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Food-Borne,
Water-borne and Soil-borne Diseases
Almost half the world’s population suffers
from diseases associated with insufficient or
contaminated water and is at risk from water-borne and
food-borne diseases, of which diarrhoeal diseases are the
most deadly. They caused over three million deaths in
1995, 80% of them among children under five years of age.
Typhoid fever causes about 16 million cases and over
600000 deaths a year, about 80% of them in Asia. There
are epidemics of cholera and dysentery, with cholera
alone causing 120000 deaths a year. Seventy-nine million
people are estimated to be currently at risk of cholera
infection in Africa. Worldwide, some 40 million people
have intestinal trematode infections. However,
dracunculiasis (guinea-worm diseases) could be eradicated
in the next few years: about 122000 cases were reported
in 1995 compared with 3.5 million in 1986.
Insect -borne Diseases
Malaria is endemic in 91 countries, with about
40% of the world’s population at risk. By
undermining the health and working capacity of hundreds
of millions, it is closely linked to poverty and stunt
social and economic development. Up to 500 million cases
occur every year, 90% of them in Africa, and there are up
to 2.7 million deaths annually.
Dengue is the world’s most important mosquito-borne
virus disease, with 2500 million people worldwide at risk
of infection and 20 million cases a year in more than 100
countries. In 1995, the worst dengue epidemic, in Latin
America and the Caribbean for 15 years, struck at least
14 countries causing more than 200000 cases of dengue
fever and almost 6000 cases of the more serious dengue
hemorrhagic fever.
Source: World
Health Forum,
Volume 18, Number 1, 1997.
Dengue Kit Launched
Detection of dengue need not be a long-drawn
process this monsoon season. A pharmaceutical company
based in Ahmedabad has launched a rapid dengue detection
kit which confirms the presence of the virus in just five
minutes. A pinch of serum is taken from the patient and
analysed it on a chromatographic paper, giving the result
instantaneously.
The kit will also facilitate mass screening of patients
in areas infested with Aedes Egypti mosquitoes, which
spread the dengue epidemic.
Source: The
Hindustan Times,
New Delhi, 1 August, 1997.
Male Contraceptive Being Tested
A reversible male contraceptive developed by
Indian Scientists is undergoing clinical trials in four
centres in the country.
The contraceptive was developed by a team headed by Dr.
S.K. Guha at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) in New Delhi, as a safe, effective and reversible
alternative to vasectomy, under a project sponsored by
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The contraceptive has already been successfully tested in
humans in phase one clinical trials, and is currently
undergoing phase two multicentric trials.
In Prof. Guha’s methods, a polymer - styrene maleic
anhydride (SMA) - is injected into the vas deferens, the
pair of tubes through which sperms pass. SMA, injected as
a gel, blocks the tubes, preventing passage of the
sperms. Even if some spermatozoa escape the block, they
loose their fertilizing ability due to action of the
contraceptive.
Tests on monkeys after five months of injecting the
contraceptive showed complete success, Dr. Lohiya said.
He said men who participated in the phase one trials in
Delhi in 1993, said they did not feel any discomfort and
were satisfied with the procedure.
Source:
Rajasthan Patrika,
Jaipur, 1 August 1997.
Bill On Physiotherapy Council
The Delhi Government will soon introduce a Bill
for setting up a Council for Physiotherapy and
Occupational Therapy.
The Delhi Health and Education Minister, Dr. Harsh
Vardhan, said that the Council will coordinate and
determine the standards of physiotherapy and occupational
therapy education at all levels. It will regulate the
practice of the profession by persons possessing
recognised physiotherapy or occupational therapy
qualification.
The Council will also advise to the government in matters
relating to the requirements of manpower in the field of
physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Besides, the Council will exercise powers of licensing
and supervision, give recognition to training
institutions, look into the grievances of aggrieved
persons on filing of appeals and will be empowered to
refuse recognition, grant affiliation and withdraw
recognition. Prior permission for establishment of new
institutions and new course of study will be needed from
the Council.
The Council may also prescribe the minimum standards of
education on physiotherapy and institutional therapy
required for granting recognised qualification in the
National Capital Territory of Delhi and also prescribe
standards of professional conduct and a code of ethics
for therapists.
Source:
National Herald,
New Delhi, 29 July 1997.
Hib Disease May Pose Problem For
Children
Identified in the country only six years back,
the disease caused by haemophilus influenza virus (HIB)
might pose serious problems for children in future if
precautionary measures are not taken soon.
The HIB virus, the most common cause of invasive
bacterial disease, including meningitis in children under
five years in the USA, was first detected in India in
1990, when a multi-resistant case of HIB menegitis was
reported in the PGI, Chandigarh.
During the last two and a half years, sample studies were
carried out in Pune and Kerala. While in Pune, 20 per
cent of the babies tested had HIB disease, in Kerala, it
was 11 per cent, according to Dr. Bhaskarmani Chatterjee,
Consultant Paediatrician of the Calcutta Medical Research
Institute. HIB disease strike at lightning speed and
life-threatening complications occur before adequate
treatment can be provided and so vaccine is the best
option, American biologist, Dr. Dace V. Madore of
Wyeth-Lederlie Vaccines and Paediatrics said.
The mortality rate can be as high as five per cent. Of
those who survive, 25 to 40 per cent may have permanent
brain damage that include physical disabilities, hearing
loss and mental retardation.
Some children ‘carry’ HIB bacteria in the back
of their nose and throat without having any symptoms of
the disease and a child can easily pass it onto another
by coughing and sneezing. The disease can also be picked
from items like cutlery and other surfaces as also from
mucus on the hand.
Children in day-care centres, nursery schools and play
groups are at particular risk of catching HIB.
The vaccine, ‘hibtiter’ - a polysaccharide
carrier protein conjugate - generates an immune response
in the body teaching it to manufacture antibodies, Dr.
Madore said.
Source:
Rajasthan Patrika,
Jaipur, 29 July 1997.
Training Programmes
INSA, Bangalore is organising a 10-Week
Residential Community Health and Development
Trainer’s Training Programme in Bangalore from
19.1.1998 to 28.3.1998.
For more
information please contact:-
Ms. Sujatha de Magry,
Programme Director, INSA (International Services
Association)
2/1, Benson Road, Benson Town
Bangalore - 500 046
Ph: 5577633: Fax: 91-080-5577633
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