Bereaved family hunts down fake doctor in Chennai

The shocking revelation came to light after months of efforts by the family of a 48-year-old woman who died in May after being treated by the accused Ranjith.

Published: 22nd December 2018 02:22 AM 

Image used for representational purpose only.

By Sahaya Novinston Lobo

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A ‘fake’ doctor had been practising in various hospitals in the City, including a prominent multi-specialty hospital at Mylapore, for several years.

The shocking revelation came to light after months of efforts by the family of a 48-year-old woman who died in May after being treated by the accused Ranjith, at the Laksha Multi Speciality Hospital, Mylapore.

The Mylapore police on Wednesday filed a cheating case against Ranjith and Dr Senthil Kumar, the managing director of the hospital.


The police acted only after the family, by its own efforts, verified with the State and the National medical councils and found that the registration number submitted by Ranjith, belongs to another retired doctor with a similar name from Adyar.

The police did not act on the case despite issuing a ‘Community Service Register’ receipt on August 28, acknowledging the complaint.

The doubts about Ranjith, practising in the Mylapore hospital, arose in April when K Jothi, aged 48, and fighting cancer, suffered sudden death on May 18 in the hospital.

“We had some suspicion about Ranjith from the beginning. But when he performed a surgery a week before her death, my mother suffered a seizure and was admitted in ICU,” Bala Shankari, Jothi’s daughter, told Express from Puducherry.

She said they grew concerned over the deteriorating health of Jothi and were preparing to shift her to the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital on May 18, when the staff told them Jothi had started bleeding and was critical. Ranjith had attended to her in the ICU and a few minutes later, she was declared dead.

“While we were weeping over the demise of our mother, Ranjith started playing a sentimental song in his mobile phone inside the ICU ward,”said Bala Shankari. The family’s suspicion over Ranjith grew stronger when the hospital is said to have delayed issuing the medical reports and bills.

The family said they lodged a complaint with the Mylapore police over the issue, but no action was taken. When they raised the questions over Ranjith, the police officers had defended him and gave the family his medical council registration number. But when the family approached the State and national medical councils with the number and asked for the address of the doctor, they were given that of a doctor based in Adyar.

“We gave this information to the police, but they simply brushed it aside saying that no one was present at the address. So we went to the given address and found there was another retired doctor, but with the name ‘Ranjith Kumar’. Only after we informed this to the police, they summoned Ranjith in August last week,” said Bala Shankari.

Police said Ranjith was absconding after he appeared once at the police station in last week of August. But a police officer involved in the investigation said they still did not file an FIR since they “expected him to appear again”. The family in the meanwhile, filed petitions to various authorities, including CM’s cell.

The Mylapore police finally on Wednesday night, filed an FIR on charges of cheating against Ranjith and the hospital managing director Senthil Kumar.

“We found that Ranjith was not a qualified doctor and we are looking out for him,” said the officer. However, he opined that the hospital management was also a victim since they too were cheated. He also acknowledged that the hospital did not do a proper background check on him.

When Express on Friday visited the hospital, the staff at the reception said Dr Senthil Kumar was not willing to talk to the press on the issue since the police investigations are on. However, later in the evening, an advocate representing the hospital, called Express and defended the hospital.

“Senthil Kumar had met Ranjith in two other private hospitals where he had gone for consultations. During such a visit, Ranjith had volunteered to work in this hospital also and Senthil Kumar accepted it. He only asked for the registration number and when he checked, the name showed as ‘Ranjith Kumar’. He did not probe further and that has now landed the hospital in trouble,” said the advocate who gave his name as Antony.

He said Ranjith had worked in the hospital for over two years. As per Ranjith’s claims made to the Laksha Multi Speciality Hospital, he was working for nearly 8 years in various hospitals in Chennai before joining them.

The advocate claimed that they traced Ranjith’s address and spoke to his mother.

“She said he was once studying in a medical college in Bengaluru, but was not sure whether he completed the course. We are also helping the police in tracing him,” said the advocate.

In her complaint, Bala Shankari has also named a senior doctor at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, as having referred Jothi to Laksha Multi Speciality Hospital.

The police have filed a case under section 15 (3) of the Indian Medical Council Act and IPC sections 419 (personation) and 420 (cheating).

GH display board to show real time postmortem data

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:22.12.2018

An electronic board displaying the number of bodies to undergo postmortem and the expected time for the procedure will be placed outside Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital to help grieving relatives waiting outside the mortuary get real time information.

The move is expected to reduce chances of corruption and avoid conflicts with mortuary staff, the hospital announced.

Postmortem is conducted by the hospital in case of unnatural deaths as in road accidents, falls or suicide or when case of death cannot be ascertained (brought dead). The department of forensic medicine has already started putting up handwritten display boards with details including time of receiving the body, name of police station that has registered the case, status of inquest, and expected time of postmortem.

In the last few months, the hospital has received complaints that staff demanded bribes to take bodies out of freezer and release them after postmortems. Similar complaints from patients’ relatives were also received inside ward.

After holding discussions with the police in August and October, the hospital has added more than 120 high resolution cameras on campus to prevent corruption and other crimes inside the ward, hospital dean Dr R Jayanthi said at a press conference on Friday. “Ever since, there were no cases of robbery or harassment filed by the police outpost,” she said.

A week ago DVAC officials raided various government hospitals following charges of corruption.

Two senior doctors in the post of professors are also posted each morning as vigilance officers of the day to inspect different wards, she said. Based on the reports, at least five housekeeping staff from various wards have been terminated after patients complained of harassment for bribes in the last six months.

“Around the same time, we have initiated inquiry against five permanent staff. They have been transferred to other departments pending inquiry,” she said.

Doctors at the hospital said after the security beef up there have not been any incident of relatives of patients beating up doctors in emergency and casualty wards. “It is also because we now have set protocols to reduce waiting time in the emergency department and this has reduced mortality rates by nearly 85% since January,” she said.

The move is expected to prevent chances of corruption and avoid conflicts with mortuary staff, the hospital announced

Family alleges medical negligence in boy’s death

S. Prasad

PUDUCHERRY, DECEMBER 21, 2018 00:00 IST

Relatives of the 16-year-old Manibharathi, on the right, block traffic in Puducherry on Thursday.S. S. Kumar

Manibharathi was taken to Indira Gandhi govt. hospital thrice after he fell sick

Irate family members and relatives of a 16-year-old boy who died at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital on Thursday resorted to a road blockade on the Vazhuthavur Road alleging medical negligence on the part of the hospital.

The victim A. Manibharathi, hailing from Velan Nagar in Saram, was studying Plus One in the Navalar Nedunchezhian Government Higher Secondary School in Lawspet. Manibharathi was returning from school on Monday when he consumed a chocolate offered by a stranger. However, he fell ill after consuming the chocolate and his mother Jayalakshmi and sister Manju took him to the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital at Kathirgamam. The doctors on duty treated him and sent him home. As his condition did not improve, the family again went to the hospital for the next two days and he was treated as an outpatient and sent home.

When Manibharathi’s health deteriorated on Wednesday, his family rushed him again to the hospital where he died while undergoing treatment.

On information, the victim’s relatives, along with Kathirgamam MLA N.S.J. Jayabal and former MLA Ashok Anand, resorted to a road blockade in front of the hospital on Vazhuthavur Road on Thursday alleging medical negligence.

Shortage of doctors

Mr. Jayabal expressed his displeasure over the shortage of doctors and lack of facilities at the hospital and said this had resulted in the death of several patients visiting the hospital over the last one year. He said the doctors on duty had not provided proper treatment to Manibharathi and accused them of negligence.

The agitators also demanded that disciplinary action should be initiated against the doctors who were on duty and that the post-mortem examination should be conducted under the supervision of a magistrate at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer).

Later, Mr. Jayabal and Mr. Ashok Anand, accompanied by the relatives of the victim, met hospital director Dr. V. Govindaraj demanding an investigation into the boy’s death. Dr. Govindaraj said that a report would be submitted to the Health Secretary and if any negligence was found on the part of doctors, action would be initiated against them.

The hospital also agreed to the relatives’ demand that the post-mortem examination be conducted at Jipmer following which they withdrew their protest. Traffic was disrupted on the Vazhuthavur Road for over an hour due to the blockade.

MBBS fees already Rs. 50,000: Colleges

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU, DECEMBER 20, 2018 00:00 IST

While Medical Education Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that the government intends to increase the annual tuition fee for MBBS course from Rs. 17,000 to Rs. 50,000 from the coming academic year, college authorities and students point out that they have already paid Rs. 50,000 as tuition fees for the 2018-2019 academic year.

In an order issued on June 26, 2018, the Department of Medical Education had stated that the tuition fee in government medical colleges would be increased from Rs. 16,700 to Rs. 50,000, and government dental colleges from Rs. 14,400 to Rs. 40,000.

Besides this, the students would also have to pay university fees, hostel fees and mess fees annually.

“The fee for government medical colleges is already Rs. 50,000 and we have even collected tuition fee from students who have enrolled for the 2018-2019 academic year,” an official from the Karnataka Examinations Authority confirmed.

The KEA conducts counselling for all medical and dental seats across the State.

Sources in the Medical Education Department also pointed out that the Minister had indicated that the fees for PG medical courses would be hiked and that the hike in MBBS was already implemented for this academic year.

“The fees in government colleges in Karnataka is one of the lowest in the country. The previous fee hike was more than a decade ago. So, in order to improve infrastructure facilities in government colleges, we have decided to hike the fees in the range of 5 to 10% annually,” a source said.

Medical colleges told to refund excess fees

Tanu Kulkarni

BENGALURU, DECEMBER 20, 2018 00:00 IST

Direction came from Admission Overseeing Committee

The Admission Overseeing Committee (AOC) has directed two medical colleges in Bengaluru to refund the excess fees they had collected, along with 6% interest.

The committee also stated that if they fail to do so, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) should make necessary recommendations to the Medical Council of India for withdrawal of recognition and affiliation.

The institutes — Rajarajeswari Medical College & Hospital and East Point College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre — had allegedly collected excess money from students under various sub-heads, including fees for use of swimming pool, air-conditioning, gym and smart classes.

The students, who had complained to the committee, are currently in the second year.

“While the students paid excess fees when they were in the first year without questioning the management, they have now realised that it is illegal and have complained to us,” said B. Manohar, chairman of the AOC. Last week, the committee wrote to the government recommending initiating action against these colleges.

While Rajarajeswari Medical College & Hospital allegedly asked government quota students to pay an additional fee of Rs. 48,800 while students in the institutional quota were asked to pay Rs. 1.48 lakh.

Students of East Point College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre were allegedly made to pay Rs. 80,900 if they were chosen under the government quota and Rs. 91,800 under the institutional quota.

Despite conducting several hearings, the colleges did not relent, said sources in the committee.

“Students and parents are eagerly waiting for the colleges to waive off the excess fees, but the management is not entertaining their concerns,” a source said. Rajarajeswari Medical College & Hospital authorities said that the matter is sub-judice and that students had already approached a court as well.

A representative of East Point College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre said that they would soon comply with the order of the committee.

While the students paid excess fees when they were in their first year unquestioningly, they have now realised that it is illegal and have complained to us.

B. ManoharChairman of AOC

Students and parents are eagerly waiting for the colleges to waive off the excess fees, but the management is not entertaining their concerns.

Source

Get birth certificates on discharge at GHs from Jan 1

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:20.12.2018

From January 1, parents need not apply for birth certificates for their newborn. While mothers giving births at the government hospitals will be given birth certificates on the day of discharge along with their discharge summary, those delivering at private hospitals will be able to download them from government website within 21 days, said director of public health Dr K Kolandaisamy, who is also the registrar of births and deaths in the state.

In Chennai, however, parents can download their children’s birth certificates from civic agency’s website. Since July 2009, all primary health centers in the state have been handing out birth certificates free of cost at the time of discharge and the health inspectors of the areas were posted as birth registrars.

Since September this year, the facility was extended at all state-run maternity hospitals, non-taluk hospitals, taluk and district headquarters hospitals, medical college hospitals and ESI hospitals as per orders issued by the Supreme Court. This will be implemented on town panchayats, municipalities and corporation limits. “At least 60% of all deliveries in the state happen at public hospitals. There were some initial problems, but things have smoothened now,” he said. “While parents who have decided names for their children can record it on their webpages, other will be able to add names through online facility within one year. The purpose is to make the process easy for people,” he said.

Since registration of pregnancy is mandatory, all pregnant women in the state are given special identification numbers with which birth certificates are issued. “The state already has most details including name of mother, father and their residential addresses. The hospitals will have to update the place and date of birth,” said a senior official.

Greater Chennai Corporation, which has a successful online birth registration programme, is helping the state develop process for the entire state.

The civic agency is also developing mobile applications that will enable corrections in names dates and address in the application. The state will soon extend the facility of taking a hard copy of birth certificate from the private hospitals by end of 2019, officials said.

North Chennai’s ‘2-rupee doctor’, Jayachandran, breathes his last

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.12.2018

A pall of gloom descended over Old Washermenpet on Wednesday as North Chennai lost its ‘Erandu Rubai Doctor’ (Two Rupee Doctor).

Dr S Jayachandran, who became the beloved of residents of the predominantly working class neighbourhood, charging a paltry consulting fee for decades, had been ailing for a few months. “He breathed his last at 5.30am,” said R D Ramesh, a close relative. He was 71 and is survived by his wife and their three children.

Born at Vadapattinam near Koovathur in 1947, Jayachandran moved to Chennai when he was 15. After completing MBBS at Madras Medical College, he began practice at Ullagaram near Madipakkam and a clinic in Kasimedu before moving to Old Washermenpet in the 1970s, said Thooyamurthy, his long-time friend. “The physician used to charge only ₹2 from each patient and continued to collect the same fee till 1998. Later, he revised it to ₹5 and then to ₹10,” he said.

He would serve the poor through the day. “People would begin queuing up at his clinic since 4.30am. On an average, he treated about 250 patients everyday, sometimes offering medicines free,” said Thooyamurthy.

In his trademark safari suit, the doctor was a familiar sight at medical camps in different parts of North Chennai. Dr Jayachandran also doubled up as an activist, highlighting the poor infrastructure in North Chennai. “He was the convenor of North Chennai Rail Passengers Rights Tribune that played a major role in getting the government’s OK for the extension of metrorail from Washermenpet to Thiruvottiyur,” said A T B Bose, a member of the tribune.

Recalling Dr Jayachandran’s contributions towards the demand for converting the heritage Royapuram Railway Station into a terminal, Bose said that his demise was a major loss for the needy. “His connect with the poor people was huge. People from lower economic backgrounds in this locality largely depended on him for medical services,” Bose said.

DMK president M K Stalin was among those who condoled Jayachandran’s death. “The death of ‘People’s Doctor’ Dr Jayachandran is a great loss to the residents of North Chennai,” the leader of the opposition in the state assembly tweeted.

Thefinal riteswouldbe performed at Kasimedu on Thursday, his family sources said.

Dr S Jayachandran

Medicine 

TN man undergoes rare surgery after insensate tissue from the brain was found oozing out of his ear
 
It was found that the fluid that kept oozing out through his ear was the cerebrospinal fluid while the pink mass on the external ear was insensate tissue from the brain.

Anjana Shekar 
 
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 - 19:38
 
L to R: K Krishnakumar, Loganathan and Dr Joy Varghese


Since 2012, 54-year-old Loganathan, an accountant from Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district, has been suffering from intense bouts of headaches accompanied by a sharp pain in the right ear. This would then be followed by a fluid discharge from his right ear. “Sometimes, the cotton ball in my ear would soak up all the fluid and some would even drip onto my shirt. I wondered where all this water came from,” says Loganathan.

Loganathan, who met with a road accident in Erode in 2010, escaped with a head injury and a few months after the accident, he underwent surgery for tympanomastoidectomy (surgery to treat infections) in his right ear. This could perhaps have been the reason behind his intermittent ear pain and fluid discharge from the ear, opine doctors.

In 2012, when Loganathan reported his condition to his doctors in Erode, he was given ear-drops to “dissolve” the mass in his external ear.

In 2017, Loganathan’s ear pain and headaches intensified and this time, he had to deal with a constant, pulsating sound that he kept ringing in his right ear. “The sound would just not stop. It felt like I was living with two hearts - one in my chest and the other in my ear,” he shares.

After much deliberation, Loganathan was referred to ENT specialist doctor K Krishnakumar, who works at the Apollo in Chennai, where he underwent another surgery recently. Dr Krishnakumar found that the mass in his ear was actually a part of his brain.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr K Krishnakumar said, “I found that the fluid that kept oozing out through a hole in his ear was the cerebrospinal fluid, the pink mass on the external ear was a part of his brain and the pulsating sound was actually the brain’s pulse.”

Fungus Cerebri, as this rare phenomenon is called, is an unusual term, given that there is no connection with the clinically defined fungus. This actually refers to the brain herniating into the ear, which occurs when a part of the brain is squeezed across structures in the skull and as a result, high pressure builds up within the skull.

Dr Joy Varghese, Neurosurgeon at Apollo, who operated Loganathan shares that the condition could have worsened and caused severe complications if was not treated immediately.

“The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that surrounds the brain matter was the fluid that was dripping through his ear. Also, the pink and insensitive mass that was filling his external auditory canal was actually a portion of the temporal lobe. This could have caused severe infections in the brain if left unchecked. He was highly fortunate that he did not develop any complications,” he shares.

After the surgery on November 26, which lasted up to eight hours, Loganathan was closely monitored for post-op complications.

Dr Joy clarifies that the mass, which was removed from his ear, would not cause any brain damage to the patient.

“In this case, the protrusion was a part of the temporal lobe, which is responsible for memory and emotions. The removal of this would not have affected the patient because it was such a small area and it had scars,” he tells us.

Dr Joy also remarks that this could have been the first of its kind surgery in the country. “We checked available records of similar instances but while it is common for such prolapses in the middle lobe, cases of such a mass in the external lobe are extremely rare,” he shares.

The doctors also stressed how unwise it would be to introduce an object such as cotton buds or Q tips, usually meant to clean the ear, especially since the ear is an extremely sensitive and tender body part. Its proximity to the brain and the thickness of its walls make it one of the most delicate body parts and any minor accident could pose danger to the brain.

மதுரையில் 'எய்ம்ஸ்' அடிக்கல் நாட்டு விழா:

ஜனவரியில் பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடி வருகை

மதுரை,: 'எய்ம்ஸ்' மருத்துவமனைக்கு அடிக்கல் நாட்டுவது உட்பட வளர்ச்சித் திட்டங்களை துவக்க வரும் ஜனவரியில் பிரதமர் மோடி மதுரை வருகிறார்.



தென் மாவட்ட மக்கள் உயர்தர சிகிச்சை பெற ஏதுவாக மதுரை தோப்பூரில் 'எய்ம்ஸ்' மருத்துவமனை அமைக்க மத்திய அமைச்சரவை ஒப்புதல் அளித்துள்ளது. இதையடுத்து மருத்துவமனை அமைக்க ஆயத்த பணிகள் துவங்கியுள்ளன.மத்திய அரசு சார்பில் தமிழகத்தில் பல்வேறு வளர்ச்சி பணிகள் நடக்கின்றன. மதுரையில் 150 கோடி ரூபாயில் சூப்பர் ஸ்பெஷாலிட்டி

மருத்துவமனை கட்டப்பட்டு முடியும்நிலையில் உள்ளது. மதுரை- -துாத்துக்குடி இரட்டை அகல ரயில் பாதை பணிகள், ராமேஸ்வரம் ரயில்பாதை மின்மயமாக்க பணிகள் துவங்கவுள்ளன. 1,000 கோடி ரூபாயில் மாநகராட்சியில் ஸ்மார்ட்சிட்டி திட்ட பணிகள், 1,400 கோடி ரூபாயில் 'அம்ரூட்' திட்ட பணிகள் துவங்கவுள்ளன. கன்னியாகுமரி மாவட்டத்தில் மேம்பாலங்கள் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளன. இப்பணிகளுக்கு மதுரையில் ஜனவரியில் பிரதமர் மோடி அடிக்கல் நாட்டுவதுடன், சில திட்டங்களை துவக்கியும் வைக்கிறார்.அடுத்த ஆண்டு மே லோக்சபா தேர்தல் நடக்கவுள்ளதால் பிப்ரவரியில் தேர்தல் கமிஷன் அறிவிப்பு வெளியிட வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன. அதற்கு முன்பாக 'எய்ம்ஸ்' மருத்துவமனைக்கு அடிக்கல் நாட்டு விழா நடத்தவும் மத்திய, மாநில அரசுகள்திட்டமிட்டுள்ளன.பா.ஜ., மாநில செயலர் ஸ்ரீநிவாசன், ''எய்ம்ஸ் அடிக்கல் நாட்டு விழாவில் பிரதமர் மோடிபங்கேற்பது உறுதி. ஆனால் தேதி முடிவாகவில்லை,'' என்றார்.

ரூ.5 ஆயிரம் கோடி

திருமங்கலத்தில் அமைச்சர்

உதயகுமார் கூறுகையில், ''தோப்பூரில் 260 ஏக்கர் ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மத்திய அரசு முதற்கட்டமாக 1,248 கோடி ரூபாய் ஒதுக்கீடு செய்துள்ளது. மருத்துவமனை கட்டுமான பணிக்கு மட்டும் இந்த நிதி. மருத்துவக் கல்லுாரி, விடுதி, குடியிருப்பு கட்டடம், மருத்துவ உபகரணங்கள் செலவு என மொத்தம் மத்திய, மாநில அரசுகள் 5,000 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவு செய்யும்,'' என்றார்.

Action against doctor for performing illegal abortions

STAFF REPORTER

TIRUVANNAMALAI, DECEMBER 19, 2018 00:00 IST

The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Tiruvannamalai, has initiated action against a doctor for performing illegal abortions in Polur. The authority has directed the police to file a case and arrest her.

Principal District Judge G. Mahizhenthi, who is the chairman of DLSA, conducted a surprise check at the clinic run by Suganthi, a MBBS graduate, in Polur, on Tuesday.

This was following a complaint from a 27-year-old woman, who alleged that her lover had forced her to undergo abortion three times at the clinic and cheated her after promising to marry her.

The complaint was forwarded to the Taluk Legal Services Committee, Polur.

Unqualified staff

“Though she was a qualified person with a MBBS degree, she did not hold a Diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetrics. There were no records of patients treated or prescriptions. There were four to five persons, who were engaged as staff but were unqualified,” said K. Rajmohan, sub-judge and secretary of DLSA.

The statement of the complainant was recorded. As the surprise inspection found that the complaint was true, the DLSA directed the police to register a case against the doctor and remand her, he added.

Doctor duped of Rs36.60L over son’s MBBS admission

TNN | Dec 17, 2018, 03.45 AM IST

Nagpur: Pachpaoli police, on directions of the court, have registered an offence of fraud on Sunday against four people for allegedly duping a doctor of Rs36.60 lakh on the pretext of providing his son admission in a MBBS college.

The police said Dr Mahendra Kaikade, a resident of Palghar, wanted his son Umesh to take admission in a MBBS college and become a doctor. However, Umesh did not receive good enough marks to get admission in a medical college. After looking for other options, Kaikade decided to take admission on management seat for his son. So, he started asking around for agents, following which a friend introduced him to one of the accused.

The accused have been identified as Robin Meshram, Chetan Jambhulkar, Snehal Pawar and Dilip Chubal. The accused promised to get admission for Umesh at a Nashik-based college and asked for money. Kaikade paid the accused Rs36.60 lakh but Umesh did not get admission in the college. The doctor then started demanding money back as the accused had failed to provide admission. They returned only Rs5 lakh to Kaikade.

It is learnt Kaikade and accused had also signed an agreement that if Umesh does not receive admission the accused will return the money. After the accused failed to repay the money, Kaikade approached the court.

மதுரையில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை - நீண்ட இடைவெளிக்குப்பின் மத்திய அமைச்சரவை ஒப்புதல்!
கலிலுல்லா.ச

மதுரையில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைக்கப்படும் என ஏற்கெனவே அறிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்த நிலையில், மத்திய அமைச்சரவை இதற்கான ஒப்புதலை வழங்கியுள்ளது.



மத்திய அரசு 2015-16-ம் ஆண்டு பட்ஜெட்டில் தமிழகத்தில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைப்பதாக அறிவித்தது. அதைத்தொடர்ந்து காஞ்சிபுரம், ஈரோடு, தஞ்சாவூர், புதுக்கோட்டை, மதுரை என 5 மாவட்டங்களில் எய்ம்ஸ் அமைப்பதற்கான இடம் பார்க்கப்பட்டது. அந்தந்த மாவட்ட நிர்வாகங்கள் கைகாட்டிய இடங்களைப் பார்வையிட்ட மத்திய சுகாதாரத்துறை குழுவினர் அங்கிருக்கும் ஒவ்வொரு வசதிகளுக்கும் மதிப்பெண் அளித்தார்கள்.



இதையடுத்து மதுரை தோப்பூரில் 200 ஏக்கர் பரப்பளவில் 1,500 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைக்கப்படும் என தமிழக முதலமைச்சர் எடப்பாடி பழனிசாமி அறிவித்தார். கடந்த செப்டம்பர் மாதம் மதுரையைச் சேர்ந்த ஹக்கிம் என்பவர் தகவல் அறியும் உரிமைச் சட்டத்தில் கேட்ட கேள்விக்கு எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனைக்கு மத்திய அமைச்சரவை ஒப்புதல் வழங்கவில்லை என தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது. இந்தத் தகவல் அதிர்ச்சியை ஏற்படுத்த, தமிழக சுகாதாரத்துறை அமைச்சர் விஜயபாஸ்கர், `எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைய படிப்படியாக நடவடிக்கைகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்படும்” என்றார். இந்த நிலையில், தற்போது தோப்பூரில் எய்ம்ஸ் மருத்துவமனை அமைய மத்திய அமைச்சரவை சார்பில் ஒப்புதல் வழங்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இது தொடர்பாக மத்திய அமைச்சர் நிர்மலா சீதாராமன் தனது ட்விட்டர் பக்கத்தில், பிரதமர் மோடிக்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

Uterus removal can affect memory: study

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | SHWETA TRIPATHI

PublishedDec 15, 2018, 1:50 am IST

The study says that removing the uterus, a surgical procedure known as hysterectomy – has a definite impact on spatial memory.

The author said that the surgical removal of the uterus had a unique and negative effect on working memory. (Photo: Pixabay)

Chennai: Uterus interacts with the brain and affects memory, finds a new study published in the journal Endocrinology, by Arizona State University.

The study says that removing the uterus, a surgical procedure known as hysterectomy – has a definite impact on spatial memory. The study said that women who underwent hysterectomy but maintained their ovaries had an increased risk for dementia if the surgery occurred before natural menopause.

The study conducted in an animal model states that uterus is associated with the neurological and neuropsychological functioning of the brain and affects memory.

Besides the basic role of reproduction and pregnancy, uterus interacts with the brain and is more than being in a dormant state when a woman is not pregnant.

The study on the rat model by Professor Heather Bimonte-Nelson demonstrated that removing the uterus impacts spatial memory, also causing serious outcomes such as dementia as it influences cognitive processes.

The authors of the study said that the autonomic nervous system, which regulates various functions such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, and sexual arousal, is linked to uterus and brain. Based on this, the researchers investigated the impact of removal of uterus on cognitive functioning.

Dividing females rats in a group of four, of which one underwent removal of uterus, while second underwent removal of ovaries, in the third group both the organs were removed and fourth group had all organs intact.

After six weeks of the procedure, they were trained to navigate through a complex maze structure to test the memories of the rats.

It was found that the group of rats that underwent removal of uterus found it most difficult to pass through the structure, while the spatial memories of other groups were unaffected.

The author said that the surgical removal of the uterus had a unique and negative effect on working memory, or how much information the rats were able to manage simultaneously, an effect we saw after the rats learned the rules of the maze.

Increase in incidence of uterine diseases

Abnormal uterine bleeding, ovarian cysts and fibroids have become more common in the present scenario, mainly because of lifestyle changes and are some of the common complaints brought to gynecologists. These problems often lead to psychological, medical, and sexual problems requiring pharmacologic and surgical interventions, with hysterectomy being the most common surgery. Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) have historically been viewed as important chiefly as the major indication for hysterectomy. As new therapies are developed, the heterogeneity of this disease becomes therapeutically relevant. The incidence of fibroid in pregnancy is about 1 in 1,000 in India as per International Journal of Applied Research in 2017.

Removal of uterus and ovaries effects cognitive functions

Medicos say that various hormones are released from the uterus that are secreted in the ovary and therefore, removal of ovary is more likely to affect the cognitive functions. The removal of uterus leads to bodily changes and is a cause of depression in many cases.

“Doctors try to avoid removal of ovaries until and unless there is a high risk of malignancy or ovarian cancer, as various hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and androgen are released from the ovary and are essential for the female body. Ovary removal acts like meno-pause and leads to aging in females. Usually memory related problems are associated with aging and removal of ovaries adds to it, affecting the cognitive functioning of the brain,” said Dr Mala Raj, gynecologist, Mint Hospitals.

Hormones affect both brain and other body systems, and a change in the hormone secreations could impact cognitive aging and could create different health risks. Agreeing to the same senior neurologist Dr Deepak Arjundas says that removal of uterus cannot lead to dementia as it is caused to do the accumulation of a protein inside neuron that affects the functioning of the brain. Neurologists say that though removal of uterus can have psychological affects, serious memory related issues such as dementia are not common. Depression, weight gain and mood swings are common due to the removal of uterus but neurological issues such as dementia are less likely.”

Study by CMC doctors identifies rare bacteria

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | SHWETA TRIPATHI

PublishedDec 16, 2018, 2:39 am IST

The study also determined the association of mortality rate with hypermucoviscous strains are determined.

A rare strain of hypervirulent bacteria that can cause blindness, meningitis and other severe infections (Representational image)

Chennai: Doctors at the department of clinical microbiology, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, have identified a rare strain of hypervirulent bacteria that can cause blindness, meningitis and other severe infections.

The study by doctors was published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India revealed that the bacteria, Klebsiella pneumoniae, led to high mortality rate affecting 27 out of 86 patients treated at the hospital.

Carbapenem is a class of highly effective antibiotic agents used to treat high-risk bacterial infections. Infections caused by carbapenem resistant K. pneumoniae, isolated from various sources, are increasing and associated with high mortality rates.

However, there is limited data on the prevalence of these strains among carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae from invasive infections in India and its association with mortality. The study investigated the prevalence of highly infectious strains amongst carbapenem resistant K. pneumoniae isolated from blood culture. The study also determined the association of mortality rate with hypermucoviscous strains are determined.

String test was performed to detect hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae that resulted in mortality rate of 84.2 percent. String test, aids prediction of disease severity, and is independently associated with increased mortality in invasive carbapenem resistant K.pneumoniae health care-acquired infections. The bacteria usually occur in patients who have a weak defense system such as diabetes, liver cirrhosis and meningitis. Authors of the study said that it is important to monitor prevalence of carbapenem resistant hypervirulent K. pneumoniae among invasive isolates especially in places with a high prevalence of infections such as hospitals.

MMC to get new infrastructure

STAFF REPORTER

MADURAI, DECEMBER 15, 2018 00:00 IST

Minister for Cooperation Sellur K. Raju performing a bhoomi puja for construction of new buildings on Madurai Medical College campus on Friday.S. JamesS_James

Foundation stone laying ceremony for construction of new buildings at a cost of Rs. 37.25 crore happened inside Madurai Medical College premises here on Friday.

S. Shanmugasundaram, Dean (in charge), Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital, said that two buildings will be constructed on the college premises.

“One is a seven-storey building with facilities to accommodate classrooms and other infrastructure needed for six departments in the college. The other building, which will have four floors, will be residential quarters for non-teaching staff at the college,” he said. Minister for Cooperation ‘Sellur’ K. Raju and Madurai North MLA V.V. Rajan Chellappa laid the foundation stone for the buildings in the presence of Collector S. Natarajan and Dr. Shanmugasundaram.

A number of projects augments the infrastructure are underway at GRH and MMC, including an operation theatre complex supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), super-speciality block under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), and a new building to host paediatric and other departments, are underway in various stages. The projects have also faced criticism for prolonged delays in completion.

Medical Council of India sanctioned 44 new post-graduate medical seats in Tamil Nadu

As a boost to the public healthcare system in the State, the Medical Council of India sanctioned 44 new post-graduate medical seats for the academic year 2019-2020.

Published: 14th December 2018 05:57 AM |

Medical Council of India. (Photo | mciindia.org/)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI : As a boost to the public healthcare system in the State, the Medical Council of India sanctioned 44 new post-graduate medical seats for the academic year 2019-2020.The State had over 1,500 PG medical seats in the last academic year and had asked for 154 additional seats of which 44 have been sanctioned.

According to an official source, the Medical Council of India (before abolition, for formation of National Medical Commission), inspected the medical colleges and sanctioned 44 seats in its committee meeting. “In the meeting, it sanctioned 44 seats for the academic year 2019-2020. This is the first sanction and we are expecting subsequent sanction as we had asked for 154 seats. Due to transition of MCI to NMC, the process is getting delayed,” the official source added.

As per the details accessed by Express, the MCI sanctioned six PG seats to Government Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai; four MD seats, two each in MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MD Dermatology Venerology & Leprosy, and also two MS Ophthalmology seats. Six MD Community Medicine seats to Madras Medical College, Chennai.

MCI sanctioned four seats in MD Community Medicine to Madurai Medical College. Eight MD Community Medicine seats to Theni Government Medical College. Four MD Paediatric seats to Kanyakumar Government Medical College. Eight MD Anaesthesia seats to Government Vellore Medical College and eight MS General Surgery seats to Government Dharmapuri Medical College. Totally, it sanctioned 44 seats.


Over 1,500 seats

The State had over 1,500 PG medical seats in the last academic year  and had asked for 154 additional seats of which 44 have been sanctioned

Government considering increments for protesting doctors

STAFF REPORTER

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 14, 2018 00:00 IST

Doctors have been asking for implementation of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression.File photo

Over 18,000 medical personnel have launched ‘non-cooperation agitations’

More than two weeks after government doctors launched ‘non-cooperation agitations’, demanding proper implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP), the Health Department is considering different means to increase their pay such as by way of increments, and is likely to arrive at a solution before a court hearing posted on December 17.

About 18,000 doctors across the State are protesting to put forward their long-pending demand to do away with pay disparities under the DACP — a scheme introduced for Central government doctors — by reviewing government order 354.

S. Perumal Pillai, member of Joint Action Committee-Government Doctors Association (JAC-GDA), said due to the delay in considering the recommendations of Working Group, the JAC-GDA decided to launch ‘non-cooperation agitations’. “We are protesting without affecting patient care services. We are boycotting all meetings and all forms of reporting and trainings,” he said.

Based on a PIL, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had sought a report on the steps initiated towards meeting the demands of the doctors. The Health Department had in a status report said that they were waiting the report of the one-man commission looking into the grievances of the doctors. The hearing was posted for December 17.

Affecting healthcare

An official said doctors had stopped filing reports and this was affecting the healthcare system.

“A meeting of officials with the Finance Department is being held, and it is likely that a solution will be arrived at for recommendation to the court,” he added.

High Court orders shifting of 150 MBBS students

Legal Correspondent

CHENNAI, DECEMBER 14, 2018 00:00 IST

Protecting future:The State government has been asked to accommodate the students in its colleges.

Move on account of poor infrastructure in Kancheepuram-based private college

The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered shifting of about 150 MBBS students of Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Institute of Medical Sciences (PRIMS) at Kancheepuram to any of the 22 government medical colleges in the State because of lack of infrastructure in their institution. Exactly a year ago, the court passed a similar order with respect to 144 students of Annai Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) at Pennalur in Sriperumbudur.

Justice T. Raja passed the latest order with respect to students of PRIMS by following the judgment rendered by Justice N. Kirubakaran in the AMCH case. Although it was contended that there were no vacancies in government colleges, the judge directed the State government to obtain necessary approvals for increasing the number of seats from the authorities concerned and then accommodate the students by spreading them out to various government colleges.

Earlier, during the course of arguments, the court was informed that the State government had issued Essentiality Certificate to PRIMS on August 28, 2014 with an annual intake of 150 from the academic year 2015-16 subject to compliance of certain conditions.

MCI’s stand

However, the Medical Council of India recommended to the Centre to desist from issuing Letter of Permission (LoP) to the institution until certain shortcomings were overcome.

Subsequently, the Centre gave an opportunity to the institution to rectify the defects which included shortage of outpatients, low bed occupancy, non-availability of blood bank and so on. Thereafter, on August 11, 2016, an oversight committee appointed by the Supreme Court recommended admission of students from the academic year 2016-17. Based on the recommendation, the Centre issued a LoP to the college on August 20, 2016 and it admitted 150 students that year.

However, after getting admitted, the students began to complain about lack of infrastructure to the government and filed cases before the High Court.

Govt to take over IRT med college in Erode from 2019-20

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:14.12.2018

The Tamil Nadu government will take over the administration and management of IRT-Perundurai Medical College and Hospital in Erode from the 2019-2020 academic year as the transport corporations are unable to administer the institution with dwindling funds. With this, the health department will add one more college to its existing bouquet of 22 medical colleges.

As per conditions described in the government order issued by the transport secretary PWC Davidar on October 24, of the 100 MBBS seats offered by the college, 30 seats will continue to be reserved for children of state transport undertakings, 15 seats will be given to the directorate general of health services for admission through all India quota and admissions for the remaining 55 seats will be made through single-window counselling for state quota.

The annual fee for the course, however, will continue to remain ₹3.85lakh.

“We will be recruiting doctors to fill up around 30 vacancies,” said director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe.

In 1986, the state government handed over 344.36 acres in Perundurai for to the Institute of Road Transport (IRT) for setting up the medical college. As per the original formula, employees of the state transport undertakings contribute an amount as interest-free loan and the fund is kept as fixed deposit. Interest on the fund is used to meet the recurring expenditure of the medical college. In 2017, the college got the Medical Council of India nod for admitting 100 students.

“As the financial position of all the state transport undertakings is extremely weak, they are unable to contribute effectively to the expenditure of the IRT,” additional chief secretary Davidar said in the order. In September 2017, chief minister K Palaniswami announced that the government will consider converting it into a government medical college.

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TN govt medical colleges may add 350 MBBS seats this year
Number Of Institutes To Go Up By 2

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:14.12.2016

The state health department is planning to add at least 350 more undergraduate medical seats and thereby increase the total number of government seats to 3,250 when the next admission season begins in 2019-2020.

The number of medical colleges will go up from 22 to 24, said director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe.

The state now has 2,900 MBBS seats in its 22 government medical colleges. This year, 100 seats each have been added in government medical colleges in Madurai and Tirunelveli. A Medical Council of India team has completed one round of inspection and may return to take a headcount. “These colleges now have 150 seats. Last time, when the inspection team came, government doctors were on strike. The headcount couldn’t be taken. We hope to reverse this soon,” he said. The state has applied for admission of students to a new medical college in Karur. “The construction is complete and we are holding counselling for appointment of doctors. We are confident of starting the new college here with 150 seats,” he said.

Earlier, the state applied for 100 seats for new colleges and then increased seats step by step. “After setting up a college in Pudukottai with 150 seats, the government decided all new colleges should have at least 150 seats,” health secretary J Radhakrishnan said.

Proposals for new medical colleges are pending in Perambalur, Ooty and Ramanathapuram and pressure has been building for new colleges in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram. Simultaneously, the state is planning to increase the number of seats in all medical colleges to 250. “As per the new MCI guideline, we will be starting PG courses in all medical colleges. As of now, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of state-run medical colleges in the country,” Dr Joe said.