Latest news with #Sushruta
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Experts call for balanced, evidence-based approach to integrate MBBS-BAMS courses
New Delhi: Amid a fierce debate over the Centre's proposed integrated MBBS-BAMS course , experts have asserted that sharing of clinical exposure and research collaboration between the two specialisations is key to India establishing a gold standard in integrative healthcare . However, central to the discussion among medical professionals, educators, and policymakers is a key question: Can India successfully unify its ancient Ayurvedic medical wisdom with modern scientific practices? Dr Ajaya Kashyap, a senior plastic and reconstructive surgeon and Triple American Board-certified practitioner, said, "India is the birthplace of Sushruta, the father of surgery, whose surgical techniques like rhinoplasty (nose reconstruction), cataract surgery, and anorectal surgeries that are still in use today." His recently released book -- 'The Quest of Sushruta' -- explores the ancient surgeon's contributions, emphasising that India has been poised at the edge of a medical renaissance. "Sushruta was not only a historical figure but also a scientific thinker. His approach to dissection, surgical instrumentation, and anatomical observations laid the foundation for what we today call modern surgical science," Kashyap said. "If we root today's medical advancements in validated traditional wisdom, India can lead a truly transformative revolution in global healthcare. Much of the world's medical ethos, like the Hippocratic concept of 'humors', draws inspiration from Ayurveda's tri-dosha system (Vata, Pitta, Kapha)," he said. "Even the ancient Indian philosophical idea of Pramanas, a method of validating knowledge, parallels what we now call evidence-based medicine ," he added. While the term "mixopathy" has often been used, especially by allopathic practitioners, to voice concerns about the potential dilution of modern medical standards, a growing number of experts are calling for a more balanced and forward-thinking approach. Dr B B Aggarwal, chairman of Laproscopic, Laser and General Surgery at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and an advocate for integrative medicine, said, "This isn't about East versus West or ancient versus modern, it's about what works best for the patient." "India has the opportunity to create a gold standard in integrative healthcare, but it must be built on the pillars of scientific validation, clinical trials, and standardised care protocols," he said. "Many Ayurvedic principles, including personalisation of treatment based on individual constitution (prakriti), seasonality, and holistic lifestyle adjustments, are gaining global traction. Wellness centres across the world now borrow from these frameworks, often rebranded as 'functional medicine' or 'integrative health', ironically, with little credit to India's ancient roots. Still, challenges remain," Aggarwal said. The current practice of Ayurveda in many parts of the country often lacks robust clinical trials, measurable outcomes, and peer-reviewed research, he highlighted. Standardisation and regulation of Ayurvedic drugs, as well as structured training in modern diagnostics and emergencies, are essential if a true integration is to be realised, he emphasised. Kashyap said that before merging the MBBS and BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) syllabi, there must be shared clinical exposure and research collaboration. "Let MBBS students understand Ayurveda scientifically, and let BAMS students be trained in diagnostics and modern emergency protocols. Integration must be evidence-led," he said "What we need is not blind merging of syllabi, but cross-disciplinary collaboration , shared clinical exposure, and a research-backed convergence. Before we talk of unified degrees, we must invest in unified knowledge. Let an MBBS student understand Ayurveda's principles scientifically. "Let a BAMS student learn anatomy and pathology in a modern lab. That's where real integration begins," Kashyap said. PTI
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
The story of cataract surgeries: restoring sights to millions
June is observed globally as Cataract Awareness Month, drawing attention to the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Blindness is not just the loss of sight but also the loss of autonomy, income, and social mobility. Today, despite the world's population being around 8.2 billion, the prevalence of blindness has declined to less than 0.5% thanks to advances in surgical care. With roughly 30 million cataract surgeries performed globally each year, millions are prevented from going blind, making it one of the greatest public health success stories. Yet, cataracts still account for about 40% of all cases of existing blindness, indicating the need for accessibility and awareness. Also Read: Cataract patients getting younger: report The patho-anatomy of the lens The human lens is a transparent, biconvex marvel no larger than a shirt button that helps us read, walk, recognise faces, and interpret the world in fine detail. It is formed in the womb from the surface ectoderm and remains sealed from the rest of the body for life. Unlike most organs, it has no blood supply, receives no immune surveillance, and is nourished solely by surrounding fluids. This isolation ensures perfect clarity but leaves it vulnerable to accumulating damage over time, usually from the fifth decade onwards. However, damage can occur at any age. A cataract is not a disease in the usual sense; it is a mechanical opacity in an otherwise healthy eye. But this unique anatomical trait is also why no drug/drops, exercise, or diet can reverse it. The lens cannot regenerate or absorb medicine. Only surgery can cure cataracts by replacing the damaged lens. A cataract occurs when the crystalline lens, normally transparent, becomes cloudy due to age-related protein denaturation, oxidative stress, or metabolic dysfunction. This clouding scatters light and blocks it from reaching the retina, leading to gradual, painless vision loss. Evolution of surgical techniques In ancient India, Sushruta practised 'couching', where a sharp instrument was used to dislocate the opaque lens into the vitreous cavity, moving it out of the visual axis. Though vision improved slightly because light could now pass unobstructed, the absence of a focusing lens left patients with severe hyperopia (far-sightedness) and frequent complications like glaucoma or retinal detachment. For nearly 1,800 years, this anatomical limitation was a surgical dead end. True progress in cataract surgery only began in the past 250 years, when surgical precision, sterilisation, optics, and, later, biomedical materials like PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) and foldable lenses converged. In 1747, Jacques Daviel revolutionised care with extracapsular extraction, removing the lens but preserving its capsule, allowing some focusing power. Later, intracapsular extraction removed the entire lens and capsule, but thick spectacles were needed to compensate. In 1949, Sir Harold Ridley implanted the first intraocular lens, inspired by pilots whose eyes tolerated acrylic shards without reaction. In 1967, Charles Kelman further revolutionised the field with phacoemulsification, using ultrasounds to dissolve and remove the lens through a tiny incision. Foldable lenses, topical anaesthesia, and femtosecond lasers soon followed, making cataract surgery one of the safest, shortest, and most effective surgeries ever devised. The business of blindness This unique lens anatomy gave rise to something no other speciality achieved: scalability. Because cataract surgery requires only a lens and no external anaesthesiologist support in most cases and involves localised, avascular tissue, it can be safely performed by a single surgeon in a clean environment, with minimal dependence on supporting departments. Even more, cataract surgery fits naturally into the economics of ageing. As India's life expectancy rises, so does the geriatric population, creating a steady demand. This independence, mass-producibility of artificial lenses and increased demand due to ageing created the ideal conditions for growth. The unique anatomy of the lens, along with the relatively short operating time needed and minimal resource requirements, has facilitated the rise of corporate and charitable eye care chains across India. India is a global leader in delivering affordable and high-volume eye care. Unlike cardiac or neurological surgeries, which involve high costs and unpredictable outcomes, cataract surgeries are affordable, completely curable, and high-yield. No other surgical speciality enjoys such autonomy. Most major surgeries require teams, general anaesthesia, and post-operation monitoring. In contrast, cataract surgery (in uncomplicated cases) is a ten-minute procedure that restores function completely. Over 70% of preventable blindness in India is due to cataracts—and over 16 million such surgeries were performed last year, many free or subsidised by the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment. The surgery is often performed under topical or local anaesthesia, with daycare discharge and return to routine life within 24 hours. The outcomes are extraordinary, and thus, cataract surgery is a statement of human progress. The human lens, though born as a delicate piece of our own body, is perhaps the only 'organ' that can be replaced not by a donation but by a factory-made crystal—folded like a petal, slipped into the eye, and left to bloom silently. Unlike hearts, lungs, and kidneys that beg for an immunological match and a donor's mercy, this lens knows no rejection and has no waiting list. It fits nearly every adult eye similarly, making it the most scalable 'transplant' known to medicine. And for a device that can be manufactured at a cost lower than a bucket biryani, its return—both in economic cost and the social dignity of restored sight—is extraordinary. (Dr. C. Aravinda is an academic and public health physician. The views expressed are personal. aravindaaiimsjr10@ Dr Sangeetha Raja is an ophthalmologist at Aravind Eye Hospital, Thanjavur, and the author of Mastering Uvea and Mastering Glaucoma for postgraduate ophthalmology students. sangeesara03@
New Indian Express
19-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Amazon India to invest over Rs 2,000 cr in 2025
Amazon India will invest over Rs 2,000 crore( $233 million) this year to enhance its pan-India operations network. On Thursday, the company announced that the investment will be used to expand and upgrade operations infrastructure, improve associate safety and well-being programs, and develop new tools and technology for its fulfillment network. Amazon plans to leverage these investments to launch new sites and upgrade existing facilities across its fulfilment, sortation and delivery network. This investment will enhance processing capacity, improve fulfillment speed, and increase efficiency across the company's operations network that will help Amazon serve customers across India faster and more reliably, the ecommerce giant said in a release. Apart from this, the company will continue to invest and expand initiatives aimed at improving the health and financial well-being of employees and associates across the operations network. This includes expanding programs like 'Ashray' – to provide dedicated rest points for delivery associates, even those not delivering for Amazon – offering seating, water, charging stations, and washroom facilities; 'Samridhi' - a financial well-being program focused on financial education and personal finance support for associates and drivers; 'Pratidhi' program supporting children of associates with scholarship; and 'Sushruta' to address the healthcare needs of truck drivers, the company added in the release. Recently, Amazon launched a nation-wide initiative to offer free health check-ups to over 80,000 delivery associates and partners through medical camps by the end of 2025. "For over a decade now in India, we have been focused on building the best-in-class logistics infrastructure—designed to deliver with safety, speed, scale, and reliability for our customers across the country. These latest investments reflect our commitment to continually expand and upgrade our operations across our fulfilment, sortation and delivery network," said Abhinav Singh, VP - Operations, Amazon India and Australia.
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Business Standard
19-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Amazon plans ₹2,000 crore push to expand warehousing, delivery in India
Amazon has announced plans to invest around ₹2,000 crore ($233 million) in India in 2025, to scale up its logistics and delivery infrastructure, improve service speed and reliability, and enhance the welfare of its employees and delivery partners, the e-commerce giant said on Thursday. The investment will go towards Amazon India 's new fulfilment centres, sortation hubs, and delivery stations across the country. The company also plans to upgrade existing facilities with automation, better cooling systems, safety features, and rest areas, including infrastructure designed for people with disabilities. 'Over the past decade, we've built one of India's most extensive logistics infrastructures,' said Abhinav Singh, vice president of operations for Amazon India. 'This fresh investment is part of our long-term commitment to improve delivery speed, enhance safety, and support the people who power our network.' Boosting infrastructure and upgrading facilities The new funds will also be used to open more fulfilment centres and improve the ones already in place. Amazon wants to speed up deliveries and handle orders more efficiently across its serviceable pin codes in India. Its warehouses, built at scale with a focus on automation, are also being upgraded to be more energy-efficient and accessible, with features like better cooling, enhanced safety measures, and rest areas for workers, including those with disabilities. Worker welfare and safety prioritised A portion of the funding will support employee welfare initiatives. Programmes such as Ashray, which provide rest stops for delivery workers, will be expanded. Other schemes, including Samridhi (financial literacy), Pratidhi (scholarships), and Sushruta (healthcare for truck drivers), will also be scaled up. Amazon said it aims to reach over 80,000 delivery personnel with health check-ups by the end of 2025. All associates, including delivery staff, are covered by insurance and have access to on-site first aid. Safety upgrades for delivery workers Amazon is also investing in safety and efficiency tools for delivery workers. These include tech to monitor routes, balance workloads, and send helmet-use alerts. A new Helmet Adherence Application is being introduced to verify proper helmet usage before trips and send real-time safety alerts. Updates to Amazon's Driver app will provide clearer earnings transparency, simplify navigation in areas with poorly structured addresses, and introduce photo and video-based item verification to ease cognitive load. Additionally, onboarding processes for drivers are being refined to make joining Amazon's network quicker and more intuitive. India's e-commerce sector to touch $325 billion by 2030 The announcement comes as India's e-commerce sector is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21 per cent, reaching a market size of $325 billion by 2030, fuelled by increased smartphone usage, growing internet access, digital payment adoption, and rising middle-class spending.
