23-Apr-2019: Govt extends ban on import of milk products from China
The government extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China till laboratories at ports for testing presence of toxic chemical melamine are upgraded. Food regulator FSSAI had recommended extending the ban until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical.
The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and extended subsequently from time to time. Prohibition on import of milk, milk products (including chocolates, chocolate products, candies/confectionary/ food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China is extended until the capacity of all laboratories at ports of entry have been suitably upgraded for testing melamine.
However, it has not mentioned any timeline for upgradation of that capacity of all laboratories. The ban was imposed on apprehensions of presence of melamine in some milk consignments from China. Melamine is a toxic chemical used for making plastics and fertilisers. Although India does not import milk, milk products from China, it has imposed the ban as a preventive measure.
India is the world's largest producer and consumer of milk. It produces around 150 million tonne milk annually. Uttar Pradesh is the leading state in milk production followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat.
19-Mar-2019: Health Ministry reviews the preparedness on West Nile Fever.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare with the officials from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reviewed the current situation, state preparedness and action taken to deal with West Nile Fever (WNF) in Malappuram district, Kerala. MOHFW deputed a multi-disciplinary public health team to Malappuram District to investigate various epidemiological aspects of West Nile Virus in the district and State.
The State has been advised to follow the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP) guidelines of personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites. This guideline is available at NVBDCP website (nvbdcp.gov.in or nvbdcp.gov.in/Write Read Data/l892s/JE-AES-Prevention-Control(NPPCJA).pdf). The Ministry has also recommended vector surveillance and control to be carried out in coordination with NVBDCP. All cases of JE/AES are to be investigated as per guidelines of JE/ AES and also tested for West Nile Virus. Further, the community is to be sensitized through IEC campaigns on use of personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites as per NVBDCP Guidelines.
West Nile Fever is a mosquito borne zoonotic disease caused by a flavivirus -West Nile Virus (WNV). This virus is related to viruses that cause Japanese Encephalitis, yellow fever and St. Louis encephalitis. Human infection is most often due to bites from infected mosquitoes. To date, no human-to-human transmission of WNV through casual contact has been documented. Infection with WNV is either asymptomatic (no symptoms) in around 80% of infected people, or can lead to West Nile fever or severe West Nile disease.
Testing for West Nile Virus is available at the National Institute of Virology, Pune and National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha. Facility for xeno-diagnosis with respect to infection among vectors is available at VCRC, Kottayam. NCDC branch in Kozhikode, in coordination with VCRC, Kottayam, will provide assistance for vector surveillance and xeno-diagnosis in the vector as well as prepare and disseminate a standardised hospital management protocol of AES case management to be followed by all hospitals catering to cases of AES.
14-Mar-2019: Health Ministry takes stock of the public health measures for controlling West Nile Virus
A section of the media has reported that a seven year old boy from Malappuram District of Kerala is suffering from a West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne disease, mostly reported in the continental United States. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the situation and has spoken to the State Health Minister of Kerala in this regard. He has directed for all support to be extended to Kerala in its prevention and management.
Secretary (HFW) held a meeting with Additional Chief Secretary Shri Rajeev Sadanandan, Kerala and reviewed the situation. The Health Ministry has dispatched a multi-disciplinary Central team from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The Central team includes Dr. Ruchi Jain, RHO Trivandrum, Dr Suneet Kaur, Assistant Director, NCDC, Dr E Rajendran, Entomologist, NCDC, Calicut and Dr Binoy Basu, EIS Officer, NCDC. The team will support the State Health Authorities in managing the disease.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also been alerted and a close watch is being maintained at Central and State level. There are no reports available so far for spread of this virus in other parts of the country.
18-Feb-2019: Magnitude of Substance Use in India survey
India is home to six crore alcohol addicts, more than the population of 172 world nations including Italy. Alcoholism is a condition that requires medical attention, but unfortunately only less than 3% of the people with drinking problem get any treatment.
To make matters worse there is a large number of people in the country addicted to various drugs. More than 3.1 crore Indians (2.8%) have reported using cannabis products, Bhang, Ganja, Charas, Heroin and Opium, in last one year. 72 lakh of these drug users are addicted to them and unfortunately only one in 20 drug addicts gets treatment at a hospital.
“Nearly one in five alcohol user suffers from dependence and needs urgent treatment,” said the survey conducted by AIIMS, Delhi, pegging the number of people who need urgent treatment at around 3.2 crore people of total 5.7 crore people considered to be alcohol addicts.
According the Magnitude of Substance Use in India survey conducted by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of AIIMS, there are 16 crore people in the country that have reported consuming alcohol. The consumption level is very high among the male population as for every woman who consumes alcohol there are 17 men who consume liquor. In other words, 1.6% women and 27.3% men in the country use alcohol.
Country made liquors (Desi Sharab) rules the market: According to the survey Country liqour (Desi Sharab) accounts for 30% of the total liquor consumption, and Indian made foreign liquor (spirits) also account for the same amount. Combined share of these two varieties account for 60% of the total liquor consumption in the country.
Other drugs consumed by Indians: There are other drugs like Cannabis (Bhang, Ganja & Charas), Opioid drugs like Heroin, Opium and other pharmaceutical drugs, then there are inhalants, non-medical and non-prescription based drugs that are consumed by 3.1 crore Indians.
Cannabis (Bhang, Ganja & Charas): According to the survey, over 3.1 crore Indians (2.8%) reported to have used any cannabis product in last one year: Bhang some 2.2 crore people, Ganja or Charas some 1.3 crore people and some 72 lakh individuals need help with their addiction of cannabis.
Although, the usage of Bhang use is more common than Ganja or Charas but in case of addiction, the number of dependent users is higher for addicts of Ganja and Charas. Cannabis consumption is higher than the national average in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh and Delhi.
In Punjab and Sikkim, the prevalence of cannabis use disorders is considerably higher (more than thrice) than the national average.
Heroin, Opium (Afeem) & others: At the national level, Heroin is most commonly used substance followed by pharmaceutical opioids, followed by opium (Afeem). However, in case of harmful dependence, more people are dependent on Heroin than other similar drugs like Afeem.
Of the total 60 lakh users of Heroin and Afeem, majority of them are from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
Sedatives and inhalants: Less than 1% or nearly 1.18 crore people use sedatives, non-medical or nonprescription use. However, what is more worrying that its prevalence is high among children and adolescents. At national level, there are 4.6 lakh children that need help against the harmful or dependence over inhalants. This problem of addiction of children is more prevalent in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana.
Cocaine (0.10%) Amphetamine Type Stimulants (0.18%) and Hallucinogens (0.12%) are the categories with lowest prevalence of current use in the country.
Addicts who inject drugs: According to the survey, there are 8.5 lakh people in the country who inject drugs (PWID). Users of opium based drugs report high incidence of injecting drugs (heroin 46% and pharmaceutical opioids 46%), a large number of these drug users report risky injecting practices. This risky practice more prevalent in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur and Nagaland.
Access to treatment: In general, access to treatment services for drug or alcohol addicts are grossly inadequate. Only one person in 38 alcohol addicts have reported getting any treatment and one in 180 addicts have reported getting inpatient treatment at a hospital. And only one in 20 drug addicts have reported receiving hospitalization or in patient treatment for drug addiction.
Largest ever survey conducted on the problem: The Magnitude of Substance Use in India survey was conducted by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) under the AIIMS, Delhi. The survey which was sponsored by the ministry of social justice and empowerment covered general population (10-75 years), in all the 36 states and union territories covering over 2 lakh households and 4.73 lakh people in 186 districts of the country. Then its findings were combined with other survey respondent driven sampling which was conducted in 123 districts covering over 70,000 people suffering from dependence on illicit drugs.