Thursday, February 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
#SwachhBharat #SwachhSurvekshan2019 A Good Beautification Drive by the Tiruchirappalli City Corporation @TrichyCorp in the form of Musical fountains in #Trichy city by the @Ravi_commr - M.A.Aleem Brand Swachh Ambassador Tiruchirappalli City Corporation
Monday, February 11, 2019
Hats off to @aaiTRZairport (4.82.) ranked 2nd best airport in India & no.1 best airport in S.India in customer survey for the period July - Dec.18 among the tier 2 city airports.Said yesterday by Gunasekaran Airport Director @aaiTRZairport - M.A.Aleem Advisory Committee Member /Tiruchirappalli International Airport
Tiruchirappalli International Airport Terminal Building Foundation layed on10.2.2019 by our Our PM Modi
Sunday, February 10, 2019
International Epilepsy Day 2019- Epilepsy is More than Seizures 11.2.2019 EPILEPSY IS MORE THAN SEIZURES - PROF DR.M.A.ALEEM M.D., D.M.,(NEURO) EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY THE TAMILNUDU DR.M.G.R. MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
International Epilepsy Day 2019- Epilepsy is More than Seizures 11.2.2019
EPILEPSY IS MORE THAN SEIZURES
- PROF DR.M.A.ALEEM M.D., D.M.,(NEURO)
EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY
THE TAMILNUDU DR.M.G.R. MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
PAST PRESIDENT TAMILNADU PONDICHERY ASSOCIATION OF NEUROLOGISTS
FORMER OF VICE PRINCIPAL HOD& PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY KAPV GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE& MGM GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL
CONSULTANT NEUROLOGIST AND EPILEPTOLOGIST (TRAINED AT INSTITUTION OF NEUROLOGY QUEEN`S SQUARE . LONDON.UK.) ABC HOSPITAL, ANNAMALAI NAGAR , TRICHY -620018
DIRECTOR ABC HOSPITAL TRICHY
drmaaleem@hotmail.com
FORMER OF VICE PRINCIPAL HOD& PROFESSOR OF NEUROLOGY KAPV GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE& MGM GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL
Key facts
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain that affects people of all ages.
Approximately 65 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological diseases globally.
4 to 10 out of 1000 people on earth live with active seizures at any one time
One-third of people with epilepsy live with uncontrollable seizures because no available treatment work for them.
For 6 out of 10 people with epilepsy the cause is unknown.
4 out of 10 people with epilepsy in the industrialised world do not receive appropriate treatment.
8 out of 10 people with epilepsy in developing nations do not receive appropriate treatment.
Nearly 80% of the people with epilepsy live in low- and middle-income countries.
People with epilepsy respond to treatment approximately 70% of the time.
About three fourths of people with epilepsy living in low- and middle- income countries do not get the treatment they need.
In many parts of the world, people with epilepsy and their families suffer from stigma and discrimination.
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain that affects people worldwide. It is characterized by recurrent seizures, which are brief episodes of involuntary movement that may involve a part of the body (partial) or the entire body (generalized), and are sometimes accompanied by loss of consciousness and control of bowel or bladder function.
Seizure episodes are a result of excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Different parts of the brain can be the site of such discharges. Seizures can vary from the briefest lapses of attention or muscle jerks to severe and prolonged convulsions. Seizures can also vary in frequency, from less than 1 per year to several per day.
One seizure does not signify epilepsy (up to 10% of people worldwide have one seizure during their lifetime). Epilepsy is defined as having 2 or more unprovoked seizures. Epilepsy is one of the world’s oldest recognized conditions, with written recordsl dating back to 4000 BC. Fear, misunderstanding, discrimination and social stigma have surrounded epilepsy for centuries. This stigma continues in many countries today and can impact on the quality of life for people with the disorder and their families.
International Epilepsy Day 2019 -Epilepsy is More than Seizures
Every year on the second Monday of February people join together to celebrate International Epilepsy Day, started and organized by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). IBE and ILAE are the two epilepsy nongovernmental organizations in official relation with WHO.
Despite being one of the world's oldest known medical conditions public fear and misunderstanding about epilepsy persists, making many people reluctance to talk about it. That reluctance leads to lives lived in the shadows, discrimination in workplaces and communities and a lack of funding for new therapies research. For many people living with epilepsy, the misconceptions and discrimination can be more difficult to overcome than the seizure themselves.
International Epilepsy Day seeks to raise awareness and educate the general public on the true facts about epilepsy and the urgent need for improved treatment, better care, and greater investment in research.
International Epilepsy Day is an opportunity to raise awareness on epilepsy, what it is, how it can be treated, and what is needed to bring treatment to all people who need it. The ability of health workers to diagnose epilepsy, the availability of medicines and research into the health and social care response to epilepsy are just three areas of action needed at present.
Signs and symptoms
Characteristics of seizures vary and depend on where in the brain the disturbance first starts, and how far it spreads. Temporary symptoms occur, such as loss of awareness or consciousness, and disturbances of movement, sensation (including vision, hearing and taste), mood, or other cognitive functions.
People with seizures tend to have more physical problems (such as fractures and bruising from injuries related to seizures), as well as higher rates of psychological conditions, including anxiety and depression. Similarly, the risk of premature death in people with epilepsy is up to 3 times higher than the general population, with the highest rates found in low- and middle-income countries and rural versus urban areas.
A great proportion of the causes of death related to epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries are potentially preventable, such as falls, drowning, burns and prolonged seizures.
Rates of disease
Approximately 65 million people currently live with epilepsy worldwide. The estimated proportion of the general population with active epilepsy (i.e. continuing seizures or with the need for treatment) at a given time is between 4 and 10 per 1000 people. However, some studies in low- and middle-income countries suggest that the proportion is much higher, between 7 and 14 per 1000 people.
Globally, an estimated 2.4 million people are diagnosed with epilepsy each year. In high-income countries, annual new cases are between 30 and 50 per 100 000 people in the general population. In low- and middle-income countries, this figure can be up to two times higher.
This is likely due to the increased risk of endemic conditions such as malaria or neurocysticercosis; the higher incidence of road traffic injuries; birth-related injuries; and variations in medical infrastructure, availability of preventative health programmes and accessible care. Close to 80% of people with epilepsy live in low- andL middle-income countries.
Causes
Epilepsy is not contagious. The most common type of epilepsy, which affects 6 out of 10 people with the disorder, is called idiopathic epilepsy and has no identifiable cause.
Epilepsy with a known cause is called secondary epilepsy, or symptomatic epilepsy. The causes of secondary (or symptomatic) epilepsy could be:
brain damage from prenatal or perinatal injuries (e.g. a loss of oxygen or trauma during birth, low birth weight),
congenital abnormalities or genetic conditions with associated brain malformations,
a severe head injury,
a stroke that restricts the amount of oxygen to the brain,
an infection of the brain such as meningitis, encephalitis, neurocysticercosis,
certain genetic syndromes,
a brain tumor.
Treatment
Epilepsy can be treated easily and affordably with inexpensive daily medication that costs as little as US$ 5 per year. Recent studies in both low- and middle-income countries have shown that up to 70% of children and adults with epilepsy can be successfully treated (i.e. their seizures completely controlled) with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs). Furthermore, after 2 to 5 years of successful treatment and being seizure-free, drugs can be withdrawn in about 70% of children and 60% of adults without subsequent relapse.
In low- and middle-income countries, about three fourths of people with epilepsy may not receive the treatment they need. This is called the “treatment gap”.
In many low- and middle-income countries, there is low availability of AEDs. A recent study found the average availability of generic antiepileptic medicines in the public sector of low- and middle-income countries to be less than 50%. This may act as a barrier to accessing treatment.
It is possible to diagnose and treat most people with epilepsy at the primary health- care level without the use of sophisticated equipment.
WHO demonstration projects have indicated that training primary health-care providers to diagnose and treat epilepsy can effectively reduce the epilepsy treatment gap. However, the lack of trained health-care providers can act as a barrier to treatment for people with epilepsy.
Surgical therapy might be beneficial to patients who respond poorly to drug treatments.
Prevention
Idiopathic epilepsy is not preventable. However, preventive measures can be applied to the known causes of secondary epilepsy.
Preventing head injury is the most effective way to prevent post-traumatic epilepsy.
Adequate perinatal care can reduce new cases of epilepsy caused by birth injury.
The use of drugs and other methods to lower the body temperature of a feverish child can reduce the chance of febrile seizures.
Central nervous system infections are common causes of epilepsy in tropical areas, where many low- and middle-income countries are concentrated.
Elimination of parasites in these environments and education on how to avoid infections can be effective ways to reduce epilepsy worldwide, for example those cases due to neurocysticercosis.
Social and economic impacts
Epilepsy accounts for 0.6%, of the global burden of disease, a time-based measure that combines years of life lost due to premature mortality and time lived in less than full health. Epilepsy has significant economic implications in terms of health care needs, premature death and lost work productivity.
An Indian study conducted in 1998 calculated that the cost per patient of epilepsy treatment was as high as 88.2% of the country’s per capita Gross National Product (GNP), and epilepsy-related costs, which included medical costs, travel, and lost work time, exceeded $2.6 billion/year (2013 USD).(1)
Although the social effects vary from country to country, the discrimination and social stigma that surround epilepsy worldwide are often more difficult to overcome than the seizures themselves. People living with epilepsy can be targets of prejudice. The stigma of the disorder can discourage people from seeking treatment for symptoms, so as to avoid becoming identified with the disorder.
Human rights
People with epilepsy can experience reduced access to health and life insurance, a withholding of the opportunity to obtain a driving license, and barriers to enter particular occupations, among other limitations. In many countries legislation reflects centuries of misunderstanding about epilepsy. For example:
In both China and India, epilepsy is commonly viewed as a reason for prohibiting or annulling marriages.
In the United Kingdom, laws which permitted the annulment of a marriage on the grounds of epilepsy were not amended until 1971.
In the United States of America, until the 1970s, it was legal to deny people with seizures access to restaurants, theatres, recreational centres and other public buildings.
Legislation based on internationally accepted human rights standards can prevent discrimination and rights violations, improve access to health-care services, and raise the quality of life for people with epilepsy.
Foundation stone layed by our PM Modi by Video conferencing from Tirupur for Terminal Building at the cost of 950cr at Tiruchirappalli International Airport on 10.2.2019. At Trichy airport a function is organised by Airport Director Gunasekaran Manager Srikrishna which is attended by our District Collector K Rajamani IAS and P.Kumar MP - News in Trichy The Hindu on 11.2.2019 -M.A.Aleem Advisory Committee Member Tiruchirappalli International Airport
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/pm-lays-foundation-for-integrated-passenger-terminal/article26233123.ece
The Hindu Tiruchi on 11.2.2019
Prime Minister lays foundation stone for integrated passenger terminal
TIRUCHI, FEBRUARY 11, 2019 00:00 IST
UPDATED: FEBRUARY 11, 2019 05:22 IST
AAI has sanctioned Rs. .950 crore for the project at Tiruchi International Airport
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for the new integrated passenger terminal at Tiruchi International Airport through video conferencing.
While Mr. Modi, accompanied by Governor Panwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, symbolically pressed a button for staring the construction works from Tirupur, a group of dignitaries, seated at the old terminal, witnessed the event by watching it on a mega screen.
Collector K. Rajamani, P. Kumar, Member of Parliament, Tiruchi, Airport Director, K. Gunasekaran, General Manager, Project, Tiruchi Airport, P. Srikrishna, Airport Advisory Committee member M.A. Aleem and others participated in the function. Briefing the media on the construction of new terminal, Mr. Srikrishna said that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had sanctioned Rs. .950 crore for the project. It was necessitated because of record annual growth of about 12% in terms of passenger traffic. The Tiruchi airport was handling about 1.5 million passengers per annum. It was expected to handle 3.52 million passengers per annum by 2025. The new terminal has been planned to meet the projected growth. He said that the new terminal building would be a fully air-conditioned modular structure. It was designed to handle over 3.5 million passengers per annum and 2,900 passengers at peak hour. The terminal would have an area of 60,700 square metres.
Mr. Srikrishna said it would not only be an energy-efficient building but would also conform to the green rating of the Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA). It has been decided to form rooftop solar panels on terrace to meet its electricity partially. It would have 10 aero bridges and there would be 10 aircraft parking bays. There would also be a parking lot outside the terminal that would accommodate 1,000 cars. The state-of-the-art terminal would have 26 escalators and lifts. The construction would be completed by 2021.
In addition to the new terminal, a new technical block-cum-control tower would also be constructed at a cost of Rs. .75 crore. The Non-Objection Certificate (NoC) for height clearance has already been obtained for 42.5 meters. Similarly, the existing runway would be resurfaced at an estimate of Rs. .15 crore. The official added that the existing apron was designed to accommodate 7 aircraft at a time. It would be expanded at a cost of Rs. .10 crore to accommodate a few more aircraft.
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Assisted Dying in India - M.A.Aleem BMJ 2019;364:l576
British Medical journal BMJ
Editor's Choice
Assisted dying: the debate continues
BMJ 2019; 364 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l576 (Published 07 February 2019)
Cite this as: BMJ 2019;364:l576
Rapid response
Re: Assisted dying: the debate continues
Assisted Dying in India
On 9 March 2018 the Supreme Court of India legalised passive euthanasia by means of the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanent vegetative state.
There are different euthanasia laws in each country.
It can be classified into five types - voluntary, non-voluntary, involuntary, passive and active.
India joins countries like the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Colombia and Luxembourg in legalising passive euthanasia.
In India some are against it because of religious and moral reasons.
With religious beliefs against premature death held strongly in India, the right to life may weigh over the right to die with dignity that has been granted legal sanction by the apex court.
Even though the Supreme Court of India has recognised the right to die with dignity as a fundamental right, major hurdles might be posed by religious communities, who may oppose euthanasia in India.
In Hinduism Atma-gatha, meaning suicide—the intention to voluntary kill—was prohibited in Hindu culture.
Indian Muslims may also not favour euthanasia. Muslims believe that no one has a right to die before the time decided by God.
According to both Sunnis and Shias, killing a terminally ill person, whether through active euthanasia (physician assisted suicide) or passive euthanasia (stopping life support or medicine), is considered as an act of disobedience against God.
Indian Christians, especially the Catholic Bishops of India, are also against euthanasia. The Catholic Church forever promotes the sanctity of life, thus euthanasia is contrary to its teachings.
Competing interests: No competing interests
08 February 2019
M.A. Aleem
Emeritus Professor of Neurology * Visiting Specialist in Neurology ** Consultant Neurologist ***
The Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University * Dhanalakshami Srinivasan Medical College ** ABC Hospital ***
Chennai 600032* Perambalure 621212** Trichy 620018*** Tamilnadu India
@drmaaleem
Friday, February 8, 2019
Thankful to Our PM Modi sir for laying foundation stone for our Tiruchirappalli International Airport New Terminal Building at the cost of 950 crore by Video conferencing on 10.2.2019 from Tirupur Tamilnadu. Sir a request to consider i to name Tiruchirappalli International Airport after Sir C V Raman a Nobel laureate from Tiruvanaikoil Tiruchirappalli . Thank you sir Your sincerely -M.A.Aleem Advisory Committee Member Tiruchirappalli International Airport
Thankful to Our #PMModi for laying foundation stone for our @aaiTRZairport New Terminal Building at the cost of 950 crore by Video conferencing - M.A.Aleem Advisory Committee Member Tiruchirappalli International Airport
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Air India Express suspends Sharjah flights- The Hindu Tiruchi on 6.2.2019. @AAI_Official @airindiain @the_hindu
https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/air-india-express-suspends-sharjah-flights/article26189321.ece
The Hindu Tiruchi 6.2.2019
TAMIL NADU
Air India Express suspends Sharjah flights
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
TIRUCHI, FEBRUARY 06, 2019 00:00 IST
UPDATED: FEBRUARY 06, 2019 05:03 IST
To and fro Tiruchi for two days a week
Overseas passenger traffic is likely to take a hit at the international airport here as Air India Express has announced suspension of its service on the Tiruchi-Sharjah-Tiruchi sector for two days in a week with effect from February 17 to March 31.
The airline has formally communicated its decision to the Tiruchi airport authorities with travel industry circles also in the know-how of the latest development.
The move comes at a time when there has been persistent demand from travellers for introduction of direct flight services to key Middle-East destinations in view of the large workforce hailing from this part of the region employed in the Gulf region.
Air India Express launched daily services to Sharjah from Tiruchi in September 2016 taking into account the potential for new services amid travellers’ demands.
Airline sources say the Sharjah- Tiruchi flights will not be operated on Mondays and Saturdays from February 16 to March 30. The Tiruchi - Sharjah flights will not be operated on Tuesdays and Sundays from February 17 to March 31.
The sources attribute the suspension to “operational reason”, exuding hope that it will resume during the summer schedule starting April. The daily single service in the sector has a fairly good patronage with a Boeing-737 being operated by the airline on the route, they say.
Suspension of service for two days from here comes at a time when there has been a decline in international passenger movement at Tiruchi airport during April-December 2018 as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
Airports Authority of India statistics reveal that the airport handled 10,40,072 international passengers during April-December 2017, while it was 9,16,462 during April -December 2019 with the difference being over 1.23 lakh travellers.
The Tiruchi airport presently has direct connectivity to Colombo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Sharjah operated by different international airlines.
A senior representative of the tourism industry here feels that though a temporary phenomenon, the suspension of service to Sharjah for two days in a week up to March 31 will definitely impact international passenger traffic at the airport at a time when the current fiscal comes to a close next month.
The fear among travellers is that the airline should not make it a permanent one.
“The daily service was serving passengers going from here and the suspension of flights for two days in a week will now force them to travel to Chennai or other nearby airport to travel to Sharjah,” said M.A. Aleem, Member, Airports Advisory Committee, Tiruchi.
The airline can offset the stoppage by operating a new service either to Kuwait or Doha or Muscat from Tiruchi as there is heavy demand from passengers from this part of the region, said the tourism industry representative.
Given the large number of workforce from this part of the region working in the Middle-East, there is definite need for new connections to places including Kuwait just when Tiruchi airport is on an expansion mode, says Dr. Aleem.
Airline sources here say their higher ups have been briefed about the high demand for a new service to Kuwait and Abu Dhabi from the city.
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Tiruchy awaits Defence department support for major infra development News in DtNext on 4.2.2019
https://www.dtnext.in/News/TamilNadu/2019/02/04021841/1105310/Tiruchy-awaits-Defence-department-support-for-major-.vpf
DtNext
MON, FEB 04, 2019
Tiruchy awaits Defence department support for major infra development
Published: Feb 04,201907:30 AM by SJ Michael Collins
Though adjudged the cleanest and the most liveable city in the state and the eighth fastest growing city in the country in terms of GDP, infrastructure development has remained one of the biggest woes of Tiruchy as the delay in transfer of Defence land has turned out to be a hindrance in the completion of the most coveted project that would boost the grandeur of the city.
Junction railway over-bridge in Mannarpuram remains incomplete in Tiruchy
Thiruchirapalli:
Sensing the potential of handling more international passengers in the Tiruchy International Airport, the Airports Authority of India had sanctioned a new integrated terminal building parallel to the runway with associated apron, multi-level car parking, and ramps to reach the departure terminal on the first floor in an area of 60,723 sq m at a cost of Rs 951 crore. However, acquisition of the required land remains unresolved though it has been a long-pending demand of the residents of central TN.
“Tiruchy also has the shortest runway among the top 15 airports in the country, spreading over 8,136 feet. This makes the bigger aircraft avoid the airport despite the fact that it has the potential of handling more international passengers. We require at least 12,500 feet runway, for which, we require 510 acre of land in total. Although we managed to get the rest of the land, we couldn’t acquire the 164.68 acre owned by the Defence department”, said Dr M A Aleem, Tiruchy International Airport Advisory Committee member.
He said that due to the shortage of runway, bigger aircraft avoid the airport and therefore, and this has affected the international service and the passenger count as well. “Compared to 2017, the international passenger flow fell at minus 6.9 per cent. In 2017, the international passenger flow was 1.24 lakh, but it declined to 1.15 lakh in 2018. But, the domestic passenger flow witnessed a remarkable increase (1.29 lakh in 2017 to 2.67 lakh in 2018) and this proves that the airport is capable of handling any good number of passengers. However, it requires the services for which we are in dire need of the runway expansion”, Dr Aleem said.
Of the required 510 acres, over 350 acres that was under the State government’s possession has been transferred. However, the airport authority is still waiting for the land from the Defence department. “We have approached Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when she was in Tiruchy along with the district administration and her response was positive. We hope things will be on the right track soon,” Dr Aleem said.
Junction Rly Overbridge needs 66 cents land
Geographically located at the centre of the state, during the MGR’s regime, Tiruchy was considered to be declared as the capital of the state. Due to the advantages of road connectivity to most parts of the state, it has been playing the most sorted spot for the passengers to take a breaking during their journey.
In order to ensure the prompt road connectivity and to ease the vehicle congestion in the city, the Junction RoB was planned. Estimated at a cost of Rs 81.40 crore with a six arm bridge, it was planned to enable vehicles heading to other districts to bypass the city. They could thereby avoid frequent traffic congestion near Dindigul road and Madurai road.
However, except for the Chennai arm of the RoB that awaits 0.66 acre of defence land to complete the high level road, works in all other arms had been completed while two arms were opened for traffic. For acquiring the defence land, the district administration has been approaching the department for a few years. Due to the delay, people and the elected members have been angry, which had led to a heated argument with the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who was in the city to inaugurate the Defence Industrial Corridor recently.
Though the minister assured to transfer the land with immediate effect, there is no positive signal so far. According to K Rajamani, District Collector, “Since the equal value land transfer is only the solution with the defence department, we have identified the land in Kanchipuram district and the proposal has been sent to the department. It is now the defence department to decide. If the 66 cents of land has been transferred, the RoB would play a vital role in the road transport in Tiruchy and the traffic congestion in the city would be minimise.”
Corpn proposed 70 acres of land for bus stand
The Tiruchy Corporation has proposed 70 acres of defence land in Mannarpuram on the Trichy-Madurai National Highway as a viable option for establishing the Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT).
For more than two decades, commuters have been demanding the establishment of a spacious IBT to overcome congestion at the Central bus stand. Though several locations were identified, nothing had materialised so far.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on October 2017 announced that the IBT would be set up at Kottapattu near Trichy Airport. However, feasibility studies were said to have inferred that the site was unviable for a bus stand project.
Close to 70 acres of land near Mannarpuram roundabout and KK Nagar on the Trichy-Madurai NH has been identified by the civic body as a suitable place for the IBT facility.
Meanwhile, the Tiruchy MP P Kumar made a strong appeal to the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when she was in Tiruchy.