By Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, a Special Educator and Rehabilitation Specialist
Vaccess, a two day Expo, represents Vidya Sagar, a Chennai centre for the disabled, and its constant and persistent efforts towards Accessibility for people with disabilities. As the founder Poonam Natarajan put it so crisply, “In the past, this was understood only as the need for physical access. It meant building ramps, railings and pathways for people with visual impairments, special features in toilets,…
The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013 passed by Rajya Sabha recently has triggered an avalanche of reactions and opinions. While some have hailed it as a ‘landmark’ Bill with many progressive clauses, others have lambasted it fiercely and dubbed it ‘Politics of Health’ that has nothing to do with care. We bring you four key perspectives of Government, Caregiver, Medical profession and Patient to help you deduce fair evaluation and assessment. 1) Government The Mental Health…
By Dr. Mangala of Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) When a mentally ill person requiring help and treatment is discriminated against and is made to feel like an outcaste exactly when he needs maximum support, it is not only harmful for the individual but for society at large. Any community or society which is not inclusive and gives credence to stigmas and myths can never prosper and even advanced treatment gets defeated in the process. Advances in scientific research have brought…
Texan Chuck Dandridge became the first adult in the U.S. to receive a newly modified stem cell transplant that uses genetically engineered blood cells from a family member. This was announced by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center where the procedure was performed. PatientsEngage interviewed Dr. Madhuri Vusirikala, Director of UT Southwestern’s National Marrow Donor Program, part of the stem cell transplant program. 1.…
A person with any illness should be empowered to have a say in their treatment plans and choices. And mental health should not be any different. Dr. Ramesh Kumar of SCARF explains what a Psychiatry Advance Directive is and why it must be executed despite the concerns. Psychiatry advance directives (PADs) is a document which outlines the patients’ preference in his treatment. This is executed when the patient has capacity, so that these directions can guide his treatment at a later…
Moyna Sen, our editor reviews cancer survivor Geetha Paniker's book "When I Fell in Love with Life". Even as you read this beautiful review, you will feel emotional and want to read the book. Geetha Paniker does not come across as a Cancer survivor. She, on the other hand, seems like someone who has not only conquered the dreaded ailment, but has, also, in the process, learnt the prized art of celebrating life. Even though she calls Cancer the Emperor of Maladies as…
Childhood obesity is a matter of concern in both developed and developing countries, differing perhaps in degrees, and can only be controlled through combined effort of public health programmes initiated at government or equivalent levels and the conscious effort of parents, says Dr Sitanshu Kar. Also, tips for parents. 1. The social inequality that has a direct association with obesity seems to be reversed in developed countries. In developed countries such as the USA, the lower socioeconomic…
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…
Why become a victim of cancer and other ugly diseases, when life has so much to offer, says Dr Lancelot Pinto, consultant respirologist and smoking cessation therapy specialist at Mumbai's PD Hinduja Hospital. How important is it to stop smoking? One cannot emphasize enough the benefits of stopping to smoke, both in terms of the gain in quality of life, and the prevention of smoking-associated illnesses, which cover a very wide spectrum. What is encouraging, however, is that…
