Medical Doctor by training. Working towards eliminating the scourge of Tuberculosis. Atheist. Hard core ‘Rourkelite’ at heart ☺️ Views personal
Mar 16, 2022 • 24 tweets • 4 min read
(1) Ok. So, the topic of the times. Kashmir Files!
Like always, first things first. What happened with the KPs is extremely sad and unfortunate. Am yet to see anyone say otherwise. I don’t think any sane person questions that fact.
(2) Did Vivek Agnihotri do the right thing by making a movie on that. Of course, and emphatically, yes. Everyone has the right to make a movie. On any topic - real, fictitious, present, past or even future events - within the laws that govern film making.
Feb 1, 2022 • 16 tweets • 3 min read
(1) For my next anecdote, I will go with one of those cases that makes one question one’s life decisions. The memory of this, to this day, physically hurts me – in the pit of my stomach. It also, in a way, depicts the reason why the medical profession is not for everyone.
(2) If it were easy, then everyone would be a Doctor. After all, this is one of those rare professions where you actually get to play God. Lives, literally depend on you. As do deaths! This is not an easy story to narrate, but here goes ...
Jan 28, 2022 • 23 tweets • 4 min read
(1) Starting my anecdotes with an incident that is still fresh in my mind – like it happened yesterday. This one, fortunately, has a happy ending. So here goes. It was winter – and Keonjhar winters can be pretty harsh.
(2) We had finished dinner by a small bonfire in the backyard and had just turned in for the night. It started to drizzle. It had been a long day and with the pitter patter of rain drops acting as a sedative, we quickly dozed off.
Dec 23, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
(1) Omicron - the long and short of it ..
In my opinion, evidence of protection against (1) breakthrough as well as (2) severity of disease among vaccinated and / or (especially) infected among the Indian population is the crucial missing link...
(2) I say this because if breakthrough is very high, even with a lower percentage of severity, we may be swamped with absolute numbers (plus the usual politicians hogging beds, mismanagement of beds and resources etc will complicate things).
Nov 3, 2021 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
(1) The Govt has (A) made available all tests required to diagnose TB - including the dreaded Drug Resistant TB (DR-TB) completely free of cost (B) The entire treatment course (including the expensive DR TB regimen) too is provided completely free of cost.
(2) (C) Its now mandatory for ALL health care providers (including private) to notify TB or face punitive action (D) Once notified, if the patient is willing, the system will automatically provide all drugs and diagnostics free of cost
Jul 24, 2021 • 16 tweets • 3 min read
(1) This is a post inspired by @sambitnk . The question posed was - has Uttar Pradesh fared better than Kerala in managing the Covid pandemic. So let's dive in. But before that, as always, first things first. I would like to upfront start with a disclaimer ...
(2) Disclaimer: I upfront state that since UP seems to be doing better in Covid management, I started this with a pro Kerala bias. Which I have, but only for health related matters as I have seen the workings of health department in both States up close. With that, let's start .
Jul 21, 2021 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
(1) Medical certification of cause of Death has been standardized in India way before Covid. In fact, India too follows the WHO ICD-10 codes. Its NOT correct that ICMR came up with some new rule just for Covid deaths. It has always been Immediate, Antecedent & Others ...
(2) Check out the recent ICMR guideline (which is being bandied about) and the guidelines on medical certification of cause of death from the registrar general. No difference, right? The later was published in 2018 (was the same in all previous editions as well).
Jul 21, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
(1) Quick musing. Most traits are genetic. Environment moulds it a bit. But the core is genetic. So, if it's all a celestial lottery, why try? Because, being genetically endowed means nothing if we don't achieve our potential. Let me try and explain...
(2) Genetically, X is programmed such that he can quickly gain muscles (it's a fact) but instead of working on it he idles away in front of the telly gorging on pizzas and coke, he will become a fat slob. No amount of good genes will come to his rescue. On the other hand...
Apr 13, 2021 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
(1) Test only symptomatics. Random tests of all will create shortages and drive down positivity
Now that we have approved most vaccines, make these available at all institutions which already are used to cold chain. Chemists. Sub centers. Maternity Homes. And so on.
(2) If they are good for one temp sensitive vaccine they are good for the Covid one as well.
(3) Focus more on beds with Oxygen and steroids. Down prioritize vague stuff like plasma etc.
(4) Enforce masks. Penalize crowds. Easier said than done but we need this urgently
Apr 11, 2021 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
The approaches to Covid vaccines in India and the US. A thread … (Source: The Ken)
(1) May 2020, the US government made a plan - to support 7vaccine candidates simultaneously to speed up trials and the approval process and to promote ways to manufacture them at scale (Operation Warp Speed) - conceived as a partnership between the US govt and private companies.
Mar 26, 2021 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
(1) Traditionally, politics has always been about power. Money, yes – but the whole thing has always been about power. Money was always a spin off – a by product if you will. So how does one go about achieving power. A thread …
(2) When one says power, in politics it traditionally means power over people. The ability to get people to follow you, believe in you and vote for you. But then why would people do that? This is where an understanding of the basic human nature comes in to play. Let me explain …
Mar 25, 2021 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
(1) Does linking dietary practices to religion make sense? The dilemma of eating meat – a short thread …
(2) Why this concept abstaining from non-veg food on certain days of the week. Devout Hindus won’t eat non-veg (or even onion & garlic for that matter) as all tamasik food is prohibited. The religion itself is based on Satya and Ahimsa.
Mar 11, 2021 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
On good health – and why achieving it is no rocket science. A short thread …
(1) Myriad factors affect health. Genetics is one of the most important. All of us know that one person who has won the gene lottery–can eat all without weight gain, can smoke 3 packs a day. And still glow with health. However, for most, that’s not the case. So what should one do
Mar 9, 2021 • 12 tweets • 7 min read
If this doesn't warm the cockles of your heart, i doubt anything else will. Providing Health care services in one of the remotest places in Odisha. A thread...
Setting: the interiors of Simlipal forest reserve. Miles and miles of dense jungles. No electricity. Scattered populace. Bang in the middle if this, stumbled upon this quaint health center at Gudgudua.
Mar 3, 2021 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
(1) Truly exciting news coming in on the efficacy of the indigenous Covaxin. If the trend holds, this can be a better vaccine than the famed Pfizer and Moderna ones with 90-95% efficacy? How? Read on...
(2) The Phase III protocol in a nutshell: The plan was to enroll 25,800 participants in the study. Divided in to a vaccinated and a placebo group of ~ 13,000 each. Test all to ensure Covid-ve at baseline. Give 2 doses a month apart (vaccine as well as placebo). And then wait..
Feb 28, 2021 • 19 tweets • 4 min read
(1) Thanks all for the massive response on my thread on the menace of TB. This time around, let’s discuss the basics of (1) how do I know if I have symptoms of TB (2) what do I do if I have these symptoms and (3) what all facilities has the Govt made available for this?
(2) As discussed in my prev. thread, TB mostly (>70%) affects the lungs. Hence, the commonest symptom obviously is cough. Not just any cough though - cough that persists for at least 2 weeks. Sometimes tinged with blood (NOT the copious amounts of blood that we saw in old movies)
Feb 26, 2021 • 20 tweets • 4 min read
(1) Been working in Public Health, esp. in the field of Tuberculosis since almost 2 decades now. I continue to be surprised, almost on a daily basis, at the level of ignorance that persists in the community regarding this killer disease. Hence the thread - prepare to be shocked..
(2) First Things first – TB is caused by a bacteria. In India, it is estimated that every year ~27 lakh people fall ill with TB and ~4.5 lakh succumb. For perspective, so far, ~1.5 lakh deaths have been attributed to Covid – meaning, TB is thrice as deadly as Covid.
Sep 10, 2020 • 20 tweets • 4 min read
@bmcbbsr (1) Long thread warning..
Me and wife are Medical Doctors. My 68 years old mother, who is diabetic and hypertensive (on medication) was diagnosed with Covid. Harrowing experience so far. But this is neither the time nor the place to demoralise our Health Care workers ...
(2) So what I will do (instead of complaining) is give a few humble suggestions from my Public Health background as well as my personal experience of dealing with the system in place. Hope this is taken in the right spirit by the authorities. Here goes my two cents ...
