Surgeries save 20-year-old youth who swallowed razor after spat with father

Surgeries save 20-year-old youth who swallowed razor after spat with father

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  28.12.2024

New Delhi : Doctors at a private hospital in the city have surgically removed a shaving razor from innards of a 20-year-old youth, who had swallowed it during an emotional outburst after an argument with his father. The patient, diagnosed with depression who had shown a tendency towards self-harm, swallowed the razor in two separate pieces — the blade holder and the handle — creating a life-threatening situation. The youth’s father too has a mental health condition, which made the case complicated to deal with. 

The team at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital found out after diagnostic imaging that the blade holder of the razor was in the patient's stomach, and the handle was in the large intestine. The surgery was conducted by a team of surgeons comprising Dr Tarun Mittal, Dr Anmol Ahuja, Dr Shresth Manglik, Dr Rakesh S, Dr Karthik Krishna and Dr Tanushree Nahata. The team did a two-phase operation. They first performed a laparotomy to access and extract the blade from the stomach. They then carefully manoeuvred the handle through the colon and removed it via sigmoidoscopy. 

Doctors said that the patient had shown positive physical recovery. The medical team has recommended psychological counselling to help him cope with his depression and suicidal tendencies. They noted that the patient's behaviour was triggered by emotional turmoil and anger. "This was a peculiar case, not only because of the nature of the foreign body but also the psychological factors at play. Addressing such cases requires both good medical care and sensitivity towards the patient's mental health," Dr Mittal said. He stressed the necessity for early mental health intervention. "Many people hesitate to seek care fearing shame. This can lead to dangerous situations," Dr Mittal said. 

Dr Ajay Swaroop, chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, praised the team for its precision in performing the complex procedure.

Twinning Degrees, Staff Promotions Get DU Nod AC Clears Extra Seats For Single Girl Students In PG Progs

Twinning Degrees, Staff Promotions Get DU Nod AC Clears Extra Seats For Single Girl Students In PG Progs 

Meghna.Dhulia@timesofindia.com  28.12.2024 

New Delhi : Principals and directors of all Delhi University (DU

) colleges were instructed during the academic council (AC) meeting on Friday to take steps to resolve pending promotion cases of teaching staff by Feb 28, 2025. The decision, made by the vice chancellor, was welcomed by the AC members. A letter on the directive was issued by the college branch. If colleges or institutions fail to complete the promotion process by the deadline, they must seek approval from the VC for an extension. The AC also approved the decision to reserve additional seats for single girl students in postgraduate programmes. Under this initiative, one seat per programme will be allocated for single girl students under the supernumerary quota. The university already follows this at the undergraduate level. 

The AC further passed proposals for value-addition courses, though these were met with criticism. “While value-addition courses are intended to enrich students' learning, they often lack the academic rigour and practical relevance needed for their inclusion in educational curricula. Courses like Viksit Bharat are prime examples of this issue, offering neither substantial academic content nor meaningful value. Instead, they burden students without significantly contributing to their educational growth," Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an AC member, said. 

Another AC member, Monami Sinha, expressed concerns about the proposed value-addition courses based on the Bhagavad Gita. "The proposed value-addition courses based on the Bhagavad Gita raise significant concerns at multiple levels. A university established under the secular principles of the Constitution should incorporate religious texts into the curriculum only for the purpose of critical analysis or as part of mythological studies, not to propagate religious doctrines or prescribe a particular way of life," she said. "We urge the institution to reconsider its design and adopt a more inclusive, critical and academically rigorous approach to value education," said Biswajit Mohanty, who is in the AC. Another proposal that was approved but faced significant backlash was the introduction of twinning degrees. 

Under the arrangement, a student will be able to complete one semester abroad. "The twinning programme undermines the principles of equity, accessibility and affordability. It risks creating degrees that are perceived as more marketable than the standard DU degree, thereby further marginalising students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds," an AC member said. The AC approved the implementation of NEP 2020 in the postgraduate programmes. Following extensive discussions, the draft of the "Postgraduate Curriculum Framework 2024" was also approved.

77 teachers found with fake degrees Evidence Found Three Years Ago, Yet No Action Taken

77 teachers found with fake degrees Evidence Found Three Years Ago, Yet No Action Taken

 TIMES NEWS NETWORK  BHOPAL EDITION 28.12.2024

Indore : Most of the 77 teachers, who recently came under the Lokayukta's radar for allegedly obtaining jobs through fraudulent means, were found to have submitted fake degrees in a probe carried out around three years ago, but no action was taken against them. Despite a detailed investigation and clear orders from the District Education Officer (DEO) to file FIRs against these educators, no action was taken so far. The matter came to light after a complaint was filed in 2021, alleging that several teachers in Sanwer tehsil secured their jobs by submitting forged degree certificates. A subsequent investigation by the DEO's office confirmed that majority of 77 teachers involved used fake documents. Despite the findings, the process of taking legal action against these teachers has been delayed significantly. 

In Sept 2021, the DEO issued directives to examine the marksheets of the accused teach

ers. However, no concrete steps have been taken since then. The investigation revealed that the teachers secured their jobs in 2006-07 through the Sanwer Janpad Panchayat. In Sept this year, a committee was formed to verify the authenticity of the degree certificates, and the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education confirmed that the certificates were indeed forged. Despite the clear evidence, the accused teachers continue to hold their positions. When questioned about the delay in taking action, the DEO, Sushma Vaishya, stated that her office issued the necessary orders in Sept but had not received any response from the schools.

Govt issues alert as 41 batches of drugs found to be not of standard quality

Govt issues alert as 41 batches of drugs found to be not of standard quality 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 28.12.2024 

New Delhi : More than 40 batches of drugs being sold in the market have been found to be of not-of-standard quality (NSQ) by the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) in its latest survey. The CDSCO, which is the apex body responsible for approval of new drugs and clinical trials, has issued an alert regarding this. The CDSCO issues alerts about non-standard quality drugs being sold in the market monthly. 

According to its latest data, they found 41 batches of drugs manufactured by various firms to be of not-of-standard quality in November. This included some of the drugs prescribed for common conditions such as fever, acid reflux and reducing blood clot among others. Identification of drug samples as NSQ is done based on failure of the drug sample in one or the other specified quality parameters. The failure is specific to the drug products of the batch tested by the govt, officials said. “This action of identifying NSQ and spurious medicines is taken on a regular basis in collaboration with state regulators to ensure that these drugs are identified and removed from the market,” she added. 

Recently, the CDSCO introduced new guidelines for the inspections. It stated that all drug inspectors in the country should collect at least 10 samples in a month; nine samples of drugs and one sample of cosmetics/medical device. Also, new guidelines said, the drug inspectors must plan the sampling in such a way that samples are forwarded to the laboratory on the same day of sampling.

Over 40 batches of drugs are ‘not of standard’: CDSCO survey

Over 40 batches of drugs are ‘not of standard’: CDSCO survey

TIMES OF INDIA  AHAMEDABAD 28.12.2024

 New Delhi : More than 40 batches of drugs being sold in the market have been found to be notof-standard quality (NSQ) by the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) in latest survey. The CDSCO, which is the apex body responsible for approval of new drugs and clinical trials, has issued an alert regarding this.

According to latest data, they found 41 batches of drugs manufactured by various firms to be of sub-standard quality in November. This included some of the drugs prescribed for common conditions such as fever, acid reflux and reducing blood clot. Identification of drug samples as NSQ is done based on failure of the drug sample in one or the other specified quality parameters. The failure is specific to the drug products of the batch tested bygovt, officials said. TNN

STUDENTS OPT FOR BRANCHES PROVIDING WORK LIFE BALANCE

 

‘Students opt for branches providing work-life balance’

‘Students opt for branches providing work-life balance’ 

Times of India  AHAMEDABAD 

28.12.2024

The bright students choose branches which are considered ‘non-emergency’ where there are generally no night shifts and the doctors can spend time with their families and enjoy a work-life balance. Dr Hansa Goswami, dean of BJ Medical College – the state’s top medical college – said that in the past couple of decades, branches ranging from surgery, orthopaedics and neurology to paediatrics were the choices of toppers. “But in recent years, the merit for courses such as radiology and dermatology is relatively higher than these branches. The perception of workload along with emergence of new technologies and societal preferences also play a role in deciding a branch,” she said. 

Dr Siddharth Vaghela, who got an All-India Rank (AIR) of 15, chose medicine as his specialisation for PG. “I completed my MBBS from GMERS Medical College, Sola. It was my dream to study medicine from the start, and thus even after having merit in other branches, I chose the branch due to its evergreen appeal,” he said. 

Dr Ravi Devda, AIR 1979 who completed his MBBS from Dharpur Medical College, chose dermatology. “There is a lot of scope in the branch with awareness about skin issues and an array of treatments on offer. I thus chose this branch,” said Dr Devda, the first doctor in the family. Several other students expressed aversion to branches such as orthopaedics and surgery due to longer working hours and the need to always remain available for traumas and road traffic accidents in almost all major govt hospitals. Dr Anita Sutariya, HOD of dermatology at BJ Medical College, said that beauty is in demand, and it is reflected in the trend. 

“Right from anti-ageing treatments to aesthetics and cosmetology, the branch has a lot of scope for new doctors, and students often opt for private practice. There is generally no emergency, which attracts students to this branch,” she said. “This year, about three to four out of the top 10 in the state merit list have opted for this branch,  which is reflective of the all-India trend. Another trend here is that this branch, conventionally believed to be preferred among women graduates, now attracts many men.” Dr Ila Desai, HOD of radiology at BJ Medical College, said that the new diagnostics often put stress on various reports, and thus there is steady demand for experts even in relatively smaller centres. 

Thus, there is a good employment opportunity both in govt and private set-ups,” she said. Eventually, it is a cyclical trend, said Dr Cherry Shah, dean of the NHL Municipal Medical College. “The trends often reflect societal changes and demands. Almost all branches have seen ups and downs, and post-Covid, doctors prefer branches that provide them scope for work and for spending some time with family. The branches in demand somewhere meet these requirements,” she said. For 2nd year in a row, top medical grads chase radiology, dermatology Ahmedabad : In a clear shift that signals evolving priorities among Gujarat’s brightest medical talent for the past two years, top-ranked postgraduate aspirants are increasingly gravitating towards nonemergency specialisations like radiology and dermatology, departing from traditionally coveted emergency care specialties along with the traditionally favourite, medicine. 

An analysis of Gujarat’s PG medical admissions reveals that among the top 100 candidates, a significant majority opted for these non-emergency branches, despite having their pick from 24 super-specialisations. This trend spans across general, management and NRI quotas, indicating a marked shift in medical career preferences. This year, a total of 4,710 students qualified for the PG admissions as they battled it out for the 281 available seats. The trend is seen across the general quota along with management and NRI quotas, said admission committee members. Senior medical fraternity officials said since Covid, there has been a sustained trend where the bright students choose branches which are considered ‘non-emergency’.