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By Dr Dinesh Singh
I am a Radiation Oncologist working at Max Hospital, Vaishali. When Covid came and the lockdown was announced, everything came to a standstill. There were apprehension and fear in the atmosphere. Non-covid services were stopped in Hospital to accommodate the expected huge rush of Covid patients. Cancer patients had a particularly tough time. It was a very difficult time for cancer specialists and cancer patients alike. After initial hiccoughs, we cancer specialists in our hospital started coming regularly with all due precautions. A very difficult time for us, while working in OPD wearing of PPE kits was not mandatory. We used to wear N95 masks, gloves, OT dress, Cap, face shield, shoe cover to keep ourselves safe from getting exposed to covid.
The extra plastic shield was erected in front of our working desk for giving us extra protection. Patients who had cancer and undergoing treatment continued with added precautions Because discontinuing cancer treatment is riskier. Treatments were modified to make them less intense, radiotherapy schedules were reworked to reduce number of visits to the
hospital, to reduce exposure in the hospital. Some patients while before radiation or during treatment got Covid, they required a break in treatment. The majority recovered but a few unfortunately lost battel to Covid. Surgeries were modified to reduce anesthesia time. Plastic reconstruction was significantly reduced or modified. Chemotherapy schedules were modified for making them less immunocompromising and
reducing hospital visits.
Impact on patients who had symptoms of cancer and suspected cancer.
These were affected a lot. They avoided hospital visits, coming to the hospital was difficult. Their diagnosis got delayed. Patients with early-stage cancer progressed to advanced stages thus reducing their cure rates and increasing treatment duration and cost of treatment.
Impact on patients on follow up. Mostly these patients had follow up online with video consult and were able to sail through comfortably expect few who had a recurrence but got delayed due to travel restrictions and
also due to fear of covid in hospital.
Fear of existing covid patients in the hospital
This was a big fear factor in the mind of many patients and their caregivers that by visiting hospital which already has covid patients might put them and their patients exposed to
covid.
This was the main factor that caused majority of problems of LIKE
Delay in getting diagnosed
Delay in taking treatment
Delay in follow up and investigation.

The writer is Dr Dinesh Singh, Director, Radiation Oncology ,Max Hospital Vaishali and Patparganj.

New Delhi – The National Medical Commission (NMC) has now issued the modified guidelines with relaxations in the appointment of examiners for MBBS exams also.

According to the new advisory given by National Medical Commission (NMC) to all medical colleges and universities must in the first instance try to adhere to the existing norms regarding external examiners as provided for in Regulations for graduate Medical Education. If it’s not feasible, Universities advised to follow one of the options. With respect to External examiners for the MBBS examinations considering the risk stratification of the areas where the Medical colleges/institutions are located, if External examiner are not available from outside the state due to the pandemic then External examiners to be selected from a different University in the State and these examiners has to be physically present at the venue of the examination. In case States having all the medical colleges under the same University i.e State Health University, Medical Colleges may engage External Examiners from any other college under the State Health University of such External Examiners should be physically present during the examination.

New Delhi – The Government of Delhi has declared six government hospital as Non-Covid Hospitals and reduced number of Covid beds in five hospitals.

The Government of Delhi has taken this decision after seeing a declining number of Covid-19 cases in New Delhi.

New Delhi – If a medical student has done a course from unrecognized medical colleges then migration of a student will not be permitted to get migration to a recognized medical college.

A bench comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and Indira Banerjee set aside the verdict of the Rajasthan High Court that directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) to permit migration of a student of MBBS course from an unrecognized medical college to a recognized.

The medical student Anchal Parihar was studying at Ananta Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, she had requested for migration to Dr S N Medical College.

New Delhi – The drugmaker company Pfizer said it decided to withdraw its application for EUA in India and will be re-submitting its data with additional information to Drug regulator authority for EUA.

“In pursuance of the Emergency Use Authorisation of its COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer participated in the Subject Expert Committee meeting of the Drug Regulatory Authority of India on February 3. Based on the deliberations at the meeting and our understanding of additional information that the regulator may need, the company has decided to withdraw its application at this time. Pfizer will continue to engage with the authority and resubmit its approval request with additional information as it becomes available in the near future. Pfizer remains committed to making its vaccine available for use by the Government in India and to pursuing the requisite pathway for emergency use authorisation that enables the availability of this vaccine for any future deployment.”—A Pfizer Company Spokesperson

Pfizer was the first pharmaceutical company to apply for an emergency use authorisation licensure from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for its COVID-19 vaccine in India after getting clearance in the UK and Bahrain.

New Delhi – Delhi High Court has refused to interfere with the Delhi government’s decision on refusal of granting study leave to pursue for Postgrade MD /MS course in Paediatrics from PGI Chandigarh.

A single Bench of Justice V. Kameswar Rao made the observations while hearing the plea filed by the petitioner who is a doctor seeking the direction against the respondent to issue the relieving order.

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New Delhi – In a press briefing by ICMR on asking about the satisfaction with the vaccination from beneficiaries the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “Feedback we have received from the beneficiaries of Covid-19 vaccines has shown that nearly 97% have been satisfied with the vaccination experience. The feedback has been taken from beneficiaries by personalised SMS a day after vaccination. The response was given by 5,12,128 beneficiaries.”

A total of 45,93,427 doses of vaccines have been administered in the country. The second dose vaccination will be administered beginning on February 13.

“India has become the fastest nation to reach 4 million Covid-19 vaccinations. It took only 18 days to administer the first 4 million vaccines,” said Union Health Secretary

The vaccines are superbly safe said Dr V k Paul , Member (Health), Niti Aayog during press briefing

New Delhi – The matter is related to the Singhania University at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, it related to running courses by the University without approval from Central Government  or Board of Governors in Super-session of National Medical commission (NMC).These courses are on Modern Medicine , but students who passed out such unrecognized degree cannot register for practice.

The warning letter has been issued by the Government against the Singhania University for running illegal programmes of courses in MBBS , MD and  Diploma in Medicine.

In notice the apex education regulatory body has also requested students and their parents to not get admission in those in Rajasthan-based Singhania University, UGC has clarified in the notice that the students will be allowed to practice having such unrecognised degree.

New Delhi – In parliament Indian Medical Association has said 734 doctors had lost their lives due to COVID-19 in the country. The IMA has also written a letter to Unio Minister od State for health and family welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey about the correct figures on number of deaths as per the details association has is more than the figures available with the government.

In the letter, Prof Dr J A Jayalal who is National president of Indian Medical Association and Dr Jayesh M Lele , General Secretary of IMA said they were shocked by the announcement made by the minister in the Rajya Sabha.

The Ashwini Kumar Choubey who is MOS for Union Health Ministry in parliament said only 162 doctors died due to Covid-19 in India as on January 22, 2021 sicne the outbreak of disease in the country.

According to the Indian medical association 734 doctors lost their lives due to COVID-19 in India out of which 431 are the General Practitioners who are the first point of contact for the people, 25 Doctors are less then 35 years of age.

“It is unfortunate that in a devastating pandemic the front line warriors of modern medicine had fought with altruism and in the bargain lost their lives, but the roll of honour or the appropriate data on these fatalities were not documented by the Government of India,” the doctors  said.

The IMA has appealed for high- power committee should be constituted by Government to make a thorough study on the entire data of deceased doctors and all those who had succumbed shall be honoured.