Stage set for State Health Awards 2016

Dear readers,
Thank you for your continuous support and encouragement to us in carrying out our commitment to bring to light and analyse the latest news and happenings in the healthcare sector. We are glad to inform you that Double Helical is going to hold the Jaipur edition of the event
on November 26, 2016 to honour the healthcare/allied professionals from the state of Rajasthan. More than 400 doctors from Rajasthan and Delhi are likely to witness the State Health Awards 2016 in Jaipur.
Like every month, this time too we have brought out a very comprensive issue. This issue highlights major life threats points which need to be courageously raised with bold and analytical study. Air pollution is a contributing factor for the burden of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, increased health-care costs, lost worker productivity, as well as reduced life expectancy among local populations.
It is a matter of concern thst air quality deteriorated alarmingly a day after Diwali as pollution levels spiked more than five times higher than normal badly impacting millions of lives. The Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), which directly affects breathing, has gone up by five times from the national ambiance air quality standard, stated scientists from System of Air quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).The 24-hours average of PM10 was recorded at 427mg per cubic metre and PM2.5 was at 278mpcm, almost five times higher than the prescribed standard of 100mpcm and 60mpcm respectively.
The health sector can play a central role in the formulation of a multi-sectoral approach to the prevention of exposure to air pollution. It can engage and support other relevant sectors (transport, housing, energy production and industry) in the development and implementation of long-term policies to reduce the risks of air pollution on health.
These pollutants can harm the heart and brain as well. People with existing heart or lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart disease, or ischemic heart disease are at an increased risk of admission to hospitals based on the severity of already existing problem.
Human eyes are sensitive and prone to irritation from allergies, chemicals and pollutants in the air. Some people might notice their eyes are red and itchy on days air pollution is high. Manifestations of air pollution can range from minimal or no symptoms to a chronic discomfort and irritation in the eyes. There may also be specific situations, in contact lens wearers for example, where the eyes may be adversely affected by air pollution. Despite the presence of air pollution in many indoor and outdoor environments, its effects on our eyes are often overlooked by us. We need to understand the effects of air pollution on eyes and what can be done to mitigate the problems.
As a part of our special issue this time, we also highlight the issue of kidney tranplant. Each year, hundreds of people die while waiting for an organ transplant. There is a shortage of organs, and the gap between the number of organs donated and the number of people waiting for a transplant either kidney or liver is getting larger. Transplants, as an option, have successful outcomes, and the number of people needing a transplant is expected to rise steeply due to an ageing population and an increase in organ failure.
Kidney transplantation takes place generally at the end stage renal-disease. The donor in kidney transplantation can either be a living person or a deceased person. According to the statistics , the most frequent organ transplantation is the kidney transplantation. It is not an emergency surgery and patients can be managed with dialysis. So, no patient should die because of non availability of organs. The success rate is very high in this type of transplantation as there are many ways in which a human body can be supported for a while through dialysis in order to purify the blood.
Therefore we can say that the criticality of kidney transplantation is comparatively less. With the number of kidney transplants in India averaging in the range of 3,000-3,500 per year whereas about 150,000 patients require kidney replacement, kidney disease is emerging as a major, though silent killer. Transplantations of one organ from one human being to another have always been a rigorous process which needs lot of care.
You will also read our special story on hearing. The ability to hear sounds is closely linked to mental development. The development of vocal skills is dependent on normal hearing. Of late, the problem of hearing loss is on the increase worldwide.
Hearing loss can be present at birth which is called as congenital hearing loss or it can develop after birth when it is called acquired hearing loss. The hearing loss occurring after the speech and language development is termed as post-lingual hearing loss. Having hearing loss since birth and not developing speech and language is termed as pre-lingual deafness.Post-operative speech and rehabilitation programme is the most important part of cochlear implant, a unique method to re-construct audition for patients with severe to profound hearing loss. The success of the cochlear implant depends on good speech hearing rehabilitation. The implanted child needs to understand the auditory signals perceived by his brain to comprehend the speech and communicate using acquired speech and language abilities.
The current issue covers many more interesting stories.Happy reading.

So, happy reading!
Amresh K Tiwary, Editor-in-Chief