Reducing smoking rates to 5% by 2050 would increase life expectancy by up to a year

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Reducing smoking rates to 5% by 2050 would increase life expectancy by up to a year

To realise the promise of a tobacco free generation could substantially reduce global lung cancer mortality

 

A new modelling study has found reducing smoking rates to 5% by 2050 would increase life expectancy by one year among males and 0.2 years among females. It could also prevent a whopping 876 years of life lost (YLL) a metric to assess early mortality and morbidity because of a specific cause. This would require significant acceleration globally of tobacco control efforts, a new study published in The Lancet Public Health has estimated. 

Findings from the study suggest that, based on current trends, global life expectancy will likely rise to 78.3 years by 2050 – up from 73.6 years in 2022. However, if tobacco smoking were to gradually decline from current levels to a rate of 5% in 2050, this would result in one year of additional life expectancy in males and 0.2 years in females. Smoking is known to put young women at a heightened risk of heart diseases.

In a scenario where tobacco smoking was eliminated from 2023 onwards, this could result in up to 1.5 additional years of life expectancy among males and 0.4 years among females in 2050. In both scenarios, millions of premature deaths would also be avoided. To realise the promise of a tobacco free generation could substantially reduce global lung cancer mortality, the study estimated.

“We must not lose momentum in efforts to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, smoking around the world. Our findings highlight that millions of premature deaths could be avoided by bringing an end to smoking,” said senior author, Professor Stein Emil Vollset, of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

Smoking is a leading risk factor for preventable death and ill health globally, accounting for more than one in ten deaths in 2021. While rates of smoking have fallen substantially over the past three decades, the pace of decline varies and has slowed in many countries. Cancers, ischemic heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are—and will continue to be—the leading causes of premature deaths from smoking. Together, these conditions account for 85% of potentially avoidable years of life lost (YLLs)—a measure of premature deaths.

The findings hold significant importance for India. In 2021 it was estimated that smoking was responsible for over 8 lakh deaths in India.

 

First self administered nasal spray flu vaccine is approved in the US, to be available online

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First self administered nasal spray flu vaccine is approved in the US, to be available online

FluMist can be used for protection against influenza virus subtypes A and B in individuals aged 2-49 years

The USFDA has given its approval to the first self administered nasal spray flu vaccine. FluMist can be used for protection against influenza virus subtypes A and B in individuals aged 2-49 years.

It is the first vaccine to prevent influenza, more commonly known as the flu, that does not need to be administered by a health care provider such as a doctor or a nurse or a field health worker. “Today’s approval of the first influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration provides a new option for receiving a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine potentially with greater convenience, flexibility and accessibility for individuals and families,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. 

He added: “Getting vaccinated each year is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness in a substantial proportion of the U.S. population every year and may result in serious complications, including hospitalization and death. This approval adds another option for vaccination against influenza disease and demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to advancing public health”.

FluMist has been associated with low grade fever in young children post administration and runny nose or nasal congestion in adults. The vaccine contains a weakened form of live influenza virus strains. Though it can be administered by oneself or by a caregiver at home, a prescription is still required to buy it. It will be made available through online pharmacies.

 

Exercising for years? Your belly fat may be healthier than that of a sedentary person

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Exercising for years? Your belly fat may be healthier than that of a sedentary person

Study in Nature Metabolism says that even in an obese or a overweight person, endurance training can remodel belly fat

Exercising for years yet struggling to lose weight? Take heart. New study shows that even in overweight or obese people, endurance training can remodel belly fat and it is healthier than that of a sedentary person. The composition of abdominal fat (subcutaneous adipose tissue or SAT) is associated with many obesity related health complications.

Regular exercise may play a role in remodelling aSAT structure in ways that may contribute to preserved cardiometabolic health, researchers from University of Michigan reported in the journal Nature Metabolism. Exercises such as jogging or biking at least four times a week can have this effect.

“ in summary, our findings indicate that adults with overweight or obesity who exercise regularly for at least a few years. Exhibit structural and protonic remodelling in a set as evidence by higher capitalisation, altered extracellular matrix content, fewer ATM (adipose tissue macrophages) are regulated, proteins and phosphate proteins involved in metabolism, protein translation, and post transcriptional modification. Moreover, our ex-vivo experiment suggests an has capacity for angiogenesis and lipid storage and exercisers,” the researchers from the university’s School of Kinesiology, wrote. Angiogenesis is the process of generation of new blood vessels. Blood supply is a measure of health.

Abdominal obesity is associated with a range of metabolic diseases and this association has been well established for a few decades now. “Waist circumference (WC) is directly related to all-cause mortality when adjusted for body mass index (BMI), highlighting the importance of visceral over subcutaneous fat deposits and the incorporation of WC measurement in the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome,” researchers wrote in a 2007 article in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.

10% health sub centres in rural India have no electricity, 33% PHCs have no labour room

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10% health sub centres in rural India have no electricity, 33% PHCs have no labour room

Government report highlights infrastructure, manpower deficiencies in rural and urban healthcare

Ten percent health sub centres (SC) and 3.8% primary health centres(PHC) in rural India have no electricity, 33% PHCs have no labour rooms and 73% specialist positions sanctioned in urban health centres stood vacant as of March 2023.

A new government report “Health Dynamics of lndia (lnfrastructure & Human Resources) 2022-23”, formerly known as the Rural Health Statistics has once again unveiled the dismal status of primary and secondary health in the country. The report shows that not only are there glaring infrastructure gaps in the government health system but the problem of shortage of specialists (surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and pediatricians) remains an endemic problem even in the community health centres in urban areas. Of the 1922 specialist posts sanctioned for these centres, 1415 were vacant. About 30% of general duty medical officers for allopathic medicine (830 of 2705) were also vacant. Pharmacists and radiographers were also short.

The findings are significant because the perception about manpower availability in the government sector has traditionally been that it is a problem only in rural areas. However this report debunks that effectively. Officials feel the expanding private sector in the urban areas that offer comparable or better salaries while not putting a bar on private practice may outweigh the lure of a “secure” government job. For health centres in rural areas that have no electricity, storage of drugs and vaccines is the biggest problem as refrigerators cannot be operated. 

The document was released earlier this week by health secretary Apurva Chandra. Highlighting the document as a source of reliable and authentic information on various aspects of National Health Mission (NHM), Shri Apurva Chandra stated that “The annual publication is a valuable document furnishing much needed information on manpower and infrastructure within NHM, helpful in policy making, improving processes and problem solving”. He added that the document gives a cross analysis across the states on the availability and deficiencies in manpower and infrastructure. The data is immensely helpful in understanding the requirements of the states, their priority areas and formulating policies and targeted campaigns, he said. The health statistics also aids in making a comparison in the performance of the states on different parameters, he said.

 

Why the decision to expand health insurance for Indians aged over 70 years is a game changer

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Why the decision to expand health insurance for Indians aged over 70 years is a game changer

The Union Cabinet Wednesday decided to include the elderly in PMJAY which provides a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per annum

The decision of the Union cabinet to extend the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) to 6 crore Indians who are aged over 70 years can be a game changer.

PMJAY is the tertiary care arm of Ayushman Bharat the flagship health programme of the NDA government. Eligible families (12.54 crore) are entitled under the scheme to an annual health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. For citizens above the new age criteria, there will be no bar on eligibility based on socioeconomic status, This will also be an individual and not a family health cover. 

The eligible senior citizens would be issued a new distinct card under AB PM-JAY. The senior citizens of the age 70 years and above belonging to families already covered under AB PM-JAY will get an additional top-up cover upto ₹5 lakh per year for themselves (which they do not have to share with the other members of the family who are below the age of 70 years). All other senior citizens of the age 70 years and above will get a cover upto ₹5 lakh per year on a family basis. 

Dr. Harsh Mahajan, President FICCI ( Health Services) & M.D Mahajan Imaging & Lab, said: “The inclusion of senior citizens under the Ayushman Bharat scheme marks a significant enhancement of our national healthcare infrastructure. This expansion brings an additional 6 crore individuals from over 4.5 crore families into the scheme’s coverage, providing crucial health support to millions. Each senior citizen will receive a health card, making it easier for them to access the scheme’s services. The scheme offers ₹5 lakh in coverage per family annually, which, although shared among multiple elderly members within the same family, still offers considerable financial relief. As our elderly population grows, so does the need for specialized geriatric care, and this expansion will enable more families to access essential services without the burden of overwhelming medical expenses.”

With life expectancy on the rise and nuclear families or migration of children outside the city of the country forcing many seniors to live alone, this programme will help them feel a lot more secure in terms of their health needs.

Senior citizens of the age 70 years and above who are already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF)  may either choose their existing scheme or opt for AB PMJAY.  It has been clarified that senior citizens of 70 years and above who are under private health insurance policies or  Employees’ State Insurance scheme will be eligible to avail benefits under AB PM-JAY.

 

Diabetic and diligent? It may help you keep cardiovascular diseases at bay 

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Diabetic and diligent? It may help you keep cardiovascular diseases at bay 

Diligence is a proxy for conscientiousness and characterised by resourceful, disciplined, and organised behaviour

Your personality type may be the key to how you live your life with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Researchers looked at data from the UK Biobank Study to compare the prognosis of patients living with T2D against traits such as sociability, warmth, diligence, curiosity, and nervousness.

They found that diligent people had the least chances of developing cardiovascular diseases even if they had predisposing conditions like T2D. Diligence was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing any type of cardiovascular disease, even after accounting for potentially influential factors. they were 10% less likely to have a heart attack, 17% less likely to have a stroke caused by a blood clot (ischaemic stroke), 8% less likely to have atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), and 16% less likely to develop heart failure. People displaying this trait were 7% less likely to experience any kind of cardiovascular event during the tracking period, they reported in the open access journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.

They tracked the health of 8794 people with type 2 diabetes, who had enrolled in the study between 2006 and 2010, until the end of 2021.

The researchers explained the findings by assessing that diligence is a proxy for conscientiousness and characterised by resourceful, disciplined, and organised behaviour, which is reflected in several traits such as orderliness and industriousness. Previously published studies have suggested that people with this trait are less likely to smoke and are more likely to be physically active, they said. 

“Among personality traits, a lower diligence level was significantly associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction [heart attack], ischaemic stroke, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure, in patients with type 2 diabetes,” the researchers wrote.

 

Siddha drugs cocktail can control anaemia in adolescent girls, claims new study

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Siddha drugs cocktail can control anaemia in adolescent girls, claims new study

It is estimated that over a quarter of India’s adolescent girls are anaemic, the study looked at multiple interventions to tackle the problem

A cocktail of Siddha drugs can help tackle anaemia in adolescent girls, a recent study has claimed. The ministry of AYUSH has issued a statement about this study.

The research was done by experts from eminent Siddha institutions of the country, including the National Institute of Siddha (NIS), Ministry of Ayush; Xavier Research Foundation, Tamilnadu; and Velumailu Siddha Medical College & Hospital, Tamilnadu. The research was published in the Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge (IJTK).

The researchers found that ABMN (Aṉṉapēticentūram, Bāvaṉa kaṭukkāy, Mātuḷai maṇappāku and Nellikkāy lēkiyam), a combination of Siddha drug treatment can improve the level of Haemoglobin as well as PCV-Packed cell volume, MCV-Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin and MCH-Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin in the anaemic adolescent girls.

The study observed 2,648 girls, of which 2,300 completed the standard 45-day programme. Reportedly, before the start of the programme, researchers dewormed the participants with Cuṇṭaivaṟṟal cūraṇam, and then a 45-day treatment of Aṉṉapēti centūram, Bāvaṉa kaṭukkāy, Mātuḷai maṇappāku and Nellikkāy lēkiyam (ABMN) was given to all participants under observation.

An estimated  28.5% of adolescent girls in the country are anaemic. Dr. R. Meenakumari, Director, National Institute of Siddha, also among the senior authors of the study, said, “Siddha medicine plays a notable role in Public Health Initiatives of the Ministry of Ayush. The awareness created among adolescent girls, dietary advice and preventive care provided to them and the treatment through Siddha drugs provided therapeutic benefits to the anaemic patients. Hence Siddha drugs for anaemia can contribute to public health by providing cost-effective and accessible treatment in various settings”.

 

Mpox confirmed in isolated patient, 31st in India; govt says no cause for panic

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Mpox confirmed in isolated patient, 31st in India; govt says no cause for panic

The infection identified in the patient is from the same family of the virus as had been identified earlier in India

The patient earlier isolated in India on suspicions of Mpox has been confirmed to  have contracted the infection. The government of India, in a statement said that there is no cause for worry.

This is India’s 31st Mpox case and the first since the World Health Organisation declared the disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The government of India said: “The previously suspected case of Mpox (monkeypox) has been verified as a travel-related infection. Laboratory testing has confirmed the presence of Mpox virus of the West African clade 2 in the patient. This case is an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards, and is not a part of the current public health emergency (reported by WHO) which is regarding clade 1 of mpox.”

Two strains of virus may be defined to belong to different clades if they have a common ancestor but have each taken a different line of mutation. “The individual, a young male who recently traveled from a country experiencing ongoing Mpox transmission, is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility. The patient remains clinically stable and is without any systemic illness or comorbidities,” the ministry of health and family welfare added.

Meanwhile the ministry, in a letter to state health departments, has asked them to screen and treat all possible Mpox cases as per protocol. 

Mpox is a viral disease that is characterised by fever and pus filled painful boils all over the body. It spreads either by skin to skin contact or by coming in contact with the scabs shed by a patient who is suffering from the disease. Pregnant mothers can transmit the infection to their babies through what is known as vertical transmission. It can also occasionally spread from animals to people. The treatment for the disease is mostly supportive or symptomatic.

 

Suspected Mpox in India; in the US, CDC confirms first bird flu case without known animal exposure

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Suspected Mpox in India; in the US, CDC confirms first bird flu case without known animal exposure

The government of India has said there is no cause for panic as the person has been put under isolation

 

Even a India is waiting with bated breath for what may be its first case of Mpox after a person showing symptoms consistent with that infection isolated, in the US, the CDC has confirmed the first case of bird flu without any known animal exposure.

In a statement the Indian ministry of health has said: “A young male patient, who recently travelled from a country currently experiencing Mpox (monkeypox) transmission, has been identified as a suspect case of Mpox. The patient has been isolated in a designated hospital and is currently stable. Samples from the patient are being tested to confirm the presence of Mpox. The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country.”

Mpox which was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has since spread to many other countries. In the DRC, more than 22,000 cases and 1200 deaths have been reported since the beginning of this year. Over 100 laboratory-confirmed cases have also been reported in four countries neighbouring the DRC: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. 

The government of India added that the country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel related cases and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk.

Meanwhile in the US,a human case of avian influenza A(H5) (bird flu) was reported in the state of Missouri. The patient, according to a CDC statement, “had underlying medical conditions, was treated with influenza antiviral medications, subsequently discharged, and has recovered. There is no immediate known animal exposure. No ongoing transmission among close contacts or otherwise has been identified.”

This is the first case in which no exposure to a sick animal has been reported. This is worrying because if the infection starts spreading from human to human then the chances of its spread are much higher and it would indicate that the virus has mutated.

 

Why the new TB regimen is an important step towards the 2025 TB elimination goal

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Why the new TB regimen is an important step towards the 2025 TB elimination goal

Union health ministry has approved the BPaLM regimen, consisting of four drugs  – Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid and Moxifloxacin

India’s ambitious target of eliminating TB by 2025 – five years short of the global 2030 goal – received a boost on Friday when the Union health ministry approved a new, shorter regimen for drug resistant TB. The BPaLM regimen, consists of four drugs – Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid and Moxifloxacin.

It is an important decision that will impact the large numbers of cases of drug resistant TB that are reported in the country and help recover some lost ground after the disruptions in TB control measures caused by the COVID19 pandemic. Medibulletin takes you through the decision and why it is important.

What is this new regimen?

The BPaLM regimen, according to a statement issued by the government of India soon after the approval, has been proven to be safe, more effective and a quicker treatment option. Traditional MDR-TB treatments can last up to 20 months with severe side effects including kidney ailments, hearing loss, psychiatric problems, hepatitis and in some cases even epileptic seizures.

The BPaLM regimen can cure the drug-resistant TB in just six months with a high treatment success rate.  

What is the number of patients that this decision will impact?

The Union health ministry estimates that the decision will impact 75,000 drug-resistant TB patients in the country who will be eligible to use this shorter regimen. There will also be significant cost saving. will now be able to avail benefit of this shorter regimen. With the other advantages, there will be an overall saving in cost. A country-wide time-bound roll out plan of the BPaLM regimen is being prepared by the Central TB Division of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in consultation with States/UTs, which includes rigorous capacity building of health professionals for safe administration of the new regimen.

How big is India’s TB burden?

India has among the highest burden of tuberculosis in the world, accounting for 27% of the global load. “ndia has the highest burden of TB with two deaths occuring every three minutes from tuberculosis (TB). But these deaths can be prevented. With proper care and treatment, TB patients can be cured and the battle against TB can be won,” says the World Health Organisation.

What is India’s accelerated TB elimination deadline?

Globally elimination of tuberculosis deadline as prescribed by WHO’s End TB strategy is 2030. However in 2018 prime minister Narendra Modi committed that India would meet that goal by 2025, five years ahead of the global deadline. However the COVID19 pandemic caused several disruptions in those efforts but with sustained detection and treatment, India remains hopeful of achieving that target.

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