Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs)
30-Dec-2022: India crosses a significant milestone in the journey towards Universal Health Coverage - 1,50,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres operationalized
In a significant achievement demonstrating strengthening of the country’s health infrastructure, India has surpassed a notable landmark- 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) have been operationalised before 31st December. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji applauded the efforts of the nation in accomplishing this feat before the set deadline and commended that these centers will serve to provide citizens all across the nation to easily access and avail primary healthcare facilities.
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya Union Health and Family Welfare Minister congratulated the nation on this achievement and expressed his joy stating that India had successfully achieved the goal it had set out to do. Translating Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision into reality, the collected and collaborative efforts of States / UTs and Central Government have catapulted India into a global model for assured comprehensive primary health care services.
Fulfilling the principles of “Antyodaya”- leaving no one behind, 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) are transforming the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services which are universally free and cater to all age groups from birth to death, through a continuum of care approach. Ensuring the reach of healthcare services to the innermost regions of the nation through various initiatives, AB-HWCs have surpassed 8.5 teleconsultations via e-Sanjeevani, where nearly 4 lakh teleconsultations take place on a daily basis.
More than 86.90 crore beneficiaries have been cumulatively screened for non-communicable diseases which include 29.95 Crore for Hypertension, 25.56 Crore for Diabetes, 17.44 Crore for Oral cancer, 8.27 Crore for Breast Cancer and 5.66 Crore for Cervical Cancer.
In light of expansion of AB-HWCs, the number of essential medicines has increased to 172 at Primary Health Centres – Health Wellness Centres (PHC-HWC) and 105 at Sub Health Centres – Health Wellness Centres (SHC-HWC) and essential diagnostics have also expanded to 63 at PHC-HWC and 14 at SHC-HWC. AB-HWCs also encompass wellness sessions on Yoga, Zumba, cyclathons, walkathons, and provide guidelines on diet, physical activity, positive parenting, tobacco, alcohol cessation among other aspects to imbibe a mindset for community well-being.
Till date, more than 1.60 crore wellness sessions have been conducted at these centres.
Additionally, AB-HWCs have also operationalized 2-3 centers in urban sphere under the umbrella of Urban Primary Health Centre-Health and Wellness Centre (UPHC-HWC), strengthening outpatient care, and covering a population of 15,000 to 20,000.
Avian influenza A(H9N2)
27-Dec-2022: Transfer of technology ‘Inactivated low pathogenic avian influenza (H9N2) vaccine for chickens’ developed by ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal
‘Inactivated low pathogenic avian influenza (H9N2) vaccine for chickens’, developed by the scientists of ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal was transferred to M/s Globion India Pvt. Ltd., Secunderabad, M/s Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt. Ltd., Pune, M/s Indovax Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon and M/s Hester Biosciences Ltd., Ahmedabad today, facilitated by M/s. Agrinnovate India Ltd. (AgIn) at NASC, New Delhi. The event was graced by Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) and Chairman, AgIn, Dr. B.N. Tripathi, DDG (Animal Science), Dr. Praveen Malik, CEO, Agrinnovate India Ltd., Dr. Aniket Sanyal, Director ICAR-NIHSAD, representatives of commercial firms, other officials from ICAR and AgIn.
Dr. Himanshu Pathak appreciated the sincere efforts of the ICAR-NIHSAD scientists in development of the first indigenous vaccine for H9N2 virus and commended the Agrinnovate India limited (AgIn) for the efforts in the transfer of the technology to industry. DDG (AS) asserted that the vaccine will meet the standard of the market both in India and abroad. The vaccine will contribute significantly to increasing the income of poultry farmers by reducing the economic loss due to the disease.
13-Jan-2020: H9N2 virus infected an Indian child
Indian scientists have detected the country’s first case of infection with a rare variant of the virus that causes avian influenza, or bird flu. Scientists of the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, have reported avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection in a 17-month-old boy in Maharashtra.
H9N2 is a subtype of the influenza A virus, which causes human influenza as well as bird flu. The H9N2 subtype was isolated for the first time in Wisconsin, US in 1966 from turkey flocks. According to the US National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), H9N2 viruses are found worldwide in wild birds and are endemic in poultry in many areas. However, they are somewhat neglected. H9N2 viruses could potentially play a major role in the emergence of the next influenza pandemic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), with avian influenza viruses circulating in poultry, there is a risk for sporadic infection and small clusters of human cases due to exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. Therefore, sporadic human cases are not unexpected.
H9N2 virus infections in humans are rare, but likely under-reported due to typically mild symptoms of the infections. Cases of human infection have been observed in Hong Kong, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Egypt. One case was detected in Oman recently. The first case globally was reported from Hong Kong in 1998. A total of 28 cases in China have been reported since December 2015. Cases continue to be reported mainly from mainland China and Hong Kong.
The virus has, however, spread extensively among poultry populations. Surveillance for influenza viruses in poultry in Bangladesh during 2008-2011 found H9N2 virus to be the predominant subtype. The virus was also identified in poultry populations in surveillance studies in Myanmar during 2014-16 and Burkina Faso in 2017.
The virus was picked up in February 2019 during a community-based surveillance study in 93 villages of Korku tribes in Melghat district of Maharashtra. NIV scientists were looking to determine the incidence of deaths associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among children under age two. In the process, they identified A(H9N2) virus infection in one boy. The child had fever, cough, breathlessness, and difficulty in feeding for two days after illness onset on January 31, 2019, and was fully immunised with treatment. After a series of confirmatory tests, the findings were reported last month.
The child was not exposed to poultry. A week before showing the symptoms, he had travelled with his parents to a religious gathering. The father showed similar symptoms but could not undergo serologic testing.
NIV scientists said H9N2 viruses have been observed in poultry in India several times. Now, identification of the first clinical human case of H9N2 virus infection highlights the importance of systemic surveillance in humans and animals to monitor this threat to human health.
The same concerns were expressed after the first reported case in Oman. Despite the low pathogenicity of this subtype, the continuing emergence of the virus in unpredicted region and now rise in number of human cases pose a pandemic threat and the need to adopt a multi sector One Health approach.
Cervical cancer
22-Dec-2022: Centre urges States to create awareness and take steps for prevention of cervical cancer among girl students
The Centre has written to all States and Union Territories to create awareness on prevention of cervical cancer and the importance of HPV vaccine among girl students across the country.
In a joint letter by the Union Education Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar and Union Health Secretary Shri Rajesh Bhushan it has been highlighted that globally, cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women. In India, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and India contributes o the largest proportion of global cervical cancer burden. Cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease, as long as it is detected early and manage effectively. Most cervical cancers are associated with the Human Papilloma Virus(HPV)and the HPV vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if the vaccine is given before girls or women are exposed to the virus. Prevention through vaccination is one of the pillars of the Global Strategy adopted by WHO for the elimination of cervical cancer.
It is mentioned that the National Technical Advisory Group for Immunization (NTAGI) has recommended introduction of HPV Vaccine in the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) with a one-time catch-up for 9-14 year-old adolescent girls followed with routine introduction at 9years.
The vaccination would be provided primarily through schools (Grade based approach: 5th-l0th) as school enrolment of girls is high. In order to reach those girls who are unable to attend school on the campaign day, the vaccination would be provided at a health facility while for out-of-school girls the campaign would be conducted through Community Outreach and Mobile teams based on age (9-14 years). For registration, recording and reporting of vaccination numbers, the U-WIN App would be used.
In the letter, the States/ UTs have been requested to issue necessary directions at appropriate levels for taking up the following activities in order to make the campaign a successful:
- Organizing HPV vaccination centres in schools for vaccination.
- Directing District Education Officer to support District Immunization Officer and be part of efforts of District Task Force on Immunization (DTFI) under District Magistrate.
- Coordinating with Government School & Private School Management Board in the district.
- Identifying a nodal person in each school to coordinate vaccination activities and collate the number of 9-14 years of girls in the school and bulk upload the same in U-WIN.
- Generating awareness through school teachers to all parents during Special Parents-Teachers’ Meeting (PTAs).
- Supporting in generating an up-to date list of all types of school (UDISE+) in each block for micro planning and access to GlS mapping of schools to districts immunization officers for developing micro-plans so that none of the school is missed during the vaccination drive.
- Supporting health team to plan vaccination campaign in state excluding months of examination and holiday.