first step here. Kota as most of you know is the study hub but it is just not limited to that. As a student you should expect myriad number of vibrant opportunities.

This article will tell you the Dos N Don’ts once you’re in Kota. Now this is not a hard layout but just a general guideline of what have been observed in the past few years. It is not targeted to devoid you of any experiences that you might want to have as a student coming to Kota, but in fact it will suggest you have the better form of the same experience so that it doesn’t affect your goal as a student in the long run.

Let’s kickstart with one of the most brutal foes of a student in Kota. Distraction. It is not a word but a sentence. Distraction may take various forms and depending on how invested you are in it; its affect can vary severely in magnitude.

The first thing that you would love to do in Kota when you come is to find the most optimal route from your place of stay to you coaching class. Now, to put emphasize on improving social skills it is heavily suggested to find seniors who go to same coaching classes and ask them the route they take. Google maps not always tell you the most optimal path of commute. Secondly, you must always have a backup route, public transport, that is. There will be times where you just didn’t make it on time for your class. You must know where you could find the nearest Auto-rickshaw (one of the most lament modes) to get you to your classes.

Next, work on your concentration skills. Sometimes people misunderstand it for long hours of study which is solely false. Concentration leads you to ‘active studying’. For some of you this might be a new term; active studying means the phase of your study time where your soul and shivers are invested in what you are doing. For people who have played some sport, might know it as the ‘Zone’. It is when you are at your peak efficiency and your learning abilities enhance multifold times. This zone is a bit strenuous on your body and you might want to start with as less as one minute for each session you plan for your studies. Remember, the goal is to reach 3 hours in a stretch because that is how long generally the competitive exams are.

Upcoming are right habits. There will be not much emphasis this as no habit is right or wrong. It is just the time that defines your act as correct or incorrect. For students, up to some context, right habits could be that of making a schedule and most important of all, be truthful to oneself. If you are unsure about what bad habits are, just ask yourself a question whether you would suggest yourself doing any specific activity if you were assigned as an advisor or counselor to yourself. This all roots from the step one of being true to your own self.

Let’s conclude this with one of the 2 most overlooked parts of a student life. They are sleep and food. According to a Harvard study, “high school students (ages 14-17) need about eight to 10 hours of sleep each night. For young adults (ages 18 to 25), the range is need between seven and nine hours” (Harvard). The key aspect that a lot of students miss here is the right time to have these hours of sleep. The 7 hours of sleep mentioned here is the nighttime of your sleep and is continuous rather than in parts. Some signs of chronic sleep deprivation include:

• Daytime sleepiness and fatigue

• Irritability and short temper

• Mood changes

• Trouble coping with stress

• Difficulty focusing, concentrating, and remembering

• Brain fog

 

The last thing to include here is the right nutrition. Healthy body directly corelates to a healthy mind. Some foods to avoid –

• Added Sugars
• Fried Foods
• High-glycemic-load carbohydrates
• Alcohol
• Nitrates (Preservative found in packed foods)

Sorry to put it in words, but cup noodles or any sort of noodles are not a good meal for any student. They can be used as a backup when you have run out of all options, but if they are a part of your diet, it is going to hinder your development in numerous ways.

If you are looking for what to add into your schedule, nuts, beans, green and colorful vegetables, dark chocolate, fermented food, spices, and herbs is the answer. They can enhance hair, skin, eyes, brain functioning capabilities, overall growth and many more.

The last thing that can be put in the list would be making memories, more good than bad and with the right people. These will be the days to look back and be proud throughout your life. It doesn’t matter if you performed a bit bad on this test or maybe your roommate isn’t good, or maybe even your parents put constant pressure on you, with right people around you everything will gradually be better. As one of the most hardworking athlete Cristiano Ronaldo said, “I am not a perfectionist, but I like to feel that things are done well” we must always stride towards better and not directly aim for best because in marathons people tend to take small steps and run rather than make huge leaps and injure themselves in short terms.

भारत में कोरोना के मामलों में बेतहाशा वृद्धि के साथ-साथ अलग-अलग राज्यों से वैक्सीन की कमी के खबरों से हलकान आम जनता के लिए रविवार को एक राहत की ख़बर आई। कोविशिल्ड और कोवैक्सिन के बाद अब स्पुतनिक V वैक्सीन को भी वैक्सीन मामलों की विशेषज्ञ कमिटी SEC के साथ साथ ड्रग कंट्रोलर जनरल ऑफ इंडीया की भी मंजूरी मिल गई है।

#COVID19 | Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved emergency use authorisation of Russian vaccine, Sputnik V pic.twitter.com/lrUH18I9nP

— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2021

भारत में हैदराबाद स्थित डॉक्टर रेड्डीज लैब ने इस वैक्सीन के ट्रायल किये थे जिससे प्राप्त आंकड़ों के आधार पर भारत के ड्रग कंट्रोलर जनरल के समक्ष इसके आपातकालीन प्रयोग की मांग रखी गई थी। खबरों के मुताबिक सेंट्रल ड्रग स्टैंडर्ड कंट्रोल ऑर्गनाइजेशन (CDSCO) की सब्जेक्ट एक्सपर्ट कमिटी (SEC) ने इस वैक्सीन के ट्रायल आंकड़ो को तय मानकों के अनुरूप पाया है और इसके इस्तेमाल की अनुमति देने की अनुशंसा की है। इस मामले में आख़िरी फ़ैसला लेते हुए सोमवार के अहले सुबह ड्रग कंट्रोलर जनरल ऑफ इंडिया (DCGI) ने वैक्सीन के आपातकालीन उपयोग की अनुमति दे दी है।

ज्ञात हो कि भारत में भारत बॉयोटेक की कोवैक्सिन और ऑक्सफ़ोर्ड यूनिवर्सिटी एवम एस्ट्राजेन्का के तत्वधान में सीरम इंस्टिट्यूट ऑफ इंडिया द्वारा निर्मित कोविशिल्ड वैक्सीन को पहले हीं आपातकालीन प्रयोग की अनुमति मिली हुई है। प्राप्त आंकड़ो के मुताबिक अब तब भारत में वैक्सीन के 10 करोड़ 45 लाख से भी अधिक डोज लगाए जा चुके हैं।

स्पूतनिक V का निर्माण गामालेया नेशनल सेंटर ऑफ एपीडेमियोलॉजी एन्ड माइक्रोबायोलॉजी तथा रशियन डाईरेक्टरेट इंवेस्टमेंट फंड के संयुक्त तत्वधान में हुआ है। ये कोरोना पर दुनिया का पहला रजिस्टर्ड वैक्सीन है जिसे 2020 के अगस्त महीने में रजिस्टर कराया गया था। निर्माताओं के मुताबिक ये वैक्सीन कोरोना रोकने में 91.6 फीसदी तक कारगर है वहीं कोवैक्सिन और कोविशिल्ड कि सफलता दर 80 प्रतिशत के आस-पास है। कुछ मामलों में स्पूतनिक V वैक्सीन लगाने के उपरांत बुखार, थकान, सरदर्द जैसे साइड इफेक्ट्स भी देखे गए हैं, पर जानकारों के मुताबिक इस वैक्सीन के साइड इफ़ेक्ट अन्य वैक्सीन के मुक़ाबले कम है। भारत से पहले कुल 59 देश स्पुतनिक V के आपातकालीन प्रयोग की अनुमति दे चुके हैं। बाजार में इस वैक्सीन के दो डोज की कीमत 10 अमिरिकी डॉलर यानी तकरीबन 750 रुपये होगी जो कि फाइजर और मोडर्ना क वैक्सीन के मुकाबले काफी कम है। इस वैक्सीन को 2 से 8 डिग्री सेंटीग्रेड के तापमान पर स्टोर किया जाना है और इसके दो डोज के बीच का अंतर 21 दिन का होगा।

स्पूतनिक V के प्रयोग की अनुमति मिलने के बाद भारत में दैनिक वैक्सीन उत्पादन क्षमता में उछाल आने की संभावना है जिससे मांग और आपूर्ति के बीच की खाई को और कम किया जा सकेगा। साथ हीं, इस वैक्सीन के प्रयोग में आने से अन्य दो वैक्सीन निर्माता कम्पनियों (भारत बॉयोटेक और सीरम इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ इंडिया) से भी दबाव घटेगा।

भारत में रूस के राजदूत निकोलय क़ुदशेव ने भी स्पूतनिक V के प्रयोग की संस्तुति पर हर्ष व्यक्त किया और इसको डीसीजीआई अप्रूवल मिलने की उम्मीद जताई।

We note reports that a committee of experts recommended Sputnik V for use in India. This step would definitely contribute to the efforts of Indian govt to counter #COVID19 pandemic. We hope approval by the DCGI will be completed soon: Nikolay Kudashev, Russian Ambassador to India pic.twitter.com/I8POGs5czk

— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2021

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हेल्थ डेस्क के लिए आशीष रंजन की रिपोर्ट।

The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive in India has begun. It aims to cover 10 crore people across the country. So far, more than 1.5 core people have received Covid-19 shots.
States and UTs have been asked to keep a vaccination scale-up plan ready which includes the granular weekly and fortnightly plans for scaling up the vaccination sites both within the government and private facilities and also the number of vaccine doses administered.

Eligibility

People who are above the age of 60 and people within the age bracket of 45 to 59 years with specified co-morbidities are allowed to take the Covid-19 vaccine shots.
The government has released a list of 20 comorbidities that are covered for vaccination.

Here’s the list of 20 comorbidities:

1. Heart failure with hospital admission in past one year
2. Post cardiac transplant/ Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)
3. Significant Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF < 40%) 4. Moderate or Severe Valvular Heart Disease 5. Congenital heart disease with severe PAH or Idiopathic PAH 6. Coronary Artery Disease with past CABG/ PTCA/ MI and Hypertension/ Diabetes on treatment 7. Angina and Hypertension/ Diabetes treatment 8. CT/MRI documented stroke and Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment 9. Pulmonary artery hypertension and Hypertension/ Diabetes on treatment 10. Diabetes (>10 years or with complication) and Hypertension on treatment
11. Kidney/Liver/Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Recipient/ On wait-list
12. End stage Kidney Disease on haemodialysis/ CAPD
13. Current prolonged use of oral corticosteroids/ immunosuppressant medications
14. Decompensated cirrhosis
15. Severe respiratory disease with hospitalisations in last two years/ FEVI <50%
16. Lymphoma/ Leukaemia/ Myeloma
17. Diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after July 1, 2020 or currently on any cancer therapy
18. Sickle Cell Disease/ Bone marrow failure/ Aplastic Anemia/ Thalassemia Major
19. Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/ HIV infection
20. Persons with disabilities due to Intellectual disabilities/ Muscular Dystrophy/ Acid attack with involvement of respiratory system/ Persons with disabilities having high support needs/ Multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness.

Registration Process

Registration will open on 1st March-2021

Please convey below message to your parents and other senior citizen members.

How to register for COVID Vaccine for senior citizen

◐ Use Co-Win app, Aarogya Setu app or log on to cowin.gov.in

◐ Enter your mobile number

◐ Get an OTP to create your account

◐ Fill in your name, age, gender and upload an identity document

◐ If 45+, upload doctor’s certificate as comorbidity proof

◐ Choose centre, date

◐ Up to 4 appointments can be made by one mobile number

Other options are also available for senior citizens who are not tech-savvy.

They can go to common service centres and get themselves registered.

A call centre number – 1507 – can also be availed for the same.

 

In a worrying development, 23 elderly people died within a short time of receiving their first coronavirus vaccine shots in Norway. However, there is no confirmation yet if there is direct correlation between the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 jab and these deaths.

Although a direct correlation between the Pfizer jab and these deaths is yet to be established, experts have said that 13 out of 23 people who died showed common side effects of mRNA vaccines such as diarrhea, nausea and fever.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has cautioned against vaccinating elderly people above 80 years of age saying those with a short life span may not benefit much from the jab. The Norwegian regulator further told Bloomberg, “For those with the most severe frailty, even relatively mild vaccine side effects can have serious consequences.”

Pfizer and BioNTech are working with the Norwegian authorities to investigate the deaths in Norway. According to Pfizer, the regulator discovered “the number of incidents so far is not alarming and in line with expectations”.

Experts are of the strong opinion that doctors need to exercise strong caution in vaccinating people in the wake of deaths of 23 elderly people. The Norwegian Medicines Agency said in a recent report that 21 women and 8 men reported side effects. Apart from the 23 deaths, nine people have reported serious side effects without fatal outcomes such as allergic reactions, strong discomfort and severe fever. Seven people reported less serious side effects such as severe pain at the injection site.

Meanwhile, Norway had administered at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccines to approximately 33,000 people by end of December.

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Bird flu, a highly contagious viral disease caused by “influenza type A” virus which generally affects poultry birds such as chicken and turkey. There are different types of strains causing bird flu some are mild and some are severely affecting one which may lead to death of the bird.

Forest department officials said- “the source of bird flu was migratory birds which probably came from Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS) countries and have spread to native species”.

Around one lakh poultry birds are found dead due to it’s outbreak in Haryana. Meanwhile cases are being reported among wild geese in Himachal Pradesh, crows in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and ducks in Kerala. Around 3,400 migratory birds are found dead in Himachal Pradesh’s Pong Dam lake by the spread of H5N1 strain. The officials said that till now there’s no report of virus infecting humans there. Kangra district is under strict restrictions in the four subdivisions adjoining the wetland. Kangra’s Deputy Commissioner told that  in interest of protecting the health and safety of public at large, sale, purchase and expert of poultry, birds and fish is prohibited in Fatehpur, Dehra, Kawali and Indora subdivisions. “No movement of humans shall be allowed within a kilometer of Pong Dam or the alert zone except those related to managing the outbreak”, Prajapati said. He added that all agriculture or horticulture related activities are prohibited and staff are assigned to keep check on such activities.

Bird flu alert in Rajasthan has come up where 625 crows were found dead in around 16 of 33 districts which includes Kota and Baran districts too. Rajasthan animal husbandry minister said, ”The virus has not affected chicken or eggs but all precautions are taken, looking at the way it spreads among crows. But positive news is there that samples from Jodhpur have tested negative. Those from Jhalawar, Kota and Baran have tested positive ”. He added that the affected areas will be sanitized properly as it was done in the times of Covid-19. In Jhalawar and Pali district the infected area, prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) is imposed. The government is also taking account of sealing the Madhya Pradesh border for poultry transportation.

The bird flu virus H5N8 has spread to 10 district (Indore, Mandsaur, Agar-Malwa, Khargone, Neemuch, Dewas, Ujjain, Shajapur, all in Malwa region; Sehore in central region and Guna in Gwalior- Chambal region) of Madhya Pradesh where about 500 crows have died since December 23. The director of the animal husbandry department said,” There is no sign of other birds including poultry having been infected by any sort of virus”. He even said that bird flu in poultry is H1N5. Dr. Shailesh Sakalle said a household survey is being done in the affected areas.

In Kerala about 20,000 ducks have died in the past one week. Animal husbandry department additional secretary Dr. Hari Kumar said 38,000 birds will be culled in Alappuzha and 8,000 in Kottayam. Poultry farmers are restricted for trading birds till further notice. He said that culling and burying birds will take at least three days. Poultry farmers are in stress and in need of at least minimal  compensation from the government.

States such as Uttarakhand, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra have issued advisories and have asked forest department officials to monitor the health of birds in and around water bodies. 

Central government too is in act of precaution, it has issued an alert and advisory for all forest officers to keep an eye on any unusual avian activities.

Dr. AK Kataria told that the virus strain H5N8 is not fatal for humans, only H5N1 is known, which can cause pneumonia. The strains which are considered to be highly affected are N1, N2, N5, N6 and N9. He even said that, ”The situation can be dealt with by opting required precautions such as burying dead birds three feet down and away from water sources”.

Unlike in birds, where it generally infects the gut, the avian influenza attacks the respiratory tract of humans and may cause severe respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Its early symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, and sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhoea. To prevent oneself from its effect we are advised to have no interaction with birds till this virus is sustaining into them.

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A report by Sneha

The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday made 10 years of medical service mandatory for post-graduation medical students in the state health department. Anyone failing to complete the mandatory service period and leaving the service would be fined Rs 1 crore.

The announcement was made by Principal Secretary (Health), UP, Amit Mohan Prasad on Saturday. Declaring that if PG medical students in the state drop out of the government job before completing 10 years, they will be fined Rs 1 crore, Amit Mohan Prasad also said that such students will be debarred from the course for the next three years.

UP Government mandates 10 years of service in the department for medical students undergoing Post graduation course in the state. Anyone failing to do so has to pay a fine amount of Rs 1 crore: Amit Mohan Prasad, Principal Health Secretary

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 12, 2020

According to reports, this decision by the Uttar Pradesh government was taken to deal with the shortage of specialist doctors in state-run hospitals and medical establishments.

Moreover, with the present order, those MBBS doctors who have been serving in rural areas for a year would be given a weightage of 10 marks in NEET for PG courses. Similarly, those who are serving for two years in rural areas would get a weightage of 20 marks and those who have completed three years of service in rural areas would get a benefit of 30 marks. These doctors would also be allowed to take admission in any diploma along with a PG course.

In 2018, the Uttar Pradesh government had introduced two years Compulsory Rural Service Bond also in medical courses.

As per the guidelines, MBBS/BDS students must fill a designated bond of Rs 10 lakh, MD/MS students Rs 40 lakh, PG Diploma/MDS students Rs 20 Lakh, and DM/MCh students Rs 1 crore, in case any medical student acts contrary to the bond.

This rule was passed in compliance with the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill which was passed to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body.

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भारत के प्रधानमंत्री ने शनिवार को हैदराबद, पुणे और अहमदाबाद में कोविड-19 के वैक्सीन निर्माण के प्रक्रिया का जायज़ा लिया। अहमदाबाद स्थित जाइडूश बॉयोटेक पार्क, हैदराबाद स्थित भारत बॉयोटेक लैब और पुणे स्थित सीरम इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ इंडिया में रिव्यू विजिट के दौरान प्रधानमंत्री ने विशेषज्ञों से टीकाकरण से जुड़े बारीक़ पहलुओं पर चर्चा की।

Had a good interaction with the team at Serum Institute of India. They shared details about their progress so far on how they plan to further ramp up vaccine manufacturing. Also took a look at their manufacturing facility. pic.twitter.com/PvL22uq0nl

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 28, 2020

भारत समेत पूरा विश्व कोविड-19 की समस्या से जूझ रहा है और अब राहत की इकलौती उम्मीद वैक्सीन से ही है। अलग-अलग देशों में वैक्सीन के अलग-अलग चरणों का ट्रायल चल रहा है और एक्सपर्ट्स के मुताबिक जल्द हीं सफलता मिलने की उम्मीद है। संक्रमण के लगातार बढ़ते मामलों से त्रस्त आम जन के मन में सबसे बड़ा सवाल है कि आखिर उन्हें कोरोना से निजात दिलाने वाली वैक्सीन कब मिलेगी?

अंडर ट्रायल वैक्सीनों की फेहरिस्त में जो पाँच वैक्सीन सफलता के सबसे करीब है, हमने इस रिपोर्ट में उनपर तफ़सील से जानकारी देने का प्रयास किया है।

MODERNA mRNA 1273

सूची में सबसे पहला नाम है MODERNA-mRNA 1273 का जिसका अमेरिका की ‘नेशनल इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ एलर्जी एन्ड इन्फेक्शस डिजीज’ के सहयोग से ट्रायल चल रहा है। ह्यूमन ट्रायल के फेज में पहुंचने वाली ये कोरोना की पहली वैक्सीन है। तकरीबन 30 हज़ार अमेरिकी नागरिकों ने इसके ट्रायल के लिए अपना नाम दिया और कई स्टेज की ट्रायल्स के बाद आये आंकड़े उत्साहवर्धक है। बिना किसी साइड इफेक्ट वाली ये वैक्सीन ह्यूमन ट्रायल के दौरान 94.5 फीसदी तक कारगर रही। एक्सपर्ट्स के मुताबिक़ इस वैक्सीन के एक डोज की कीमत 35 अमेरिकी डॉलर यानी कि लगभग 2600 रुपये होगी। इस वैक्सीन के अमेरिकी बाज़ार में उतारे जाने के तारीखों का ऐलान होना अभी बाकी है।

Pfizer

इस सूची में दूसरी वैक्सीन है फ़ाइजर (Pfizer)। अमेरिकी फार्मा कम्पनी फ़ाइजर और जर्मन फार्मा कम्पनी बायो एन्ड टेक ने मिल कर इस वैक्सीन को तैयार किया है। स्वास्थ्य मामलों के जानकारों के मुताबिक इस वैक्सीन के सबसे पहले प्रयोग में आने की संभावना है। निर्माता कम्पनियों के मुताबिक ये वैक्सीन 95 फीसदी तक कारगर है और दिसंबर 2020 तक इसके 5 करोड़ डोज तैयार हो जाएंगे, वहीं अगले साल तक एक अरब तीस करोड़ डोज तैयार करने की योजना है। इस वैक्सीन के भारत पहुंचने को लेकर फिलहाल कोई स्पष्ट जानकारी नहीं है साथ हीं इसके भंडारण के लिए आवश्यक बेहद कम तापमान को हासिल कर इसके सुचारू वितरण को सुनिश्चित करने की प्रक्रिया का सामने आना भी अभी बाकी है।

Sputnik V

इस फेहरिस्त में तीसरे स्थान पर है रूस की गामालेया नेशनल सेंटर ऑफ एपीडेमियोलॉजी एन्ड माइक्रोबायोलॉजी तथा रशियन डाईरेक्टरेट इंवेस्टमेंट फंड के संयुक्त तत्वधान में बन रही स्पुतनिक-V का। ये कोरोना पर दुनिया का पहला रजिस्टर्ड वैक्सीन है जिसे इसी साल अगस्त के महीने में रजिस्टर कराया गया था। निर्माताओं के मुताबिक ये वैक्सीन कोरोना रोकने में 92 फीसदी तक कारगर है। कुछ मामलों में वैक्सीन लगाने के उपरांत बुखार, थकान, सरदर्द जैसे साइड इफेक्ट्स भी देखे गए। हैदराबाद के डॉक्टर रेड्डीज लैब को भारत में इस वैक्सीन के ट्रायल की अनुमती मिली हुई है और भारत तथा रूस की सरकारें पूरी प्रक्रिया पर नजदीकी से नजर रख रहीं है। स्वास्थ्य मामले के जानकारों के मुताबिक इस वैक्सीन की कीमत अमेरिका के मोडर्ना वैक्सीन से कम होगी।

COVISHIELD

अब जानते हैं ऑक्सफ़ोर्ड यूनिवर्सिटी और स्वीडिश ब्रिटिश कम्पनी एस्ट्रॉजेन्का द्वारा बनाई जा रही वैक्सीन AZD1222 की। भारत में इस वैक्सीन को ‘कोविशिल्ड‘ नाम दिया गया है। इस वैक्सीन के निर्माण और ट्रायल की प्रक्रिया में पुणे स्थित ‘सीरम इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ इंडिया’ भी सहयोगी है। भारत में इस वैक्सीन के आख़िरी फेज़ का ट्रायल चल रहा है। भारत के साथ ही यूके, साउथ अफ्रीका, अमेरिका और ब्राज़ील में भी इस वैक्सीन का ट्रायल किया गया। ट्रायल से प्राप्त आंकड़ो के अनुसार ये कोरोना को अधिकतम 90 प्रतिशत तक रोकने में कारगर साबित हुई है, हालांकि इस वैक्सीन की औसत सफलता दर 70 फीसदी के करीब है। कई देशों में कई तरीके से हुए ट्रायल के वजह से औसत और अधिकतम सफलता दर के आंकड़ो में बड़ा अंतर नजर आ रहा है। जिन लोगों को वैक्सीन का पहला डोज आधा और एक महीने बाद दूसरा पूरा डोज दिया गया, उनमें वैक्सीन की सफलता का प्रतिशत 90 के करीब रहा पर जिन्हें एक महीने के अंतराल में दो पूरे डोज दिए गए उनमें वैक्सीन की सफलता का प्रतिशत गिर कर 62 रह गया। एस्ट्राजेन्का ने ब्रिटेन के ड्रग रेगुलेटर से 29 नवम्बर को वैक्सीन के आपातकालीन प्रयोग की इजाज़त मांगी है जिसपर आधिकारिक जवाब आना बाकी है। भारत में उपलब्धता की कतार में ये वैक्सीन सबसे आगे खड़ी हैं। सीरम इंस्टिट्यूट ऑफ इंडिया ने इसके चार करोड़ से अधिक डोज तैयार कर लिए हैं। सीरम इंस्टीट्यूट के मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी आधार पूनावाला के मुताबिक इस वैक्सीन के एक डोज की कीमत सरकार को तकरीबन सवा दो सौ रुपये (3 अमेरिकी डॉलर) और आम जनता को तकरीबन 600 रुपये पड़ेगी। सीरम इंस्टीट्यूट पहले भारत के वैक्सीन जरूरतों को पूरा करेगा फिर इसे अन्य देशों को निर्यात किया जाएगा।

COVAXIN

पूरी तरह से भारत में बन रही अगली वैक्सीन है कोवैक्सीन(COVAXIN). इसका निर्माण हैदराबाद स्थित भारत बॉयोटेक और ICMR की नेशनल इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ वायरोलॉजी द्वारा किया जा रहा है। इसके पहले और दूसरे फेज के ट्रायल पूरे हो चुके हैं और तीसरे फेज के ट्रायल जारी हैं। इसके सभी स्टेज के ट्रायल्स अगले साल तक पूरे होंगे। भारत बॉयोटेक के एमडी डॉक्टर कृष्ण एला ने कहा है कि इस वैक्सीन के एक डोज की कीमत एक पानी के बोतल से भी कम होगी।

रेस में सबसे आगे चल रही इन पाँच वैक्सीन का भारत समेत तमाम देश बेसब्री से इंतजार कर रहे हैं। वैक्सीन के लांच की कोई तय तारीख नहीं है और यही बात प्रधानमंत्री ने मुख्यमंत्रियों के साथ हुई बैठक में दुहराई पर सीरम इंस्टिट्यूट के सीईओ आधार पूनावाला के अनुसार दिसम्बर में भारत के ड्रग कंट्रोलर जनरल से वैक्सीन के आपातकालीन इस्तेमाल की इजाजत मांगी जाएगी। इजाजत मिलने की स्थिति में सबसे पहले कोरोना से जंग में कार्यरत फ्रंट लाइन वर्कर्स, जो कोरोना मरीजों के सीधे संपर्क में आते हैं, को वैक्सीन लगाई जाएगी, उसके बाद सीनियर सिटीजन्स की बारी आएगी। पूनावाला आगे बताते हैं कि आम लोगों के लिए वैक्सीन के अप्रैल में उपलब्ध होने की उम्मीद की जा सकती है।

अलग-अलग प्रयोगशालाओं में अलग-अलग वैक्सीनों के पूर्णतः तैयार होने के बेहद करीब पहुंचने को मद्देनजर रखते हुए प्रधानमंत्री ने सभी राज्यों के मुख्यमंत्रियों को वैक्सीन वितरण का खाका तैयार करने के निर्देश दिए हैं। कुल-जमा लब्बोलुआब ये की अप्रैल के पहले आमलोगों को वैक्सीन मिलना सम्भव नहीं है इसलिए कोरोना से जंग में सावधानी ही हमारा हथियार है। मास्क और हैंड सैनिटाइजर के प्रयोग से कोरोना को हराना सम्भव है और जब तक वैक्सीन आ नहीं जाती हमें इनके प्रयोग को लेकर कृतसंकल्पित होना होगा।

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