No curbs on paracetamol tablet sale: state to HC

No curbs on paracetamol tablet sale: state to HC

TNN | Jul 15, 2020, 04.16 AM IST

Madurai: The state government on Tuesday informed the Madras high court that it had not passed any orders restricting the sale of paracetamol tablets at pharmacies. Following this, the court disposed of a plea which sought to ensure that paracetamol tablets are sold at pharmacies without prescription.

The special government pleader V R Shanmuganathan submitted that the petition was filed based on surmises since no order was passed by the government restricting its sale.

Taking cognizance of the submissions, a division bench of justice M Sathyanarayanan and justice P Rajamanickam passed the order while hearing the public interest litigation filed by A Joel Sugumar from Madurai, who is the coordinator of the Democratic Corruption Liberation Front, a registered political party.

The petitioner stated that as per Schedule K of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, paracetamol tablets have been classified as household remedy. Paracetamol, which is a common painkiller and used to reduce body temperature can be sold at the pharmacy counters even without prescription from a registered medical practitioner.

He stated that people who are suffering from fever and cold other than Covid-19 purchase paracetamol tablets as a remedy. However, due to Covid-19 pandemic, oral instructions were given to the pharmacies not to sell the tablets without prescriptions, he claimed. He further stated that pharmacies are informing the same to the public. This restriction would cause difficulty to the people.

வங்கிகள் இணைப்பு வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் தவிப்பு

வங்கிகள் இணைப்பு வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் தவிப்பு

Added : ஜூலை 13, 2020 22:18

சென்னை : 'இந்தியன் வங்கியுடன், அலகாபாத் வங்கி இணைக்கப்பட்டாலும், காசோலை தொடர்பான சேவைகளை, இரண்டு வங்கிகளிலும் பெற முடியவில்லை' என, வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் புகார் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

பரிவர்த்தனை

இந்தியன் வங்கியுடன், அலகாபாத் வங்கி, ஏப்ரல் 1 முதல் இணைக்கப்பட்டு, செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது. இரண்டு வங்கிகள் இணைக்கப்பட்டது முதல், காசோலை தொடர்பான பரிவர்த்தனை சேவைகள் துவங்கப்படவில்லை என்ற, புகார் எழுந்துள்ளது.இது குறித்து, வாடிக்கையாளர்கள் கூறியதாவது:இந்தியன் வங்கியுடன், அலகாபாத் வங்கி இணைக்கப்பட்டது. அப்போது முதல், அலகாபாத் வங்கியின் பெயர் பலகைகள், இந்தியன் வங்கியாக மாற்றப்பட்டன. பெயர் பலகை மட்டும் மாறி உள்ளதே தவிர, அனைத்து சேவைகளையும் பெற முடியவில்லை.

இந்தியன் வங்கியில், அலகாபாத் வங்கி காசோலையை கொடுத்தாலும், அலகாபாத் வங்கியில், இந்தியன் வங்கி காசோலையை கொடுத்தாலும், அதன் மீது பரிவர்த்தனை மேற்கொள்ள மறுக்கின்றனர்.'மென்பொருள் இணைக்கப்படவில்லை; சர்வர் இணைக்கப்படவில்லை' என கூறி, திருப்பி அனுப்புகின்றனர்.எனவே, விரைவில் அனைத்து சேவைகளும் வழங்க, வங்கி நிர்வாகம் நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.அடிப்படை சேவைஇது குறித்து, இந்தியன் வங்கி அதிகாரிகள் கூறியதாவது:இரண்டு வங்கிகள் இணைக்கப்பட்டாலும், தொழில்நுட்ப ரீதியில் முழுமையாக இணையவில்லை. பணம் செலுத்துதல், இருப்பு விபரம் அறிந்து கொள்ளுதல் போன்ற அடிப்படை சேவைகள் மட்டுமே வழங்கப்படுகின்றன.

தொழில்நுட்ப பணிகள் முழுமையடைய, சில மாதங்கள் பிடிக்கும். அதுவரை, காசோலை பரிவர்த்தனை மேற்கொள்ள முடியாது. இவ்வாறு, அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

Cases drop in Chennai, but death rate a concern

Cases drop in Chennai, but death rate a concern

Former director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy suggests permitting clinics and smaller hospitals to completely resume operations, so that the burden on other hospitals is reduced.

Published: 14th July 2020 05:10 AM 

The OMR Express way in Chennai wears a deserted look as Sundays, as per government guidelines, are complete lockdown days | Ashwin prasath

By Omjasvin MD

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Even as there is a sight decline in the number of Covid-19 cases in the city now, the death rate has been on the rise. Around 30 per cent — 365 people - of Chennai’s total death count - 1,253 — was reported between July 1 and 12.

Sources say close to 30 per cent of the deceased patients were ‘last-minute’ admissions to hospitals, and around 45 per cent did not survive over two days after admission.

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Public health experts attribute the climbing death rate to the severity of the spread and the increased burden on healthcare facilities. Infectious diseases specialist at Apollo Hospitals Dr Ram Gopalakrishnan said that the high death rate is due to the rise in the number of symptomatic and severe patients. “Another reason is the lack of facilities to treat so many patients. Even enough well-trained doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals are not available to deal with the case load. There’s no point in having ventilators ready without staff who know how to use them,’’ he pointed out.

Dr Gopalakrishnan also hinted at improper treatment of patients at several smaller hospitals. “When the patient’s condition gets critical, they refer him or her to a bigger hospital,” he added.

Former director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy suggests permitting clinics and smaller hospitals to completely resume operations, so that the burden on other hospitals is reduced. “The government could strictly advise all doctors to refer patients for Covid tests if their symptoms don’t recede after a few days. Allowing local clinics to take Covid tests is another way to go. Ultimately, the mortality rate depends on how much we are successful in insulating our elderly population,” Dr Kolandasamy concluded. It is not easy to assess whether a patient is brought in early or late, Nodal Officer for Covid-19 treatment at Stanley Hospital Dr A Ravi said. “With more Covid care centres coming up, the number of admissions to Stanley Hospital has slightly decreased. Mostly, critical cases are referred to our hospital now,” he added.

Omandurar GH Dean Dr R Jayanthi also said that the number of admissions to their hospital has slightly reduced lately, and most of the referred patients were in critical condition.

PGI director gets KGMU VC charge

PGI director gets KGMU VC charge

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:  14.07.2020

UP governor Anandiben Patel handed over the additional charge of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) to Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) director RK Dhiman, putting him at the helm of two premier institutes which are leading UP’s fight against Covid-19.

Monday was the last day of the three-month extension granted to MLB Bhatt, who has served as KGMU’s vicechancellor for a period of three years and three months.

Dhiman, who was appointed as SGPGI director in January this year, was earlier heading PGI Chandigarh’s hepatolgy department. He had completed his MBBS and MD from KGMU and DM from SGPGI.

As per the official statement from the governor’s office, Dhiman will be officiating as KGMU’s VC for three months or till a permanent VC is appointed, whichever is earlier.

The race for KGMU VC started in February when the first advertisement inviting applications for the post was published on February 3.

However, on July 9, the governor sought fresh applications to be submitted till July 20 as “no applicant was suitable for the post.”

A search committee had suggested five names to the governor. Of the five names, she had to select one. However, the panel was disqualified and the directions were issued that the process start afresh.

RK Dhiman (left) takes charge of KGMU in Lucknow on Monday

KGMU sends plasma for BHU patient

KGMU sends plasma for BHU patient

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:  14.07.2020

After using plasma therapy to treat critical Covid-19 patients, King George’s Medical University made its first outstation plasma delivery by transporting a unit for a patient undergoing treatment at Sir Sunderlal hospital in BHU, Varanasi.

“This was the first time that we sent plasma to another city. It was done on Sunday evening. All medication and treatment options had been tried by doctors treating the patient at BHU’s hospital and plasma therapy was the last remedy for them. The patient is in intubated state,” said head of transfusion medicine department, Prof Tulika Chandra.

Since April, KGMU carried out transfusion of plasma donated by cured patients in seven patients under ICMR’s clinical trials.

While details of results of plasma therapy in these patients cannot be divulged due to ICMR’s confidentiality clause, an eighth patient transfused with plasma at KGMU is said to be showing positive results.

Five GRP men donate plasma

Five GRP personnel who recovered from Covid-19 donated their plasma to KGMU. With two donations on Monday, the total has risen to 19 so far. The donors included Ajay Pratap Singh, Aftab Ahmad, Yogendra Pratap Singh, Awadhesh Maurya and Rajesh Kumar, all from GRP.

Guv firm on Wed e-meet of VCs, council ‘shocked’

Guv firm on Wed e-meet of VCs, council ‘shocked’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata:  14.07.2020

The West Bengal governor has given priority to students and promised to take up their cause with the HRD minister following revised UGC guidelines for compulsory holding of examinations for final-year students by end of September 2020.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar so assured students in a tweet after a two-hour “way forward interaction” with the state education minister and the education secretary at Raj Bhavan on Monday, two days after the education secretary gave a miss to a Raj Bhavan meeting.

But the governor, in his capacity as chancellor of state universities, isn’t yielding to the state government rules that leave no room for a “direct interaction” between chancellor and vice-chancellors. Raj Bhavan has sent a terse letter to VCs to participate in a virtual meeting the chancellor has called on July 15, to which West Bengal Vice Chancellors’ Council has responded with “shock and disappointment”.

Raj Bhavan has taken exception to opinions expressed by a few VCs, who argued the other day that rules framed under West Bengal State Universities Act did not provide for such direct interaction.

The officer on special duty (OSD) to the governor wrote to VCs and pro-VCs on Monday, two days ahead of the virtual meeting, mentioning that their absence might lead to consequences in keeping with statutory provisions. “VCs and pro-VCs to attend the meeting virtually on July 15 in a state of preparedness and any disregard to this may result in violation of their conduct leading to consequences as per statutory prescriptions,” says the OSD’s letter.

In a statement, the council said the VCs had written to the state government, seeking its opinion on such direct interaction with the governor when it contravenes the West Bengal State Universities Rules of 2019 in regard to the terms and conditions of service of VCs and also the manner and procedure of official communication with the chancellor. The rules clearly state that all communications are to be routed through the higher education department, the press release said.

The council further said in the statement: “The VCs are shocked by the content of the note from Raj Bhavan and feel extremely disappointed and humiliated by the spirit of the communication from the chancellor’s office.”

The OSD to the governor wrote to VCs and pro-VCs, mentioning that their absence might lead to consequences in keeping with statutory provisions

Court refuses to stay MBBS examinations

OPTION FOR ALTERNATIVE TEST

Court refuses to stay MBBS examinations

Subrata Chattoraj

Kolkata:  14.07.2020

The Calcutta High Court on Monday refused to stay the second and third professional MBBS exams due to the Covid-19 situation, as demanded by 10 MBBS students in a petition. While the court said the exam would be held on scheduled dates—from July14 to 21—it clarified that those with valid reasons for their absence could seek an alternative examination.

The MBBS students had pleaded that many of them were outside Bengal and were unable to travel back in the absence of regular train and bus services.

After hearing WBUHS, state government and the aggrieved students, represented by Bikash Bhattacharya and Firdous Shamim, Justice Subrata Talukdar stated, “This court is not persuaded to stop the examinations.” The HC permitted all students who have enrolled for the exams slated for Tuesday to sit for it, including the petitioners. The HC said all candidates, who had enrolled for exams but could not appear due to bona fide reasons for to the pandemic, would have to justify their reasons for their absence before the WBUHS Controller of Examinations. The HC directed the controller to take a decision on a replacement exam for the deserving candidates.

Bhattacharya pleaded the HC had stayed BAMS exams of WBUHS, meant for Ayurvedic final-year students. But Supratik Roy, appearing for WBUHS and Advocate-General Kishore Datta said only 45 of the 650 2nd-year and 13 of 444 3rd-year Part I MBBS students were unwilling.