Health Bulletin 27/ July/ 2024

After the Delhi Medical Council, the Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC) has also issued an advisory for the hospitals and nursing homes, asking them to verify the degrees and credentials of doctors before employing them.

RMC issued this advisory after taking cognizance of the instances where unqualified or underqualified doctors are employed in the hospitals, nursing homes and clinical establishments in the State.

The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Karnataka, recently directed a Bengaluru-based hospital and its two doctors to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to a patient for leaving a 3.2-centimetre surgical needle inside her body while conducting a Hernia and Appendix surgery.

While considering the complaint filed by the patient, the Karnataka State Consumer Court observed that after the surgery of Hernia and Appendix in the year 2004, the complainant did not undergo any surgery between 2004 and 2010, when she was admitted for removal of the said foreign body at a Private Hospital in Bengaluru.

The apex reserach regulator, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has released 32 new Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs) for common and serious diseases. It is developed in collaboration with the National Health Authority (NHA) and WHO India.

According to a UNI report, the new STWs cover five specialties, including cardiothoracic vascular surgery, paediatric cardiology, interventional radiology, neurosurgery, and orthopaedics, adding to the 125 STWs previously released across 23 specialities in 2019 and 2022.

A day after the Chandigarh Health Department issued an advisory for seasonal influenza A (H1N1), also known as swine flu, a case was reported in the city. A doctor at GMSH-16, Chandigarh, tested positive for the virus and is currently in stable condition. The doctor is being treated and kept under observation, with close contacts and family members also monitored for symptoms.

Swine flu, like seasonal influenza, spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The monsoon season, with its increased humidity, creates an environment conducive to the circulation of various viral respiratory pathogens, including Influenza A (H1N1) and adenoviruses. Symptoms of swine flu resemble those of seasonal flu and include cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, and headaches. More severe symptoms can include difficulty breathing, high fever, bluish skin or lips, blood in sputum, and vomiting. Diagnosis of swine flu is confirmed through an RT-PCR test. Health authorities emphasize vigilance and prompt medical consultation if symptoms persist.