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Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Puducherry adopts verbal autopsy model to identify TB treatment delay patterns
New Delhi: Puducherry has adopted the verbal autopsy model to assess reasons behind tuberculosis deaths, identify patterns for treatment delay, improve triaging process and referral mechanism. The Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI) in Puducherry has undertaken the task of analysing 160 TB deaths that had been reported in the UT in 2024 and would be submitting its finding to the Centre's TB division," State TB Officer of Puducherry, Dr C Venkatesh told PTI. "Using this method, doctors at IGMC&RI, Puducherry, are investigating the causes behind deaths due to tuberculosis and identifying both patient-related and health system related factors," Dr Kavita Vasudevan from the Community Medicine Department at Medical college, who is leading the project, said. A verbal autopsy is an interview-based process where close relatives or caregivers of the deceased are asked questions about circumstances and factors leading to death. For example, they are asked about the deceased's symptoms, treatment history, hospital admission time, treatment received and the circumstances at the time of death. This information is collected in a structured format, after which doctors assess the probable cause of death. This technique involves mixing both quantitative and qualitative methods to arrive at factors that lead to mortality in TB patients. For quantitative method, clinical records of TB deaths are being reviewed, while for the qualitative component, stakeholder interviews are being conducted with National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) staff as well as the kin of the deceased patients, Dr Vasudevan explained. Preliminary analysis has revealed that the majority of TB deaths are occurring within seven days of being diagnosed, implying there is a delay in patients accessing the health facility and reaching the hospital late, she said. "A significant number of patients who died belong to the neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu. These patients have come to health facilities in Puducherry for availing treatment and often give false addresses or addresses of their relatives in Puducherry," she said. Social factors also play a role and in some cases, social stigma related to TB or family neglect prevented patients from seeking timely treatment, Dr Vasudevan explained. Verbal autopsy is an important tool for public health, especially when the cause of death and the factors leading to death cannot be clearly determined from medical records. Puducherry's health department is reportedly planning to make verbal autopsies mandatory for every TB death case, Dr Venkatesh informed. Identifying the reasons for TB mortality can provide critical insights into the factors leading to these deaths, he said. In addition, the differentiated TB care approach recommended by the Central TB division is also implemented in Puducherry. This approach involves the provision of comprehensive evaluation and supportive treatment services at various healthcare levels. By employing this risk stratification process, healthcare providers can tailor their approach to ensure appropriate care for individuals identified with specific risks, he said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also advised use of verbal autopsies as an important tool in the fight against TB to better understand early symptoms, symptom duration, treatment initiation and interruptions, and the diagnostic process. Verbal autopsy provides insights into patient as well as health system delays, social or financial challenges faced during illness, perceptions of healthcare services and barriers to accessing timely diagnosis and treatment. Tuberculosis is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide and the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent after coronavirus disease, surpassing HIV. India's TB burden remains a major public health challenge, highlighted Dr Vasudevan. According to recent estimates, number of deaths due to TB in India was 23 per lakh population. In Puducherry, the total TB notifications for the year 2022 was 3,835 which translates to nearly 247 TB notifications per one lakh population with a death rate of eight per cent, she said. As part of the Nationals Strategic plan and WHO End TB Strategy , one of the milestones is to reduce global TB deaths by 90 per cent by 2025, using 2015 as the baseline, she stated. A comprehensive approach is essential to effectively tackle TB, which includes provision of quality TB care through access to quality diagnostics, effective drugs for therapy, prevention strategies and identifying the underlying causes of mortality associated with the disease.
The Print
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Print
Puducherry adopts verbal autopsy model to identify TB treatment delay patterns
'Using this method, doctors at IGMC&RI, Puducherry, are investigating the causes behind deaths due to tuberculosis and identifying both patient-related and health system related factors,' Dr Kavita Vasudevan from the Community Medicine Department at Medical college, who is leading the project, said. The Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI) in Puducherry has undertaken the task of analysing 160 TB deaths that had been reported in the UT in 2024 and would be submitting its finding to the Centre's TB division,' State TB Officer of Puducherry, Dr C Venkatesh told PTI. New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) Puducherry has adopted the verbal autopsy model to assess reasons behind tuberculosis deaths, identify patterns for treatment delay, improve triaging process and referral mechanism. A verbal autopsy is an interview-based process where close relatives or caregivers of the deceased are asked questions about circumstances and factors leading to death. For example, they are asked about the deceased's symptoms, treatment history, hospital admission time, treatment received and the circumstances at the time of death. This information is collected in a structured format, after which doctors assess the probable cause of death. This technique involves mixing both quantitative and qualitative methods to arrive at factors that lead to mortality in TB patients. For quantitative method, clinical records of TB deaths are being reviewed, while for the qualitative component, stakeholder interviews are being conducted with National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) staff as well as the kin of the deceased patients, Dr Vasudevan explained. Preliminary analysis has revealed that the majority of TB deaths are occurring within seven days of being diagnosed, implying there is a delay in patients accessing the health facility and reaching the hospital late, she said. 'A significant number of patients who died belong to the neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu. These patients have come to health facilities in Puducherry for availing treatment and often give false addresses or addresses of their relatives in Puducherry,' she said. Social factors also play a role and in some cases, social stigma related to TB or family neglect prevented patients from seeking timely treatment, Dr Vasudevan explained. Verbal autopsy is an important tool for public health, especially when the cause of death and the factors leading to death cannot be clearly determined from medical records. Puducherry's health department is reportedly planning to make verbal autopsies mandatory for every TB death case, Dr Venkatesh informed. Identifying the reasons for TB mortality can provide critical insights into the factors leading to these deaths, he said. In addition, the differentiated TB care approach recommended by the Central TB division is also implemented in Puducherry. This approach involves the provision of comprehensive evaluation and supportive treatment services at various healthcare levels. By employing this risk stratification process, healthcare providers can tailor their approach to ensure appropriate care for individuals identified with specific risks, he said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also advised use of verbal autopsies as an important tool in the fight against TB to better understand early symptoms, symptom duration, treatment initiation and interruptions, and the diagnostic process. Verbal autopsy provides insights into patient as well as health system delays, social or financial challenges faced during illness, perceptions of healthcare services and barriers to accessing timely diagnosis and treatment. Tuberculosis is one of the top ten causes of death worldwide and the second leading cause of death from a single infectious agent after coronavirus disease, surpassing HIV. India's TB burden remains a major public health challenge, highlighted Dr Vasudevan. According to recent estimates, number of deaths due to TB in India was 23 per lakh population. In Puducherry, the total TB notifications for the year 2022 was 3,835 which translates to nearly 247 TB notifications per one lakh population with a death rate of eight per cent, she said. As part of the Nationals Strategic plan and WHO End TB Strategy, one of the milestones is to reduce global TB deaths by 90 per cent by 2025, using 2015 as the baseline, she stated. A comprehensive approach is essential to effectively tackle TB, which includes provision of quality TB care through access to quality diagnostics, effective drugs for therapy, prevention strategies and identifying the underlying causes of mortality associated with the disease. PTI PLB DV DV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Doctors, students attend seminar ahead of Yoga Day in Puducherry
A seminar on 'Therapeutic Yoga for Non-Communicable Diseases – Dissemination of Translational Research' was recently organised as part of the run-up to International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 scheduled for Saturday, June 21. As a part of the IDY 2025 celebrations, marking the 11th anniversary of the global initiative, the Union Government, has planned 10 signature events, one of which is 'Samyogam'. According to a press note, the seminar was held in line with this, under the auspices of the Siddha Regional Research Institute (SRRI), as per the directions of N.J. Muthukumar, Director General, Central Council for Research in Siddha. The event was jointly hosted by Department of Physiology, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI), Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer), and Directorate of AYUSH, Puducherry. G. K. Pal, Professor (Senior Scale), Department of Physiology, Jipmer, delivered a keynote address on yoga therapy for psychophysical health. S. Shunmugaram, Research Officer (S) Scientist – II, SRRI led a live demonstration of the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) for the students at IGMC&RI. The session aimed to boost awareness of yoga's everyday benefits and encourage students to incorporate the practice into their daily routines. P. Thenmozhi, Research Officer (S), Scientist – II, SRRI, Puducherry highlighted the scientific literature establishing the importance of yoga and its therapeutic effects in Siddha system of medicine. A. Lavanya, Research Officer (S) Scientist – II, SRRI, and B Rajalakshmi, Medical Officer (Siddha), Directorate of Ayush, shared the synergistic effects of Yoga and Siddha in the hormonal disorder Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus respectively. Nithya, Assistant Professor IGMC & RI, presented the outcomes of her study on the effects of adjuvant Yoga Therapy in breast cancer survivors. Umadevi S. V., Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, IGMC&RI, Pravati Pal, and S. Velkumary, Physiology Professors from Jipmer, S. Indhira, Director In-charge, Directorate of AYUSH, and P. Sathyarajeswaran, Assistant Director (S), Scientist-IV, SRRI, also addressed the event. Around 300 doctors, staff and students took part in the seminar.
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Toxicology protocols to be in place across healthcare network in Puducherry
In a significant boost to toxicology preparedness, the government has brought out a region-specific poisons manual that will set the protocol and standardise the management of poisoning cases across the three-tiered healthcare delivery network in Puducherry. The poisons management manual, drafted by experts and tailored to the toxicological profile of the Union Territory, was formally launched at a workshop hosted recently at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI). Besides, a resource base of 81 healthcare professionals — 35 doctors and 46 nurses — from various institutions, including primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), district hospital and tertiary hospitals were trained as master trainers during the 'TOXI-TRAIN' workshop, a State-level Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative in toxicology. The event, which aimed at enhancing Puducherry's capacity to handle poisoning cases through hands-on training and knowledge dissemination, was jointly organised by IGMC&RI's Department of Emergency Medicine and Trauma, the INDIA-EMS Project (supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research), and the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services. The trainees, who comprised doctors/nurses from each of the 30 PHCs at the primary level, two CHCs at the secondary level and the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital at the level of district hospital, will serve as resource persons for peer-to-peer dissemination of knowledge among colleagues within their institutions and thereby facilitating a robust systemic readiness. According to experts, poisoning remains a leading cause of preventable deaths, especially in rural environments. In this context, the 'Toxi-Train Manual for Standardised Poison Management' is the first-of-its-kind resource tailored to the region's toxicological profile. By addressing critical gaps in emergency toxicology by providing structured, evidence-based protocols for a trained cadre of frontline healthcare providers (doctors and nurses), the initiative hopes to make Puducherry better equipped to prevent avoidable deaths due to poisoning through timely and skilled interventions. In fact, Puducherry is among the five sentinel sites for the prestigious Integrated Nationwide District-based Implementation Research for Emergency Model System (INDIA-EMS), an ICMR-led flagship initiative of the National Health Research Priority (NHRP), and the only one that is devoted to toxicology-related medical emergencies. The key features of the manual, include step-by-step decontamination and stabilisation protocols, recognition of signs and symptoms across poison types, antidote preparation and administration, case-based scenarios and peer training tools. The toxicology manual, designed for doctors and nurses, is ready for distribution among primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), and the district hospital. During the workshop, IGMC&RI Director C. Udayasankar noted that there was growing importance of emergency medicine and trauma care in Puducherry, particularly in the light of increasing toxicological incidents. In this situation, an initiative for building long-term capacity through systematic training was commendable and of critical value, he added. The workshop was led by Manu Ayyan, associate professor, Department of Emergency Medicine and Trauma at Jipmer and principal investigator of the INDIA-EMS Project and supported by R. Surendar, assistant professor at IGMC&RI and co-principal investigator, and S. Sooriyaprasannan, ICMR research scientist at Jipmer and project-cum-workshop coordinator. Ramachandra V. Bhat, Dean, IGMC&RI and Kavita Vasudevan, Head, Department of Community Medicine of the institute also addressed the delegates. I. Joseph Raajesh, medical superintendent, IGMC&RI announced the induction of 12 Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) ambulances into Puducherry's 108 emergency services. 'We are expecting the resource persons to complete the peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge by the end of this month. This will ensure adherence to evidence-based and uniform treatment protocols in poisoning emergencies across Puducherry,' Dr. Sooriyaprasannan said. A dedicated WhatsApp group will facilitate a continuum of toxicology support to physicians dealing with acute management of poisoning on a 24/7 basis. 'The future plan involves formulation and widespread dissemination of protocols for all designated emergencies, including heart attack, brain stroke, trauma, respiratory emergencies, and neonatal and maternal emergencies across the healthcare network,' he said.
New Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Puducherry trains 81 healthcare professionals in toxicology
PUDUCHERRY: In a bid to boost toxicology preparedness, Puducherry government has launched a state-specific manual for doctors and nurses to treat poisoning cases, and completed a training workshop for 81 healthcare professionals. The initiative, part of the TOXI-TRAIN workshop held at the Indira Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute (IGMC&RI), concluded on Saturday. The poisoning manual, tailored to the toxicological profile of the union territory, is aimed at standardising the management of poisoning cases across all healthcare levels. It will be distributed to primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), and the district hospital. Designed for doctors and nurses, the manual ensures evidence-based and uniform treatment protocols in poisoning emergencies. The TOXI-TRAIN workshop was jointly organised by IGMC&RI's Department of Emergency Medicine & Trauma, the INDIA-EMS Project (supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research), and the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Services. The programme focused on enhancing Puducherry's capacity to handle poisoning cases through hands-on training and knowledge dissemination.
