logo
Safeguarding the windows to the soul

Safeguarding the windows to the soul

The Hindu24-06-2025
On cataract surgeries and the urgent need for access, brain and spine innovations, maternal health amidst rising heat, sickle cell care and more
It's one of the most common surgeries performed, a procedure that practically everyone has heard of and perhaps one that most of us will have to undergo, but cataract surgeries are still not available and accessible to all -- cataracts continue to account for about 40% of all cases of existing blindness, and in India, remain the leading cause of blindness.
In fact, as of 2023, the World Health Organization estimated that only 17% of people with vision impairment due to cataract have received access to an appropriate intervention. This, despite the surgery being one of the safest and least resource-intensive of procedures. We take our vision for granted most times, never really thinking about our eyes or how they work despite their being crucial to every aspect of our lives, but this June, observed as Cataract Awareness Month, is as good time a time as any, to learn and understand more about them. And to this end, we have two stories on cataract for you: Dr. S. Soundari explains the hows and whys of cataracts and the surgery required, and Dr. C. Aravinda and Dr. Sangeetha Raja give you a glimpse of the history and the evolution of the procedure that is now used to treat millions.
Speaking of surgeries, here are a few more stories of interest, delving into medical procedures for the brain and spine: Dr. Ari G. Chacko explores advances in brain tumour care, while Dr. G. Sudhir and Dr. K. Karthik Kailash explain how minimally invasive spine surgery has transformed the landscape of spinal care.
But in all of the excitement over the latest in medical science, the progress in technology and the potential promise of AI, it is crucial to not forget the basics: ensuring the health of mother and baby. And not only are we still some distance away from achieving optimal care for all mothers and babies in India, climate change is now emerging as an increased threat to the health of both. Take this into consideration: despite overall progress over the last 30 years, an analysis (published in the British Medical Journal Global Health) has found that cases of low weight at birth from four states -- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and West Bengal -- account for nearly half of India's cases. Having a low birth weight -- under 2.5 kg -- has been linked with problems in the child's cognitive development and a vulnerability to chronic conditions in later life. To add to this existing issue is the burden of extreme heat: I podcast with Prof Jane Hirst about how high temperatures -- which India now faces on a regular basis -- impact pregnancy outcomes.
Talking of maternal health, C. Mayareports that Kerala still has the lowest maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the country despite some latest data revealing figures that the State disputes. And in Tamil Nadu, P. V. Srividya writes, the government's Pregnancy and Infant Cohort Monitoring and Evaluation system has helped exposechild marriages.
Maternal health isn't just crucial at the time of pregnancy: Athira Elssa Johnsondecodes a study that found that domestic violence perpetrated on mothers was linked with higher depressive disorders amongst their teen children, highlighting again, the vital need to safeguard the health of mothers -- as this is intrinsically linked with the health of the next generation.
One more story on newborns that can have far-reaching implication if made into policy is this study by the Indian Council of Medical Research that found post-birth diagnosis, resulting in early treatment, could substantially improve the quality of life and reduce mortality in patients with sickle cell disease -- from the reported current 20 to 30% to less than 5%. If you're wondering what sickle cell disease is, do read this explainer. Internationally too, there's been some focus on this area: British lawmakers have debated proposals to decriminalise abortion amid concerns that police are using antiquated laws to prosecute women who end their own pregnancies.
Elsewhere around the globe, there's some good news, the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved of pharma company Gilead Sciences' twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV -- a move the company hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the sexually transmitted virus. Lenacapavir, marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent in adults and adolescents -- making it functionally akin to a powerful vaccine.
Local news however, has been good, and not-so-good: while R. Prasadwrites on two existing drugs that offer hope to cure Russell's viper bites; Moyurie Som reports on the West Bengal Assembly passing a Bill on 'transparency' in medical costs in private facilities and Abhinay Lakshman details the Centre's plans to set up a National Tribal Health and Research Institute, Afshan Yasmeen speaks to the corresponding author of a research paper that has found that public health spending has not resulted in significant pro-poor services in India and S. Vijay Kumar finds that a report released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has revealed that the organ transplantation programme in the country has been crippled by multiple issues, especially insufficient funding, shortage of specialised doctors, and procedural delays.
Here's a quick round-up of the Covid-19 situation: cases are dipping, despite social media buzz about the 'razor blade' Covid variant, but even so, the ICMR has introduced its first high-performance computing facility at its National Institute of Virology (NIV) facility in Pune to boost genomic storage and analysis, aiding faster detection of new disease threats and more efficient response to outbreaks.
Our tailpiece for the week is this story by Dr. Vid Karmarkar and Jitendra Chouksey on why alcohol regulation in India needs a national framework and policy.
Once again, we have a healthy list of explainers this week, do dive in when you find the time:
Dr. Arunima Ray writes on understanding albinism in the Indian context
Dr. Javeed Zabiullah explains why the world needs to embrace neurodiversity
Dr. V. Madhumitha busts myths around vitiligo
Dr. Raman Goel writes on the importance of changing mindsets and narratives around obesity
Dr. Arun Kumar Balakrishnan details the need to screen for kidney cancer after 40
Anirban Mukhopadhyay breaks down a study on making CAR T-cells in vivo for cancer care
If you want to know about DNA analysis, click here
As part of our 'all you need to know' series, here is an explainer on the world's rarest blood group, Gwada negative, and one on clinical trials
And finally, here is why chronic pain must be part of suicide risk assessments
For many more health stories, head to our health page and subscribe to the health newsletter here.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gaza facing man-made 'mass starvation', says WHO's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Gaza facing man-made 'mass starvation', says WHO's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Time of India

time36 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Gaza facing man-made 'mass starvation', says WHO's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Gaza is suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the Palestinian enclave, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. He spoke following an appeal by more than 100 aid agencies warning of hunger in Gaza while tons of food, clean water and medical supplies sit untouched just outside the territory. "I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation, and it's man-made, and that's very clear," Tedros told a virtual press conference live-streamed from Geneva. "This is because of (the) blockade." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Degree Cybersecurity Finance Public Policy CXO Digital Marketing Management Design Thinking Product Management Data Science Leadership MBA MCA Data Science Healthcare Others healthcare Operations Management Data Analytics Project Management Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategic Leadership and Transformation Global Business Acumen Comprehensive Business Expertise Duration: 2 Years University of Western Australia UWA Global MBA Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details Gaza's food stocks have run out since Israel, at war with Palestinian militant group Hamas since October 2023, cut off all supplies to the territory in March and then lifted that blockade in May - but with restrictions that it says are needed to prevent aid from being diverted to militant groups. As a result, international aid agencies say that only a trickle of what is needed is currently reaching people in Gaza. Israel says it is committed to allowing in aid but must control it to prevent it from being diverted by militants. It says it has let enough food into Gaza during the war and blames Hamas for the suffering of Gaza's 2.2 million people. Live Events Ten more Palestinians died overnight from starvation, the Gaza health ministry said, bringing the total number of people who have starved to death to 111, most of them in recent weeks as a wave of hunger crashes on the Palestinian enclave. The WHO said the deadly surge in malnutrition has caused the deaths of at least 21 children reported to the agency in 2025, but stressed those figures are likely the tip of the iceberg. Centres for treating malnutrition are full without sufficient supplies for emergency feeding, the WHO added, as the hunger crisis has been compounded by the collapse of aid pipelines and restrictions on access. Tedros also said the U.N. and its humanitarian partners were unable to deliver any food for nearly 80 days between March and May, and the resumption of deliveries was still insufficient. The situation is dire, he and other WHO officials said, with around 10% of people screened experiencing either severe or moderate malnutrition, and up to 20% of pregnant women. In July alone, 5,100 children have been admitted to malnutrition programmes, including 800 who were severely emaciated, said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO's representative for the occupied Palestinian territories.

Gaza faces starvation as over 100 aid groups urge Israel to lift blockade
Gaza faces starvation as over 100 aid groups urge Israel to lift blockade

India Today

time4 hours ago

  • India Today

Gaza faces starvation as over 100 aid groups urge Israel to lift blockade

More than 100 charity and human rights groups said Wednesday that Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation, as Israeli strikes killed another 29 people overnight, according to local health the Trump administration's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was set to meet with a senior Israeli official about ceasefire talks, a sign that lower-level negotiations that have dragged on for weeks could be approaching a say Gaza is at risk of famine because of Israel's blockade and the offensive launched in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. The head of the World Health Organization said Gaza is 'witnessing a deadly surge' in malnutrition and related diseases, and that a 'large proportion' of its roughly 2 million people are starving. Israel says it allows enough aid into the territory and faults delivery efforts by UN agencies, which say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of has said it will only release the remaining 50 hostages it holds, around 20 of them believed to be alive, in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to recover all the captives and continue the war until Hamas has been defeated or disarmed.'CHAOS, STARVATION AND DEATH'In an open letter, 115 organisations, including major international aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps and Save the Children, said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, 'waste away.'The letter blamed Israeli restrictions and 'massacres' at aid-distribution points. Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on crowds seeking aid, killing more than 1,000 people. Israel says its forces have only fired warning shots and that the death toll is Israeli government's 'restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death,' the letter Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed that criticism, telling reporters that acute malnutrition centers in Gaza are full of patients and lack adequate supplies. He said rates of acute malnutrition exceed 10% and that among pregnant and breastfeeding women, more than 20% are malnourished, often UN health agency's representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, said there were more than 30,000 children under 5 with acute malnutrition in Gaza and that the WHO had reports that at least 21 children under 5 have died so far this SAYS CRITICS ARE ECHOING HAMAS PROPAGANDAadvertisementThe Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism in the open letter and accused the groups of 'echoing Hamas' propaganda.' It said it has allowed around 4,500 aid trucks into Gaza since lifting a complete blockade in May, and that more than 700 trucks are waiting to be picked up and distributed by the an average of around 70 trucks a day, the lowest rate of the war and far below the 500 to 600 trucks a day the UN says are needed, and which entered during a six-week ceasefire earlier this UN says it has struggled to deliver aid inside Gaza because of Israeli military restrictions, ongoing fighting and a breakdown of law and order. An alternative system established by Israel and an American contractor has been marred by violence and ADVISER TO NETANYAHU WILL MEET US ENVOY IN ROME White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Witkoff was headed to Europe to meet with key leaders from the Middle East to discuss the latest ceasefire proposal and release of hostages.'We want this ceasefire to happen as soon as possible, and we want these hostages to be released,' Leavitt official familiar with the negotiations said Ron Dermer, a top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was traveling to Rome to meet Witkoff on Thursday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive evolving deal is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up, and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting STRIKE KILL AT LEAST 29 Israel has continued to carry out waves of daily airstrikes against what it says are militant targets, which often kill women and children. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated of the overnight strikes hit a house in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The dead included six children and two women, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it struck an Islamic Jihad militant, and that the incident was under review because of reports of civilian said another strike late Tuesday in Gaza City killed three children.A strike on an apartment in northern Gaza killed at least six people. Among the dead were three children and two women, including one who was pregnant, the ministry said. The military said it struck a Hamas central Gaza, a strike in a densely populated part of the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp killed eight people and wounded 57, according to Awda Hospital, which received the militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack and killed around 1,200 people, mostly than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.- EndsTune InMust Watch

"Far Below Survival Needs": WHO Chief On Gaza's 'Mass Starvation'
"Far Below Survival Needs": WHO Chief On Gaza's 'Mass Starvation'

NDTV

time8 hours ago

  • NDTV

"Far Below Survival Needs": WHO Chief On Gaza's 'Mass Starvation'

The World Health Organization's chief warned Wednesday of widespread starvation in Gaza, saying food deliveries into the war-ravaged Palestinian territory were "far below what is needed for the survival of the population". "A large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving. I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation -- and it's man-made," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. His statement added his voice to those of 111 aid organisations and rights groups, including MSF and Oxfam, who warned earlier Wednesday that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza. "Our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away," they said in a joint statement. Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than two million people are facing severe shortages of food and other essentials after 21 months of conflict. Even after Israel began easing a more than two-month aid blockade in late May, Gaza's population is still suffering extreme scarcities. "The 2.1 million people trapped in the war zone that is Gaza are facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets: starvation," Tedros said. "We are now witnessing a deadly surge in malnutrition-related deaths," he added. Children Starvind To Death Tedros highlighted that "rates of global acute malnutrition exceed 10 percent, and over 20 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women that have been screened are malnourished, often severely". The UN health agency has documented 21 deaths in Gaza related to malnutrition of children under the age of five since the beginning of the year, but acknowledges that that the true number is likely higher. The head of Gaza's largest hospital said Tuesday that 21 children had died due to malnutrition and starvation in the Palestinian territory over the previous three days alone. Tedros warned that "the hunger crisis is being accelerated by the collapse of aid pipelines and restrictions on access". The starvation is "man-made" and clearly caused by Israel's blockade on the territory, he said. The WHO chief highlighted how starving people were risking their lives to access aid. The UN rights office said Tuesday that Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid in Gaza since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operations in late May. "Not only 1,026 were killed while trying to feed themselves or find food for their family. Thousands were also wounded," Tedros said. "We demand that there is full access, and we demand that there is a ceasefire," he said. "We demand that there is a political solution to this problem, a lasting solution."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store