News Kashmir Magazine

News Kashmir Exclusive
With the detection of two cases of H1N1 Influenza in Jammu and Kashmir recently , prompting the government to step up measures in place to tackle the flu the alarm bells have started to ring.
Last year, Swine Flu 109 cases of Swine Flu were detected in the State with 16 deaths till 20 March.

the Jammu and Kashmir Health department collected 43 samples of suspected H1N1 patients on Friday, out of which two turned out to be positive.

“We collected 43 samples of suspected H1N1 patients in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. Of these two are positive and 31 negative and reports of 10 samples are awaited”, a senior officer of the Health department said.
In view of the again surfacing of swine flu cases, Governor N N Vohra on Friday reviewed the preparedness of the Health and Medical Education Department in dealing with the problem.
“The state has geared up to deal with H1N1 flu. The preparedness to tackle H1N1 flu in the State has been reviewed and measures put in place”, Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education department, Dr Mandeep Bhandari said.
As per the situation report on H1N1 Flu status provided by the Secretary Health and Medical Education, a total of 32 samples of suspected patients were collected in Jammu division and 11 in Kashmir division, the department officer said.
Pertinently, few months back Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) had sounded Swine flu alert in valley and cautioned public against it.

“In a study published in Cell Host and Microbe, 2014 Indian H1N1 virus has undergone mutation that possibly made the virus more virulent and contagious and might also allow it to elude the existing flu shots that cover 2009 pandemic strain,” Dr Nisar Ul Hasan, President, DAK, said in a press statement and added, “Vaccination is the single best way to protect people from flu and even if the virus has changed, vaccine can still protect people because of cross protection.”

The doctors’ body said that several lives were lost in last flu season in Kashmir as health authorities were caught unaware and they ignored the situation for a long time. It may be noted that infants younger than 6 months are more vulnerable to infection. It has also been advised that adults should get vaccinated before flu season begins.
In an exclusive interview with The News Kashmir Magazine, Doctor Bashir Gaash one of the pioneering, efficient epidemiologists of Kashmir valley talking on the issue had stated –“All the flu viruses that are currently spreading in the world arise from any place with big farms of swine and birds being reared together. In such places the flu viruses living in the throats of the three (pigs, birds & men catering to them) interchange and can give rise to a new virus. People don’t have resistance to such newly produced viruses and get infected immediately. That is the reason behind global epidemics at periodic intervals (3-5 years cycle). Most of the global epidemics (called pandemics) have risen from China or other countries of the East Asia, but this new pandemic, which started in 2009 is from Mexico.
The new virus selects a carrier and method of spread: The Avian Flu (bird flu) can be transmitted by birds to birds as well as to human beings. The rate and intensity of spread is low in bird flu but once human beings get it there are chances that 50% of the patients cmay die. That means in bird flu less people become infected but once infected half of them can die. On the contrary, the main route of spread of ‘swine flu’ virus is man to man, so any person can get infected easily, but only a few will get serious disease. It is easier to curb bird flu (culling of birds and ban on import/export of birds) but difficult to control ‘swine’ flu since we can’t ban travel of human beings from one region to another.”
Dr. Bashir Gaash had added-“Our state has Disease Surveillance & Epidemic Section at the respective Directorates of Health at Jammu as well as Srinagar. The section at Jammu is not as developed as in Srinagar. However that in Srinagar is well-staffed and well-equipped. There are highly qualified epidemiologists. And, in Barzullah, a State-level Public Health Laboratory has been established as early as 2007. A separate virology section was demarcated, and a qualified microbiologist posted for epidemiological and disease surveillance work. One of the epidemiologists has been trained in the Tropical Karolinska Institute of Amsterdam, and the microbiologist got trained in no less an institute than Johns Hopkins, Baltimore. In addition, we have a videoconferencing hall with automatic cameras for immediate videoconferencing with the World Health Collaborating Centre for Southeast Asia (the National Centre for Disease Control, Sham Nath Marg, Delhi) so that daily conferencing could be held between the State and district health officers and the experts at the National Centre.
The public health laboratory and the emergency video-conferencing centre were established in my period as State Surveillance Officer. Both the epidemiologists have worked as my deputies and have proved their worth. However both the centres were rendered functionless after my retirement in 2010. The grave error the previous government committed was to transfer the microbiologist to NRHM which deprived the Public Health Lab of an experienced public health microbiologist which overtime got denigrated to just another district level laboratory.
The primary responsibility of predicting, preventing and controlling outbreaks lies with the Directorate of Health Services and not with SKIMS or the GMC. The tertiary care hospitals are for managing serious patients, but lack the necessary infrastructure as well as doctors qualified in tackling epidemic prone diseases. There are no isolation wards, no dedicated ventilators for infective patients, and no coordination between the institutes.
I can say without fear of being contraindicated that the Directorate of Health services, particularly in Kashmir, has failed in its preventive endeavors.”
Undoubtedly, Swine Flu is sounding once again alarm bells in J&K.

Rameez Makhdoomi

Caesarean section rates in the maternity hospitals of Kashmir have witnessed an abnormal rise over the considerable period of time. The harmful effects of caesarean section rates on maternal and newborn have been found by research .  According to research ,Caesarean sections can cause significant complications, disability or death, particularly in settings that lack the facilities to conduct safe surgeries or treat potential complications.

Statistics with reference to deliveries at Kashmir’s largest Maternity Institute, Lal Ded Hospital in Srinagar clearly point out an increase in the rate of caesareans. In a decade, the percentage share of Caesarean Sections in deliveries has risen from 45 to 60 percentile.

At G B pant hospital  in the year 2014-15 more than 70  percent women have undergone Caesarean Section .Even in private hospitals of Kashmir 75 to 80 percent deliveries take place by caesarean section only. This high percentage of Caesarean section across the valley based hospitals according to medical experts is a worrying facet.

Sameena Malik, Who recently gave birth to a baby via caesarean section states- “ The fact of the matter is that both patients and doctors are equally responsible for rising caesarean sections in Kashmir. On their part ,Patients have lost the patience to bear pain and at instances the doctors also encourage caesareans.”

As a matter of fact,  higher rate of maternal morbidity is associated with Caesarean Sections compared to natural births. WHO notes a maternal mortality rate of 20 per 100,000 births with Caesarean Sections, while the figure stands at just 2.5 per 100,000 births for normal deliveries in US. Pertinently, there is a risk associated with anesthesia. Not to mention the immediate and delayed complications of surgeries.

Dr. Sameena Sultan, an eminent  gynecologist is of opinion that multiple reasons are behind rising caesarean sections in Kashmir. “ The reasons behind the upward trend in caesarean section in Kashmir are multiple- Rising age of marriage .Small family norm ,non availability of labour anesthesia and continuous fetal monitoring . Also to add to it the  fear of labor pains rising litigations against health care professionals are main reasons behind rising caesarean sections in Kashmir .”

Recently health minister of Jammu and Kashmir Choudhary Lal Singh  directed the CMOs to take measures for encouraging institutional deliveries. He expressed concern about rising number of caesarean sections being done in various health institutions. He stressed on normal deliveries and suggested rate of caesarean sections should not be more than the permissible 20 percent of all the deliveries in the hospitals.

Undoubtedly, the pulse is that all out efforts should be taken to minimize the rising caesarean sections in Kashmir Valley .

The battle to drive out Islamic State  of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters out of the centre of Ramadi is entering its second day as Iraqi special forces fight the militants street by street.

Officials are optimistic that the city will be recaptured by the weekend.

But a spokesman for the US-led coalition has been more cautious, saying a tough fight is in prospect.

Iraqi forces are heading towards the main government complex, and have come up against snipers and suicide bombers.

Ramadi fell to IS in May in an embarrassing defeat for the Iraqi army.

Security sources told the BBC troops and allied tribesmen, backed by US-led air strikes, had already retaken two districts, and entered two others.

Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service spokesman Sabah al-Numani said its troops, supported by soldiers, police and Sunni tribesmen, began the assault on central Ramadi at dawn on Tuesday.

Rameez Makhdoomi
Barkha Dutt debut Book The Unquiet Land has generated lot of interest among the readers of Kashmir on account of Barkha being throughout her prolific career as a Journalist closely associated with Kashmir via her ground reports on diverse realms of conflict ridden Kashmir.
Pertinently, the book Unquiet Land tells the truth about the India’s secrets and lies, its torments and triumphs, and its heroes and villains. This is the first book by Barkha Dutt, India’s best known journalist. In this book, Barkha Dutt recounts the stories that have left an indelible mark on her. Taken together, they provide a vivid, devastating and unforgettable portrait of the unquiet land .
Some of these stories go back centuries, others are of comparatively recent origin.

While talking to News Kashmir, Sheikh Sameer, a vivid reader Stated – ” The book penned down by Barkha Dutt is awesome and offers lot of interesting stories and is worth a great read. I made it sure to buy the book as soon as it was available here in Srinagar. Barkha Dutt has done Wonderful job by writing a really inspiring book especially bringing to light the stories that deserve attention.”
From the ground feedback, the youngsters are taking much interest in knowing what has been written in her first book by renowned journalist Barkha Dutt and reviews from Kashmir on this book will soon be penned down.