Category health

India, 09 February 2023: MediBuddy, India’s largest Digital Healthcare platform announced today that it has acquired the ‘vHealth by Aetna’ business (Indian Health Organization Private Limited) in India.

‘vHealth by Aetna’, is one of India’s most innovative primary healthcare service providers. ‘vHealth by Aetna’ is a leader in the B2B healthcare space and offers subscription-based primary healthcare services such as telehealth consultations, an extensive outpatient network, pharmacy, diagnostics and dental among other benefits to customers.

Commenting on the acquisition, Satish Kannan, Co-Founder, and CEO at MediBuddy said, “We made a strategic decision to go ahead with this critical acquisition as it is in line with our commitment to making high-quality healthcare accessible to a billion people. We believe that this acquisition will further strengthen our market leadership by giving impetus to our distribution channels, helping us in scaling our operations and offerings to a much wider section of the population. ‘vHealth by Aetna’s subscriber base will now have the convenience and the opportunity to access the full spectrum of the healthcare services provided by MediBuddy.” He further added, “vHealth by Aetna’ business has shown an impressive rate of growth in the past and with the expertise of the current team and MediBuddy’s existing strengths, we expect the combined business to grow significantly over the coming years.”

Anurag Khosla, CEO of Aetna India and IHO said, “MediBuddy and ‘vHealth by Aetna’ share a common vision of a future, where primary and digital healthcare comes together to redefine accessibility and delivery of quality healthcare services. We are confident and excited that the coming together of MediBuddy and’ vHealth by Aetna’ will not only benefit our existing ‘vHealth by Aetna’ customer base but will also advance the combined business with MediBuddy’s expertise.”

Over the next six months, ‘vHealth by Aetna’ business will transition to be rebranded as ‘MediBuddy vHealth’. The existing IHO management team and employees across all functions will continue to be employed by IHO, which is now part of MediBuddy. Both the existing and new subscriber base of ‘vHealth by Aetna’ will have access to MediBuddy’s technology and scale prowess, leading to an enhanced customer experience. The latest acquisition will bring on board ‘vHealth by Aetna’s’ customers to MediBuddy’s platform further strengthening the existing customer base of 30 Mn+. MediBuddy recently concluded its merger with DocsApp and the company raised $125 million in Series C funding in the first quarter of 2022.

New Delhi, 9th February 2023: On this year’s World Unani Day, Hamdard Laboratories, India’s leading Unani brand, focuses on strengthening immunity and advocates it as a Public Health right as it encourages people to visit the Hamdard Wellness Centres to avail free consultation from the doctors and Hakeems, and get 15% off on select medicines along with free BP/Sugar test. Unani Day every year observed on 11th February, will be celebrated across all Hamdard wellness centres from 30th January to 12th February 2023.

Hamdard Laboratories is a progressive, research-based health and wellness organization offering Unani medicines to provide preventive, curative, and rehabilitative healthcare. Hamdard Laboratories believes that in the modern age, having a strong immune system is one of the biggest advantages for humans; therefore, it’s crucial to build a robust immune system to fight infections and reduce the risk of contracting highly contagious diseases.

Unani, a form of traditional medicine based on a holistic approach compared to conventional medicine targeted on organs, is now getting a boost more than ever. Moreover, time and again, Unani has proved its scope in boosting immunity and its efficacy. Hamdard Laboratories’ Unani product range is the first line of defence against any infection and disease.

“Our immune system is the natural defence system that fights invading diseases. Such invaders can be viruses, parasites, and fungi. But, if the system gets compromised, one might end up becoming sick. That’s why we should always strive to boost our immune systems. We believe the Unani system of medicine, is a natural way of boosting our immunity. Therefore, we encourage everyone to utilize the opportunity and take free consultation from our doctors.” said, Suman Varma, CMO, of Hamdard Laboratories.

In the past, Hamdard launched twelve OTC immunity-boosting products that also treats illness like fever, cold, cough, etc. Hamdard’s special initiative of boosting immunity on Unani Day is another step towards uplifting everyone to prioritize their health and strengthen their immunity through holistic Unani solutions.

By Dr. Brajmohan Singh, Consultant – Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, HCG Hospitals Bhavnagar.

Our heart beats around 2.5 billion times in the average lifetime, circulating millions of gallons of blood throughout the body. This blood carries oxygen, fuel, hormones, and several other essential compounds that our body requires to stay functional. The heart’s workload is never ending, and it keeps on beating and keeps us alive. When the heart stops, almost all essential functions of the body fail. Poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, infection, genetic issues are some common risk factors that cause various heart-related disorders. While winters are favorite for a large number of people in our country owing to the comfortable cold weather, it is also the time when one must be cautious about keeping one’s heart healthy. This is because winters are found to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Here’s why and what to do to amp up heart health during winter.

How winters affect the heart health

The cold weather during winter contracts the blood vessels, thereby narrowing them. This results in increased blood pressure which enhances the risk of heart attack and stroke. Also, angina – chest pain due to coronary heart disease may worsen in the winter as the coronary vessels get narrowed. Also, the cold weather puts extra pressure on the heart as it has to work harder to maintain a healthy body temperature against the cold wind which makes the body lose more heat at a faster rate. In extreme cases, hypothermia can occur when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees and that could damage the heart muscle.

Here are various ways by which cold weather can affect one’s heart and what can be done to protect heart health.

Cold weather: Chilly winds and cold can cause arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow to the heart. Doing strenuous activities that put pressure on the heart at this time can make one more prone to a heart attack or stroke. Also, those with persistent heart disease must be more conscious during winter as it could aggravate and cause chest pain or trigger an attack.

Watch out for the signs of heart attack

The most common sign of a heart attack is acute chest pain. While men may experience nausea and dizziness, heart attacks among women are mostly asymptomatic which could lead to disregarding the signs.

Seasonal flu: Winters are known for influenza or flu including inflammation, dehydration, and fever. These could enhance the stress on the heart. It has been observed that the risk of getting a heart attack after getting the flu increases by 6 times.

Sedentary lifestyle: When winter, one prefers to stay indoors and become inactive. A sedentary lifestyle isn’t good for heart health and can anyway increase the risk of heart-related issues.

Overindulgence: It is hard to resist alcohol and comfort foods during winter but excessive consumption of alcohol and oily foods can increase the risk of heart attacks. One can, however, choose healthy food to warm up during winter like low-sodium, cream-free soups, oatmeal, roasted carrots, and other winter veggies.

Tips to keep the heart healthy during winter

•  Strenuous exercise must be avoided as that could put excessive pressure on heart health
•  One must dress in layers so that it is easier to remove clothing as overheating may also trigger a heart attack or stroke.
•  One must avoid excessive alcohol as it can make one feel warmer than the body temperature and can be specifically dangerous when one steps out in the cold.
•  Washing hands frequently ensure keeping flu and other respiratory infections at bay. Respiratory infections can also increase the risk of a heart attack.

One must get clinical help at once if one experiences any signs of heart-related disorders.

By Dr. Aditya Gupta, Director, Neurosurgery and Cyberknife Centre, Agrim institute for neurosciences, Artemis Hospital

Tumors of the spinal cord, due to its hard-to-access locations, pose a major threat to life. And as the tumor grows, it affects the spinal cord, gradually. Depending on the location and the type of tumor, the severity may vary from person to person. The usual symptoms include back pain, loss of sensation especially in legs and arms, difficulty in walking, decrease in body immunity and sensitivity to pain, increase in heat and cold sensitivity, loss of bowel movement control, muscle weakness and paralysis of limbs in extreme cases. Back pain is the early and foremost symptom in both cancerous and noncancerous tumors.

Treatment for spinal tumors remains a challenge in India, due to the reason that only limited technology is available, and also the fact that the spine is sensitive. While surgery is the treatment of choice for such tumors and the prognosis is excellent. Patients show signs of recovery very soon and are able to get back to their normal life quite effectively. With the advanced technology that is available and the advent of the latest cyberknife radiation surgery, treating such complicated tumors has become completely safe and highly effective.

Spinal tumor types

It is the growth of tumour that develops within the bones of spine. It can be Benign or malignant.

There are three common types of tumors that may affect the spinal cord.

1. Intra-medullary Tumors – It develops in cells that are present within the spinal cord. Examples are Astrocytoma and Ependymoma.
2. Extra-medullary Tumors – It develops within the supporting network of cells that are around the spinal cord. This type of tumor affects spinal cord function. Examples are Meningiomas, Schwannomas, Neurofibromas.
3. Vertebral Column Tumors

· Primary Tumors – It occurs in the vertebral column and develops either from the bone or disc of spine. Osteogenic Sarcoma is the bone tumour which comes under this category. These are very rare and grow slowly and typically occur from the age group 21-50.

· Metastatic Tumors – This Tumor spread from one area to another area of the body. The pain is worse and is accompanied by other signs of serious illness such as weight loss, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting.

The growth of any kind of spinal tumor can lead to pain, neurological problems and sometimes, it can be life-threatening and can even cause permanent disability.

In women, spinal tumor spread from cancer cells that originate from breasts or lungs whereas in, in case of Men, it spreads from tumor cells that originate from lungs or prostate.

What are the symptoms?

As the tumor grows, it affects the spinal cord, gradually. Depending on the location and the type of tumor, the severity may vary from person to person. The usual symptoms include back pain, loss of sensation especially in legs and arms, difficulty in walking, decrease in body immunity and sensitivity to pain, increase in heat and cold sensitivity, loss of bowel movement control and muscle weakness. Back pain is the early and the foremost symptom in both cancerous and noncancerous tumors.

Why cyberknife is preferred over other methods of treatment?

Though many other treatment methods may be available for treating spinal tumors but due to the advantage of being totally non-invasive and eliminates the requirement of any kind of anesthetics, cyberknife is a very useful tool saving the patient’s time and helping in better and quicker recovery. Cyberknife radiation surgery is a form of radio surgery that uses precisely targeted radiation to destroy tumors. This system is non-invasive and prevents any kind of blood loss eliminating the need for anesthesia.

Cyberknife radiosurgery is typically not useful in intramedullary tumors (the first type mentioned above) as these are located inside the spinal cord. For extramedullary tumor, Cyberknife is a good option for small tumors that are not causing any compression of the spinal cord, including small residual tumors after surgery. Vertebral column tumors, specially cancer deposits can be successfully treated with Cyberknife unless they are very big, very numerous, or cause spinal cord compression or spinal column instability.

The cyberknife system is unique designed robotic system that delivers high-precision surgical procedures and is flexible in producing radiations is one of the best options for treatment of spinal tumor.

Chennai, 08.02.2023: The Government on announced the appointment of Shri K Satyanarayana Raju as Managing Director and CEO of Canara Bank. He has replaced Shri L V Prabhakar who demitted office on 31 December 2022. The Government of India appointed Shri. K Satyanarayana Raju as MD and CEO with effect from 07.02.2023.

Shri. K Satyanarayana Raju has also served Canara Bank as Executive Director since 10th March 2021.

Shri. K Satyanarayana Raju is a Physics Graduate, Post Graduate in Business Administration (Banking and Finance), and CAIIB.

He joined the erstwhile Vijaya Bank in 1988 and has risen to the level of Chief General Manager in the Bank of Baroda. During his 33 years of long banking career, he has headed various Branches for 12 years including the Specialised Corporate Banking Branch. He was the Regional head of Shimoga, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. He was also the Zonal Head of the Mumbai Zone which is the Biggest Zone of the Bank. He has also headed Operations and Services Department at Head Officeead He.

He has a very rich and vast experience in all Segments of Banking including Branch Banking, Corporate Credit, Retail Credit, Agri Financing, Credit Monitoring, Credit Recovery, Compliance, etc. Also, his rich experience and exposure led to the digital transformation of Banking products and services.

Bangalore, 8th February 2023:– Observing World Cancer Day, HCG Cancer Centre Bangalore, launched 23 unique initiatives, many of which are first of their kind in India, to encourage improved cancer research and raise the quality of cancer treatment in the country. In addition to these initiatives, HCG spearheaded the hair donation drive, Strands of Hope, as part of the #BaldAndBold campaign. This was organised in partnership with Bengaluru Biker Saviours by Bangalore, making HCG a beacon of courage and kindness for cancer patients nationwide.

On the occasion of World Cancer Day, HCG Bangalore has also organized a “Walkathon” in order to create awareness of the lifestyle changes to be adopted by people to reduce cancer risk. HCG also launched a preventive cancer screening package in order to create awareness and enable early diagnosis. The announcement of these initiatives was concluded by a mega event, including the launch of other initiatives under the leadership of eminent doctors at HCG Cancer Centre, Bangalore. The occasion was also graced by Padmabushan and eminent doctor, Dr G Padmanabhan, along with the doctors and staff at HCG Cancer Centre, Bangalore.

The event marked the launch of HCG International Centre for Biorepository and Biobanking, under the leadership of Dr Vishal Rao, and Dr Abhishek Mohanty, to focus on the collection, preservation, and distribution of biological samples for translational cancer research and personalised medicine. It was followed by the inauguration of HCG Cancer Registry – Centre for Health Informatics and Data analytics in cancer under the leadership of Dr Vishal Rao & Dr Amritanshu Ram for dealing with the collection, analysis, and dissemination of cancer-related patient data to improve cancer treatment, survival outcomes and population health.

Further, the launch of the HCG policy paper on managing AMR and Cancer care under the leadership of Dr Chintan K is anticipated to address the challenges of antibiotic resistance in cancer care and propose solutions to improve patient outcomes.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Manisha Kumar, COO, of HCG Cancer Centre Bengaluru, said, “India has recently made crucial headway and advancements in the field of cancer care. HCG group has been a pioneer in the field of specialised cancer treatment and our centres of excellence in Bangalore have set new standards of diagnosis and treatment of patients not only while in the hospital but also in improving their quality of life after they are discharged. Enabled by the world’s latest cutting-edge technology such as Adaptive Radiotherapy, Cyberknife, Genomics and Gene therapy and Robotic Onco surgeries coupled with a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of patients, our endeavour is to ensure excellence in clinical outcomes and a high level of patient care. On this occasion, we have taken up initiatives to create awareness among people on prevention and early diagnosis of cancer and also among the clinical fraternity about the precision oncology work we are doing.”

Cancer, as a disease, is a difficult battle that requires tremendous mental fortitude to overcome. The hair donation drive recognized the generosity of so many hair donors who have come forward to donate their strands of love, joy, and best wishes to cancer patients, to make society a better place to live.

Mumbai: The number of cancer cases is increasing in all age groups. It is not uncommon to see children detected with cancers anymore. Childhood cancer survivors tend to encounter sleep-related problems. Hence, insomnia and daytime sleepiness as adults are commonly seen as a result owing to emotional stress due to cancer and its treatment. A minimum of 8 hrs of sleep is an absolute must for optimal function. During this time, our body diverts attention to healing and important body functions. For cancer patients specifically, this time is needed to recuperate from the effects of cancer and its treatment as well.

A cancer diagnosis is upsetting at any age, but particularly so when the patient is a child. The most common types of cancer in children ages 0 to 14 years are leukemias, brain and other central nervous systems (CNS) tumors, and lymphomas. The type of treatment for the child depends on the type of cancer and its stage. Common treatments are in the form of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. There are many side effects of cancer treatments such as poor appetite, constipation, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Moreover, as childhood cancer survivors may also experience sleep problems as they grow

“Sleep disorders are seen in those detected with cancer. The tumors, treatment, certain drugs, being admitted to the hospital for a long time, stress owing to cancer diagnosis, and other health problems apart from cancer can be unsettling for the child which can invite sleep problems in later life. The common sleep issues reported are insomnia means the inability to fall asleep, sleep apnea wherein the breathing stops while sleeping, hypersomnia is being unable to stay awake during the day and circadian rhythm disorders are issues with the sleep-wake cycle, making you unable to sleep and wake at the right times.”

“Sleep problems are prevalent in children detected with cancer as they become older. They are often linked to pain and distress. One will find it challenging to focus on his/her daily activities. They will not be able to follow instructions, will be fatigued, sleepy, lazy, inactive, irritated, and have trouble making decisions. Tackling disrupted sleep in these survivors can help in enhancing long-term psychological functioning and getting sound sleep at night.”

“To induce sleep, one should practice relaxation techniques such as medication, limit screen time before bed, take a warm shower, keep a peaceful sleep environment and the room should be dark, cut down on caffeine, soak up in the sun, and follow the same sleep and wake-up time. Moreover, exercising on a regular basis can help one get a good sleep at night. But, one will have to exercise under the guidance of a trainer and avoid going overboard.”