InnoHEALTH magazine - Volume 3 issue 3 - July to September 2018

1 Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Mar 2018

India is a country of 1.3 billion population out of which 23.6% or about 276
million people live below $1.25 per day. It is a country still with bullock
cart economy and is also in space and nuclear power. It is a dichotomy that
we are still struggling in having an Open Defecation Free (ODF) country even
after 70 years of independence, yet country is rated high in the international
arena. Are we - as citizens and country - doing enough to pay attention to
basic issues? We keep blaming government but do forget our role in nation
building. The issue of ODF is related to health of the community and so is
the Environment and Yoga.
Through the current issue of this magazine, we intend to highlight two
important activities in June - India hosting World Environment Day on
5th June 2018 and celebrating International Day of Yoga on 21st June
2018. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Environment said, “India is excited to
host the World Environment Day this year on 5th June. Indian philosophy
and lifestyle has long been rooted in the concept of co-existence with nature.
We are committed to making Planet Earth a cleaner and greener place”. The
theme for World Environment 2018 is “Beat Plastic Pollution”, we need to
explore sustainable alternatives and urgently reduce the production and
excessive use of single-use plastic polluting our oceans, damaging marine
life and threatening human health. Every year, the world uses 500 billion
plastic bags and atleast 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the oceans,
equivalent of garbage truck every minute. We buy 1 million plastic bottles
every minute. Plastic makes up 10% of all the waste we generate.
While hosting the World Environment Day, we should rather be the role
model for the rest of the world, but we are also in rhetoric to celebrate,
give lectures and felicitate but do nothing on the ground. There is a need
of strong time bound action and political will, we may have to take a few
hard decisions for the sake of the health of the community. India is credited
under the leadership of present Prime Minister Mr. Modi to get recognition
of International Day of Yoga on 21st June which happens to be longest day
in Northern hemisphere. Yoga to be adopted as way of life to prevent and
treat many lifestyle diseases, research has proved reversal of heart blocks
by yoga, meditation and diet. In fact, Yoga is accepted all over the world by
recognising its benefit by adoption.
Let us join hands to adopt environment and yoga days in true spirit to
keep ourselves healthy by making these as part of our daily routine. To
strengthen public health, let us concentrate on small issues like ODF and
theme behind movies “Toilet ek Prem Katha” and “Padman” which are not
issues of developed nations. We are a country of two sides of the same coin -
one side is hovering in the space and arena of nuclear power while the other
one struggling with issues like Open Defecation Free country and Padman,
not having enough nutrition and healthcare. We need to take care of this
segment - innovate and show results on the ground - not simply rhetoric.
Environmentand
YogaforPublicHealth
orsimpleRhetoric
Volume 3 | Issue 3 | July-September 2018 3
Dr VK Singh
Editor-in-Chief & MD,
InnovatioCuris
vksingh@innovatiocuris.com

F
or ages, we are taught to practice yoga and meditation in India and people do that at many places
and in many forms but three years ago at India’s initiative, the United Nations recognised its
significance and declared 21st June every year as the International Yoga Day.
In the first edition itself, the IYD had a roaring success worldwide and India created two world
records. Since then, there is no going back in terms of celebrating the day with traditional gusto and
ever vaulting spirits. Both President and Prime Minister led the nation on the day’s observation.
To recap the event’s increasing foot prints, we decided to dedicate the current issue to IYD and run
a fleeting flash back of memories to revive afresh what happened in the previous three editions
worldwide.
In same spirit, we are running a few items dedicated to imperiled environment as this year India hosts
the International Environment Day with the theme to combat ever plaguing menace of plastic that had
adversely impacted human lives and virtually choked water ways in variant degrees at many places.
India’s Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, in an exclusive interview
to InnoHEALTH Magazine, appealed to the people to give up single use of plastic and expressed
confidence that a perceptible and measurable difference in the country will be brought about on
plastic pollution and other environmental issues on the occasion of the World Environment Day 2018.
He is also the Science and Technology Minister. In March this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
called for a "Fit India" movement, focusing on the benefits of yoga, in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Mr. Rajyavardhan
Rathore, the newly appointed Minister for Information and Broadcasting, seems to have taken a cue
from the PM to take the initiative forward. He recently tweeted a video of himself doing push-ups
with the hashtag #HumFitTohIndiaFit. Since then, the fitness campaign zoomed into a debate and
many people accepted the challenge and started posting their videos.
International award winner filmmaker Janet Tobia who has won laurels for her documentary “Unseen
Enemy” flags major concerns over lurking threats on environment. She was interviewed by our
magazine to highlight her views on the Environment Day. The Emmy award winner said that her
movie Unseen Enemy examines why in the 21st century we are experiencing a rash of diseases that
were once only outbreaks but have now become full-blown epidemics. She is precisely right on her
perceptions and fresh outbreak of Ebola in Congo vindicates her concerns.
Amid growing number of violent incidents against young children, we interacted with UNICEF’s India
In-charge. Fresh from her experience in managing emergency situations, Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque handles
tsunami of problems during her current assignment. She has disclosed that the Indian government in
collaboration with UNICEF is developing a comprehensive plan on digital safety for children. Digital
literacy is key to ensuring that all boys and girls stay informed, engaged and safe online. There is a
need to galvanize ‘zero tolerance’ towards violence against children.
In the current issue, we are also carrying a number of other articles like forthcoming plans to jail
thosefoundguiltyofpoachingmedicaldataofpatients;medicalcommissionbillfacingroughweather;
monkeys spa in Japan; how to breathe; IC meeting highlighting the era of disruptions; latest trends
in healthcare and many more interesting stories of the health sector.
Thanks,
Neeraj Bajpai
Dear Reader
YOGA MOJO GOING VIRAL!
4 Volume 3 | Issue 3 | July-September 2018

Global Editorial Board
Dr. Shailja Dixit, Chief Medical Officer, Scientific
Commercialization,
Fellow of Health Innovation & Technology Lab, USA
Ronald James Heslegrave, Chief of Research,
William Osler Health System, Canada
Dr. Ogan Gurel, Chief Innovation Officer,
Campus D, South Korea
Dr. Chandy Abraham, CEO and Head of Medical
Services, the Health City, Cayman Islands
Dr. Sharon Vasuthevan, Group Nursing & Quality
Executive at Life Healthcare Group, South Africa
Dr. Kate Lazarenko, Founder and Director,
Health Industry Matters Pte. Ltd, Australia
Major General (Retd) A K Singh, Advisor,
Telemedicine and Health Informatics, India
Dr. Sarita Jaiswal, Ex-Research Officer at University
of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
(currently in India)
Printed and Published by Sachin Gaur on behalf of
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Editor: Sachin Gaur
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© InnovatioCuris Private Limited
All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any
part of it may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
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recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission
from InnovatioCuris Private Limited
Disclaimer:
Readers are requested to verify and make appropriate enquires to satisfy themselves about the veracity of the advertise-
ments before responding to any published in this magazine. Sachin Gaur, the Publisher, Printer and Editor of this maga-
zine, does not vouch for the authenticity of any advertisement or advertiser or for any the advertiser’s products and/or
services. In no event can the Publisher, Printer and Editor of this magazine/ company be held responsible/liable in any
manner whatsoever for any claims and / or damage for advertisements in this magazine. Authors will be solely respon-
sible for any issues arising due to copyright infringements and authenticity of the facts and figures mentioned in their
articles. InnoHEALTH magazine is not liable for any damages/copyright infringements.
Editor-in-Chief:
Dr. V K Singh
Executive Editor:
Sachin Gaur
Editors:
Alok Chaudhary
Dr. Avantika Batish
Nimisha Singh Verma
Aarti Khanna
Consulting Editor
Neeraj Bajpai
Sr. Designer
Suraj Sharma, Ritu Versha
Advisors
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy,
Member of Parliament, India
Amir Dan Rubin, Executive Vice
President, United Health Group, USA
Thumbay Moideen, Founder
President, THUMBAY Group, UAE
Prof. Prabhat Ranjan, Executive
Director, Technology Information
Forecasting and Assessment
Council, India

PERSONA
Digital safety plan for children
being leveraged 10
Discourage Single use plastic and
instead use jute/cloth carry bags, insists
Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan 14
THEME
Regular Meditation Sessions 18
Déjà vu – YOGA DAY 20
How to Breathe? 24
Yoga and Chanting of Prayers 26
Environment is in Peril;
Unknown Enemy on Prowl 27
TRENDS
Latest Innovations 32
Foreign tourists rallying
for healthcare 38
WELL-BEING
Contracting lifestyle
diseases in adulthood 40
When travelling on public
transport, you may want to
cover your ears 42
ISSUES
Vision on Blindness cure needs
aggressive approach 44
Alarming! 26.7 crore
tobacco users in India 46
RESEARCH
Cyber-Biosecurity: Are we ready? 48
Monkeys go for Spa therapy
to fight weather stress 54
How portions of brain that
temper aggression get
veiled with alcohol 55
Socioeconomic inequalities in
children’s weight reversed 56
NEWSCOPE
LaQshya Programme for
pregnant women new born 60
National Medical Commission
(NMC) Bill faces rough weather 61
Screws on Health Sector Data
Poachers being tightened 63
One Government Medical
College in each State of India 67

I read the magazine InnoHEALTH
and found very interesting articles
which had scientific explanations.
An article on medal winners and
their last-minute thought process to
annex titles was wonderful and gave
an insight of chemistry in chambers
of brain during moments of climax.
I appreciate the manner in which
plight of animals was highlighted
and innovative practices adopted by
vets. Personally, we feel it should be
monthly if not fortnightly and the
language a bit toned for the common
man.
Dr. Meena Dhami
New Delhi, India
Readers Feedback
A Brief Review on InnoHEALTH
I recently went through InnoHEALTH,
vol 3, issue 2. I never expected such
nice content in a health magazine.
Really, it's a very good idea to bring
innovations from lab to masses
through print media. Appreciative of
the idea which in itself is an innovative
one. I went through the content very
carefully and enjoyed reading articles
on wildlife specially the ones on
Kanpur zoo and cloned monkeys.
Request you to keep including such
innovative ideas specially on wildlife.
I was also intrigued by the article
on software as a medical device.
The magazine deserves to be an
international magazine on the basis
of its contents, printing quality and
editorials. Would like to encourage
use of symbol of Indian Rupees on the
cover page.
Dr. RK Singh
Kanpur, India
I went through the latest edition
of your InnoHEALTH magazine
and found that many articles
were very interesting especially
the one highlighting that people
feel more depressed during tooth
ache, head ache and ear pain.
I would encourage the team to
keep highlighting significance of
our medicinal plant values so that
people take advantage of such
resources available in India in
abundance. I recall a time tested
saying a tall tree of neem is like a
tall Hakim standing before you.
Krishna Gopal
Uttar Pradesh, India
Most liked article of the last Issue....

S
he says UNICEF is working closely with the
government in developing a comprehensive plan
on digital safety for children. Digital literacy is
key to ensuring that all boys and all girls stay
informed, engaged and safe online. There is a need to
galvanize the ‘zero tolerance’ towards violence against
children. In a detailed interview to InnoHEALTH
magazine, she answered a wide range of questions
and elaborated at length, UNICEF’s programmes in
India where safety of children is emerging as a major
concern.
Q. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the
Rights of the Child (CRC) and strives to establish
children’s rights as enduring ethical principles
and international standards of behaviour towards
children. UNICEF responds in emergencies to
protect the rights of children. What in your views
are the steps that can be taken to protect children
from violence and to ensure their safety?
One important facet of the rights of CRC is to ensure
that children grow in a protective and safe environment,
free of any kind of violence and abuse. Preventing
and responding to sexual violence requires strong
collaboration among stakeholders from diverse walks
of life. UNICEF is committed to working with the
government, civil society organisations, corporates,
media and all the other stakeholders to support society
and families to ensure that children are safe and free from
abuse and exploitation. Guided by the CRC, it is imperative
to act now to break the cycle of violence against children
and protect survivors of violence. In recent years, India
has made significant progress in addressing sexual abuse
against children by having enacted legislations and acted
on a large number of cases. The public has also become
increasingly aware of sexual abuse cases that may have
gone unnoticed years ago due to an increase in reporting
on the issue. Digital media and immediate reporting have
also contributed to this awareness. Still a lot more needs
to be done. Building on these positive developments,
UNICEF collaborateswithpartnerstoenhanceawareness
of children and parents by focussing on the following
stakeholders:
• Teachers and school authorities: Sexual violence in
schools is a major area of concern. Schools should
provide information on safety to children and online
safety guidelines can be included in the curriculum.
Schools also need to ensure that teachers are aware
of the provisions of the Protection of Children from
Sexual Offences Act.
• Children: Child-led initiatives empower children to
become advocates of change, voice their demands and
takeleadershipinthechangeitself.Listeningtochildren
is also key as they can become vital stakeholders in
their own safety. Decisionmakers, including parents
and teachers, should listen to children so that their
views can be incorporated into policies.
• Civil society organisations, including faith-based
and community-based organisations, can engage
consistently with the communities and share with
them important information around the need to
protect children from any kind of violence and
abuse and co-create local solutions.
Digital safety plan for children being
leveraged; zero tolerance towards
violenceagainstchildrenneedofthehour
Freshfromherexperienceinmanagingemergency
situations, Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque smilingly handles
tsunami of problems as UNICEF’s Representative
in India, lying next to her home Bangladesh.
PERSONATHEMETRENDSWELL-BEINGISSUESRESEARCHNEWSCOPE
By Dr. VK Singh Neeraj Bajpai

• Media, both traditional and digital, plays a vital role
in disseminating information, mobilising public
opinion and building a discourse around the issue
of child safety. Effective use of digital technology for
creating further awareness on child safety is another
platform that is being leveraged. We need to ensure
that all children, every girl and boy, no matter where
they live or what their background is, benefit from
the learning opportunities and connectivity that the
digital world can provide. However, along with the
benefits that digital technology provides, it has also
put young people at risk of harm online, including
abuse, exploitation, trafficking and cyber bullying.
Q. UNICEF has recently launched a report called
‘Every Child ALIVE’ focusing on the number of new-
born deaths in the country. Has India made any
progress in curbing the under-five mortality?
India has shown 66% reduction in the under-five
mortality rate between 1990 and 2015, nearly meeting
its Millennium Development Goal 4 target. This is
much higher than the global decline of 55% during
the same period. This progress has been due to a
holistic approach to health programming for children.
However, the progress has been slower for new-borns
and has also been inequitable between boys and girls,
with the under-five mortality rate for girls currently
being 11% higher, at 41 per 1000 as against 37 per
1000 for boys.
Q. Why are more girls dying in India than boys?
Girls have the advantage of being biologically stronger,
yet sadly they are extremely vulnerable socially. The
discrimination begins even before they are born.
Though the gender gap has started shrinking due to
the fast decline of mortality for girls as compared to
boys in the recent years, the gap still remains high in
many states. The neglect of the girl child is a much
broader issue and needs interventions beyond health
to address the social norms and cultural practices
that act as barriers in bridging the gender gap. It will
require working at both the policy level for creating an
enabling environment, and at the community level, to
build awareness and bring emphasis on the value of
the girl child. It will also need increased investments in
the availability of gender disaggregated data for more
informed planning.
Q. Please share with us some details about the
immunisation campaign in India.
Immunisation is one of the most cost effective public
health interventions that currently averts an estimated
2 to 3 million child deaths globally every year. India has
one of the largest immunisation programmes in the
world, in terms of number of beneficiaries, geographical
coverage, and quantities of vaccines used, with nearly
26 million new-borns targeted for immunisation
annually. However, despite this effort, only 65% of
the children in India receive full immunisation during
the first year of their life. This translates to 9 million
children not fully protected against preventable
diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus,
Measles and Preventable pneumonia. To address
this issue, Government of India, with the support
of UNICEF, WHO and other partners, has launched
Mission Indradhanush to achieve 90% immunisation
coverage by the end of 2018. UNICEF is also supporting
the government for the strategic communication
activities on immunisation, in order to create further
awareness on the need for complete immunisation as
well as create a discourse on the value of vaccines.
Q. What is the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Campaign
and why do we need it?
The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine has been introduced
as part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)
in India to protect children from two diseases, Measles
and Rubella, which have high mortality and morbidity
respectively. Measles is one of the leading causes of
death among young children. It is a highly contagious
disease caused by a virus and spreads by coughing and
sneezing. It reduces the immunity of the child, making
a child vulnerable to life threatening complications
such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and infection in the
brain. Hence, the burden of diarrhoea and pneumonia
can also be indirectly reduced by eliminating Measles.
Rubella, although a mild viral illness, can lead to serious
consequences if pregnant women are infected during
early pregnancy. It can result in miscarriages, still-
births and a set of congenital anomalies in the foetus
and new-borns known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome
(CRS), which is a cause of public health concern. CRS
is characterized by multiple defects, particularly
affecting the eyes (glaucoma, cataract), ears (hearing
loss), brain (microcephaly, mental retardation) and
heart defects - many of which are lifelong disabilities,
requiring treatment, surgeries and other expensive
care throughout life. Hence, it is important to eliminate
these diseases. The MR vaccine is provided free of cost
under the campaign.
Q. What is the burden of Measles-Rubella in India
and globally?
According to WHO estimates, an estimated 1.34 lakh
deaths were caused globally by Measles in 2015.
Measles and related complications killed an estimated
49,200 children in 2015 in India, contributing nearly
36% to the global figures. An estimated 84% of global
decline in Measles deaths from 2000 to 2016 was due
to Measles vaccination. In 2010, an estimated 1.03 lakh
children were born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome
(CRS) globally, of which an estimated 40,000 children
were born with CRS in India.
The Government of India has resolved to eliminate
Measles and control Rubella. The Measles-Rubella
(MR) vaccination campaign is an important step in that
direction. Measles immunisation directly contributes to
PERSONATHEMETRENDSWELL-BEINGISSUESNEWSCOPERESEARCH

the reduction of under-five child mortality.
UNICEF is a key partner in the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare’s rollout of the ongoing Measles-Rubella
Vaccination Campaign, which is now in its third phase
and has vaccinated 7.7 crore children in 16 states till date
(3 April 2018). The MR Campaign targets around 41 crore
children, making it one of the largest ever immunisation
campaign of its kind. It aims to eliminate Measles and
control Rubella by 2020. The vaccine has already been
rolled out in several states and will soon be launched in
Assam, Haryana and Punjab.
Q. How safe is the Measles-Rubella vaccine?
The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is a safe and cost-
effective vaccine that has been available for the past 40
years. The presently used vaccine is a WHO-prequalified
vaccine and is licensed by the Central Drugs Standard
Control Organization of India. As many as 165 WHO
member countries provide Measles second dose in their
national immunisation programme. The Rubella vaccine
has been introduced in 159 countries. India, along with
10 other member countries of South East Asia region
of WHO, has resolved to eliminate Measles and control
Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) by 2020.
The surveillance of Adverse Events Following
Immunisation (AEFI) is an integral part of MR
vaccination campaign. AEFI management kit is provided
at all vaccination session sites including schools so that
immediate response can be initiated following an AEFI.
The Government of India has recently amended AEFI
management protocol. Now Adrenalin injection is part of
each AEFI kit, which is life-saving in case of anaphylaxis.
Both public and private sector medical practitioners
and health workers are trained prior to MR campaign to
handle such adverse events.
Dr. Yasmin had joined as the UNICEF
RepresentativeinIndiainJulylastyearandprior
to that, she was Deputy Director of UNICEF’s
Office of Emergency Operations where she
played a leading role in the programming and
policies for an effective UNICEF response for
children in humanitarian crisis. She started
her career in UNICEF in 1996 and held many
appointments in challenging situations.

O
n a windy summer
morning, a muster of
peacocks, displaying
colorful plumage like
a flickering train, flip-flop atop
huge green trees and scream at
short intervals amid unfazed
flocks of twittering birds at
India’s Environment, Science and
Technology Minister Dr. Harsh
Vardhan’s residence in the heart of
the national capital.
Filing past the absorbing spectacle,
a motely crowd of visitors, many of
them holding handwritten petitions
or bouquets gently enter a make
shift hall to meet the lawmaker who
is a Member of Parliament from
the moon light crossing-Chandni
Chowk-constituency in old Delhi.
Much before, the agile Minister,
in tearing hurry to pack up his
day long tight schedule, makes an
appearance and occupies a central
chair to lend an ear to visitors –
including some burqa clad women
from his constituency, his staff
ensures trays of piping hot tea
cups and coffee mugs are served
regularly. The staff introduces itself
to the audience and lay out drill
for whistle stop meetings with ear
nose and throat–ENT specialist
turned politician.
The moment, the medium height
suave Minister enters the hall,
commotion ensues but things
settle down fast as professional
photographers stand in attendance
and race of selfie with Minister
ends. He listens and assures for
quick redressal of genuine and fair
petitions.Thisisafrequent morning
scene at his residence, may it be a
sizzling summer or frigid winter.
Retreating people stare at a hanging
poster which reads –‘Democracy is
not the governance by the majority,
neither it’s of governance of the
minority, but it is the governance of
the common inspiration of general
public’. The frame with party’s
ideologue and leader Dr. Deen
Dayal Upadhyay picture hangs
innocuously from a bright green
bamboo stick partition.
Despite shoe string budget of time,
the Minister spoke to InnoHEALTH
Magazine and said India’s resolve
to protect environment and ensure
growth is non-negotiable and gave
detailed answers to many queries
including:
Q. It is not possible to do away
with plastic altogether. How
does the govt propose to reduce/
recycle plastic?
With the growing population
of the world and the lifestyle
adopted, the amount of garbage
production; including plastic
waste, is also increasing. However,
the accumulation of these products
is leading to increased amount of
plastic pollution around the country
and the world. The Government of
India has notified the Plastic Waste
Management Rules, 2016, which,
inter-alia, regulate manufacture,
sale, distribution and use plastic
carry bags including carry bags of
compostable plastic, and plastic
sheets for packaging or wrapping
commodities. The use of carry bags
made from conventional plastic and
less than 50 micron in thickness
is prohibited. The use of plastic
for packaging gutkha, tobacco and
pan masala is prohibited. Based
on the requirement and necessity,
individual state can take decision
on banning of the plastic bags.
Therefore, use of carry bags made
of plastic is banned by seventeen
States and three Union Territories.
Through the Plastic Waste
Management Rules, 2016, the
generators of waste have been
mandated to take steps to minimize
generation of plastic waste, not
to litter the plastic waste, ensure
segregated storage of waste at
source and handovers segregated
waste to local body or agencies
authorised by the local bodies.
The rules have mandated the
responsibilities of local bodies,
gram panchayat, waste generators,
retailers and street vendors to
manage the plastic waste.The rules
mandated the producers, importers
and brand owners to work out
modalities for waste collection
system based on Extended
Producer Responsibility.
Q. How 2017 was different in
terms of air pollution in Delhi
NCR?
Due to extensive efforts by all
stakeholders, there has been an
improvement in overall air quality
in 2017. As per AQI data, the
number of good, satisfactory and
moderate days in 2017 were 151
as compared to 109 in 2016. The
number of poor, very poor and
severe days was down to 180 in
2017 as compared to 214 in 2016.
Q. What is your message for this
World Environment Day to the
global citizen?
As you are aware the theme of
World Environment Day is “Plastic
Pollution”, I would like to urge
all people to adopt sustainable
lifestyle. India has a long history
DiscourageSingleuseplasticandinstead
use jute/cloth carry bags, insists Minister
Dr. Harsh Vardhan
By Neeraj Bajpai

and tradition of harmonious
co-existence between man and
nature. In addition, people should
adopt these practices in their day-
to-day life. Let’s discourage single
use plastic and instead we may use
jute/cloth carry bags:
• Use of biodegradable and other
types of compostable utensils in
place of plastic, and bring a fork,
knife and spoon from home.
• Use of durable, foldable
inexpensive reusable bag that
can be carried around in car/
pocket/purse.
• Discourage plastic bottles. Have
glass, steel or clay bottles in of-
fices.
• Encourage employees to refuse,
reduce and reuse plastic prod-
ucts in their daily use. Pledge for
plastic free environment in the
Organization.
I would request all my fellow
citizens to follow atleast one Green
Good Deed on daily basis and there
will be several hundred million
Green Good Deeds performed daily
to protect environment, it’s not
only our moral responsibility for
our next generation to give them
pristine earth to live in but also our
green social responsibility.
Q. You have been talking of building
a movement for Green Good
Deeds. How can this movement
help in reducing plastic pollution
- the theme of this year’s World
Environment Day?
Green Good Deeds is a people-
oriented campaign to raise
awareness about environmental
concerns in a simplified way.
Everyone is looking up to India with
expectations because they think
that Indians have the DNA to protect
the environment. Our ancestors had
made protection of environment
an integral part of their lifestyle.
The campaign aims to broaden its
base with involvement of teachers,
students and other voluntary
organisations. There are more than
500 green good deeds listed in the
app (Dr. Harsh Vardhan Mobile
App). The app includes – planting
trees, saving energy, conserving
water, use of public transport and
promoting carpool, discourage
plastic bottles, have glass, steel or
clay bottles in offices, etc., many of
them are concerned with the use of
environment friendly consumables
which means for sure discouraging
use of plastics and such materials,
if we encourage few of green good
deeds it automatically means
enhancing use of environmental
friendly products and services in
our lifestyle and plastic is so deep
rooted especially in urban India
that if we discourage it and adopt
some relevant green deeds it will
certainly reduce adverse impact on
environment.
Also, we understand that the
objective of transforming
Green Good Deeds into a
peoples’ movement can be best
achieved by repeatedly bringing
multidimensional initiatives and
campaigns that can reach out to
youth and children and World
Environment Day celebrations
2018 could be a great platform
which will definitely discourage
the use and beat plastic pollution –
which is the theme this year.
World Environment Day has
always been a day of special
importance to India. The day has

been celebrated as rededication
of national efforts for sustainable
development and mainstreaming
environmental concerns in the
national developmental agenda.
Plastic as it is may not be a problem,
but littering and unsafe disposal
of single-use plastic products,
plastic bottles, food containers
and packaging materials is causing
concern to the environment. In
the age of advanced technology,
we cannot live plastic free but we
can manage our plastic
waste disposal into circular
economy and adapting good
deeds and the time has come
that we must realize the
concern and make collective
efforts to reduce our plastic
footprint by way of adapting
green good deeds and 4 R
principle (refuse, reduce,
reuse and recycle).
In India, not less than
25,490 tonnes of plastic is
generated every day with
mind boggling 40% of plastic
waste uncollected. He hopes
there will be perceptible to
and measurable difference
in the country brought
about the plastic pollution
and other environmental
issues. According to him,
about 60 million tonnes of solid
waste is generated in one year and
‘’Plastic bottle takes between 450-
1000 years to decompose”.
This year, India hosts the World
Environment Day for the second
time. MoEFCC is hosting
the World Environment Day
2018, in collaboration with UN
Environment. India hosted the
event in the year 2011, with
the theme: ‘Forests: Nature at
your Service’. Informatively,
5th June was designated as the
World Environment Day by
the UN General Assembly to
commemorate the opening of the
Stockholm Conference on Human
Development. Annual celebrations
of World Environment Day began
in 1974. 5th June provides an
occasion for responsible conduct
by individuals, enterprises and
communities in preserving and
enhancing the environment. Every
action counts, and when multiplied
by people across the world, its
impact becomes exponential. Over
150 countries are celebrating World
Environment Day, particularly
for promoting the environmental
dimensions of the Sustainable
Development Goals.
During the last three years, the
themes of World Environment
Day celebrations included: “Seven
billion dreams, one planet, consume
with care” in 2015 in Rome, Italy,
“Zero tolerance for the illegal
wildlife trade” in Luanda, Angola,
in 2016 and “Connecting people to
nature – in the city and on the land,
from the poles to the equator” in
Ottawa, Canada, in 2017.
He also mentioned writing to
Environment Ministers of more
than 150 countries to celebrate the
day globally and take pledge to cut
the use of single-use plastics. More
than 10,000 missed calls have been
receivedinthe“MissedCallCampaign”
titled #BeatPlasticPollution. A
pledge to beat plastic pollution can
be taken by placing a missed call on
18001371999.
The objectives behind the campaigns
for environment are to enhance the
global visibility of India as a leader
in sustainability actions, support the
effortstoCleanIndiaaheadofMahatma
Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary in
October 2019, expand/consolidate
public engagement on India’s
environmental agenda, inculcate
private sector leadership to address
plastic pollution and urge citizens to
take a pledge to change their behavior
around waste management and
highlight India’s leadership
in the cause of marine litter
and beach cleaning.
Q. ISFR 2017 reported an
almost 1% increase in
forest cover. At the same
time trees are being cut
indiscriminately. Are
there any plans to stop
the felling of trees?
As per the latest “India
State of Forest Report
2017” published by Forest
Survey of India, total
forest and tree cover of
the country is 8,02,088
square kilometers which
is 24.39% of the total
geographical area of the
country. As per ISFR
2017, some States/UTs
have shown gain in forest
cover while some have shown loss.
Overall, there is an increase of 8021
square kilometers in forest and tree
cover of the country over that of the
India State of Forest Report 2015
(updated) which is about 1% of the
forest and tree cover of the country.
During the diversion of forest land
for non-forestry purposes under
the FC Act, felling of trees are
carried out as required under the
concerned project. However, care
is taken to ensure that minimum
trees are felled. As per the norms,
compensatory afforestation is
taken up against the diverted forest
areas. Illicit felling also takes place
sometimes in different parts of
the country. These are dealt under
Indian Forest Act and various
State specific Acts and rules made
thereunder.

R
egular and intensive
meditation sessions over
the course of a lifetime
could help a person remain
attentive and focused well into old
age, the study has found.
Thisisaccordingtothemostextensive
longitudinal study to date examining
a group of meditation practitioners.
Published in Springer’s Journal of
Cognitive Enhancement, the research
evaluates the benefits that people
gained after three months of full-time
meditation training and whether
these benefits are maintained seven
years later.
Lead author Anthony Zanesco,
now at the University of Miami in
US, however, cautions that further
research is needed before meditation
can be advocated as a sure-fire
method for countering the effects of
aging on the brain.
This study follows up on previous
workbythesamegroupofresearchers
at the University of California, Davis
in 2011, which assessed the cognitive
abilities of 30 people who regularly
meditated before and after they went
on a three-month long retreat at the
Shambhala Mountain Center in US.
At the center, they meditated daily
using techniques designed to foster
calm sustained attention on a chosen
object and to generate aspirations
such as compassion, loving-kindness,
emphatic joy and equanimity
among participants, for others and
themselves.
During this time, another group of
30 people who regularly meditated
were also monitored. Other than
traveling to the meditation center for
a week-long assessment period, they
carried on with their lives as normal.
After the first group’s initial retreat
was over, the second group received
similar intensive training at the
Shambhala Mountain Center.
As part of this study, follow-up
assessments were conducted six
months, eighteen months and
Regular Meditation Sessions
By InnoHEALTH Editorial Team
Regular meditation sessions can have a long-lasting effect on a person’s attention
span and other cognitive abilities, says an extensive study.

seven years after completion of the
retreats. During the last appraisal,
participants were asked to estimate
how much time over the course
of seven years they had spent
meditating outside of formal retreat
settings, such as through daily or
non-intensive practice. The forty
participants who had remained in
the study all reported some form of
continued meditation practice: 85%
attended atleast one meditation
retreat, and they practiced amounts
on average that were comparable to
an hour a day for seven years.
The participants again completed
assessments designed to measure
their reaction time and ability to
pay attention to a task. Although
these did not improve, the cognitive
gains accrued after the 2011
training and assessment were
partially maintained many years
later. This was especially true for
older participants who practiced
a lot of meditation over the seven
years. Compared to those who
practiced less, they maintained
cognitive gains and did not show
typical patterns of age-related
decline in sustained attention.
“This study is the first to offer
evidence that intensive and continued
meditation practice is associated with
enduring improvements in sustained
attention and response inhibition,
with the potential to alter longitudinal
trajectories of cognitive change across
a person’s life,” says Zanesco.
He is aware that participants’ lifestyle
orpersonalitymighthavecontributed
to the observations. Zanesco
therefore calls for further research
into meditation as an intervention
to improve brain functioning among
older people.
He says the current findings also
provide a sobering appraisal of
whether short-term or non-intensive
mindfulnessinterventionsarehelpful
to improve sustained attention
in a lasting manner. Participants
practiced far more meditation than
is feasible for shorter-term programs
that might aim to help with cognitive
aging, and despite practicing that
much meditation, participants did
not generally improve over years;
these benefits instead plateaued.
Zanesco believes this has broad
implications for meditation and
mindfulness-based approaches
to cognitive training and raises
important questions regarding
how much meditation can, in fact,
influence human cognition and the
workings of the brain.
This was especially true for older participants
who practiced a lot of meditation over the
seven years. Compared to those who practiced
less, they maintained cognitive gains and did
not show typical patterns of age-related
decline in sustained attention.

I
t was only three years ago when
India carved out a niche in annals
of history on 21st June 2015 by
holding the biggest ever open-air
yoga camp with maximum number of
international community members
on the sprawling lawns of Rajpath
on the first International Yoga Day
(IYD), proclaimed on its initiative.
Now, taking lead from India following
its expertise in the centuries old
science, many nations mark the
day with gusto, and many of them
have imbibed the art in daily chorus
amid anxiety ridden lives in the
competitive world.
Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi
says it should be matter of pride for
anyIndianthatIndiaproposedbefore
UN the idea of the International Yoga
Day and it was approved.
On the first event itself, the country
had been awarded with two Guinness
World Records in two different
categories. Category 1 was for the
largest number of participants in a
Yoga Lesson at a single venue. The
earlier record was of 29,973. To beat
that record a target of 30,000 was
required. Yogis broke that record as
35,985 participants performed Yoga
at Rajpath that morning.
Category 2 was most number of
nationalists in a Yoga Lesson. To
achieve that, at least participants
from 50 countries were required to
perform. But that day participants
from 84 countries performed Yoga
at Rajpath. Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik,
then MoS. Ministry of AYUSH and
Secretary AYUSH received the
awards which were presented by the
representatives of Guinness World
Records Ms. Victoria from UK and
Mr. Marco Frigatti from Italy. Also
present on the occasion were Yog
Gurus, Mr. Guru Malladi, coordinator
of EY Company. The India’s proposal
for the IYD was supported by as many
as 177 countries for the first time in
the history of UNO (United Nations
Organisation) and the resolution was
passed within 100 days.
Mr. Modi, in his first year in office,
addressed the 69th session of UNGA
on 27th September 2014 and had
urged the international community
to celebrate Yoga day.
On 11th December, the 193-member
UNGA had approved the proposal by
consensus with record 177 countries,
including 47 Muslim nation co-
sponsors, clearing a resolution to
establish June 21 as 'International
Yoga Day’.
Now, more than 250 cities across six
continents in the world performed
Yoga to mark the first International
Yoga Day, with Mr. Modi leading the
nation, along with 35,000 yogis at
Rajpath and External Affairs Minister
Ms. Sushma Swaraj had represented
India at the UN in New York. On the
first IYD, Ms. Swaraj says Indians
across 650 districts and 192 out
of 193 countries of the globe took
part in Yoga events being planned to
celebrate the Day, with Yemen being
the only exception because of war
situation. “Our embassy has been
shifted to Djibouti from Yemen and
this is the reason that we have left out
Déjà vu – YOGA DAY
By Neeraj Bajpai

only one country, Ms. Swaraj said.
PM had led the nation in the
celebrations during the function at
Rajpath, where the entire stretch
from Vijay Chowk to India Gate had
turned into a Yoga mat. More than
7,000 copies of coffee table books
and 19,000 reference books on Yoga
had been sent to Indian Missions
abroad.
Tightest ever security paraphernalia
was mounted with air cover by
the Indian Air Force to thwart any
disruptive design. Security was
on lines of the Republic Day and
Independence Day celebrations.
Tight vigil was being mounted
at airports, railway stations, bus
stations and other crowded areas.
Teaming multitude of people had
done a 35-minute session of 15
Asanas at the Rajpath.
The record book officials closely
monitored developments as the
event eclipsed previous records
participation in such event and
biggest assembly in a single
yoga class. The record was held
by Kanyakumari-based NGO,
the Vivekanand Kendra at Jiwaji
University, Gwalior, on 19th
November 2005. There were
29,973 participants. Guinness Book
of records has set a benchmark
of 50 nation’s participation for
another record.
There is no looking back since that
day, say officials of the Ministry
of Ayurveda, Yoga Naturopathy,
Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy
(AYUSH). The biggest challenge
was to ensure the turnout much
before 0600 hrs. Guinness book of
records panelists had insisted that
every entry should be bar coded and
decoded. The event took off at 6:45
am for 35 minutes with crisp 15
popular asans. A large LED screen
was put in place to highlight motions
of various exercises which include
Muktasana, Makarasana, Kapalbhati,
Pranayam, and meditation. The
programme had started with
Rigveda invocation.
Now events are being organised in
various cities in different countries
including Beijing, Berlin, Bogota,
Budapest, Dublin, Ho Chi Minh,
Hong Kong, Jakarta, Paris, Port Louis
and Tallinn.
The International Yoga Day is
spreading across the country and at
most of the places, preparations get
underway months before the day.
Even in mofussil places, message is
loud and clear to observe the day.
Now, it is observed with festive
fervor and gaiety with no political
strings attached.
Many are of the firm opinion that
the government must ensure
that no coercive tactics are
used for participation in Yoga
programme. They linked it with
religious sentiments, but people in
general have rubbished grotesque
comments.
“Yoga is an invaluable gift of ancient
Indian tradition. It embodies unity of
mind and body: thought and action;

restraint and fulfilment; harmony
between man and nature and a
holistic approach to health and well-
being,” Mr. Modi had told UNGA,
setting the tone for the international
yoga day proposal.
On the first edition, Mr. Modi, had
announced the arrival of a new
yoga era, with the first International
Day of Yoga being observed across
the world. Leading a mass yoga
demonstration at Rajpath in New
Delhi, the Prime Minister had
declared that “today”, as this day
was being observed in various
parts of the world, the sun would
not set on the community of Yoga
practitioners.
He said that “today” is not just the
first-ever International Yoga Day,
but the beginning of a new era
that would inspire humanity in its
quest for peace and harmony. The
Prime Minister had recalled the
contribution of ancient sages, yoga
gurus, and practitioners across
the world through the ages, for
making Yoga what it is, “today”. He
said that as mankind advances in
various spheres of development
and technology, individual human
beings must progress too, and Yoga
offered an avenue for this. Yoga is
not merely an exercise but offered an
opportunity for balancing the mind
and body and could help harness an
individual's inner strength.
Yoga is widely considered as an
“immortal cultural outcome” of the
Indus Sarasvati Valley civilization
dating back to 2700 BC – and has
proven itself to cater to both material
and spiritual uplift of humanity.
A number of seals and fossil remains
of Indus Sarasvati Valley civilization
with yogic motifs and figures
performing yoga sadhana suggest
the presence of yoga in ancient India.
In 2016, the Prime Minister
celebrated the second International
Day of Yoga at Chandigarh, where
he joined approximately 30,000
participants in a mass Yoga
demonstration. Addressing the
gathering at the iconic Capitol
Complex there, he said the people
in all parts of the country have
connected with Yoga.
“The Yoga Day is a day linked to good
health, and it has become a mass
movement. Yoga is not about what
one will get, but it is about what one
can give up. That with zero budget,
Yoga provides health assurance, and
does not discriminate between rich
and poor.” PM said and stressed the
need for focus, on how to mitigate
diabetes through Yoga. He walked
amidst people, joined and mingled
with the participants of the mass Yoga
demonstration. The event was marked
acrosstheworldwithmoreenthusiasm
than it was on the first year.
The third International Day of Yoga in
2017, too, was celebrated with great
enthusiasm across the country with
mass yoga demonstrations taking

place in various locations. The Prime
Minister had participated in the mass
Yoga event in Lucknow where he was
joined by a huge number of people.
Addressing the gathering at the
iconic Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan
in Lucknow, he reached out to
people and said, Yoga is a practise
that binds humanity together and is
helping countries across the world
to be connected with India. Yoga is
a medium to achieve wellness and
it has the power to provide health
assurance at zero cost, he said.
The event at Lucknow was attended
by Former Union Minister of State
(Independent Charge) Ministry of
AYUSH Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik; Chief
Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mr. Yogi
Adityanath; Deputy Chief Minister
of Uttar Pradesh Mr. Keshav Prasad
Maurya; Deputy Chief Minister of UP
Dr. Dinesh Sharma; State Minister
(Independent Charge) Ministry of
AYUSH, Dr. Dharam Singh Saini.
On the occasion of International
Day of Yoga, the Ministry of AYUSH
organised mass yoga programmes in
Delhi in association with NDMC, DDA
and eminent Yoga organisations.
In Connaught Place, New Delhi,
NDMC used drone cameras for aerial
photography and videography of the
Yoga demonstrations.
Many partnership organisations like,
Art of Living, Patanjali Yoga Samiti,
Vivekanand Yogashram Hospital,
Brhamkumari, Isha Foundation and
GayatriParivar participated in the
Yoga day celebrations in various
places in Delhi. Former Union
Minister for Urban Development,
Housing Urban Poverty Alleviation
and Information Broadcasting, Mr.
M. Venkaiah Naidu also participated.
Other Union Ministers participated
in mass Yoga events in various
states. The Ministry of Home Affairs
celebrates the International Day of
Yoga across the country including
yoga celebrations by BSF, CRPF, CAPF,
units of ITBP to mark the occasion.
Last year, ITBP personnel performed
yoga at 19000 feet in Ladhak and at
11600 feet at the Bank of Indus River
in Ladhak.
The Ministry of Human Resource
Development announced the
winners of the ‘Yoga Olympiad’ held
in Delhi from 18th - 20th June 2017
to promote the awareness of yoga
and to build up a network of schools,
teachers and yoga practitioners
at the national level. The awards
were given in four categories which
included one award each for Upper
Primary - Girls and Boys; Secondary
- Girls and Boys.
Last year, the Ministry of Defence
organised Yoga sessions across the
country with troops of the Indian
Army, Indian Air Force and Indian
Navy, conducted at Pahalgam,
Srinagar, Kargil. Ahmednagar, Bidar,
Bengaluru, Chennai, Dehradun,
Dibrugarh, Kolkata, Leh, Mangalore,
Nagpur and Sriganganagar, to name
of few. The Indian Navy did Yoga
sessions on board INS Vikramaditya,
Shivalik, Kamorta, Jyoti, INS Jalashwa
INS Kirch in the Indian Ocean the
Bay of Bengal and the Coast Guard
on board ICGS Sarathi, ICGS Samrat.
Cadets of National Cadet Corps (NCC)
participated in Yoga Day function at
DG NCC Camp, Delhi Cantt.
The Ministry of External Affairs,
through its Indian embassies
abroad, celebrated the Yoga Day at
iconic locations like, at the Abraham
Lincoln Monument, Sylvan Theater
in Washington DC, La Villette
in Paris, and at the backdrop of
Sheikh Zahid Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Yoga gurus conducted seminars
and discussions on Yoga in many
countries across the world.
Massive arrangements have been
made to mark the day this year as
by next year, the country would
have witnessed general elections.
Polls in the world’s most populous
democracy always holds mystery in
womb about next ruling dispensation
at the center. But as it is the
international day, come what may
world will continue to mark the day
with more zest in tensions ridden
global scenario. Moreover, Yoga is
emerging as public movement bereft
of politics.

I
agree everybody knows
how to breathe, even a new-
born child. Still, these days
most of us need a breathing
program that can help us in
dealing with our day-to-day desk
work, driving, tension, anxiety and
even depression. It is well known
that deep breathing exercises can
help overcome these stresses in
life, so it is necessary for all of
us to understand the science of
breathing i.e. Pranayama.
“When the breath wanders,
the mind is unsteady,
But when the breath is still,
so is the mind still.”
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Pranayama is a part of yoga
system that teaches us the art of
extending and controlling our
breath in many ways. It teaches
us to change the depth, rate and
pattern of breathing.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
PRANAYAMA AND
BREATHING
Pranayamaistheconsciousawareness
of breath. The term is derived
from Sanskrit, Prana means breath,
respiration, vitality or energy. Ayama
means expansion or stretching. Thus,
Pranayama connotes extension and
control of breath. Proper rhythmic,
slow and deep breathing, strengthens
the respiratory system, soothes
the nervous system and increases
concentration. According to Yoga, the
breath connects the Body, Mind and
Spirit.
The rate of breathing changes
with circumstances such as it
increases due to emotional or
physical disturbances whereas, it
automatically slows down when
one is calm and peaceful. Like, when
we get tired while climbing stairs,
we get breathless. Try the following
to regulate your breathing and
feel less exhausted. Climb keeping
shoulders straight and take a deep
breath in for two stairs (inhale), and
exhale for two steps, with a rhythm
of two in and two out. Like this, we
expel more carbondioxide and take
in great supply of oxygen, thus we
How to Breathe?
By Neerja Singh

feel less fatigue. Mostly we use only
a fraction of our lung capacity as
we do shallow breathing. We barely
expand the ribcage, shoulders are
often hunched and have painful
tension in the upper part of back and
neck due to which we suffer lack of
oxygen which makes us breathless
and tired. So, keep both shoulder
blades as close as possible without
strain and exhale gently and fully,
pause, then inhale with a deep, slow,
gentle breath until the lungs are
comfortably filled. Then breath out
slowly through the nose, without
changing the position of shoulder
blades. Repeat this cycle many
times. By doing this, the brain gets
stimulated and ease nerve tension
by providing fuller supply of oxygen.
TYPES OF BREATHING
Clavicular Breathing (Sectional
Breathing): It is shallow breathing
in which the abdomen is completely
controlled, and breathing is
performed by forcing the air into
the upper most region of the lungs.
The shoulders and collar bones are
raised while abdomen is contracted
during inhalation.
Thoracic (Chest Breathing):
Breathing takes place by expanding
and contracting the chest only,
while abdomen is kept under
control. The middle lobes of the
lungs are fully activated through
this breathing.
Abdominal Breathing: Deep
abdominal breathing brings air to
the lowest and largest part of lungs.
Breathing is slow and deep such
that diaphragm is used properly.
A full yogic breath combines all
three, beginning with abdomen
and continuing the inhalation
through thoracic and clavicular
area. The abdomen should expand
outward on inhalation and contract
on exhalation. To get the feeling
of this motion, while sitting in
any meditative posture preferably
Vajrasana, place the hands on the
abdomen close to each other. Exhale
slowly inhale through the nostrils
taking the hands away from each
other so that the abdomen bulges.
Hold the breath for a second.
Then slowly exhale so that the
abdomen retracts bringing the
hands closer. Hold the breath for a
second. Repeat the breathing cycle
five times, preferably in the ratio
4:2:8:2. Breathing should be deep,
slow and rhythmic.
The air flow into the lower sections
of the lungs is increased. Rhythmic
movement of the diaphragm
massages the abdomen gently and
enables the organs to function
effectively.
TYPES AND BENEFITS OF
PRANAYAMA
Pranayama is practiced in a specific
posture, especially sitting in
Padmasana or Ardhpadmasana and
should be performed early morning
on empty stomach at a well
ventilated quite place. Breathing
should be slow and rhythmic,
eyes should be closed to control
the mind and body. It has three
aspects (1) Poorka (Inhalation) (2)
Kumbhaka (Retention) (3) Rechaka
(Exhalation).
TYPES OF PRANAYAMA:
• Ujjayi Pranayama (victorious
breath)
• Anulom Vilom (alternate
breathing)
• Brahamari Pranayama
(humming bee breath)
• Bhastrika Pranayama (air is
forcibly drawn in and out)
• Shitali Pranayama (cooling
breath)
• Bahya Pranayama (forcibly
breath in, breath out and then
hold the breath)
• Kapalabhati Pranayama
(air from lungs is forcibly
exhaled but inhalation is made
involuntary)
BENEFITS OF PRANAYAMA
Pranayama purifies the psychic
channels (nadis) and enables
physical and mental stability.
Pranayama is known to purify about
72,000 nadis or channels in the
body. It helps purify the blood and
respiratory system. Deep breathing
enriches the blood with oxygen.
Large amounts of oxygen reaches the
brain, lungs, heart and capillaries.
Pranayama techniques are
beneficial in treating a range of
stress related disorders:
• Improves the autonomic
functions.
• Helps relieve the symptoms of
asthma.
• Aids in reducing unnecessary
thoughts which helps in calming
down the overactive mind thus
reduces anxiety and depression.
• Causes change in the cardio
respiratory system and helps in
lowering the blood pressure.
• Improves physical fitness by
practicing certain asans of yoga,
it is excellent for weight loss also.
• Deep breathing i.e. bringing
focus on breath can be extremely
relaxing and rejuvenating.
Regular practice improves
concentration, memory and
overall state of mind.
PRECAUTIONS
Pranayama should be practiced
with care and it is better to do
under the guidance of trained yoga
teacher, as certain Pranayama is
not advisable to be performed by
people having certain ailments.
Ms. Neerja Singh is a retired
scientist with Council of
Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR). Her interests
include phytochemistry and
non-conventional therapies
benefiting the patients. She has
practiced many such therapies
like yoga, dance etc.

H
ealth psychologists have
encompassed a very wide
domain in modern life.
The rapid development of
science and technology, on health
issues has been one of the most
visible of current trends in social and
behaviouralscience.Modernlife isfull
of stress and strain. To be free from
stress is to be dead. How to cope up
with these unprecedented changes?
An answer which is echoed in the
heart of human beings are ‘Yoga’ and
‘Chanting of Prayers’.
According to Miovic Michael (2008),
models of psychotherapy, integrated
with yoga principles are as follows:
Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic
approaches focus on how important
emotional attachments and
relationships from childhood are
internalized. Meditation during these
periods have an impact on future
relationship through emotional
catharses and motor development.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
examines how behaviour and
emotion could be conditioned.
Behavioural modification techniques
and relaxation training are equally
effective. Socratic analysis of
automatic patterns of thinking could
be included as an interpersonal
element.
Suggestive or Hypnotic approaches
suggest the desired behavioural
outcome and emotional reactions
through the technique of guided
imagery and thought.
Body oriented approaches use various
typesoftouch,massage,psychological
posture and breath work.
Creative expressive approaches use the
creative arts – music, poetry, painting
and thought – as creative expressions
and socially acceptable channels.
Subtle energetic approaches use
pranic energy as a form of touch
therapy including acupuncture, reiki
and so on.
Deep breathing counting (1-20) could
be done thrice a day. It would reveal
consciousness as illumination of light
in spiritual experiences. Proper deep
breathing enables the human beings
as all-pervading reality.
Chanting of psychological prayers from
Gita and Upanishad are necessary to
attain the level of mastery in what you
are doing – focused, concentrated. ‘A
sense of ecstasy is noticed of being
outside everyday reality’. Greater inner
clarity in all our day-to-day activities.
‘A sense of serenity – no worries about
one self and a feeling of growing
beyond the boundaries of ego‘ (quoted
from Sanyal, N, 2013).
Thus, yoga and chanting of
prayers provides serenity, intrinsic
motivation, and a feeling of eternity
beyond the boundaries of the ego.
DoesYogaandChantingofPrayersprovideserenity,
intrinsicmotivation,andafeelingofeternitybeyond
the boundaries of the ego?The answer isYES.
By Dr. Tinni Dutta
Dr. Tinni Dutta at Ashutosh
college, Kolkata, is an
eminent Psychologist and
a famous educationist. Her
research work has been
greatly appreciated in India
and abroad. She has visited
France, Germany, Indonesia,
Singapore, Switzerland,
Thailand, UK and USA. She is
recipient of many awards and
fellowships.

I
n the 21st century, we are
all connected. Population
growth, mass urbanization,
deforestation, climate
change and increased travel have
dramatically increased the risk
that familiar diseases will spread
and mutate, and new ones will
emerge. As people enter new
spheres of biodiversity, they come
in closer contact with other species,
increasing the risk of viruses
jumping from animals to humans,
and then spreading more widely.
It all sounds scaring, but it is a
stark reality given facts on the
ground which are almost ready for
such a grim situation if corrective
measures are not effected in time.
She is not a wizard in crystal
grazing to forecast future events,
but certainly, she is a visionary,
and envisions that the specter of
diseases will loom over the planet
earth in future. She is no one else
but Janet Tobia who has won laurels
for her documentary ”Unseen
Enemy”.
The Emmy award winning film-
makerJanetTobiatoldInnoHEALTH
Magazine that her movie Unseen
Enemy examines why in the 21st
century we are experiencing a rash
of diseases that were once only
outbreaks but have now become
full-blown epidemics.
This year, the world recalls
nightmarish memories of 1918
pandemic of influenza and screen
through popular movie “Unknown
Enemy” on its first anniversary.
“I had a little bird, its name was
Enza, I opened the window, and
in–flu-enza, was popular rhyme of
children while skipping ropes in
those outrageous days.
Informatively,the1918flupandemic
(January 1918 – December 1920)
was an unusually deadly influenza
pandemic. Researchers say it
infected 500 million people around
the world, including people on
remote Pacific islands and in the
Arctic, and resulted in the death
of 50 to 100 million (three to five
percent of the world's population).
Disease had greatly limited life
expectancy in the early 20th
century, most influenza outbreaks
disproportionately kill juvenile,
elderly, or already weakened
patients; in contrast, the 1918
pandemic predominantly killed
Environment is in Peril;
Unknown Enemy on Prowl
By Neeraj Bajpai
100 Years on Unknown Enemy stares surreptitiously; Janet Tobia flags issue afresh
to stave off flu specter looming large on globe.

previously healthy young adults.
There are several possible
explanations for the high mortality
rate of the 1918 influenza
pandemic. Some research suggests
that the specific variant of the
virus had an unusually aggressive
nature. One group of researchers
recovered the virus from the bodies
of frozen victims and found that the
transinfection in animals caused
a rapid progressive respiratory
failure and death through a cytokine
storm (over reaction of body's
immune system).
More recent investigations, mainly
based on original medical reports
from the period of the pandemic,
found that the viral infection
itself was not more aggressive
than any previous influenza, but
that the special circumstances
(malnourishment, overcrowded
medical camps and hospitals, poor
hygiene, etc.) promoted bacterial
superinfection that killed most
of the victims typically after a
somewhat prolonged death bed.
To maintain morale, war time
censors minimized early reports
of illness and mortality in France,
Germany, United Kingdom and
United States. Examining the recent
epidemics of Ebola, Influenza and
Zika; unseen enemy makes it clear
that epidemics bring out the best
and worst of human behavior, and
that their effect goes far beyond the
terrible tolls of sickness and death.
‘‘We are all connected to any person,
animal, and insect that may have
an infectious disease incubating in
them. And that connection is either
incredibly dangerous or a powerful
force for good. It is our choice which
of those becomes true.’’
She says political leaders all over the
world should address the problem
and play key role in combating
pandemics threats. There must be
early detection and warning systems
in place to detect outbreaks faster
and countries must work in close
rapport both in field of vaccines and
drugs distribution, availability of
diagnostic tools and research work
in the discipline. Leaders will have
to chip in together - make strong
health architecture at global level -
as threat is looming on everyone.
We also need to use new mobile
technology to reach out to affected
and vulnerable populations,
mobilize healthcare and make
long-term investments in scientific
research.
Finally, it is critical to invest in
flu research both to improve the
effectiveness of the current vaccine
and, more importantly, to develop
a universal flu vaccine - one that
would work against all types of
flu, including potentially a new
pandemic strain.
Ms. Janet says moving across the globe,
her team met the film’s characters:
doctors, disease detectives, everyday
men and women. Every one of them had
stepped into the horror of an epidemic
and emerged deeply changed.

She recalls that the 1918 influenza
pandemic killed more than 50
million people around the world,
in India alone, 17 million lost their
lives and so her movie cameras
rivet around a potential global
scenario. Emerging epidemics have
a propensity to burst anywhere and
anytime because of fast changing
global environment.
She visualizes a scenario where
India can play a major role because
of its expertise in carrying out past
massive healthcare programmes.
Small pox eradication and polio
vaccination programme vindicates
the fact about country’s efficacy
to turn tables. It is the need of the
hour that such an expertise was
implemented for elimination of
infectious diseases to stave off
threat of outbreak of pandemics in
the global village.
In addition to urbanization and
living in a highly connected world,
deforestation is leading to closer
contact with animals, which may
infect us with deadly viruses.
With climate change, vectors like
mosquitoes are moving up north
into newer regions. Suppose, anti-
microbial resistance is added to
this mix, and then there will be new
virus and drug resistant infections
if we don’t have antibiotics that
work, then you would be infected
and untreatable.
The Director of the film minces no
words to articulate her views on the
unseen enemy. Ebola, for example,
may have emerged in West Africa,
a new part of Africa, because of
deforestation there. AIDS moved
out of the forests of Africa to spread
around the world and today there
are over 20 million people living
with HIV-AIDS. In addition to new
virus, we now also have new drug
resistant strains of once badly
feared tuberculosis and malaria
developing.
She says reports are in circulation
that new strains of influenza are
infecting birds in China, but the day
might not be far away when these
microbes may learn clandestine art
of migrating from birds to human
beings.
In populous countries, people live in
dense pockets in the overburdened
urban swathes. Not only that they
travel in crowded public transports
and if an infected, suffering from
a contagious infection, sneezes
or coughs, there is an instant
spreading of the infection. Virus,
the unseen enemy, infects people
who are generally oblivious of the
lurking threat.
During outbreak of such epidemics,
people are advised to be cautious
to mount their own defense to
protect themselves. In India, a sea
of humanity moves every day from
one place to another and in case of
outbreak of such diseases, travelling
of infection can be very fast.
According to her, in case of India,
there is a heavy burden of non-
communicable diseases, like
diabetes, heart diseases and
other chronic diseases that often
compromise immunity. Deaths from
flu are higher in diabetics than the
general population.
The seasonal flu shot is the best
tool. There is some evidence to
show that taking the flu shot two
years in a row gives you more
protection than if you skipped a
year. There is also some evidence
on how people receiving a flu shot
for the first time have the strongest
immune protection reaction, while
other studies say this isn’t true.
India’s small pox eradication
campaign is the most successful
healthcare drive in history. During
the time more than 100,000 health
workers visited over 100 million
households to eradicate small pox.
So, India has a blueprint to deal
with a future pandemic.

Film makers had looked at previous
epidemics and infections. AIDS was
lurking in their minds, but sudden
spurt of Ebola and Zika virus’
cases turned the film into a real
time saga, and both AIDS and SARS
slipped into background.
In the global village narrative,
every citizen is open to risk factors
in case of pandemics. The diseases
assail everything whatever comes
into their way - may it be health or
wealth. When a pandemic happens,
people don’t work, economies
collapse, and even social fabric
is dismembered. People attempt
to avoid their own infected close
relatives and friends out of fear
that they will be the next seizure if
precautions were not clamped.
She mentions that in case of
pandemics, whatever happens on
the front line in Liberia affects
people in Europe and North
America. In the free world, we all
share knowledge platforms, travel
frequently and export and import
cheaper goods so microbes also
travel freely. For her, Ebola is the
test case. According to the Director,
Ebola was not handled swiftly at the
stage of outbreak otherwise it could
have been bridled at that stage
rather it turned into epidemic.
She recalls that Zika virus too had
sprung a surprise. It was never
visualized. No one thought that a
virus first identified in the 1940s
in Uganda would travel halfway
across the world - first to the South
Pacific and then to South America,
and now to North America. And no
one knew, and we are still trying
to understand, why this virus
that hadn’t been thought of as
particularly dangerous would in
Brazil produce such terrible birth
defects.
Zika is essentially a pandemic
as it affects so many countries
and continents. And with global
warming it could affect even more
because the mosquitoes will be
able to move further north as the
globe warms up.
Her realization that in the midst of
the fast globalization, people across
continents have become more vulnerable
to epidemics and pandemics turned into
a film idea that caught people’s attention.

PowerDot works via a mobile app that uses
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) to
activate your muscle fibres, get your body’s
lymphatic system flowing and increase the
blood flow to targeted areas. Basically, it gets
you moving. The result is the creation of a
perfect environment for the body to recover
faster, feel better and over all well-being. It
also allows you to control your workout.
An impulse is sent to the pods based on the
muscle group you select to target which
causes the muscles to activate. The feeling
that it creates can be intense and bizarre
at first, but you will get used to it in a few
uses. It is also compact enough to carry on a
holiday or trip and is available from £275 at
PowerDot.
POWERDOT
Needle-Free Diabetes Care is
a path-breaking technology
currently under development.
The best options available today
for automating most of the
complicated daily process of blood
sugar management are continuous
glucose monitors and insulin pumps
however they don’t completely
remove the need for skin pricks and
shots. The new skin in the game is a
technology being developed by Echo
Therapeutics (Philadelphia, USA)
that would replace the poke with
a patch. A transdermal biosensor
that reads blood analytes through
the skin without drawing blood is
what the company is aiming for. The
technology puts the patient’s blood
chemistry within signal range of a
patch-borne biosensor with the help
of a handheld electric-toothbrush
like device that removes just enough
top-layer skin cells. The sensor
collects one reading per minute
and sends the data wirelessly to
a remote monitor. When levels go
out of the patient’s optimal range,
this triggers audible alarms thus
tracking glucose levels over time.
There are other start-ups working in
thesamespaceasGlucoSense,aspin-
out of the University of Leeds funded
by NetScientific is developing a
non-invasive device based on
photonics technology. Another
Dutch start-up called NovioSenseis
working on an implantable glucose
sensor that uses tear fluid to
measure glucose levels.
NEEDLE-FREE DIABETES CARE:
THE FUTURE OF DIABETES SELF-CARE
LATEST INNOVATIONS!

Recently Nokia unveiled their first
standalone sleep tracking device
which is a “Sleep Sensing Home
Automation Pad” named ‘Nokia Sleep’.
This pad is placed underneath your
mattress and features advanced sleep
tracking as well as integrated home
automation features. The Nokia Sleep
sensor is designed for people who want
to learn how to sleep better, but don’t
want to be bothered with strapping on
a wearable like a Fitbit to their wrist.
The sensor slips underneath your
mattress and using a technique known
as ballistocardiography, monitors your
breathing, movement and heart-rate,
and translates this into your data about
your sleep. The sensor is wifi-enabled
which connects directly to the Nokia
Health Mate App. The product can
also detect snoring. The Nokia Sleep
pad is designed to give a frictionless
sleep-tracking experience. Once you’ve
placed the sensor under your mattress
and connected it to the mains and your
wifi, it’s a case of ‘set and forget’. Sleep
tracking is automatically detected
when you get in and out of bed because
it syncs with the Health Mate cloud
platform and it doesn’t have to rely on
you fiddling with your phone before
bedtime. The sensor is also very user-
friendly and is covered in a metal grey
fabricwithasinglecableattachedwhich
terminates in a USB plug that is used to
power the device 24/7. The sensor also
claims to be able to break down your
sleep data into light sleep, deep sleep
and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
The device also records your heart-rate
while you are in bed. In the morning
Health Mate syncs all your night’s data,
giving you a sleep score measured out
of 100. The Health Mate software also
features the Sleep Smarter program
which is an 8-week coaching program
which takes your long-term sleep data
and provides feedback as to how to
improve your sleep quality over this
period. Thus, Nokia Sleep is a sleep
monitor under the mattress. However,
it can turn off the lights and lower the
temperature in the room for you to fall
asleep easier apart from performing all
thetasksofagoodsleepmonitor:tracks
sleep patterns, sleep duration or the
quality of your bedtime.
NOKIA SLEEP
India is experiencing a decline in
fertility due to many reasons like
adverse lifestyle habits, pollution,
delayed conception and so on.
There is a growing awareness that
men’s reproductive health issues
also contribute to infertility. Also,
the doctors here believe that there
is a profound need for a device
like YO in India which can be made
available to as many couples as
possible to make their journey to
parenthood a reality. So, to address
the problem of male testing and
to eliminate the stressful public
nature of male sperm analysis,
Medical Electronic Systems (MES),
a Los Angeles based technology
company developed the YO Home
Sperm Test Kit and recently
launched it in India which is first
of its kind video-based smartphone
platform that is FDA approved. The
device is used to determine motile
sperm concentration (the number
of moving sperm) which is a critical
factor in determining male fertility.
The device has 97% accuracy and
provides consumers the ability to
both view and measure the number
of motile sperm in their sample on
their phone and from the comfort of
their home. The cause of infertility
is equally shared by men and
women. Approximately 40% of the
problem is a female factor and 40%
a male factor with the remaining
20% unexplained or a combined
problem between the man and the
woman. Yet, many times, the initial
focus of a fertility assessment is on
the woman and the man may not
be tested until a full female work-
up and treatment is unsuccessful,
which could take a year or more.
This delay in testing the male side
of an infertile couple, plus the
fact that couples are postponing
having children until their 30’s
places the couple at greater risk of
being childless and substantially
increases their anxiety about
conceiving. YO test is both an
accurate and private home test that
provides a precise assessment of
moving sperm concentration (MSC).
Testing moving sperm is critical in
a home test because, with a clear
video to back it up, the results allow
the man to approach the doctor
with clear evidence of a problem.
The simple, step-by-step app can
be downloaded free of charge
from Google Play or the App Store.
The YO Clip (a mini-microscope)
is supplied in the kit with all the
supplies required to run two tests
on your Smartphone. The app is
easy to follow and takes the user
through step-by-step interactive
screens and instructional
animations to insure a smooth, easy-
to-understand and secure testing
experience with accurate results.
There is also humor built into the
Sperm Trivia Challenge, which is
designed to interact with the user
during the sample preparation wait
time. The Test results are reported
within minutes along with a video
of the sperm. This provides both
instant test results requiring no
interpretation and a “wow” factor
when the tester sees his sperm
in action. YO test is critical for
indicating male fertility potential
and with the results already in
hand, any male can walk into a
Doctor’s clinic with reduced stress
of facing additional testing and can
sign up for further treatment. The
Test kit is sold online through the
YO website www.yospermtest.com
or through Amazon for about INR
1990. Itisdeliveredinaplainboxfor
confidentiality.
YO HOME SPERMTEST – NOW IN INDIA

Artificial intelligence is the
future and it aims at making
human life easier. With this view,
a Delhi-based start-up VISIT was
launched in 2016 which is an on-
demand healthcare service online
platform that provides its users
a pool of medical specialists and
general physicians to choose from,
for consultation. The facility has an
artificial intelligence based ‘chatbot’
that acts as a digital assistant to
provide ‘smart help’ to patients in
getting consultation from doctors.
The chatbot comes with a USP that
when a patient accesses it for help,
it learns using the information
given by the patient and uses the
information to reinforce its decision
network. The chatbot tracks user’s
activity, sleep, calories and fitness
data to help them reach their goals
with continuous reminders, insights
and motivation. The VISIT offers
paid online consultation, through
video and voice channels and seven
days of free follow-up check-up over
text chat. The service also maintains
a pool of MBBS doctors who through
its ‘Q’ service offer free health advice
by text. The pool of 2200 doctors
includes: psychologists, dieticians,
dermatologists, sexologists, gynae-
cologists, preventive cardiology
and paediatricians besides general
physicians.
VISIT: AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE START-UP
SNORE CIRCLE
AChina–based firm VVFLY
Electronics has developed
a smart anti-snoring eye mask
called Snore Circle priced at nearly
INR 9700. Snore Circle is a smart
wearable sleeping mask that comes
with a little module that uses sound
detection and bone conduction
to identify when one is snoring.
Once that is done, it sends out little
vibrations to trick one’s brain into
tightening one’s throat muscles.
Once the throat muscles are
tightened, snoring should subside.
The vibrations on the Snore Circle
adjust to your snoring level and
are tuned well enough so that they
don't get so strong that people just
end up waking up instead they are
just enough to alter your throat
muscles. The mask has an 80 mAh
battery and can detect snoring by
giving out vibrations at 36 levels.
It allows the users to monitor and
analyse their snoring, its intensity
and decibel level along with
sleeping data through its Snore
Circle App.
US-based start-up Zipline has
developed a drone that can
deliver urgent medicines, blood
and vaccines mid-flight. Hospitals
can text orders to Zipline for the
requiredproducts,whicharepacked
at its centres and then launched
aboard the drone that races along
at over 100kmph. The autonomous
drone then drops the package via
parachute at the designated area.
Zipline improves access to these
supplies by flying over impassable
mountains and washed-out roads,
delivering directly to remote clinics.
The supplies are centralised and
provide on-demand deliveries,
completely reducing waste and
stock-outs. Zipline provides a
seamless delivery system at an
affordable price, obsessing over
every detail, so that healthcare
providers can solely focus on
patient health. Zipline created
national drone delivery system to
ship blood and drugs to remote
medical centres in Rwanda. Now
the company has developed world’s
swiftest commercial delivery drone,
with a top speed of 128kmph (a hair
shy of 80mph) with its extended
services in Tanzania.
WORLD’S FASTEST
COMMERCIAL DELIVERY
DRONE BY ZIPLINE

This is an endeavour to make
medical reports smarter. This
Pune-basedstart-up,foundedin2013,
works as a management information
system for healthcare providers
by using Artificial Intelligence to
process a huge data of medical
records and ERP transactions. The
system collects samples, manages
patient records, diagnoses them,
generates reports and aids in billing
and inventory, making the process
smarter and more efficient. In
nutshell, it’s an effort that digitises
diagnostic lab workflows through
its SaaS platform and makes them
available on the cloud to patients and
doctors. Doctors and consultants
get access to their patient records
using a mobile app and the patients
can use the app to understand their
reports, analyse their past health
data and monitor their health using
trackers. Recently the company
has raised US$1.1 mil from Nexus
Venture Partners which it intends
to use to expand its platform across
India, explore international markets
and to strengthen the product and
technology. LiveHealth's platform
has digitised more than 72 million
records, so far, and is delivering over
50,000 digital medical records to
doctors and patients every day. The
start-up works with more than 650
diagnostic centres across India and
Africa to automate their operations
i.e. to manage patients, financial
transactions etc.
NIRAMAI: A NOVEL
BREAST CANCER
SCREENING SOLUTION
This Bangalore-based start-up,
foundedin2016,usesartificial
intelligence for a pain-free breast
cancer screening. Recently, it
had successfully raised money to
scale up its efforts.The screening
method can detect tumours five
times smaller than what clinical
examination can detect. It is a
safe, non-touch, radiation-free,
and low-cost method. Since
its cost-effective and does not
require heavy equipment this
solution seems to be ideal for
smaller towns where affordable
healthcare is the need of the hour.
Mammography works only for
women over 40 and increasingly
there has been a prevalence
of breast cancer among young
women, which makes a solution
like this a welcome one. NIRAMAI
uses a high-resolution thermal
sensing device that scans the
chest area like a camera. It then
uses cloud-hosted analytics
solution for analysing the
thermal images. Its SaaS solution
uses big data analytics, artificial
intelligence and machine
learning for reliable, early and
accurate breast cancer screening.
The innovative methods used
in the solution have led to
multiple US patents, and their
novel algorithms have also been
peer-reviewed in international
scientific conferences. The start-
up has already started two clinical
trials with established hospitals.
LIVEHEALTH
HEARING
FITNESS APP
Denmark-based company
Oticon, a giant hearing
solution manufacturer has
launched the world’s first
hearing fitness tracking
technology that helps track
hearing aid use and provides
insights you can use to optimise
your health. The app is based on
big data analytics that combine
lifestyle and healthcare data
with local sound environment
analysis and is designed to
measure the impact of one’s
hearing on their health. This
app was declared the winner of
the 2018 CES Innovation Award
in the software and mobile apps
category. Health Fitness gives
advice and encouragement to
help users hear better and stay
healthy.

Karma Healthcare, a
Rajasthan-based start-up in
the technology-led healthcare
space has recently raised INR 3
crores from different investors.
The start-up aims to provide high
quality, affordable, equitable
and reliable healthcare to India’s
underserved population via a
differentiated business model.
The company has combined the
human touch of a nurse with
the scalability of shared doctor
services via real-time online
video consultations. It delivers
healthcare to consumers via
e-Doctor clinics. The effort is
to have e-clinics Pan-India. The
company thus seeks to make
definitive large-scale impact
and in-turn take significant
steps towards ‘healthcare
for all’. So far, the company has
given over 50,000 consultations
and currently has 10 e-Doctor
clinics in the states of Haryana
and Rajasthan. There is a
comprehensive ecosystem
of clinical treatment, quality
medicines and diagnostics
at competitive prices. The
company has developed an in-
house technology suite that
helps it deliver standardised
care including a bespoke Clinical
Decision Support System and
is extending its capabilities to
deep learning driven diagnosis,
treatment and monitoring. The
company has backing from Tata
Trusts, UBS Optimus Foundation
and WISH Foundation.
KARMA HEALTHCARE
EARLY
DETECTION
OF DENGUE
As per data from the National Vector
Borne Disease Control Programme
there has been a 5.5-fold increase
in dengue cases from 2010-2017.
Deaths due to dengue infection have
also more than doubled over the same
period. Infact there were 28000 more
cases in India in 2017 as compared
to 2016 making this a huge public
concern. Dengue is a mosquito-borne
illness that can cause severe flu-like
symptoms with possible complications
like haemorrhage and shock. Dengue
infection may progress to dengue
haemorrhagic fever resulting in severe
abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea,
convulsions, bruising, and uncontrolled
bleeding. The most severe form of the
illness that is dengue haemorrhagic
shock may lead to plasma leaking, fluid
accumulation, respiratory distress,
severe bleeding, and multiorgan failure.
With such complications, fatality is
significant. So, missed or even delayed
diagnosis is very dangerous. Two-
thirds of dengue deaths happen due to
missed diagnosis making it imperative
to have a quick, reliable method for
early detection. Taking a step in this
direction with its innovative molecular
assays, iGenetic Diagnostics, a Mumbai-
based facility has come out with a lab
test that can detect dengue virus within
24 hours at a very early stage of the
infection whereas the existing labs take
3-4 days. iGenetic has also developed
a rapid molecular diagnostic test that
can identify the serotype of the virus.
It is important here because dengue
virushas4serotypesandonceaperson
has been infected with one serotype,
they have lifelong immunity from that
serotype. But if a person gets infected
again with a different serotype the
disease progression is fastened and
more severe, thereby proving deadly.
So, another advantage is that the test
enables detection of dengue from
day 1. Thus, the molecular diagnostic
approaches to accurately and rapidly
diagnose viral infections have been
rightfully employed by iGenetic.
Dry eyes affect millions of adults
and its risk increases with
advancing age. Keeping this acute eye
problem in mind, Lumenis worked
in this direction. Lumenis, world’s
largest energy-based medical device
company for surgical, ophthalmology
and aesthetic applications is
renowned for its technological break-
throughsinophthalmiclasersandhas
a long list of industry gold standards.
Lumenis’ latest M22 optimal pulse
technologyistheanswertoamajority
of eye inflammation treatments
with optimal pulse technology
(OPT). Mumbai’s renowned super
specialty eye care Ojas Eye Hospital
has brought in India Lumenis M22
Optimal Pulse Technology (OPT) for
treatment of dry eyes. The latest eye
care technology is seen as a great
revolutionary value addition to the
ophthalmic applications especially
for the treatment of dry eyes. The
M22 services will be available at two
branches of Ojas Eye Hospital, one at
Bandra and the other at Kandivali.
Recent studies have showcased
prevalenceofdryeyesamongpatients
rangingacrossagegroups.Meibomian
Gland Dysfunction (MGD) is one of
the leading causes of dry eye disease
(DED), affecting millions of people
worldwide. Optimal pulse technology
from Lumenis has emerged as the
most effective alternative for patients,
leading to significant improvement
in ocular surface quality, gland
function and dry eye symptoms. The
Lumenis M22 OPT is an excellent
technology for treating eyelid
inflammation. OPT is selectively
absorbed in the haemoglobin of
abnormal blood vessels and destroys
them by thrombolysis thereby
treating the root cause of the problem
leading to immediate relief, a safe
and comfortable, fast ‘lunch time
treatment’ and improves the skin
appearance too.
LUMENIS M22 OPTIMAL PULSE
TECHNOLOGY – AN EFFECTIVE
SOLUTIONTOTREAT DRY EYES

MediaTek Inc. recently unveiled
MediaTek Sensio, a powerful
advanced health monitoring solution
which makes it easy to track heart-
rate information, peripheral oxygen
levels, blood pressure trends and
more. It is industry’s first 6-in-1
biosensor that turns smartphones
into your personal health companion.
Sensio delivers six key health data
points such as heart-rate, heart-rate
variability, blood pressure trends,
peripheral oxygen saturation, ECG and
photoplethysmography. The product is
available as an embedded module in
smartphones which makes it possible
for consumers to quickly check
and monitor their physical fitness.
The MediaTek Sensio MT6381 is a
comprehensive software and module
solution designed specifically to
deliver valuable health data, consisting
of optical, electrical and processing
components. The customizable,
compact solution means device
manufacturers have the flexibility to
embed the MediaTek Sensio module
directly into all types of smartphones,
versus using multiple sensors. The
module uses light emitting diodes
(LEDs) in conjunction with a light
sensitive sensor to measure the
absorption of red and infrared light
by the user’s fingertips. By touching
a device’s sensors and electrodes
with your fingertips, MediaTek Sensio
creates a closed loop between your
heart and the biosensor to measure
ECG and PPG waveforms. The product
is the first 6-in-1 total hardware and
software solution, consisting of optical,
electrical and processing components
which delivers a package of smart
health solutions that will help its users
tobemoreinformedabouttheirfitness
levels. MediaTek Sensio entered the
market in the beginning of 2018.
MEDIATEKSENSIO-ABIOSENSORSOLUTIONTO
BRINGHEALTH MONITORINGTOSMARTPHONES
Haemophilia is a genetic
disorderofbloodcoagulation
due to decreased levels or a
complete lack of clotting factors
that results in profuse bleeding
into joints, muscles or internal
organs either spontaneously
or as a result of accidental or
surgical trauma. Globally, India
is among the top ten countries of
people living with Haemophilia
A1 with about 18000 cases.
Studies have revealed that
by the age of 25 years, 79%
of people with Haemophilia
are likely to become severely
disabled if proper treatment is
not provided. Efforts are being
made to tackle this situation,
so in April this year, Lok Nayak
Hospital jointly conducted a one-
day patient awareness program
“Haem Utsav”, e-learning to
empower Haemophilia care
in India supported by Novo
Nordisk, India. An updated
Haemophilia India website
(www.haemophiliaindia.com)
has been launched for e-learning.
Delhi Government has won a
global award for introducing
yoga sutra in Haemophilia,
taken up advocacy and capacity
building programs, launched
skill-based training programs
and a self-infusion program
and created self-help groups for
Haemophilia.
HAEMOPHILIA CARE IN INDIA
Compiled by:
Dr. Avantika Batish is working
as the Director Strategy and
Healthcare at International
Health Emergency Learning
and Preparedness. Also, she is a
guest faculty for MBA (HR) and
MBA Healthcare Management
at various B-Schoolsand is a
soft skills trainer.

A
ccording to Union
Minister of State
(Independent Charge) for
Tourism Mr. K. J. Alphons,
the Union Ministry offers financial
support as Marketing Development
Assistance for Publicity and for
organizing Wellness and Medical
Tourism Promotion shows as well
as workshops/events/seminars to
accredited Medical and Wellness
Tourism Service Providers and
Chambers of Commerce, etc. A
film on Medical Tourism has been
produced in association with BBC
and is used at various fora for
promotional purposes; Medical
and Medical attendant visa have
been introduced to streamline and
ease the travel process of Medical
Tourists.
The e-tourist visa regime has also
been expanded to include medical
visits. Steps are afoot to set up
facilitation counters at the major
airports of Bengaluru, Chennai,
Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and
Foreign tourists
rallying for healthcare
The Board works as an umbrella
organization to promote this segment
of tourism in an organized manner. The
Board has formed Sub-Committees on
visa issues, accreditation, standards,
marketing and promotion. The
Ministry of Tourism collates data
regarding the arrivals on Medical and
Medical Attendant visas provided
by the Ministry of Home Affairs. In
2014, Foreign Tourists Arrivals (FTAs)
recorded were: 1,84,298 (2014);
2,33,918 (2015); 4,27,014 (2016).
Mumbai and for tourists arriving on
Medical Visas.
Apart from the above, the Department
of Commerce and Services Export
Promotion Council (SEPC) has
launched a Healthcare Portal
www.indiahealthcaretourism.com in
Arabic, English, French, Russian and
other languages as a single source
platform providing comprehensive
information to medical travelers on
the top healthcare institutions in the
country.
A National Medical and Wellness
Tourism Board has also been
constituted under the Chairmanship
oftheMinisterforTourismtoprovide
a dedicated institutional framework
to take forward the cause of
promotion of Medical and Wellness
Tourism including Ayurveda and
any other format of Indian system of
medicine covered by Ayurveda, Yoga,
Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy
(AYUSH).
The Board has members from the
Ministries of Health, Commerce,
External Affairs, AYUSH, Home
Affairs, the National Accreditation
Board for Hospitals and Healthcare
Providers (NABH) as well as
representatives from the major
chambers of commerce, hospitals
and independent experts in the field
of Medicine and Wellness.

A
recent study has found
that about 10% of school
children in Bengaluru
are obese, while 13.8%
children are at risk of contracting
lifestyle diseases in adulthood with
waistlines which are more than half
their height.
School-based screening of 104,105
children studying in 138 private
schools has revealed some alarming
trends on school students in
Bengaluru. The study was conducted
by AddressHealth, provider of health
services in schools for children in
India. The survey data was compiled
over the current academic year and
revealed a significant degree of
malnutrition (both over and under
nutrition) among children - with
9.2% of children being obese and
another 13.7% children falling
in the overweight category (over
nutrition) while about 8.5% of
them are too thin for their age
(undernutrition).
Apart from this, 28.6% school
children have dental caries (cavities)
while 15.1% have newly detected/
worsening vision problems. In
addition, more than 200 children
had previously undetected cardiac
murmurs, and 70 children had
previously undetected hearing
defects. Commenting on the survey
results Dr. Anand Lakshman,
Founder and CEO, AddressHealth,
said, “Children are increasingly
vulnerable due to a variety of
lifestyle and environmental factors
such as proliferation of fast food
options, lack of physical activity, too
much screen time etc. We believe
Contracting lifestyle diseases
in adulthood, reveals a
recent study
By InnoHEALTH Editorial Team

InnoHEALTH magazine - Volume 3 issue 3 - July to September 2018

InnoHEALTH magazine - Volume 3 issue 3 - July to September 2018

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