Health Bulletin in respect of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad as on 09 Feb 16

Health Bulletin in respect of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad as on 09 Feb 16

Health bulletin issued by Army Hospital Research and Referral (R&R) in New Delhi today is contained below.


“L/Nk Hanamanthappa K of 19 MADRAS, was buried under 35 ft of ice and snow at 20500 ft for five days since the avalanche at Siachen on 03 Feb 16. He was rescued from the site on 08 Feb 16. On recovery, he was found to be conscious but drowsy and disoriented. He was severely dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock. He was immediately resuscitated by the doctors at the site, who had been there for the past five days in the hope of a survivor.

He was treated with warm intravenous fluids, humidified warm oxygen and passive external re warming. He was flown out from the site on 09 Feb 16 by helicopter along with a Medical Specialist to the Siachen base camp, from where he was brought to the Thois air base. He was then transferred to Delhi by a fixed wing aircraft of the IAF along with a Critical Care Specialist of the IAF and Medical Specialist from the Siachen Base Camp.

He is currently comatose and continues to be in shock with low blood pressure. He has pneumonia and his investigations have revealed liver and kidney dysfunction. Fortunately there was no cold exposure related frost bite or bony injuries to him. He is being treated by a team of intensivists, neurologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and surgeons. He has been treated with fluids, drugs to bring up his blood pressure and antibiotics. He has been placed on a ventilator to protect his airway and lungs in view of his comatose state. He remains extremely critical and is expected to have a stormy course in the next 24 to 48 hrs due to the complications caused by re warming and establishment of blood flow to the cold parts of the body”.

General Dalbir Singh, COAS visited Army Hospital Research and Referral (R&R) today and commended the brave heart for his indomitable mental robustness and his refusal to give in to harsh elements of nature. He also conveyed best wishes on behalf of all ranks of the Army for his early and complete recovery.

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Shri J P Nadda launches National Deworming initiative

National Deworming initiative to benefit more than 27 crore children

Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched the National Deworming Day at a function in Hyderabad, today. Speaking on the occasion he said, “We will make sure that we do everything that it takes to assure that no child suffers of a cause that can be prevented”.

The Union Health Minister stated that India shall be in the forefront of the war against Neglected Tropical Diseases. He informed that the Ministry had first launched National Deworming Day (NDD) in 2015 which was implemented in 11 States/UTs across all Government and Government-aided schools and Anganwadi centres targeting children aged 1 to 19 years. The deworming initiative was implemented in 277 districts and 9.49 lakh frontline workers were trained for NDD 2015. The Minister further added that against a target of 10.31 crore children between ages of 1 to 19 years, a total of 8.98 crore children received deworming tablet (Albendazole) through 4.70 lakh schools and 3.67 lakh Anganwadi centres with an unprecedented coverage of 85%. The Minister said, “India is now launching National Deworming Day 2016 to cover the whole country, aiming towards a massive target of 27 crore children in 536 districts of the country”.

Sh Nadda also said that apart from the Health Ministry, Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministries of Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation are collaborating to implement the National Deworming Day effectively for heightened impact.

Shri Nadda said: the National Deworming Day will mobilize health personnel, state governments and other stakeholders to prioritize investment in control of Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections—one of the most common infections. Further he said, “It aims to create mass awareness about the most effective and low-cost STH treatment— administering Albendazole tablets. Along with Albendazole administration, behaviour change practices in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, use of toilets, wearing shoes/chappals, washing hands etc. is also important to reduce incidents of re-infection”.

India has the highest burden of parasitic worms in the world. Parasitic worms in children interfere with nutrient uptake, and can contribute to anaemia, malnourishment, and impaired mental and physical development. According to the 2012 report ‘Children in India’, published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India, 48% of children under the age of 5 years are stunted and 19.8% are wasted, indicating that half of the country’s children are malnourished.

School-based mass deworming program is safe, cost-effective, and can reach millions of children quickly. Deworming has been shown to reduce absenteeism in schools; improve health, nutritional, and learning outcomes; and increase the likelihood of higher-wage jobs later in life.

At the state and local level, community mobilisation and outreach efforts are underway to engage community-based health workers, like ASHAs, Gram Sabhas and others, to spread awareness and encourage participation in the program.

The Union Health Minister also administered Albendazole tablet to few school children, and also felicitated the school principal of the Telengana Social welfare Residential School (Girls) at Narsingi in the Ranga Reddy District, where the launch event took place.

Also present at the launch function were Dr. Charlakola Laxma Reddy, Telengana Minister of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare; Dr P Mahendra Reddy, Telengana Minister of Transport. Senior Officers of the Health Ministry Shri C K Mishra, AS&MD and Dr Rakesh Kumar, JS (RCH) were also present.

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Additional charge of DG, Fire Services, Civil Defence & Home Guards

Consequent upon retirement on superannuation of Shri Banshidhar Sharma, IPS (WB:80), DG, SSB on 31.01.2016 (held additional charge of the post of DG, FSCD&HG), the competent authority in the Ministry of Home Affairs has approved that Smt. Archana Ramasundaram, IPS (TN:80), DG, SSB will hold the additional charge of the post of Director General, Fire Service, Civil Defence & Home Guards with immediate effect and till the appointment and joining of successor.