States Medical News

The server at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has been down for the eighth day in a row, and sources say that additional analysts from Delhi are at risk of being fired for violating cyber security now that two of them have already been suspended.

According to the sources, “The sanitizing process started, earlier it was 15 but now 25 out of 50 servers and more than 400 endpoint computers have been scanned. Antivirus uploading has also been started for future safety.” On Tuesday, the AIIMS also issued a statement that the e-Hospital data has been restored, “The eHospital data has been restored on the servers. Network is being sanitized before the services can be restored. The process is taking some time due to the volume of data and large number of servers/computers for the hospital services. Measures are being taken for cyber security.”

“All hospital services, including outpatient, in-patient, laboratories, etc continue to run on manual mode.” it said further.

“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also joined the investigation. The India Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), Delhi Police, Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) representatives are already probing the incident,” sources told ANI.

The internet services after the recommendations from the investigation agencies will remain blocked in AIIMS Delhi.
Laboratory information system (LIS) database and other dependent databases have been restored.

Earlier AIIMS also issued a fresh set of Standard operating procedures (SOP) which says admission, discharge and transfer of patients will be done manually at the hospital till E-Hospital is down.

“Latest SOPs that have to be followed in manual mode till E-Hospital is down. Admission, discharge and transfer are to be done manually at AIIMS, New Delhi. Indent to be done manually,” the hospital said.

It further said that the death or birth certificates are to be made manually on forms as per instruction from the working committee.

“Only urgent samples to be sent and that too with filled forms. Only urgent investigations are to be sent with forms as per instruction from the working committee,” it added.

Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) reported a failure in its server on November 23, as per officials.

All parts of the medical sector have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19), although according to official statistics, active coordination and the rebirth of public hospitals have improved Delhi’s organ donation and transplantation programme.

Lung transplants have just begun at AIIMS Delhi, and dead donation and transplant programmes at the Army Hospital Research and Referral and RML Hospital have also resumed.

The Director of the AIIMS honoured 18 families as part of the Donor Felicitation Program, which was held by the Organ Retrieval Banking Organization (ORBO) and AIIMS on Tuesday at the AIIMS in New Delhi to honour the unsung heroes of society.

To promote Organ and Tissue Donation, ORBO conducted awareness camps and mass organ and tissue pledging campaigns in collaboration with BSF through the year 2021-2022.

A large number of officers and soldiers of BSF pledged their Organs and Tissues with ORBO. The donor cards were handed over to Commandant (Medical) BSF on Wednesday.
“Every year, we lose a significant number of patients to end-stage organ failure due to the non-availability of organs and tissues. We must dispel myths and fears and develop a positive attitude towards organ and tissue donations in society” Director of AIIMS Dr M Srinivas said.
He also expressed gratitude to the donors and their families for the noble deed of saving so many lives at the time of their grief.

Head of ORBO Prof Arti Vij said, “The process of organ retrieval to transplantation is very extensive as it takes efficient coordination and teamwork between donor’s family, transplant coordinators, physician, transplant teams, support staff, forensic department, blood bank, laboratory department and police for the entire sequence of events to be seamless. Apart from these stakeholders, there are many hands that work for this noble cause. Several volunteers, NGOs, media organisations and society contribute effectively at large. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the donors and donor’s family foremost and to all key players that promote this continuity of life. ORBO maintains an exhaustive website and e-book in which the story of these divine souls and brave families are updated regularly so that their legacy lives on.”

The transplant coordinator of ORBO Rajiv Makhuri said, “Counselling on organ donation is an essential step for families of brain-dead patients. Standard practice should include the physicians’ call for a transplant coordinator before meeting with the families of potential donors screening for potential organ donors in intensive care units and professional counselling are key components needed to promote deceased donations.”

Divya, the mother of Lata who is a multi-organ donor, said, “My daughter Lata was under treatment in AIIMS for a long. I used to see the hoardings and flexes of ORBO about organ donors and inspired by this, I decided to donate my daughter’s organs. We could not do ‘Kanyadaan’ of my daughter instead I chose ‘Angdaan’ so that others’ lives could be saved.”

Earlier on November 27, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya while addressing the 12th Indian Organ Donation Day said, “It makes me immensely proud to share that the total number of organ transplants done per year in the country has increased from 4990 in the year 2013 to 12746 in the year 2019 and India now ranks third in the world only behind USA and China as per the data available on the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT) website.

Similarly, the organ donation rate has increased to about four times as compared to 2012-13. However, we are still facing a huge gap between the number of patients requiring transplantation and the number of people who consent to donate their organs after death. Further, the organ donation and transplantation activities have been negatively impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic which we hope to leave behind soon.”

A team of resident physicians delivered a letter to top Union Health Ministry officials requesting the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) or the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at hospitals so that they can operate freely in a secure and healthy atmosphere. “We would like to make a humble appeal on behalf of all the physicians in our nation to kindly deploy CISF/CRPF at their hospital so they may operate freely in a secure and healthy environment,” stated the letter submitted by the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Resident Doctors Association.

“The physicians worked diligently away from home and family during COVID and continue to do so now. All they seek is that the government protect them not from the patients, but from the nefarious forces of society “According to the letter.
The deputy director of Dr VK Sharma Lady Hardinge Medical College and SMT SK Hospital has issued a letter stating, “withdrawal of services of Marshal/Bouncer at LMC and associated hospital with immediate effect.”
Following directions from Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, the services of marshals and bouncers were terminated with immediate effect from Lady Hardinge Medical College and related institutions.

On Thursday morning, when the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi reached severe levels, a thick envelope of smog was spotted in the national capital region and its surrounding areas, leaving the public once again concerned about their health.

Smog is a form of severe air pollution. The term was invented in the early twentieth century as a combination of the words smoke and fog to describe smoky fog owing to its opacity and odour. The smoke in the air caused by industrialisation and scenarios such as farm fires, when combined with fog, especially in the winter, generate smog, which causes a slew of serious ailments in humans and animals and has the potential to harm vegetation.

Smog has a direct effect on the respiratory system and skin disorders are a major concern.
With Delhi facing high levels of pollutants in the air, it is time to take some precautions and save yourself from falling ill. To make people aware of ways to tackle this alarming situation and inform them about what to do and what not, ANI talked to Dr Arunesh Kumar, HOD- Pulmonology, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram and here are some tips:

Wear mask

Do not leave your home without wearing N95 masks. It’s very important to check that the mask you’re using fulfils all criteria, and actually works well in preventing exposure. Also, only leave your place if it is absolutely necessary to go out.

Invest in air-purifying plants

Investing in some air purifying plants such as aloe vera, ivy and spider plants that can be placed in the home and at your office desk. There are a lot of indoor plants available in the market that requires really less attention. These plants not only purify the air but also calm your mind.

Stay hydrated

It is very important that you stay well hydrated when the air quality is poor. Ensure that you drink enough water throughout the day or other healthy drinks like coconut water and fresh lime. One can also consume vegetable and fruit juices.

Follow a rich diet

Following a diet that is rich in antioxidants, protein and green vegetables is vital as it helps in providing protection to your body from the harmful effects caused by air pollutants.
Use public transports

Every vehicle on the road releases a lot of CO2 into the air. Compared with driving alone, taking public transportation reduces CO2 emissions, decreases pollutants in the atmosphere and improves air quality.

Don’t smoke

Experts say that one of the most common indoor air pollutants is cigarette smoke. Don’t allow anyone to smoke indoors and support measures to make all public places tobacco-free.

Along with these tips, Dr Arunesh also suggested “not skipping your routine workouts and spending time at the nearby park or garden but do so outside peak pollution hours. Do not burn garbage, especially plastic and other discarded things. Do not select the jam-packed road to drive your vehicle and stay away from locations that are seeing high pollution. Select a healthy lifestyle for your body to be prepared for the harmful effects of smog and pollution.”

Meanwhile, with air pollution worsening in the national capital, Delhi authorities halted all construction work and demolition activities till further orders.

Meanwhile, with air pollution worsening in the national capital, Delhi authorities halted all construction work and demolition activities till further orders.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has urged the Delhi government to shut schools till air quality improves.

Also Read: Health expert terms Delhi NCR pollution a “medical emergency” as people complain of pneumonia, chest infections

The national capital’s air quality remained ‘very bad,’ while Noida’s air quality remained ‘severe.’ Many patients have been taken to the ICU after suffering pneumonia or chest illnesses, according to sources. The difficulties created by rising pollution have been dubbed a “medical emergency” by health experts.

“This is a medical emergency as people are affected by short-term and long-term impacts of the pollution. You are immediately affected when the lungs are exposed to this air,” Chairman of the Institute of Chest Surgery at Medanta Hospital, Dr Arvind Kumar told ANI on Wednesday.

Dr Kumar further said that as the smoke goes inside the chest, it causes immediate acute inflammation in the windpipe and lungs; followed by these toxic chemicals getting absorbed from the lungs and reaching the blood. They then move everywhere from head to toe thus affecting every organ, he added.

He further said that the hospital reporting huge numbers of people complaining about chest infections and pneumonia proves that the pollution is at its peak.

The most common sufferings reported due to the pollution are- sore throat and eyes, burning in eyes, red eyes, watering eyes, dry-itchy eyes, burning sensations in the nose, and a metallic taste at the lips, he added.

Medanata chairman further put forth the long-term effects of the pollution on a child’s brain stating that it could make them “hyper-irritable”.

“Long-term effects on the brain make the children hyper-irritable. I think it’s neuro-inflammation because of the toxins from the pollutants. In elderly people, it can increase the risk of stroke by 10 times,” he said.

Notably, the air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday morning as the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city stood at 354.

The national capital’s air quality remained ‘very bad,’ while Noida’s air quality remained ‘severe.’ Many patients have been taken to the ICU after suffering pneumonia or chest illnesses, according to sources. The difficulties created by rising pollution have been dubbed a “medical emergency” by health experts.

Noida, which is a part of the national capital region, slipped to an AQI of 406, and remained in the ‘severe’ category, while Gurugram’s AQI stood at 346 and at the ‘very poor category, as per the data released by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) India earlier this morning.

Air Quality Index from 0 to 100 is considered as good, while from 100 to 200 it is moderate, from 200 to 300 it is poor, and from 300 to 400 it is said to be very poor and from 400 too 500 or above it is considered as severe.
A little less poor air quality in Delhi’s satellite cities gave some respite to the people, but it is only a relative term from the previous day.

While comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters during Saturday’s emergency meeting of CAQM, the Commission noted that due to unfavorable meteorological conditions with slower wind speed and sudden spike in farm fire incidents, it is considered necessary to implement Stage III of GRAP with immediate effect in the entire NCR.

The CAQM further noted that the winds are forecasted to be CALM in the coming days and the wind direction is likely to change course frequently. Thus, there is a high likelihood of the pollutants getting trapped in the region and not getting dispersed effectively.

Further, the CAQM appealed to the citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementing GRAP and follow the steps mentioned in the Citizen Charter under GARP. Apart from that, a 9-point action plan as per Stage III of GRAP was made applicable in the entire NCR.

The 9-point action plan includes steps to be implemented/ ensured by different agencies and Pollution Control Boards of NCR and DPCC, as per the official statement.