CNS: March 2010

A helpline that reaches out to ‘stressed’ students

The recent spurt of suicides by students in the state is a matter of great concern for everyone. It simply points to something being drastically wrong in the society wherein we live. It points towards a big communication gap between teachers, parents and students. It shows up the hidden pressure and stress the students are carrying all the while like dynamite strapped to our body. Read more

The Union to launch international trial of 9-month MDR-TB treatment regimen

World TB Day, 24 March 2010

In this year 2010, which has been declared as Year of the Lung, it is indeed a much-awaited welcome news that International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is to launch an International trial of 9-month MDR-TB treatment regimen. The need for accessible, effective multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment is urgent, as the incidence of MDR-TB continues to rise, and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) has been reported in 57 countries. In response, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is launching a trial of a 9-month treatment regimen that has demonstrated cure rates exceeding 80% in a pilot programme. Read more

AIDS and Drug Resistance pose challenges to TB control in India

World TB Day, 24 March

On the eve of World TB Day - March 24, 2010 - the Indian Network for People living with HIV (INP+), in partnership with the ACTION (Advocacy to Control TB Internationally) project and Global Health Advocates have brought out results of the first of its kind study on barriers to accessing TB treatment services among people living with HIV, injecting drug users (IDU) and the general population. This year, 2010, is also declared as Year of the Lung. Read more

Exclusive on World Water Day (22 March 2010)
One gives life, while the other sustains it. One flows in our veins making us living beings, and the other percolates around us, making this planet livable. The possibility of finding water on Mars and Moon excites the scientific community no end. But, Alas! We don’t seem to be caring for either of them. Political leaders have not shied away in giving patriotic slogans like ‘you give me blood and I will give you freedom’, or ‘we want blood for blood’. We do not hesitate to label a non aggressive person as one who has water flowing in her/his veins instead of blood. Rhetoric apart, I really admire George Bernard Shaw for having had the courage to say “Fight if you must, but do not glorify war”. And yet it is being strongly felt that if at all there is going to be a third world war, it will be fought for water. So water, or the lack of it, is likely to spill rivers of blood. Read more

The transgender people should have the option for sex reassignment surgery (SRS). “Not all transgender people might want sex reassignment surgery. So the option should be there for those who want it” said Dr Venkatesan Chakrapani, Policy and Research Adviser, Indian Network of People living with HIV (INP+) at a skill building workshop session on SRS at the recently held State Consultation for MSM and Transgender in Science City, Kolkata (18-19 March 2010). This consultation was organized by MANAS Bangla with support from Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) India and West Bengal State AIDS Prevention & Control Society (WBSAP&CS). Read more

It is evident from experiences shared at the State Consultation for MSM and Transgender in Science City, Kolkata that the quality of healthcare that MSM and transgender communities have access to is appalling. Dr Venkatesan Chakrapani, Policy and Research Adviser, Indian Network of People living with HIV (INP+) presented some challenges and what could be done to realize the right to health for MSM and transgender. Read more

The debate related to vertical single-issue interventions versus integrated and comprehensive programmes is not a new one. Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS collaborative programmes have borne fruits – and maximised resources too – particularly in one of the most hard-hit regions, although a lot more needs to be done on that front as well. Read more

Mental health concerns came up prominently in different sessions of the State Consultation for MSM and Transgender, organized by MANAS Bangla and West Bengal State AIDS Prevention & Control Society (WBSAP&CS) during 18-19 March 2010.

Depression, harassment, relationship problems, loneliness, and social isolation, were among the few pressing mental health concerns that were identified in a skill building workshop for MSM and transgender community. Aniruddh Vasudevan, Director of The Shakti Centre in Chennai, was a key resource person for this session. Mou Bhattacharyya, Psychological Counsellor also participated actively in the discussion. Read more

“The drop-in centres and other AIDS-related healthcare service centres are providing counselling for HIV to MSM and transgender people, but counselling for mental health issues is not being looked upon adequately” said Aniruddh Vasudevan, Director of The Shakti Centre in Chennai. Aniruddh was speaking at the plenary of the State Consultation for MSM and Transgender on “Confronting Crises: The Situation Today.” Read more

MANAS Bangla, today, is a network of 13 community based organisations (CBOs), supported by the West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (WBSAP&CS) – the Indian Government’s pivotal State AIDS control body. It came into existence in 2003. “It takes two hands to clap. As much as the community was coming forward it was the government too which was supporting networks. We had a dynamic project director supportive of this initiative” said Mahesh Nathan, Technical Support Unit, West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (WBSAP&CS). He was speaking at the opening plenary of the State Consultation for MSM and Transgender in Science City, Kolkata on 18th March 2010. Read more

The State Consultation for MSM and Transgender on the theme of “Celebrating gains, confronting crises, forging future” was inaugurated on 18 March 2010 by Mahesh Nathan from West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (WBSAP&CS) in Science City, Kolkata, West Bengal. This consultation was organized by MANAS Bangla with support from Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO) India and WBSAP&CS during 18-19 March 2010. Read more

Depression, harassment, relationship problems, loneliness, and social isolation, were among the few pressing mental health concerns that were identified in a skill building workshop for MSM and transgender community. Aniruddh Vasudevan, Director of The Shakti Centre in Chennai, was a key resource person for this session. Mou Bhattacharyya, Psychological Counsellor also participated actively in the discussion.

So what do the MSM and transgender people do when confronted with mental health challenges? “We are referred to our friends or community people. We rarely go to official psychologist or psychiatrist” was the response from the MSM and transgender communities. HIV and STI counselling is more concerned with sexual and reproductive health, and doesn’t adequately address mental health concerns beyond HIV prevention and to some extent care and support issues. There were strong remarks made on the inadequate counselling on HIV treatment, care and support.

“When there is adequate self-esteem and self-respect, there is a natural desire to be healthy, to take care of one self, to engage in safer sexual practice. So none of what we do will be successful if we ignore mental health issues” said Aniruddh Vasudevan.

“Everybody has some problem or the other – depression, etc, but when it becomes so much that everyday life becomes difficult then professional help from psychological counsellor or psychiatrist might be needed” says Aniruddh.

“We speak about behaviour change – there is a big gap between acquiring knowledge and behaviour change, there is a gap between information and practice. This is where good mental health might help reduce the gap. When we are healthy enough, when we have adequate sense of what our worth is and how important we are to ourselves and when we have a tendency to take care of ourselves, behaviour may change” says Aniruddh.

“We have artificially set up a hierarchy that attending to physical health is more important than attending to our mental health. Body and mind are not split, rather they are together. So we better attend to the mind too when we are attending to the body” suggests Aniruddh.

People are often reluctant to accept that they might be needing mental healthcare. “When there is an emotional problem one might be finding it difficult to deal with, somehow we think that taking help is bad, it is a defeat, it is like giving in” says Aniruddh.

“But if there is a physical health issue, we don’t hesitate in taking help and even go to the pharmacy and self-treat at times. But we don’t do this when there is a mental health issue and hesitate to seek help” further adds Aniruddh.

“Even when we have accepted ourselves as we are, there are emotional issues like break-up, or when one of our friends is dying, people will think that we have these issues because we are MSM, transgender. I think we are blaming others in advance even before they say it, because in some corner of our minds, we think we are the source of our problems. Even the best of us who are comfortable with ourselves, in some corner there is a doubt that we are the source of our problems” ponders Aniruddh.

“At times, we think that it is because of us, we are causing so many problems to our parents or to our sister who might not be getting married on time. Sometimes the source of the problem is not us, but because we are concerned about the people around us. It is a sign of humanity that we are concerned about people around us. We have extra mental health problem because we are different and that is causing problems around us” adds Aniruddh.

Another significant comment Aniruddh made was that the members of affected communities need capacity building and must be competent enough to contribute effectively in programmes addressing their community. “Just coming from a community doesn’t mean that the person is automatically equipped to peer counsel – we have to do something to equip ourselves” says Aniruddh.

“At times, it is easier to talk to somebody you don’t know. Professional counsellors or psychiatrists can’t proactively reach out to people and counsel, they can only counsel those who come to them and ask for the counselling. However the peer counsellors can go out to the community and help those who might need help” says Aniruddh.

“Most basic thing in counselling is listening and the person sitting in front of counsellor is most important person. We are not arguing to say that peer counselling can replace professional counselling, but we believe that peer counselling can supplement professional counselling. Peer counsellors cannot handle all cases like suicidal cases at times, so should do referral services to professional counselling” says Aniruddh.

“Peer counselling is not about offering solution – because the message that gets across is the person being counselled is not capable enough of finding solutions” shares Aniruddh Vasudevan.

Rahul Kumar Dwivedi - CNS

Do Not Burn The Midnight Oil: Sleep Well And Stay Healthy

Exclusive on World Sleep Day, 19 March
Sleep is a basic human need, much like eating and drinking. It is crucial for our overall health and well being. Research shows that we spend up to a third of our lives sleeping. Good quality and restorative sleep is essential for day-to-day functioning. Studies suggest that sleep quality, as well as quantity, impacts our life.Â On an average, a normal adult needs 7-8 hours of good sleep. In teenagers this may go up to 9 hours, while the elderly can do with 5-6 hours of it. World Sleep Day is on 19th of March.

According to Dr Manvir Bhatia (click here to listen to exclusive CNS audio podcast), Chairperson Sleep Medicine and Senior Consultant ,Department of Neurology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, "sleep is an essential commodity, which should not be dispensed with, as it cannot be compensated with anything else. It has a strong relationship with health. So we need to look after it well." Read more

The World TB Day is just a week ahead of us. This year 2010 is the year of the lung. In the lead up to the World TB Day, CNS is reproducing an exclusive article written in December 2009 (Cancun, Mexico) where 2010 was announced as year of the Lung. Read more

As the world stood poised to celebrate the hundredth year of the International Women’s Day, the children of Uttar Pradesh received a much awaited gift: The launch of the Meena Radio programme in the state. This launch made UP the first state in the world to receive a radio incarnation of the much loved character of Meena. Read more

By giving 33 per cent quota to women in the Parliament and state assemblies a ground will be laid down for a more balanced society. When decision making power will be entrusted to women they will use it to better the lot of women and children which will in turn improve society. Read more

A Division Bench of Justice R.C. Lahoti and Justice Sanjay Yadav of the Jabalpur High Court today, passed an Order declining to grant interim relief to the Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) on an application filed by it, seeking modification of the Order of the High Court dated 12-11-2009 in the public interest writ petition filed by Narmada Bachao Andolan on crores of rupees corruption in the rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar Project affected families. By the Order of 12-11-2009, the Court had directed that all requisitions and funds for the Justice Jha Commission of Inquiry shall be placed with the Registrar General of the High Court and all grants by the State will also be routed through him. Read more

“Piles To Smiles” book was released at the 3rd Convocation of Lucknow College of Surgeons (LCS) by Prof (Dr) Saroj Chooramani Gopal, Vice Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU – upgraded King George’s Medical College – KGMC). Dr Dinesh Sharma, Mayor of Lucknow was the Chief Guest. Read more

Exclusive on International Women's Day
International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. It is a day to look back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, to look ahead at the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. It is a day to be proud of our achievements and to take stock of our failings; to feel the tingling sensation of being part of a period of renaissance, of struggle whose ultimate aim is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.” Read more

Special on International Women's Day
When Manu (an ancient Indian sage) wrote the Manu Smriti (religious book on Hinduism) in the post Vedic era defining the code of conduct for the Bharatiya Nari (Ideal Indian Woman) little did he realize that Indian women would literally take their role as laid down by him very seriously and that too spanning centuries. Fast forward to the 21st century and meet Priti Saini, who has lived through a nightmare for past three years and all thanks to her better half. But yet she today is living up to the image of a dutiful wife! Read more

Uttar Pradesh has not only fallen behind in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that it had vowed to achieve for its citizens at the world forum, it has in fact fallen much below the social development parameters that make up the eight MDGs. The deadline for meeting these goals is 2015 and the state is far behind achieving the goals. Read more

The cost of treating asthma has dropped by nearly half in Beninand El Salvador, thanks to the Asthma Drug Facility (ADF) created by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union). The two countries are the first to receive deliveries of affordably priced, quality-assured asthma inhalers purchased through the ADF. Read more

Amritlal Nagar Samman 2010 for healthcare services will be conferred upon Professor (Dr) Rama Kant (WATCH VIDEO), Head of the Department of Surgery at Chhattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU - upgraded King George's Medical College - KGMC). He is the President of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) UP and a Governing Council member of ASI. Amritlal Nagar Samman is awarded in the memory of noted Hindi writer Padambhushan Amritlal Nagar, under the aegis of Holikatsava Samiti Chowk, Lucknow, patron of which is Lalji Tandon, Member of Parliament (MP) from Lucknow constituency. Read more