Latest news with #HepatitisC
Daily News Egypt
9 hours ago
- Health
- Daily News Egypt
Roche helps Egypt expand digital pathology and AI diagnostics
Roche Diagnostics is supporting Egypt's expansion of digital pathology and the integration of artificial intelligence into its public health system to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnoses, particularly in underserved regions, a company official said. The initiatives are being rolled out in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) system, according to Liliane Kanaan, North Africa Lead and General Manager for Egypt at Roche Diagnostics. Egypt is one of the first countries in Africa to adopt digital pathology at scale. The technology digitises tissue samples, allowing them to be viewed and analysed remotely. 'By reducing diagnostic turnaround times and enabling telepathology, this innovation will improve both the speed and equity of care delivery,' Kanaan said. 'In underserved communities, digital pathology will facilitate timely first opinions, helping patients receive a diagnosis locally without the need for extensive travel.' For more complex cases, the system allows for rapid second opinions from national or international experts. 'This significantly decreases the travel time and physical burden on both patients and healthcare professionals, while also accelerating diagnosis and treatment planning,' Kanaan added. Roche is also collaborating with national stakeholders to integrate AI into diagnostic workflows by deploying digital pathology scanners and AI-powered tools to modernise hospital pathology laboratories. Kanaan said this helps reduce the burden on healthcare professionals and directly addresses a critical skills gap. 'Notably, this solution directly addresses the severe shortage of pathologists across Africa, where statistics reveal there is approximately one pathologist for every one million people—compared to a ratio of about 1 to 25,000 in countries like the United States and United Kingdom,' she said. The company, which has operated in Egypt for over two decades, has been involved in several national health programmes. Kanaan cited collaborations that have contributed to national health outcomes, including Egypt's Hepatitis C elimination campaign. 'Roche played a key role in deploying national screening efforts, contributing to Egypt's recognition as a WHO Golden Tier country for HCV elimination—an achievement that reflects both the scale and effectiveness of the programme,' she stated. Other past partnerships include supporting the national blood safety strategy with Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) technology at the National Blood Transfusion Center and providing over two million tests during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company continues to support the Presidential Breast Cancer Initiative, launched in 2019, which has screened more than 30 million women to date. Aligning with national priorities like the Presidential Women's Health Initiative ensures innovation addresses the population's most pressing needs, Kanaan said. As part of this, Roche supported the upgrade of more than 26 public pathology laboratories across Egypt. 'These 26 upgraded sites enabled us to deliver over 20,000 full breast cancer diagnostic panels, an essential step in defining effective treatment plans for patients,' she said. Roche is also participating in the national cervical cancer early detection campaign, which has screened more than 20,000 women in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and several non-governmental organisations (NGOs). To meet the region's specific needs, Kanaan said the company localises its solutions by engaging with stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, UHI, military hospitals, academic institutions and NGOs. This involves providing comprehensive solutions that go beyond product sales to include capacity-building programmes, lab software and health consultancy services tailored to local infrastructure and regulations.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
NAT should be mandatory at all blood banks: Experts
New Delhi: Diagnosed with thalassemia at the age of two, a 23-year-old woman depended on blood transfusions every three weeks to stay alive. But when she was hospitalised with dengue in Class VIII, doctors discovered something more alarming - she was diagnosed as HIV-positive. "I wasn't recovering. After several tests, they told me I was HIV-positive. I suspect it came from a transfusion. If the blood was properly tested, maybe this wouldn't have happened," she said. Now living with both thalassemia and HIV, she depends not only on regular transfusions, but also on antiretroviral treatment. The woman's testimony at the roundtable on "Ensuring Safe Blood for All: Strengthening Blood Safety Practices", organised by the Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group (TPAG) at India International Centre on Thursday, brought into sharp focus the urgent need to fix India's entire blood safety ecosystem. Experts at the event called for comprehensive reforms - from mandatory nucleic acid testing ( NAT ) at all blood banks to boosting voluntary blood donation and patient participation in policymaking. NAT, which detects HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C during the early infection "window period", is far more effective than standard tests, but is not yet mandatory across India. "Safe blood is not just about testing - it begins at the source," said Dr Sangeeta Pathak, secretary general of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion & Immunohematology (ISBTI) and head of Transfusion Medicine at Max Saket. "Voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation is key. Sri Lanka has achieved 100% voluntary donation. Why not India?" She called on both professionals and the public to take ownership. "We must talk about it, promote it, and strengthen the culture of safe, voluntary blood donation." Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, member secretary, TPAG, reminded participants that blood safety is a matter of human rights. "This isn't just a technical issue. It's about dignity, equity, and the right to safe, life-saving interventions." Public health advocate Prof Bejon Kumar Misra emphasised the need for transparency and accountability. "Safety is non-negotiable. People have a right to know what is being done - and what's not. Communication is critical. We need strategies that ensure no patient falls through the cracks." P C Sen, senior Supreme Court advocate, reiterated the state's legal obligation to ensure access to pathogen-free blood .
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Orissa HC seeks govt reply on delay in expanding NAT-PCR blood testing across state
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has sought a detailed response from the state government after a contempt petition was filed by advocate Prabir Kumar Das over its alleged failure to implement nucleic acid testing polymerase chain reaction (NAT-PCR) blood testing facilities in all blood banks as promised. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman on Thursday directed the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Health and Family Welfare department to file an affidavit within two weeks, outlining the steps taken to fulfil the commitment made in court in November 2023. The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 4. The directive comes in response to a contempt petition filed by Das on April 2, 2025. In his plea, Das contended that the state government had wilfully violated the high court's order dated November 30, 2023, which required the establishment of advanced NAT-PCR testing facilities in all 56 blood collection centres of the state by the end of March 2025. The court order had followed Das' earlier PIL that highlighted the risks associated with blood transfusions using traditional ELISA-based screening. He had argued that the NAT-PCR technology allows for early detection of infections such as HIV 1 and 2, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, thus ensuring safer transfusions. In its affidavit filed in response to the PIL in November 2023, the Health department had stated that 47 per cent of the blood collected in Odisha was being tested using NAT-PCR technology at 11 centres. The government had assured the court that it would expand the facility to all 56 blood centres at an estimated cost of `200 crore by March 2025. However, Das, appearing in person, submitted that information obtained through RTI queries from the directorate of Blood Safety (March 3, 2025) and the Health department (March 17, 2025) confirmed that only the original 11 centres were equipped with NAT-PCR, and no progress had been made in the remaining 45 centres. Calling the inaction a 'deliberate and wilful violation' of the court's order, Das urged the bench to initiate proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act against the commissioner-cum-secretary. The court, while not initiating contempt proceedings, has directed the official to respond with a status update in two weeks.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Unsafe blood and unkept promises: Experts suggest mandatory NAT at all blood banks
New Delhi: Diagnosed with thalassemia at the age of two, a 23-year-old woman depended on blood transfusions every three weeks to stay alive. But when she was hospitalised with dengue in Class VIII, doctors discovered something more alarming — she was HIV-positive. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "I wasn't recovering. After several tests, they told me I was HIV-positive. I suspect it came from a transfusion. If the blood was properly tested, maybe this wouldn't have happened," she said. Now living with both thalassemia and HIV, she depends not only on regular transfusions, but also on antiretroviral treatment. The woman's testimony at the roundtable on "Ensuring Safe Blood for All: Strengthening Blood Safety Practices", organised by the Thalassemia Patients Advocacy Group (TPAG) at India International Centre on Thursday, brought into sharp focus the urgent need to fix India's blood safety ecosystem. Experts at the event called for comprehensive reforms — from mandatory nucleic acid testing (NAT) at all blood banks to boosting voluntary blood donation and patient participation in policymaking. NAT, which detects HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C during the early infection "window period", is far more effective than standard tests, but is not yet mandatory across India. "Safe blood is not just about testing — it begins at the source," said Dr Sangeeta Pathak, secretary general of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion & Immunohematology (ISBTI) and head of Transfusion Medicine at Max Saket. "Voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation is key. Sri Lanka has achieved 100% voluntary donation. Why not India?" She called on both professionals and the public to take ownership. "We must talk about it, promote it, and strengthen the culture of safe, voluntary blood donation." Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, member secretary, TPAG, reminded participants that blood safety is a matter of human rights. "This isn't just a technical issue. It's about dignity, equity, and the right to safe, life-saving interventions." Public health advocate Prof Bejon Kumar Misra emphasised the need for transparency and accountability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Safety is non-negotiable. People have a right to know what is being done — and what's not. Communication is critical. We need strategies that ensure no patient falls through the cracks." P C Sen, senior Supreme Court advocate, reiterated the state's legal obligation to ensure access to pathogen-free blood. "It's not just a public health concern. It's constitutional." BJP spokesperson Tuhin A Sinha assured the gathering of govt's commitment to stronger frameworks and cross-sector collaboration. "This is not a single-agency issue. It requires everyone — govt, civil society and experts — coming together to strengthen the system," he said. Prof N K Ganguly, former DG of ICMR, highlighted the need for investment in diagnostics, better regulation, and scaling up innovations. The roundtable brought together perspectives from medicine, law, advocacy and governance, each viewing the issue through a different lens but advocating a unified message — that blood safety must be treated as foundational to India's healthcare transformation, not as a peripheral challenge.
India.com
4 days ago
- Health
- India.com
Jammu and Kashmir Turned Hub Of Narcotics: A Threat From Across The Border
Jammu and Kashmir is facing a new crisis as officials state that drug addiction is becoming a serious concern in Kashmir, devastating the lives of young people. There has been a sharp rise in heroin consumption, with the main rehabilitation facility in Srinagar reporting a 200 per cent increase in patients seeking treatment since 2020, primarily for heroin addiction. Recent surveys on drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir paint a grim picture of an escalating crisis, particularly in the Kashmir Valley. Approximately 13 lakh people in J&K are estimated to be drug users, representing about 10% of the population. These figures suggest a sharp rise from earlier estimates of 6 lakh in 2022. Heroin is the most commonly used drug, with a 95 per cent dependence rate among users. It is often injected, leading to high rates of syringe reuse and sharing, which increases health risks like Hepatitis C. Reports indicate that the majority of users fall into the 15–30 age group. Eighty-five per cent of opioid users prefer injection. Approximately 33,000 syringes are used daily for heroin injection in the Valley; a rough estimate suggests that among them, 65% are reused syringes, which increases the risks of diseases like Hepatitis C. Doctors at the main Drug De-addiction Centre in Srinagar stated that around 350-400 addicts visit the daily outpatient department (OPD), with a maximum of around 300 being heroin users who administer the drug through injection. Dr. Fazl e Roub, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, IMHANS, said, "We used to see 3-4 patients in 2016, but now we see 350-400 patients daily, most of whom are heroin users. I am talking about this center only; there are many more centers in Kashmir, and mostly they use syringes. Many patients are now shifting to Tapandol as the government has imposed strict restrictions. Out of the 350-400 patients we see daily, 300 are using heroin, and of those, 250-270 use syringes. They have a vast network; many peddlers are here, but now it's getting difficult for them. It's affecting the whole community; almost 70 per cent of them have Hepatitis C, and it goes from one human to another; it affects the whole family. The age group is 18 to 29; we have seen some females also. Treatment-seeking data for this center is around 8000, and many do not seek treatment early. A survey indicated 68,000 patients were treatment-seeking. We get patients from all classes; it's unfortunate that every class is getting affected, even the professional class." Drug abuse imposes a significant financial burden, as it is estimated that a user spends an average of INR 88,000–90,000 monthly on heroin. One of the drug addicts in rehabilitation spoke to Zee News, stating that he used to take 4 grams of heroin daily, which cost him around 24,000 rupees a day. He said there are more than 50 people alone selling in Srinagar, and dozens are in Jammu. In Jammu, drugs are available at a lower rate, so youth from Srinagar now travel to Jammu daily to obtain heroin. A drug addict in the rehab center said, "I used to take 4 grams of heroin; it costs 24,000 rupees per day. We used to manage money; four or five friends of us contributed. It's 100% true that heroin is used by 90% of drug abusers in Kashmir; heroin use is increasing day by day. This time, most of the use is happening in Jammu and Kashmir. They want to destroy the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, and that's happening. Heroin use will never end. It's common everywhere—in colleges, in schools, in tuition centers. 'Chitta' is common; it's called Chitta because it is white in color. It's increasing minute by minute. You say 50 thousand; around 1 lakh are those who are taking treatment, taking medicine; imagine how many more there would be. I am talking about heroin users; they are not in thousands; they are in lakhs. Earlier, it used to come pure; now it's synthetic. In Kashmir, around 40-50 are selling this. Now youth don't go to dealers in Kashmir; they directly go to Jammu. There are so many spots in Jammu; one gets closed, another is opened." J&K Police and security forces have now escalated their fight against narco-terrorism through property seizures, arrests, and enhanced border surveillance, targeting both drug peddlers and their financial networks. While significant strides have been made, the complex nexus of drugs and terrorism, fueled by Pakistan-based handlers, remains a formidable challenge. The police focused on dismantling interstate and cross-border narco-terror modules. In 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Police invoked the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act against notorious drug peddlers. Across the Union Territory, 463 detention orders were issued under PIT-NDPS in the last 18 months leading up to June 2024, indicating sustained enforcement into 2025. SSP Srinagar G V Sundeep said, "This year, police in the anti-drug campaign have done extensive work against drug trafficking. Around 80 FIRs are registered, and nearly 150 drug peddlers were arrested. Around 40 big drug peddlers were booked under UAPA, which has given a jolt to their supply chain. Under NDPS cases, during investigations, many bank accounts were seized, and properties of big drug peddlers were seized and attached, valued around 7-8 crore rupees. Huge quantities of heroin, cannabis, and other drugs were recovered, which shows Jammu and Kashmir police's zero tolerance." "Jammu and Kashmir, in the present and in the past, has busted many narco-terrorism modules. We, the police and administration, have many times, with proofs and evidence, shown the international community that narcotics fund terrorism. Many times we filed charge sheets; even the NIA also proved that a share in drug trade goes to terrorists." Apart from the crackdown on drug peddlers, the police continued coordination, community engagement, and rehabilitation efforts among the common people to curb narco-terrorism. Jammu and Kashmir police also started awareness programs among common masses; in every police station, a 'thana diwas' is conducted to educate people about drug abuse. SSP Srinagar G V Sundeep said, "For many years, Jammu and Kashmir has adopted a multi-frontal approach in the anti-drug campaign. We make people aware every week during 'thana diwas'. We mostly talk about drugs; we try to engage youth in sports to keep them away from drugs." Intelligence agencies suggest that as Pakistan is financially unstable, it is getting difficult for them to fund the terror organizations operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Now, changing their strategy, they have told terror organizations to focus more on narco trade. ISI, along with terror organizations operating in Pakistan, are pushing hard drugs like heroin and brown sugar through the LoC and Punjab, which are sold in Jammu and Kashmir as well as routed to metro cities in India, mostly Mumbai, and the Middle East, where their value increases 1000 times. A kilogram of heroin which costs 5 lakhs in Kashmir is sold for around 5 crores in Mumbai or Dubai. Agencies say the heroin comes into Jammu and Kashmir from Afghanistan via Pakistan, a region known as the Golden Crescent, a name given to the opium-producing countries. As per data from the Narcotics Control Bureau of India, almost 800 kg of heroin were seized in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab from March 2019 to January 2025. Narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir refers to the nexus between drug trafficking and terrorist activities, primarily driven by Pakistan-based groups to fund terrorism and destabilize the region. This phenomenon has emerged as a significant security and social challenge in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly after the steep rise in drug-related incidents. Agencies believe the LoC is a key entry point, with drugs like heroin, brown sugar, and cannabis smuggled through unfenced areas in districts like Kupwara, Baramulla, and Jammu border areas like R.S. Pura. Drones are increasingly used to drop consignments. Some drug consignments enter via Punjab and are rerouted to Jammu and Kashmir. Agencies also have reports that Pakistan orchestrates narco trade in Jammu and Kashmir and other metro cities of India and routes it to the Middle East to earn huge amounts out of this trade. Out of the earned amount, some percentage is used by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan military to fund terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities claim that Pakistan channels drug profits to terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. A rough estimate suggests narcotics trafficking along the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India corridor generates estimated earnings of ₹500 crore annually. NIA findings of ongoing drug seizures, such as 200 kg of heroin in 2019 and multiple seizures in 2020–2022, and busts of narcotics worth Rs 65 crore in Baramulla and Rs 180 crore in Samba, indicate a robust narco-terror network linked to Pakistan-based terror groups.
