Health

World Rabies Day | SKUAST-K discusses roadmap for safeguarding public health

Published

3 years ago

September 29, 2021

Srinagar, Sept 29: To commemorate World Rabies Day, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir held a daylong event, ‘Roadmap to Safeguard the Public Health from the Threat of Rabies’ at the Shuhama campus.

SKUAST-K’s Division of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Extension, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, in collaboration with the Directorate of Research under World Bank-ICAR funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) for the institutional development of the university, organised the event.

Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Athar Aamir Khan, who was the chief guest at the inaugural event, assured full support to the university and other related organisations in controlling the stray dog menace, the main cause of rabies in Srinagar. He said new infrastructure, along with all technology support, would be put in place to augment the existing animal birth control facility and solid waste management in the city to keep a check on the canine population.

Director Planning and Monitoring and PI NAHEP, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders in addressing the threat to Public Health due to various zoonotic diseases, including rabies.

Director Extension Prof Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, who had several years back started the animal birth control and rabies vaccination programme, deliberated upon the progress of the Animal Birth Control programme and the milestones achieved.

Director Research Prof Sarfaraz A Wani, in his address, outlined the research support university is providing in the areas of solid waste management, food testing and Animal Birth Control and Rabies Vaccination Programme (ABC&RV). He stressed that multiple ABC&RV facilities need to be built in Srinagar city and other towns to control the stray dog menace.

Head SPM Deptt Prof SM Salim gave a detailed overview of the Rabies and dog bite scenario in the Valley, especially in relation to working at SMHS hospital for the cause.

Dr Javid A Rather, Municipal Veterinary, Officer gave a brief outlook of his activities to check stray dog menace. Dr Mudasir Ali Rather, Assistant Professor at Division of Veterinary Public Health, in his presentation, elucidated the models to curb and control rabies as is being done in other parts of the world successfully.

The expert from GADVSU, Dr CK Singh, dealt with the theme on all its aspects with a focus on practicality and applicability. He put forth his suggestions to check and control the disease of rabies. Prof Abdul Hai Head Div. of Veterinary & AH Extension presented the vote of thanks.

The event was attended by participants from diversified areas ranging from School teachers to Medical professionals to the Veterinarians from twin departments of Animal and Sheep Husbandry, besides the Faculty members from the Veterinary College.

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Health

Lack of physical activity, stress affect well-being of children

Published

2 years ago

November 15, 2022

BK Editor

Lack of physical activities affect well-being of children

Need to impart healthy and active lifestyle among youngsters

Dr Taizeena Khan

Dr Taizeena Khan

World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. At an early stage children not only need love and care, but also a proper road map for a healthy lifestyle. This road map should be devised by keeping in mind all the parameters of health and wellness. It should not only focus on the physical and mental health of our children but also on the social aspects of it. To achieve this goal we need to enhance the skills of parents. The health and wellness plan from the birth of a child will decide the future of our coming generations.

In recent years of my clinical practice as a physiotherapist, I have noticed more youngsters coming to me with musculoskeletal disorders. This abrupt rise of my younger generation patients, their lack of physical activity, unnecessary stress and lack of social set-up that could provide them with a platform to practice a healthy lifestyle at an early stage urged me to choose this topic today.

In recent years children as young as 12-18 years old have been coming to me with musculoskeletal disorders. While consulting/counselling these youngsters I have come to the conclusion that there is not only a lack of physical activities but also a lot of avoidable stress leading to the unhealthy choice of lifestyle in this age group these days.

To a large extent, I believe that technology has also played a great role in this. No doubt that technology has become an integral component of our daily lives. Technology has, to a great extent, made our lives easier but at the same time, it has done that at the cost of our physical, mental and our social lives. This all begins when we as a parent make a choice of offering a smartphone to our 6-month-old so that we can feed him. Children are easily attracted to new toys and a smartphone with so many features is no doubt the best form of toy for them. It has a cartoon that speaks to them anytime they hit the button. The best fictional stories they could ever watch and everything they could get their hands on. Meanwhile, we don’t realize the cost of bringing this technology to them at this early stage of their life. We happily make our child technology-dependent too early for our own convenience, as it is not only saving us time in this fast-moving world, but we also think that we are making our child happy.

Physical inactivity in children is becoming a growing problem day by day and has been considered an epidemic according to research.

WHO reports that about 70% of boys and up to 88% of girls under the age of 10 don’t get the physical activity they need for their age.

Think back to the times when we were growing up as kids. How did we spend our time in school as well as at home? There were no computers, no smartphones, and almost no technology. There was a good balance between our books, TV time and playing games. We were encouraged to go out and play. We had more real friends than social media friends whom we could talk and discuss our stress with. We also used to spend a lot of time on our vacation with our extended family members, especially with our grandparents. We used to listen to their stories, the folk stories, their real-life experiences etc. I remember going on for long walks with my grandfather and on the way bothering him with lots of inquisitive questions about the trees, the birds, or whatever we saw on our way. This helped me appreciate nature, love animals and observe things keenly.

But times have changed. Children today are hardly seen playing after school or having a good social life. Pressure from parents to perform better in academics, more and more access to technology and lack of physical activity is leading to overall physical, mental and social problems in their lives.

This sedentary lifestyle arising due to various problems discussed above is the leading cause of childhood obesity, hypertension, cardiac problems juvenile diabetes, anxiety, aggression, depression and other behavioural changes and musculoskeletal disorders in children. Delayed growth and development in infants and toddlers are also seen due to changing patterns of raising our children and more and more technology taking over our burdens. In recent years, more infants and toddlers are facing delayed speech and learning disabilities.

Investing time and effort in early childhood development starting from infancy is pertinent to stop this epidemic and give our children the best life. Plan a proper balanced healthy lifestyle program for your child’s health and wellness.

Here are some tips to lay a foundation for the health and well-being of our children whose benefits last a lifetime.

· Do not introduce technology to your children at a very early age.

· Instead introduce games which stimulate their brains, e.g. educational and learning toys such as building blocks, numbers, shapes, colours etc.

· Spend more and more time with them while they are still in their infancy. Read a storybook for them, this encourages them to read and write.

· Feed them while they are observing nature and not offering them a smartphone, this helps them enjoy their food and develop their taste buds better.

· Encourage them to feed themselves as soon as you think they are ready for it.

· Encourage them to do small independent activities e.g. feeding themselves, combing, brushing, tying shoe laces, etc. This will not only help them stay physically fit but also independent.

· Introducing a healthy balanced diet plan and avoiding junk food is imperative.

· Regularize the feeding and sleeping time.

· Encourage going to bed early and do not give them access to technology at bedtime.

· Limit the technology, TV and video game time, e.g. you can allow technology time which includes any form of technology only 1-2 hours a day.

· Encourage them to spend more time playing games with friends, and extended family members, especially grandparents.

· You can also select a day to play with your kids e.g. weekends, this will help you bond with your kids and also help you and your kids stay physically fit.

· Encourage them to spend more time playing outdoors.

· Encourage them to spend time with grandparents, let them listen to their real-life experiences and learn from them, and encourage physical activity as much as possible.

· Bond with your kids. Listen to them with open mind and heart. Do not put pressure on them to achieve academic or any other goals in life, instead encourage them to do well in life by giving them all the support they need.

· Last but not least be a practical example for your own kids. Practice a healthy lifestyle and they will follow you.

The author is a physiotherapist. She has done BPT from Bangalore, PGDMS from London, MBA from USA, MIAP. Besides, she has fellowships in Geriatric Rehabilitation, Pediatric Rehabilitation and is a certified women’s health exercise expert. She can be reached at drtaizeenkhanphysio@gmail.com

Education

SKUAST-K to hold 2-day international conference on impact of viral infections

Published

2 years ago

November 1, 2022

BK Editor

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir is going to hold a two-daConference on impact of viral infections

BK News

Srinagar, Nov 1: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir is going to hold a two-day international conference on the impact of viral infections at the Shalimar campus on November 5&6 (Saturday and Sunday), 2022.

The international conference ‘Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Infections Impacting Humans, Animals, Plants, Fish and Environment’ will be part of XXX Annual Convention of the Indian Virological Society to be held at SKUAST-K this year.

Renowned virologists and scientists including, Dr RK Ratho, PGI Chandigarh; Prof Parvaiz A Koul, SKIMS, Soura; Dr Pragya Yadav, NIV, Pune; Prof NN Barman; AAU, Assam; Dr Anirban Roy, IARI, New Delhi; Dr Amit Pandey, Bhimtal; and Dr Manoj Kumar, Hester Biosciences Limited will be keynote speakers at the conference.

The conference on viral infections is being held against the backdrop of the emergence and re-emergence of viral outbreaks like Covid-19, severe liver inflammation in kids, monkeypox, polio, and “tomato flu” etc.

The recent outbreak of the LSD virus has killed over 1 lakh cattle and is still unabated. Each viral disease appears to be the result of unusual manifestations and proliferation of viruses previously known.

The conference on viral infections will bring scientists from different disciplines at National and International levels to discuss preemptive measures for anticipating such outbreaks, control measures to be taken, and readily available diagnostic and therapeutic measures. The keynote speakers will talk about research going on emerging and re-emerging viral diseases and the policies surrounding them.

Health

How to care for bedridden elderly patients at home

Published

2 years ago

October 17, 2022

BK Editor

How to care for bedridden elderly patients at home

Dr Taizeena Khan

Dr Taizeena Khan

Any person can get bedridden due to various health issues. However, it is elderly generation which is more vulnerable to getting bedridden as they experience various health issues as age advances. Old age is a beautiful stage of a life cycle but it comes with many challenges, one of them being staying physically active and mobile. If you have a loved one at your home who is ageing and you see age-related issues deteriorating their health. The primary mode of action is to find a way out to stop them from getting bedridden. This can be done by taking care of their Physical as well as mental health. Family, friends and medical professionals, such as Geriatric Physicians, Geriatric Physiotherapists, Psychologists, counsellors etc., play an important role in preventing a patient from getting bedridden. At this stage, it is important to maintain proper health checkups, Physical examinations, dietary intake and proper mobility of the elderly persons. Encouraging them regularly for maintaining their physical activities helps improve their physical as well as mental functions. Regular exercise can also reverse some of the effects of chronic diseases. A sedentary lifestyle often seen to be predominant in older people is one of the main reasons for the premature onset of old age health issues. Normal physical activity and a proper exercise regime set by your physiotherapist are very important to maintain a good metabolism and thereby contribute to healthy cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, neurological and psychological well-being.

Some of the commonly seen health issues in the elderly which need proper attention at the right time to prevent further complications are:

• Osteoporosis

• Arthritis

• Cardiovascular diseases

• Respiratory Diseases

• Alzheimer’s disease/dementia

• Parkinsonism’s

• Motor Neuron diseases

• Multiple sclerosis

• Stroke

• Depression

Another most commonly seen problem in the elderly is loss of balance, which leads to fear of falling or even falling leading to fractures. These all medical conditions can be prevented to deteriorate one’s health condition to the extent of getting bedridden by proper physical activities, exercise and a healthy diet. Proper medical intervention with your team of Geriatric physicians, physiotherapists, dietitians and a counsellor is needed at this stage. However, in some cases, the deterioration may have already affected the person’s health and led them to bedbound. At this stage, we need to prevent further complications and try to comfort the patient as much as we can.

Medical Complications of bedridden patients

Prolonged time spent in bed can cause many complications. Even though the period for remaining bedridden may vary from person to person depending upon the severity of their condition. It is highly recommended to consult a physiotherapist at this stage. If your therapist finds it ideal for the patient to perform exercises (actively, active assisted or passively depending on the condition of the patient) they will prescribe an exercise programme for the patient, which will help the patient to perform activities of daily living, such as going to the toilet, washing face, brushing, eating independently and also maintaining a good strength of muscles. However, if the deterioration is severe and the patient cannot move at all then we also need to be watchful about many other complications which come with prolonged bed rest. Some of the complications for elderly patients being in bed for long due to various health issues are:-

• Malnourishment: Low metabolism due to lack of movement lead to malnourishment. This is a serious problem as it can lead to a weak immune system. A prior diet plan for such patients is recommended by a dietitian.

• Deep vein thrombosis: Blood clot formation is commonly seen when blood flow slows down in bedridden patients due to lack of movement. To prevent these Your Physiotherapist will prescribe passive exercises. These are performed by physiotherapists passively on a patient. This means the physiotherapist moves each part of the patient’s body by him/herself. This not only improves blood circulation but also maintains the joint range of motion and prevents muscle contracture or prevents muscles from getting tight and stopping the movement further.

• Contractures /Weak muscles/Decreases Range of motion in joints: These are prevented by passive exercises as well as the proper position of the body with the help of pillows. Turning the patient every 2 hours in the bed from side to side is advisable

• Respiratory Complications such as pneumonia: Pneumonia can be prevented by chest physiotherapy. Breathing exercises in case of patients who can perform exercises actively can prevent respiratory complications. In case of patients who are not able to perform active exercises, postural drainage and other manual techniques to clear the airways can prevent further respiratory complications

• Urinary tract infection: This might require catheterization, monitoring the symptoms, and watching the output and colour of the urine. Keeping the area clean can prevent further aggravation of the infection

• Constipation: After consulting your doctor and dietitian. It is advisable to give laxatives or food rich in high fibre. Encourage the patient to increase water intake. In the case of critical patients, more medications to clean the gut may be required and needs medical supervision.

• Pressure sores or commonly known as bed sores: Repositioning and turning the patient every 2 hours can help relieve pressure points. Also, the use water/air mattress or water glove at critical pressure points is helpful. The common bed soreness points in the human body are the buttocks, shoulder blades, back of elbow, back of the heel, back of the skull, hip, inner knees etc.

• Depression: Being bedbound is a very stressful stage for patients as well as caregivers. It is very important to show love, care and support to such patients. Apart from exercises, encourage them to read a book (if they can) or a family member can read a book for them. Ask them to watch television, especially something they have always liked. If visitors are allowed to meet such patients, invite their friends to meet and talk to them. Keeping their room well ventilated, and well-lit and making sure their bed is closer to the window may also help. Nature is a natural healer and sitting closer to a window will not only help them breathe fresh air but also watch nature. Soothing massage to help relax muscles and mind may calm down the anxiety.

The author is a physiotherapist. She has done BPT from Bangalore, PGDMS from London, MBA from USA, MIAP. Besides, she has fellowships in Geriatric and Pediatric Rehabilitation