Category: Health

Health

Cancer in Kashmir

Editor

Dr. Rumana Makhdoomi I am glad that in a turmoil hit valley where security related issues always dominate the scene, Greater Kashmir has come out with scary statistics about cancer in Kashmir (GK dated 20th and 21st March, 2015). Cancer burden in Kashmir is steadily increasing – not denying the fact. There is lot that is being done in premier institutions of the State to combat the disease and lot that is not done, and lot that needs to be done. You need to read on to understand, how cancer…

Read More

Stop ‘bad cholesterol’ production to prevent tumour growth

Editor

Cancerous tumour cells expand in the human body by feeding on “bad cholesterols” found in the lipid metabolism, finds a new research. Tumour cells grow as a result of scavenging on very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) — commonly known as “bad cholesterol” — in the body. The findings of the clinical trials showed that minimising the liver’s production of LDL would deprive a tumour from its constant supply and therefore reduce its possibility of growth. Tumours not only use lipids as “building blocks” to grow, but they…

Read More

Post-Khyber conviction, 30 samples of other milk brands lifted for testing

Editor

With a court convicting the Khyber Agro Farms Private Limited for selling misbranded, sub-standard and unsafe milk products in Kashmir, the authorities concerned have lifted over 30 samples of packaged dairy products of six different brands from across the region for testing. The samples were collected by the officials of the Drugs and Food Control Organisation from different markets during last two days and sent to local government lab for analysis, said a senior Drugs and Food Control Organisation official. Sources said the officials also lifted three samples of Khyber’s…

Read More

Govt bans sale, production of ‘unsafe’ Khyber milk products

Editor

In the wake of orders of a court in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the J&K government Wednesday ordered recall of milk and all milk products manufactured by Khyber Agro Farms and directed that these products should not be supplied till further directions. The government has issued orders for implementing the judgment of Judicial Magistrate Budgam and ordered Controller Drug and Food Control Organisation to “remove milk and milk products manufactured by Khyber Agro Farms Private Limited ‘immediately’.” The Health and Medical Education Department, in its order No HD/Legal/Drug/MR-56/2016 dated 06-04-2016…

Read More

Private practice by govt docs hits patient care badly

Editor

DAK terns it root cause of ‘health care mess’ Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that the private practice by government doctors in Jammu and Kashmir particularly in teaching hospitals has badly hit patient care. Calling for complete ban on private practice, President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement said that it is the root cause of healthcare mess and patients suffer the consequences. “It is ironical that full-time government doctors are allowed to run private clinics depriving poor and underprivileged of essential health care,” Dr Hassan said…

Read More

SKIMS officials fake burglary to escape probe

Editor

Sale of expired surgical equipment, consumables The officials of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura have gone to a new low to cover up their frauds and medical negligence by allegedly faking a burglary in the institute’s Drug Store, a day after exposing the fraud. On April 3, this newspaper has carried news about sale of expired surgical equipment and consumables by the SKIMS at its Drug Counters. As per official sources, the surgical equipment and consumables like Endoscopy Band, Platelet Theresis Set, and Prolene Mesh were being sold…

Read More

Khyber convicted of selling sub-standard dairy products

Editor

Company to pay Rs 9 lakh fine, sentenced to six months in jail A court in Budgam today convicted milk processing company Khyber Agro Farms Private Limited of selling misbranded, sub-standard and unsafe milk products in Kashmir. While convicting the company under Section 51, 52 and 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the Court of Munsif, Budgam, Imtiyaz Ahmad imposed a penalty of Rs 9 lakh on the Khyber Agro Farms. The court also sentenced six month imprisonment to the accused company through nominated person. The court…

Read More

Growing drug abuse among youth matter of concern: HC

Editor

Says country’s proximity to opium-growing regions behind drug trafficking The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has said that due to India’s close proximity to the major opium-growing regions, the country is facing the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse among the youth is increasing, which is a matter of concern. These observations were made today by the J&K High Court while dismissing a habeas corpus petition by a “drugs trafficker”, Jahangir Ahmad Khan, a resident of Wanigam in north Kashmir’s Baramulla. Khan, who was first booked by the authorities…

Read More

DAK expresses concern over rampant hysterectomies in Valley

Editor

Due to lack of clinical audit, thousands of innocent women in Kashmir are being subjected to “unscrupulous” hysterectomies — surgical removal of uterus, claimed Doctors Association of Kashmir. “Women in Kashmir are prone to osteoporosis which is facilitated by unnecessary and scandalous hysterectomies,” said DAK president Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan. Dr Hassan attributed the increasing cases of osteoporosis among women to removal of uteruses after pregnancy complications. As per the Union Health Ministry data, more than 12,000 hysterectomy surgeries were conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 and 2015, he said. The…

Read More

Hepatitis ‘on rise’, but JK continues with ‘outdated’ testing technique

Editor

Despite evidence suggesting that Hepatitis-C infection is on rise in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, the Health authorities in the State continue to test blood samples through “less-effective but cheaper technologies”, thus risking lives of hundreds of patients while allowing spread of the disease. Official data points to an increasing incidence of Hepatitis B and C infections— commonly spread through blood—in the Valley. The Kashmir Centre of Integrated Disease Surveillance Program—in its Activity Report for 2015—states that 262 cases of Hepatitis (both B and C) were reported from Kashmir…

Read More