After a deadly second wave of COVID-19 overwhelmed hospitals in India earlier this year, the country is battling yet another viral outbreak. Hospitals are struggling to treat dengue, a viral disease that spreads through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

After a deadly second wave of COVID-19 overwhelmed hospitals in India earlier this year, the country is battling yet another viral outbreak. Hospitals are struggling to treat dengue, a viral disease that spreads through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

After a deadly second wave of COVID-19 overwhelmed hospitals in India earlier this year, the country is battling yet another viral outbreak. Hospitals are struggling to treat dengue, a viral disease that spreads through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

A Healthcast on “Hospital Preparedness During Pandemics’ with Dr Raja Narayanan, Director and Network Head, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Dr R Venkatesh, Chief Medical Officer, at Aravind Eye Hospital, Pondicherry and Prof. Chirantan Chatterjee of IIM Ahmedabad and Centre for Management of Health Services (CMHS).

It is a misnomer to think COVID-19 kills only the older populations as people of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection like any other respiratory infections like influenza. As people age, their immune system response is lowered and they have more chances of conditions like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, cardiac disease, which increases risk of death, say public health experts as the pandemic rages on with no signs of let-up.

This is the absolutely critical time for having public health cadre — a cadre of public health specialists who have been trained to tackle the outbreak, to plan appropriate action and see that policies are made.

HYDERABAD: FICCI and Vision 2020, organised a multi-stakeholder conclave to highlight the impact of the pandemic on people living with compromised vision due to various eye-related ailments.

As per reports and studies, a majority of the population suffer from common eye ailments like retinal diseases, glaucoma, cataract, etc. If not treated on time, these easily-treatable eye problems can even lead to partial or full blindness.

FICCI and Vision 2020 conclave highlights the plight of visually impaired during the COVID-19. In this regard it sees the need to prioritize eye disorders from a perspective of symptoms and early diagnosis.

New Delhi: Mr Nilambuj Sharan, Economic Advisor, MoH&FW, and Joint Secretary, National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCB &VI), GoI today said, “COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone, but it has been particularly tough for the visually impaired people. The government is preparing a comprehensive package for eye care services, which is mandatory at a time of such severe crisis.”