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TimesLIVE
10 hours ago
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Gauteng health dept warns of fake door-to-door circumcision recruiters
The Gauteng health department has warned communities that no individual or organisation is authorised to conduct door-to-door recruitment for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) on behalf of the department. A viral video is circulating on social media, showing a woman allegedly recruiting boys for circumcision on behalf of an unidentified doctor in Tshwane. The department said the VMMC procedure must be performed under safe, sterile and medically approved conditions. 'The safety and dignity of all residents is of paramount importance. Therefore, any individual or group found misrepresenting themselves as government officials or operating without authorisation will be reported to the SAPS and may face criminal charges.' To prevent the spread of HIV and improve men's health, the VMMC programme has been widely promoted in South Africa since 2010, targeting males aged 15 to 49. According to the health department's Project 300k campaign report which covered the period from November 2020 to March 2021, more than 4.4-million men had been medically circumcised in South Africa by 2021. The report highlighted that the highest number of VMMC procedures were recorded in the Eastern Cape with 43,349, followed by Gauteng with 28,687 and KwaZulu-Natal with 23,738. The Johannesburg health district, Buffalo City and Gert Sibande district municipality in Mpumalanga were among the top performers. In Gauteng, the health department has contracted qualified service providers to offer VMMC services. 'These services are offered free of charge and are only performed at designated approved sites. The public is encouraged to contact their relevant district health officials to verify the legitimacy of those rendering VMMC services.' The department urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious or unauthorised individuals conducting medical recruitment in their area.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Unauthorised door-to-door circumcision drive in Gauteng gets officials hot under the collar
The Gauteng Department of Health has issued a warning after a video went viral on social media, wherein a woman is seen recruiting boys for voluntary medical male circumcision on behalf of an unidentified doctor in Tshwane. Image: File The Gauteng Department of Health has warned communities against groups of people going around recruiting men and boys for circumcision drives, purporting to represent the provincial department. The Gauteng Department of Health has urged communities to be cautious of people conducting unauthorised recruitment drives for circumcision. 'The Gauteng Department of Health would like to advise communities that no person or organisation is permitted to conduct door-to-door recruitment for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) on behalf of the department. This comes after a video went viral on social media, wherein a woman is seen recruiting boys for VMMC on behalf of an unidentified doctor in Tshwane,' said spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba. 'The department urges communities to be cautious of people conducting unauthorised recruitment for circumcision. The safety and dignity of all residents is of paramount importance, therefore, any individual or group found misrepresenting themselves as government officials or operating without authorisation will be reported to the South African Police Service and may face criminal charges.' Modiba emphasised that the voluntary medical male circumcision procedures must only be performed under safe, sterile and medically approved conditions. The provincial department has contracted qualified service providers to deliver VMMC services across all five health districts in Gauteng. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'These services are offered free of charge and are only performed at designated approved sites. A comprehensive list can be accessed on: The public is encouraged to contact their relevant district health officials to verify the legitimacy of those rendering VMMC services,' said Modiba. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Earlier this month, IOL reported that government launched the 2025 Winter Customary Initiation Season with a focused effort involving several key departments working together to protect the lives and wellbeing of initiates. The effort brings together the Departments of Health, Basic Education, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), the SAPS, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), all working to enforce regulations, support families, and eliminate illegal initiation schools. The season was officially opened on May 31 under the theme 'Mabaye Bephila, Babuye Bephila', meaning 'They must go alive and come back alive'. This message underpins a broader government commitment to reducing deaths and injuries linked to unsafe initiation practices, which have been a persistent challenge in some communities. IOL News
India.com
18-05-2025
- Health
- India.com
Meet Anjali Garg, 28, who studied without Sleep, worked for 12 hours daily, cracked UPSC, secured AIR..., she is now...
Clearing not just one, but two of India's toughest exams is truly a remarkable achievement. IAS Anjali Garg not only cracked NEET but also prepared for the UPSC examination while working a 12-hour night shift. After clearing NEET and starting her MBBS studies, she set her eyes on an even bigger goal — the UPSC Civil Services Exam. What makes her journey truly inspiring is that she didn't just clear UPSC, she did it while studying and practicing medicine. Managing hospital duties during the day and preparing for exams during her free time, she balanced two of the toughest careers in India with patience, hard work, and quiet strength. She is IAS Anjali Garg. Dr. Anjali Garg was born on September 14, 1996, in Chandigarh. From a very young age, she knew she wanted to be a doctor. She grew up in Chandigarh and did exceptionally well in school, always dedicated and hardworking. She scored an impressive 96% in her 12th-grade exams and a perfect 10 CGPA in her 10th board exams, all while studying at a local school in her hometown. Later, she pursued her MBBS degree from VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, continuing to chase her dream with passion and determination.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC gives National Medical Commission 2 months to revise guidelines for disabled
The Supreme Court on Monday told the National Medical Commission (NMC) that no deserving disabled candidate should be denied admission to undergraduate medical courses, as it granted admission to a Scheduled Caste person with 68% locomotor disability in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) this year. 'It must be ensured that systemic discrimination against persons with benchmark disabilities, whether direct or indirect, is eliminated and that the admission process upholds their right to equal opportunity and dignity,' the bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said. The bench directed the NMC to revise its guidelines within two months in line with the recent rulings of the top court granting admission to persons with benchmark disability (PwBD) for admission in MBBS courses. The court was dealing with a petition filed by one Kabir Paharia, who qualified in the NEET-UG examination last year and got a seat in AIIMS under the SC-PwBD category purely on merit. He suffered from 'congenital absence of multiple fingers in both hands as well as involvement of left foot (2nd and 3rd toe)'. Despite this, he scored 542 marks in NEET-UG, with a category rank of 176. However, the medical board constituted by Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) at Safdarjung Hospital declared him to be ineligible to pursue a career in medicine and refused him admission. He challenged this decision in the Delhi high court, which dismissed his petition in November last year. The VMMC medical board observed that the appellant demonstrated the functional adaptation using his existing digits during performance of several tasks. However, he faced a challenge putting on the sterilised standard gloves. The court took the assistance of senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal who suggested that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2016 (RwPD) talks of 'reasonable accommodation' which must be interpreted in the light of fundamental rights under the Constitution. Dealing with his appeal, the order penned by justice Mehta said, 'We feel that the mindset must change and this trivial aberration, by no stretch of imagination, can be a ground to deny admission to the appellant in the MBBS UG course, when he is otherwise qualified and scored exceeding high rank in the NEET-UG action not only reflects institutional bias and systemic discrimination but also undermines the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination enshrined in our constitutional framework.' As the Centre was willing to accommodate him against a MBBS seat this year, the court passed the direction and waived the necessity to again appear in the NEET examination. The bench reminded the authorities, 'The constitutional mandate of substantive equality demands that person with disabilities and PwBD be afforded reasonable accommodations rather than subjected to exclusionary practices based on unfounded presumptions about their capabilities.' 'We further direct that the NMC shall forthwith and not later than within a period of two months from today, and at any cost before the counselling for the 2025-2026 session, shall commence, complete the process of revising the guidelines so that no deserving candidate in the PwBD category is denied admission into the MBBS course in spite of his/her/their entitlement,' the court said. It referred to its 2024 decision in the 'Om Rathod case', where he had a lower limb myopathy exceeding 80% and a recent case in 'Anmol vs Union of India', decided in February 2025, where the petitioner had 50% locomotor disability with other related deficiencies. The court said that 'reasonable accommodation' is not a matter of charity but a fundamental right flowing from Articles 14, 16, and 21 of our Constitution. 'When administrative authorities create arbitrary barriers that exclude qualified PwBD candidates, they not only violate statutory provisions but also perpetuate the historical injustice and stigmatisation,' the court held.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Medical experts sound alarm on shocking factor contributing to heart attacks — here's what you need to know
You might think air pollution only contributes to lung disease or cancer. However, medical experts are warning that it can also play a role in heart disease. The third Illness to Wellness Summit took place in New Delhi in March 2025, with the Millennium Post reporting on the happenings and outcomes. During the event, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital medical superintendent Dr. Sandeep Bansal said, "Air pollution also kills by way of cardiovascular diseases." Bansal explained that tiny air particles known as particulate matter "enter the bloodstream and can transform cholesterol in the body into oxidized cholesterol, which can lead to plaque ruptures." Plaque ruptures in the coronary arteries are the most common cause of heart attacks, according to UpToDate. Bansal's team conducted research to reach this conclusion, according to the Post. Their study found that even a slight increase in particulate matter from one week to the next can contribute to more heart attacks. This discovery could affect millions of people who may not know they're at risk. Air pollution comes from many human-driven sources, including factories, vehicles, and wildfires. It's especially prominent in big cities, where pollutants can get trapped by large buildings and structures. By connecting the dots between air pollution and heart health, doctors could better identify people with an increased risk of heart disease. They might even ask patients about air pollution exposure as part of routine heart disease screenings. This could result in earlier, life-saving interventions. The link between the two also stresses the importance of clean air policies that push for stricter rules on planet-warming pollution, such as regulations requiring automakers to put more emphasis on electric and hybrid vehicles. Regulations are making headway in reducing air pollution. Countries participating in the Global Methane Pledge — including the United States — have committed to reducing methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030. The Environmental Protection Agency has also cracked down on vehicle modification device manufacturers with hefty fines for producing polluting products. However, billions of people don't have the resources or tools to measure air quality and determine whether the air they breathe is healthy. There's still a long way to go to improve air quality and save lives. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. For individuals, one impactful way to cut down on air pollution and protect both yourself and your community is by switching to an electric vehicle. You can also upgrade to greener everyday items, like using efficient appliances, opting for electric yard equipment instead of gas-powered, and turning off your car whenever possible instead of letting it idle. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
