(In the weekly Health Matters newsletter, Ramya Kannan writes about getting to good health, and staying there. You can subscribe here to get the newsletter in your inbox.)
Ironically, in a week that opened with World Health Day, we reported on a quack who did cardiac surgeries at a missionary hospital in Damoh, in Madhya Pradesh, leaving seven patients dead. According to reports, the matter came to light on April 5, after Damoh Child Welfare Committee president Deepak Tiwari told reporters about an ongoing probe by a district-level committee against a man who, he alleged, impersonated a doctor using forged documents and performed surgeries on heart patients at Mission Hospital. Mr. Tiwari, whose complaint prompted the probe in February, alleged that the man’s act had caused at least seven deaths.
Based on a complaint from Mr. Tiwari, a probe committee was formed by District Collector Sudhir Kochhar in February and headed by Chief Medical and Health Officer M.K. Jain. The FIR was filed based on a report from the probe committee and includes charges of cheating, forgery of documents, and use of forged documents, apart from provisions of The Madhya Pradesh Ayurvigyan Parishad Act, 1987. Mehul Malpani has an elaborate report. While we await the details in the case, we learn that the probe found that the doctor Narendra Yadav had been posing as a cardiologist at Mission Hospital in Damoh, usurping the identity of N John Camm, a genuine doctor in Britain. We are staying on this case, and further details will be shared as and when they come to light.
The Editorial and OpEd section of The Hindu profiled key issues in health care in India on the occasion of World Health Day on April 7. Do stop by to read recommendations for policy and implementation in the health sectors in India:
Dr. Prathap C. Reddy Prescribed preventive medicine for a healthy India
Swati Meena Naik re emphasised that Health and sanitation are the pillars of a healthy India
Jasna K.A. and Vipin Benny talk about Bridging gaps, building resilience
Sudarshan R. Kottai calls for a paradigm shift in mental health policy
Meanwhile, the first-ever study on the impact of semaglutide on the cardiac health of patients it was recommended for, was rolled out. Bindu Shajan Perappadan follows up and reports that Semaglutide reduces risk of cardiovascular events and strokes in patients with type 2 diabetes by 14 %. The SOUL study tested Rybelsus – Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug administered in oral form – against a placebo, in trial participants already receiving standard medications. The study of oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RAs) had 32 centres and 788 people enrolled in India. Semaglutide was initially approved in June 2021 for chronic weight management in those with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related condition, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol, in addition to diet and increased exercise.
Even as studies emerge of the cardiac protection and improvement in general overall health that anti-obesity drugs confer, the Trump administration has nixed the plan to cover anti-obesity drugs through Medicare, leaving a lot of people adrift. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said late Friday (April 4, 2025) that it would not cover the medications under Medicare’s Part D prescription drug coverage, which includes anti obesity drugs.
As President Trump’s new tariff regime continues to wreck havoc in most parts of the world, his decisions on healthcare funding are quietly adding fuel to the fire in the United States. With the centrality of America in global affairs, it will be impossible to ignore the turn of events as parochial and happening only in the U.S. The series of ill-advised cuts have an impact not only on Americans, but the U.S. aid funding withdrawal has left its harsh impact on nations far and wide, and probably involves the most gross human rights violation in non-war circumstances in recent history.
The mass layoffs underway at U.S. public health agencies are attracting attention. The cuts include researchers, scientists, doctors, support staff and senior leaders, leaving the federal government without many of the key experts who have long guided U.S. decisions on medical research, drug approvals and other issues. This opens a minefield of questions about the continuity of quality medical research in the country.
There are consequences to soft pedalling vaccination for vaccine preventable diseases, including measles. In this last week, the U.S. saw the third measles-related death amid outbreaks. Though a known vaccine sceptic, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as the current U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, recently advocated for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine amid a deadly measles outbreak in Texas. But the emphasis should be greater, U.S. media advocates.
All the way across, in South Africa, the needle exchange programme for drug users suffers from Trump’s fund cuts. In South Africa, which has more people living with HIV, treatment for people has been hit hard; users who share needles are at risk of such diseases.
Thankfully, some action has ensued since. Democrat-led states sue to block Trump from $11 billion health funding cut. Hopefully, the judiciary has the power to set this right, the ability to pull America and the rest of the world back from the dark times ahead, if more fund cuts and employee cuts are resorted to.
Here is an important story on Compassion in primary healthcare, in three scenarios in India. Mahima Jain dissects these three scenarios to see if there are lessons for the rest of India to follow to ameliorate the care being dispensed by the public health system.
Coincidentally, two books relating to tuberculosis were featured in the Sunday Magazine this past week. While Maitri Porecha spoke to John Green, author of ‘Everything is Tuberculosis’ Funding for TB is in crisis, I wrote a review of Andrew McDowell’s ‘Breathless’ – a fascinating insight into tuberculosis, inequality and care in rural India.
As part of a new series for comprehensive cancer care dissemination and awareness articles that just took off in a collaboration between The Hindu and Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Dr. Mahalakshmi R. Shetty explains the role of Multidisciplinary tumour boards and why they are pivotal to cancer care. Her tip to patients and their families is to understand the role of the MTBs to make sure that the best, optimal treatment is provided to them, and a multidisciplinary approach guides care.
We are solidly in the reign of AI, and the health sector in fact leads by example. Bhupendra Bhate provides a broad overview of AI-driven innovations in medicine: devices, data, and diagnosis.
Talking of diagnostics, let’s spend a few moments on Athira Elssa Johnson’s article on a condition that when mentioned during COVID-19, set people in a tizzy, but remains important still – mucormycosis. She points out how the diagnostic gap in India prevents the diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections, leading to deadly resistant strains.
A couple of exclusive stories from our reporters examine certain health aspects relating to children this past week. Meghna M. looks at the scenarios where children on the spectrum require assistance to get through puberty, and the tools there of: Helping children with autism navigate puberty and sexual awareness. Serena Josephine M. writes about doctors defining signs of rheumatic disorders to enable early detection among children. The longer it takes to identify Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, the tougher it gets for treatment.
In a very important, and welcome move, Geetha Srimathi writes of the first of its kind ICMR study in the field of One Health: Two bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu to track zoonotic diseases. This is the world that we will have to negotiate in the future, and we may as well be prepared. Well, maybe it’s not even the future, it is the present: Nellore Sravani brings to us news of India’s first human death owing to the H5N1 virus, in Andhra Pradesh
Tail piece
Today’s tailpiece is completely dominated by fine pieces by practicing experts, or perhaps, one retired. While, ‘retired’ neuro surgeon Dr. K. Ganapathy explores the ‘googling for health info’ phenomenon here: Netting a diagnosis – the phenomenon of searching for health information online, a cardiologist Dr. Dinesh Arab puts a poetic spin to how emergence of technologies have actually made cardiac care more efficient, more capable of saving lives. Do read this: A time to live: On the evolution of heart attack treatment.
In our rather broad Explainers section, this week, we have for you:
Firstly, the ‘All you need to know about’ series, where Zubeda Hamid writes on Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Meenakshy S. profiles the little-know condition of dysthymia.
Dr. Swati Raju tells you about Fatty Liver – a silent signal from the body.
P.S. Niranjana asks: What is adulteration, and what is its impact on our daily lives? and What are dental braces, and how did they originate?
Rashikkha explains How teletherapy empowers patients with access and affordability.
Yemen S. explains the fine line between branded medicines over generics, explaining the market factors that put patients in a bind.
If you have a few moments, do stop by at the following links
Serena Josephine M. In T.N.’s largest State hospital, a ‘Red Alert OBG’ initiative cuts delays in treating critically ill pregnant women
Rahul Karmakar Toxic gallstones fuel gallbladder cancer crisis in Assam, says study
Syed K. Hasan and Akash Maity Rare blood cancer now detectable using a CRISPR-based test
Neelima Vallangi on how India’s vital efforts to tackle air pollution could worsen warming
Science Quiz | On maternal and neonatal health
ZSI study on blackflies offers hope for river blindness control
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Published – April 08, 2025 04:40 pm IST