PatientsEngage General Community

Give blood. Give now. Give often.  On World Blood Donor Day, Dr Nikhil Nasikkar, a frequent blood donor, points out the acute shortage of blood in our hospitals and implores potential donors to donate blood generously to save people who die every year due to its scarcity. Most middle and low income countries have low blood donation rates. I first donated blood on my 19th birthday. My friends were pestering me to cut a cake and throw a party. But I am not much into…

Donate Blood. Save Lives. Can you donate blood or platelets? How should you prepare before a blood or platelet donation and what care do you need after a blood donation. All in one place. Dr. Shital Patel explains.  Eligibilities for Blood Donation Must be currently in good health with no active infection. Donor must be between 18-60 years of age. Donor must be no less than 45 kgs in body weight. Donor’s haemoglobin level must be no less than 12.5g/dl for females and 13.0g/dl for males.…

Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, cancer surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital and leading tobacco control advocate on the importance of the fight against tobacco and what more needs to be done.  1.  Why is the fight against tobacco important? Tobacco is the single most preventable cause of death worldwide. It takes away the lives of 10 lac (100,000) Indians every year. There is a huge economic burden attributable to this (1.04 lac crores per year). It is also a cause for creating poverty. Hence, it…

Are you confused about all the labels used for persons with disabilities? Manisha Shastri explains why Person comes first, the origins of the word "handicapped" and what's wrong with other labels. And when in doubt, ASK  So, let me try and break this down for those who don’t understand why the term ‘persons with disability’ is politically correct and accepted, while all other terms are fairly offensive and exclusionary in nature. While addressing a person with disability, you use the term…

Dr Sudhir Kumar, a consultant with specialisation in old age psychiatry and neuropsychiatric disorders discusses his views on the importance of Dementia Friendly Communities (DFCs) and how India needs to work more towards it Dementia-friendly communities help people with dementia feel included and supported in the day to day surrounding – the places they work, live and play  A dementia-friendly community focuses on spreading awareness about dementia and providing a safe and supportive…

Happy Mother's Day 2016 This Mother's Day we asked a few of our contributors, to share a Mother's Day wish. They shared poems, beautiful thoughts for their mothers who have been their caregivers and their stength in their journey. We look forward to hearing from each of you what you wish for your Mother or if you have a message for her, express yourself today. Read Smitha's entire poem here: To the World's Best Mother - My Mom Know more about Siddharth Jayakumar, Melissa Chan, Vedika and Smitha…

Sujata Din, a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Certified Professional Cancer Coach based in Singapore shares benefits and tips on juicing I'm often asked if juicing is good and what the downsides are to it. I love it, in fact I have one every day.  My favourite is apple, carrot, beet, kale, wheatgrass, ginger and turmeric.      If you are the type of person who doesn't eat many fruits or vegetables, juicing is an excellent way to get your recommended daily portions,…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of India was established in 1985 at Mumbai. Mrs. Rehmat Fazelboy, a social worker and Mr.Tobaccowalla (Chairman, Voltas Ltd, Mumbai) are the founding members. Presently there are 9 chapters with 2 support groups.  The Chennai Chapter was inaugurated on September 1997. Our patron doctor is Prof.Dr.G.Arjundas. Mrs.Ann Gonsalvez is the Chairperson of the Chennai Chapter. We have about 210 patients on our rolls in Chennai.  Our Vision: Create awareness of…

Although characters portrayed with mental illness have progressed from the Victorian era, more novels with believable and real protagonists need to be authored, says writer, poet and activist Jhilmil Breckenridge.  If you say you have diabetes, people engage, ask about your medication, and say, oh you should not be eating rice, or potatoes, and so it goes. But if you say you have schizophrenia, for example, there will be an uncomfortable hush, as though you have just…

1. What is Zika virus disease and what are the symptoms? Zika is a disease caused by Zika virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week. Zika virus is not a new virus and has existed in South East Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands. 2. How is Zika transmitted? Zika is…