Health Archives | Page 35 of 51

Poplars a health hazard; nuisance needs to be eradicated: High Court

May 27, 2016 Editor

Court expresses dismay over non-serious attitude of DCs in removal of poplars High Court has expressed dismay over the non-serious attitude of the Deputy Commissioners with regard to axing of Russian poplar trees. A single bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir termed the report filed by DCs as unsatisfactory saying the report has been submitted simply to show the compliance of the court order which in fact is not in keeping with the object and spirit of the order. Court asked the DCs to file fresh affidavit clearly indicating how…

FCO raids Parimpora Fruit Mandi; Carcinogenic Calcium Carbide used to ripen mangoes

May 20, 2016 Editor

Food Control Organisation on Thursday raided Fruit Mandi Parimpora here and some other wholesale fruit dealers, finding carcinogenic chemical calcium carbide being used for ripening of mangoes. “During inspection, some fruit dealers were found in possession of boxes in which pouches of calcium carbide were found,” a press handout of Food Control Organization said. The handout further said, “Use of this chemical, which releases acetylene gas, is prohibited under Food Safety and Standards Act.” FSSAI website has detailed information on artificial ripening agents and their effects. It states that the…

D&FCO raids fruit godowns at Narwal

May 19, 2016 Editor

A team of officers of enforcement wing of the Drug and Food Control Organisation (D&FCO) carried out surprise raids of godowns of various fruit sellers in Narwal Fruit Mandi. The exercise was carried out amidst media reports that some fruit vendors were using calcium carbide for ripening of fruits especially mangoes and papayas. The team on physical verification found that the complaint is genuine and recovered the chemical from the vendors. Samples of fruits and adulterants were lifted on spot for chemical examination. The stocks to the tune of 12…

45 Percent adults show mental distress symptoms in Kashmir: Survey

May 19, 2016 Editor

Around 1.8 million people in Kashmir, accounting for nearly 45 percent of the valley’s adult population, show significant symptoms of mental distress, a survey by ‘Medecins Sans Frontieres’ has said. Of these, 1.6 million adults (41 percent) in the valley are living with symptoms of depression, with 4,15,000 meeting the diagnostic criteria for severe depression. “An estimated one million adults (26 percent) in the valley are living with significant symptoms of anxiety-related disorders,” said the survey. The study by the medical humanitarian organisation ‘Medecins Sans Frontieres’ or Doctors Without Borders…

Diabetic foot can lead to limb amputation: Dr Jindal

May 10, 2016 Editor

Dr Ravul Jindal, Director Vascular Surgery at Fortis Hospital Mohali, Punjab Monday said that studies show the number of people diagnosed with diabetes and those at a risk of the disease is increasing in Kashmir. While addressing media persons in a local hotel here, he said that diabetic foot care is one of the most ignored aspects of diabetic care in India. “Studies show that the number of people diagnosed with diabetes and those at a risk of the disease is increasing in Kashmir. Lack of awareness is a huge…

Kashmir grapples with pollen-induced allergy

May 7, 2016 Editor

Pollen is back in the atmosphere and the Kashmir region is grappling with the pollen-induced allergy these days. Doctors and health experts who are dealing with such kind of patients in hospitals across the Valley have advised taking adequate precautionary measures as the symptoms get exacerbated with patients having asthma or breathing problems. The common symptoms of pollen-induced allergy include nasal irritation, running nose, red and watery eyes, which may further exacerbate if proper medical advice is not sought by the affected persons. “The pollen-induced allergy is a seasonal health…

J&K High Court puts lens on outside suppliers over food adulteration

May 5, 2016 Editor

Jammu and Kashmir High Court Wednesday directed the Government to provide full particulars of outside companies supplying food items to Jammu and Kashmir. “Commissioner Food Safety shall provide full information and particulars of those food manufacturers, suppliers, persons, companies who originate from outside the state and supply food items to Jammu and Kashmir,” a division bench of Justices Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Ali Muhammad Magrey said in its order. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation against food adulteration, the court directed the Food Commissioner to provide similar information about Jammu division.…

Majority of pregnant women in Kashmir Vitamin-D deficient

May 5, 2016 Editor

A fresh study has exposed the grave deficiency of Vitamin D among pregnant women in Kashmir, a condition that can threaten the well being of mother and child. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy has been advocated by the researchers to address the gross shortfall in Vitamin D levels. A recently published study by Kashmir-based group of researchers has found that two-thirds of Kashmiri women are Vitamin D deficient. The study, carried out at tertiary care hospitals of Srinagar by a group of eleven doctors and published in current issue of…

‘Antibiotics make you prone to infection’

May 4, 2016 Editor

Though antibiotics are essential for fighting bacterial infection, they also make the body more prone to infection and diarrhoea, a new study has warned. Exactly how the resident “good” microbes in the gut protect against pathogens, such as Salmonella, and how antibiotic treatments foster growth of disease-causing microbes have been poorly understood, scientists said. Now, researchers from the University of California studied a mouse model and identified the chain of events that occur within the gut lumen after antibiotic treatment that allow “bad” bugs to flourish. The finding has profound…