OU staff seek closure of univ

OU staff seek closure of univ

Hyderabad:11.06.2020

Non-Gazetted Officers staff association of Osmania University on Wednesday seeked the closure of the university following the death of an employee working in University College of Technology (OU).

They demanded that the campus should be declared as a containment zone for at least two weeks emphasising that the employee died due to Covid-19. Members of the association said that declaring the campus as a containment zone will help in containing the spread of coronavirus. TNN

UoH slips in QS world rankings

UoH slips in QS world rankings

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad: 11.06.2020

Performance of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) slipped in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2021that was released on Wednesday. The Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H), which did not find a spot in the QS World University Rankings for the past few years, figured in the 2021rankings.

According to the latest report released by QS, UoH is ranked among world’s top universities in the range of 651-700. In the QS World University Rankings 2020, the university’s ranking was in the range of 601-650. The UoH is among the 10 institutions recognised by the ministry of human resource development as an institution of eminence (IoE).

IIT-H was among the four institutions in the country, which improved its position in the QS Rankings 2021 by securing a rank in the range of 601-650. The IIT-Bombay retained its status as country’s top institution, followed by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

The UoH is categorised as an established medium-sized public varsity with high research intensity and comprehensive subject focus by the QS. Overall, in the 2021edition, the UoH performed among the top 55% in the QS World University Rankings. At 293 rank globally, the citations per faculty was the strongest indicator for UoH. In citations per faculty, it is valued at 95.60 whereas the global median is 49.10. It’s citations are at 38,719 for a total of 4,196 research papers published during the period 2014-19.

“UoH has again been ranked among the top global universities which is a good indicator of its performance. However, noting the slide down in some parameters that has affected the overall ranking, we will take steps to strengthen those areas. We need to perform better in all key areas of teaching and research to be among the Top 300 in the world,” said Prof Appa Rao Podile, vice chancellor.

#IITHyderabad has been placed in #601-650 Ranking Band in QS World University Rankings 2021. The #Research Output of the Institute was ranked as “Very High”. IIT Hyderabad also among the 10 Best Institutes in India —IIT-Hyderabad

Doctors, nurses association extends solidarity to medicos

Doctors, nurses association extends solidarity to medicos

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:11.06.2020

In a show of solidarity with agitating PG doctors of Gandhi Hospital, members of the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) too held simultaneous protests across all teaching hospitals in the city, including Niloufer Hospital, Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital and Osmania General Hospital.

TJUDA members highlighted in a representation submitted to the state health minister that the mounting pressure of Covid-19 cases on Gandhi Hospital was leading to the crumbling of already dismal infrastructure.

“It is condemnable and pathetic to see public brutally attack us at work despite all the risk the professionals are taking to serve people,” said Dr Vaddiraju Rakesh, vicepresident of THANA.

Meanwhile, Congress blamed the TRS government for the attack on doctors at Gandhi Hospital.


More than 300 PG doctors protest outside state-run Gandhi hospital

Won’t tolerate attack on docs: Police

Hyderabad:

Two accused persons were arrested and are being sent to jail, said North zone DCP Kalmeshwar S. On Wednesday, the Hyderabad Police tweeted: “Two accused who assaulted the Doctor at Gandhi Hospital last night are arrested immediately after the incident. Under any circumstances attack Medical staff will not be tolerated. Most firm and stringent legal action will be taken. In this time Doctors are our Frontline leaders”

A case has been registered under Section 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 271 (Disobedience to quarantine rule) of IPC and Sections of Epidemic Disease Act 1897 and Telangana Medicare Service Person and Medicare Service Institution Act 2008. TNN

Soon, plasma therapy trial on critical patients

Soon, plasma therapy trial on critical patients

Sumitra.DebRoy@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:11.06.2020

A pan-Maharashtra clinical trial to assess the efficacy of plasma therapy to treat severely-ill Covid-19 patients is set to be launched by the medical education department. Around 21 public medical colleges from the state will be participating in the trial, presumably one of the largest in the world to study critical patients. KEM, Sion, Nair and Cooper hospitals are four premier medical colleges from the city that are likely to be part of the trial.

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) granted approval on Monday to the Government Medical College, Nagpur, which will be heading the trial. State officials said the ongoing pan-India trial by ICMR is to study the efficacy of the convalescent plasma therapy on moderately-ill patients, while the state will look at only critical cases. “Our experience shows the severe cases need plasma therapy and therefore we chose to study its effect on them,” said Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, secretary, medical education department.

The randomised open trial is likely to include 500 patients, who would be given plasma from recovered patients. “We have started the process to procure 10 apheresis machines which will separate plasma from the blood,” he said.

Full report on www.toi.in

Rajasthan govt puts curbs on people entering, exiting state

Rajasthan govt puts curbs on people entering, exiting state

Starts Today, Will Be In Place For A Week

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Jaipur:11.06.2020

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday imposed regulations on the movement of people and vehicles across the state borders. The restrictions, which come into effect from Thursday, will be in place for the following seven days.

No person can enter the state without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from a competent authority, while those heading out of the state must get a pass issued either from the district collector or an authorised government officer. The order is not applicable for intra-state movement.

Rajasthan shares borders with Punjab, Haryana, NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

The order released by director general of police (law and order) M L Lather directed police officers concerned to create check-posts at all inter-state borders.

“Passes for exiting the state will be granted to only those facing an emergency situation like hospitalisation in another state or to attend funeral of a family member,” the order said.

During a high-level review meeting on Covid-19 on Wednesday, Gehlot said that many people who were found to be positive for Covid-19 had tested negative before they travelled out.

The move has been taken after a spike in number of cases, especially among migrants and in rural areas. During the meet, Gehlot informed that the state recorded 2,500 cases between June 1and June 10, the first 10-day period when the state came out of the lockdown. “The regulation is required so that our three months of hard work does not go waste,” said Gehlot.

Meanwhile, the government decided to set up counters at airports, railway stations and bus stands to provide on-the-spot passes after verification of IDs.

Those arriving by air have to follow the same guidelines issued by the central government. Naveen Jain, managing director of Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Corporation said that those buses which are on the way to the state from other states carrying migrants will be affected by the order.

Barricades put by Rajasthan police to seal the border with Gujarat in Chhapri

TN hasn’t recorded 236 Covid deaths in Chennai

TN hasn’t recorded 236 Covid deaths in Chennai

Pushpa.Narayan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:11.06.2020

At least 460 people have died of Covid-19 in Chennai till June 8, which is more than double the 224 announced by the directorate of public health (DPH), a scrutiny of the city corporation death registry has revealed.

A team of DPH officials on Tuesday found that the death register maintained by the health officer of the Greater Chennai Corporation had recorded 236 more deaths than the state register. If these deaths had been added, the fatality rate in the state would have been close to 1.5%, against the 0.7% reported by state officials.

On Tuesday, TOI had reported that at least 20 Covid deaths logged by the Railway hospital in Perambur were not reported to the Covid-19 state nodal office. “We have no intention of hiding any deaths. We are transparent. This revision exercise also shows that,” health minister C Vijayabaskar told TOI.

All government medical college hospitals and some private hospitals have to report deaths to the state and city corporation through email. “Many have not submitted it and we are finding out why. We will add the cases to the death registry after verification,” said health secretary Beela Rajesh. “A committee has been formed to reconcile the issue within a week,” she said.

DPH has issued showcause notices to hospitals and set up a committee to “streamline” death reports. It also directed the Greater Chennai Corporation to send all Covid-19 death reports to the state health agency in a prescribed format. Public health officials have also been directed to analyse all domiciliary deaths and see if they could be described as “probable Covid”, as per ICMR guidelines.

Officials in the health department of Chennai corporation said they had nearly 75% less deaths, partly because they have not updated the state death registry as they were short-staffed.

Epidemiologists say doctors have to declare Covid deaths and probable Covid deaths along with a list of comorbidities. Like in every other death declaration sheets, the forms 4 and 4 (a) will also ask doctors to write down underlying cause, contributing factors and immediate cause. WHO has provided codes for Covid-19 deaths – U07.1 for all Covid deaths and U07.2 for probable Covid deaths. In second case, Covid-19 virus is not identified through test, but doctors have clinically or epidemiologically diagnosed and suspect the virus.

“Accurate data is necessary to measure the public health impact, plan for timely health interventions and protect communities. At the same time, other health conditions affecting populations need to be also monitored,” said an official.

A man sprays disinfectant at the crematorium where the last rites of DMK MLA Anbazhagan were being performed on Wednesday

DMK MLA succumbs to Covid on b’day

DMK MLA J Anbazhagan, who passed away on his 62nd birthday at a Chennai hospital on Wednesday, became the first legislator in the country to die of Covid-19. The Chepauk constituency member was admitted to a private hospital on June 2 after he complained of breathing difficulties. He later tested positive for Covid-19. His mortal remains were laid to rest at Kannammapet burial ground in the city. A three-time MLA, Anbazhagan was DMK’s Chennai west district secretary.

Anbazhagan, who even dabbled in film distribution, had friends cutting across parties. The condolences that poured in through the day just went to prove that. Governor Banwarilal Purohit and CM Edappadi K Palaniswami led the people in expressing their condolences to the legislator’s family. TNN

Meet the voice you hear before your call connects

Meet the voice you hear before your call connects

JASLEEN BHALLA, A VOICE-OVER ARTIST FOR 10 YEARS, FEELS NONE OF HER PREVIOUS GIGS WAS AS IMPORTANT

Rohan.Dua@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:11.06.2020

For crores of Indians, Jasleen Bhalla is now a familiar voice, her smooth tone audible as soon as you dial any number on your cell phone: “Coronavirus se aaj poora desh lad raha hai, yaad rahe humain bimari se ladna hai, bimaar se nahi (The entire country is fighting against coronavirus, but remember we have to fight the disease, not the patient)."

On Tuesday, the 40-yearold from Delhi who lent her voice to the now-iconic caller tune told TOI that she was as surprised as the rest of us when her message first started playing on cell phones. “I had actually recorded the message for a production house in the last week of March, I didn’t know it was meant for a public campaign. Now I can’t help but feel a certain sense of pride whenever I hear it,” said Bhalla, as she sat in her flat in Alaknanda which doubles up as her office, equipped with soundproof windows and acoustic foam mounted on walls.

“It’s here that I recorded the voice-over,” said the English graduate from Delhi University’s Khalsa College, who has since recorded the same message in English and Punjabi as well. “Each time the Indian Council of Medical Research updates its information, I have to record a fresh voiceover like the time they changed social distancing norms from two feet to six feet.”

Bhalla has been a voiceover artist for 10 years and her services have been used by Delhi Metro, SpiceJet and IndiGo among others. In fact, it’s Bhalla’s voice guiding you to the right door during peak hours on Delhi Metro — “The doors will open on your left, please mind the gap”.

But she admits that none of her previous gigs felt as important as her latest one. “My family knows it’s me on the other end of the cell phone so in a way it has made them more cautious about following guidelines, wearing masks and using sanitisers.”

Bhalla was told pre-recording that the message needed a responsible tone, it had to push people to follow norms. “That came easy for me. I’m the child of an Army officer, I was taught discipline and responsibility at a young age,” said Bhalla, adding that she herself has only stepped out of the house twice in the last two months.

VOICE OF CORONA TUNE: The artist recorded her voice from her flat

JASLEEN BHALLA SAYS

I had actually recorded the message for a production house in the last week of March, I didn’t know it was meant for a public campaign