Latest news with #PublicHealthDepartment
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Inquiry must be conducted in rat extermination drive: Ashish Shelar
MUMBAI: The city's public health efforts have come under close scrutiny this week as Ashish Shelar, the suburban district guardian minister, has ordered an inquiry into the Public Health Department's rat killing contract. Despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) claim of eliminating 250,000 rats in the past six months, Shelar's review of official data has raised serious doubts about the scale and efficacy of the operation. Inquiry must be conducted in rat extermination drive: Ashish Shelar In a meeting held at Mantralaya on Wednesday, Shelar pressed BMC officials—including additional commissioners Bipin Sharma, Amit Saini, and Abhijit Bangar, along with executive health officer Dr Daksha Shah and other state health and collectorate officers—to provide a detailed account of the rat control drive carried out over the last three months. 'How many wards were covered, and where were these rats disposed of?' he questioned, emphasising that a comprehensive record of the operation appeared to be lacking. With decades of experience in municipal affairs—as a corporator, MLC, and three-term MLA—Shelar commented that he had never witnessed a rat extermination exercise on such a scale, nor the widespread use of cage traps in public areas. The minister's concerns are amplified by conflicting data. Official records indicate that between June 1 and 21, only 1,741 rats were killed using poison, with an additional 2,015 captured via cage traps. This stark discrepancy from the claimed 250,000 rats has cast a pall over the credibility of the reported figures. Terming the operation 'highly suspicious,' Shelar directed the BMC's additional commissioner to launch a rigorous three-month investigation and provide a detailed report, demanding clarity on the number of rats actually exterminated and the methods employed. While rat control remains the chief priority, Shelar also addressed other pressing municipal issues during the meeting. In a separate segment, he instructed officials to draft an action plan for the desilting of Powai, Tulsi, and Vihar lakes—areas now facing increased environmental stress. Powai Lake, which began overflowing as early as June this year, is now threatened by rampant water hyacinth growth due to untreated sewage discharge. The minister emphasised the need for a detailed study on silt management post-desilting and suggested that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds could help expedite the process. Additionally, Shelar called for a rapid shift in fuel usage in bakeries across Mumbai. He proposed a special incentive scheme to phase out coal, diesel, and firewood in favour of eco-friendly fuels. This time-bound initiative, already under judicial scrutiny by the Bombay High Court, aims to reduce air pollution in the city. Financial assistance from both the BMC and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board was recommended to support bakeries still dependent on traditional, polluting fuel sources.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. County sees a sharp decline in drug overdose deaths in 2024
Accidental drug overdose and poisoning deaths plunged by 22% in Los Angeles County last year, according to a new report, marking the most substantial single-year decline on record. The 2024 overdose death toll of 2,438 is the lowest since 2019 and a notable drop from the 3,137 deaths recorded in 2023. The sharpest decline was in fentanyl-related deaths, which fell 37% from 2,001 deaths in 2023 to 1,263 in 2024, according to a report released Wednesday from the county Public Health Department. Health officials credited measures including large-scale investments in drug treatment and overdose prevention for the reversal of a long upward trend. 'It demonstrates that what we're doing is working,' said Dr. Gary Tsai, director of the county's Substance Abuse Prevention and Control division, citing increased prevention measures and other efforts. Even so, the county still suffers 'very high numbers of overdose deaths,' Tsai said. 'Now is actually the time to be pressing our foot on the gas even more.' While fentanyl remained the leading cause of accidental overdose deaths, its share dropped to 52% of all cases, down from 64% in 2023. Deaths involving methamphetamine also declined by 20%, the county report said. The report also detailed drug deaths by race, gender, age group and other factors. By age, adults aged 40–64 made up nearly half (47%) of all fentanyl deaths, followed by adults aged 26–39 (38%). There were lower rates for other age groups. When adjusting for population size, adults 26–39 had the highest fentanyl overdose death rate at 22.7 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by adults aged 40-64, young adults aged 18-25, people age 65 and over and youth 17 and under. The report noted that since 2021, rates among young adults aged 18-25 have consistently decreased. By race, Latino residents accounted for the highest raw number of fentanyl deaths in 2024 (508 deaths), followed by white (456), Black (232), and Asian (26) residents. However, the fentanyl overdose death rate per 100,000 was highest among Black residents – 29 per 100,000, nearly triple that of Latino residents at 10.5 per 100,000. Deaths were 17.4 per 100,000 for whites. Black county residents made up just 8% of the county's population but nearly one in five fentanyl-related deaths. By gender, similar disparities to 2023 remained, with males having a rate more than four times that of females. The report highlights the continued disparities associated with socioeconomic status. Residents in census tracts where more than 30% of families lived below the federal poverty line had a fentanyl overdose death rate nearly four times that of those in more affluent areas. These figures underscore the structural inequities that shape who is most at risk of overdose and who has access to resources, according to the report. This year's report builds on a shift first observed in 2023, when drug-related deaths in Los Angeles County plateaued for the first time in a decade, following years of consistent increases. In contrast, the 2024 data reflect a more widespread and significant downturn across nearly all demographics and regions, with sharp declines in both raw death counts and population-adjusted rates. Still, persistent racial and economic disparities identified in last year's report remain relevant: Black residents continue to experience the highest fentanyl overdose death rate per capita, and fatality rates remain disproportionately high in the county's poorest neighborhoods. Despite these continued disparities, Public Health officials are hopeful that their concerted efforts are having a meaningful impact on saving lives. Public Health officials say that recent expansions in prevention, treatment services, and so-called harm reduction measures — such as broader access to naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and safer consumption sites — played a crucial role in the dramatic reductions reported in the study. In 2024 alone, investments in prevention programs increased by over 260%, treatment services by 275%, and harm reduction programs by 500%, county officials said. Initiatives such as the Fentanyl Frontline campaign and the creation of a community resource hub, aimed to expand access to naloxone, reduce stigma, and connect residents to care and support services. Looking ahead, Tsai noted early signs for 2025 are cautiously encouraging. 'Preliminarily, we are seeing ongoing reduction in overdose deaths when we compare January 2025 to January 2024,' he said. That trend, he added, diverges from national preliminary data, which suggests an uptick in early 2025, though he cautioned these results can change as medical examiners continue processing cases for January 2025. Even as the county celebrates progress, Tsai emphasized that longstanding inequities, especially those related to race, poverty, and access to care, continue to shape overdose risks. 'Although we've seen the numbers go down across the board, disparities have been consistent,' he said. 'Clearly, even though we're seeing the overdose numbers go down, we still have a lot of work ahead of us.' In a statement, county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that 'sustained investment in prevention, treatment, and recovery services is essential to ensuring every person in our community has the opportunity to live a healthy, supported life.' Los Angeles County residents can access 24/7 support for substance use services by calling 800-854-7771.
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Arab Times
Kuwait steps up waste control to tackle public health hazards
KUWAIT CITY, June 21: Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi announced Saturday that the Ministry of Health has conducted over 12,800 exploratory field operations to assess waste disposal sites across the country. The initiative aims to curb the spread of insects and rodents that pose health and environmental risks. Speaking to reporters during an awareness event held under the slogan "Prevention is Better than Control", Dr. Al-Awadhi emphasized the ministry's renewed commitment to tackling long-standing environmental sanitation challenges through a modern approach. The awareness day was part of the broader Environmental Sanitation campaign, which was launched in late 2023. "Waste disposal has always been a challenge," the Minister said. "But today, we are approaching it with a new vision that targets environmental imbalances contributing to the spread of diseases and epidemics — not only in areas under the ministry's jurisdiction, but across the country." Dr. Al-Awadhi stressed that waste management is a collective responsibility. "Whether on farms, at construction sites, or in public spaces, improperly disposed waste leads to an accumulation of pests and rodents, which are significant sources of disease," he warned. The Minister noted that the Ministry of Health operates a dedicated department for pest and rodent control and urged citizens and residents to report any waste issues by calling the hotline at 151 and selecting option 6. He also revealed that a digital reporting link is being established via the "Sahel" platform, enabling the public to report environmental concerns more efficiently. "The health of humans, animals, and the environment are interlinked, and must be treated as a single ecosystem," he said, calling on the public to support the campaign and work towards creating a healthier society for future generations. Also speaking at the event, Dr. Fahad Al-Ghamlas, Director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Health, said the campaign would continue beyond 2025. It is being implemented in collaboration with key government agencies including Kuwait Municipality, the Environment Public Authority, the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources, and the Ministries of Public Works and Interior. Dr. Al-Ghamlas explained that the campaign is designed to correct environmental imbalances caused by human activities that harm wildlife and promote the proliferation of disease-carrying insects. "The main objective is to highlight how human behavior can disrupt ecological balance, and in turn, compromise public health," he stated. The campaign also seeks to raise awareness about the root causes of environmental issues, such as random waste disposal — whether household, agricultural, or construction-related—and poor sewage management or enclosed spaces that serve as breeding grounds for pests. To address these problems, the ministry has deployed specialized teams across all health districts to detect violations and coordinate corrective actions with relevant authorities. These field operations are part of the broader One Health concept, which recognizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. Dr. Al-Ghamlas noted that data from these field assessments, including photos and reports, are submitted to ministry officials and other concerned agencies. The Environmental Sanitation Committee studies trends in pest and rodent prevalence linked to waste and pollution, develops action plans, and monitors implementation and effectiveness of control measures. "This multi-sectoral cooperation is essential to effectively confront and eliminate the environmental factors that threaten public health," he concluded.
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
COVID-19: Isolation beds kept ready in Kalyan-Dombivli civic hospitals in Maharashtra's Thane
Amid the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district has kept 15 isolation beds ready at two civic hospitals to meet any urgency, officials said on Thursday (June 12, 2025). Maharashtra reported 107 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (June 11, 2025), taking the total of viral infections detected in the State so far this year to 1,700, as per the Public Health Department. Two more deaths of COVID-19 patients also were recorded in the last couple of days, taking the toll since January to 21, an official release on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) said. Of the new infections, 34 were recorded in Mumbai, one in Thane district, seven in Thane Municipal Corporation limits, five in Navi Mumbai, one in Kalyan Municipal Corporation, four in Pune district, 44 in Pune Municipal Corporation, seven in Pimpri Chinchwad, one in Sangli, two in Sangli Municipal Corporation and one in Nagpur Municipal Corporation, it said. As part of COVID-19 preparedness, 10 isolation beds have been kept ready at the Bai Rukmini Bai Hospital and five at the Shastri Nagar Hospital, and RT-PCR and antigen testing kits are available, KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal told reporters. "People should report symptoms promptly and not panic," he said. On monsoon preparedness, he said a 24x7 emergency control room is operational at the municipal headquarters, with deputy commissioner-level officers on night duty. Emergency rooms have also been activated in ward offices, with specially assigned multi-departmental teams. 'An NDRF team has already arrived to coordinate disaster response and awareness,' the official said. Reaffirming the civic body's commitment to quality education, Mr. Goyal said the KDMC will launch five semi-English schools from the academic year 2025-26. "To ensure quality education, a guardian officer has been appointed for every municipal school," he added. The civic body also unveiled initiatives under the BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) method, introducing mural-based learning and improving school infrastructure, including repairs, furniture and timely distribution of books, uniforms and essentials. Under the "Nipun" programme, primary education will be prioritised, with digital quality monitoring through the Vinoba Bhave App and regular inspections by guardian officers, the civic body said.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Government doctors to walk from Salem to Chennai demanding an increase in pay
: To draw the attention of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to their demands, the Legal Coordination Committee for Government Doctors (LCC) has decided to organise a march from Salem to Chennai on June 11. One of the long-pending demands of government doctors in the State is the grant of pay band – 4 at 12 years of service as per the Government Order (G.O.) 354. President of the LCC S. Perumal Pillai, in a statement said, government doctors were not calling for salary hike, but were fighting for the implementation of the existing G.O. They are requesting the government to provide the fourth payscale — given after 20 years of service — at the beginning of the 13th year. Pay disparity The Central and State government doctors join service at the same basic salary. Citing the pay disparities thereon, LCC said that instead of the monthly salary of ₹1,23,000 that a Central government doctor gets for 13 years, a State government doctor receives ₹86,000 as basic salary. From 2017, they have been insisting that the prospective clause of the G.O. 354 be implemented, and a basic salary of ₹1,23,000 be given to State government doctors from the 13th year onward. 'Appoint more doctors' The organisation said the government, which is interested in opening new medical colleges and hospitals, has not shown interest in appointing an adequate number of doctors, nurses, and medical staff. Depending on the number of patients, more doctors and nurses should be appointed in government hospitals, it said. It also demanded that a government job be given and relief granted to the wife of Vivekanandan, a government doctor who died during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the march planned from Mettur in Salem, the doctors will meet people and elaborate their demands. They will also highlight the need to strengthen the structure of the Public Health Department. The members of the LCC have requested the Chief Minister to immediately intervene and fulfil the doctors' demands.
