Health

Bhubaneswar, Jan 16 (Localwire): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday flagged off a mobile eye diagnostic van ‘Pashyantu’ here.

The van launched as a joint initiative of LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) aims to provide better eye care at the doorsteps of the people.

It will cover every LVPEI Odisha Secondary Eye Care Centre at Keonjhar, Rajgangpur, Rayagada and Berhampur twice a month.

The services will come to the aid of the patients suffering from major eye ailments like glaucoma, which need specialized treatment and diagnostic tests.

Pashyantu is likely to benefit more than 12,000people. At least 48,000 hospital visits across all the centers are also expected every year.

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Bhubaneswar, December 28 (Localwire): In a fresh missive issued to the state government, India’s National Human Rights Commission has directed the state government to cancel the registration of Apollo Hospitals here.

The leading super specialty hospital was found guilty of carrying out illegal kidney transplantation.

While rejecting the compliances made by the premier hospital, the rights panel ordered the state chief secretary to take appropriate steps for cancellation of the registration, and payment of Rs 2 lakh as compensation to the victim.

“The chief secretary is directed to submit the action taken report against Apollo Hospital under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994,” the NHRC order stated.

The rights panel gave its directive in response to a petition moved by activist Akhand in 2016.

“The chief secretary has been asked to submit the action taken report under Section 16 of the Act with regard to suspension or cancellation of registration of Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar, within six weeks, failing which the Commission shall be constrained to issue coercive process under Section 13 of the Human Rights Act, 1993,” the apex rights panel ruled.

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Bhubaneswar, December 24 (LocalWire): The state Health and Family Welfare Department has decided to replace old ambulances with a fleet of new ones for the hassle-free and interruption-free operation of the pre-hospital emergency medical service.

The government currently has 512 ambulances under its 108 Emergency Ambulance Service as part of the pre-hospital facility in the state.

As the majority of these ambulances were procured six to seven years back, they are now being replaced in a phased manner, sources said, adding that while 92 new ambulances have already been purchased, the remaining 420 old ambulances will be replaced by March 2020.

This fleet includes both Basic Life Support and Advance Life Support ambulances.

The average response time for 108 services is 20 minutes for urban locations, 25 minutes for semi-urban and 35 minutes for rural locations.

The pre-hospital service of ambulances can be requested by dialing the toll-free number 108 and all ambulances are monitored through a GPS tracking system, officials stated.

LocalWire