Tag: mumbai

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Event

Massive diabetes awareness drive in Mumbai today

BMC and CII join hands for ‘Drive against diabetes’ across city; want to screen 2,00,000 Mumbaikars across the city today.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

With World Diabetes Day around the corner, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) launched a  ‘Drive against Diabetes’ campaign yesterday. The public private partnership model hopes to mobilise people to join the fight against diabetes – they are aiming to screen at least 2,00,000 people across the city today.

Corporates like Apollo Hospitals, Apollo Munich, OneTouch, Abbott, SANOFI and several others have come forward to support the initiative. Screening centres will be marked by blue balloons – citizens must simply walk in and ask to be screened.

Prabhu said, “Today, diabetes is one of the major conditions affecting people’s health and lifestyle. It is estimated that by 2030, the diabetic population will be around 10 crore. Out of which 6.2 per cent are expected to be suffering from diabetes and 15 per cent from blood pressure. Within India, Mumbai is leading this race to the top – the city experiences a hectic work culture, high levels of stress and fewer sleeping hours. During the drive, we expect that even if 10,000 to 12,000 people are tested positive for diabetes, we will incorporate that in the MCGM’s database and an SMS alert will be sent to them after three months suggesting the next level of detailed diagnostics. The testing of 2,00,000 people in a single drive is a record in itself, but I will be happy if 5,00,000 people are tested in the next drive and fewer are diagnosed positive for diabetes.”

The BMC had started a drive against diabetes in 2011, when 21,700 people were diagnosed with diabetes at the dispensary level. Currently, there are more than 86,000 diabetics on the BMC database. “Of these, 15 per cent who are at the initial stage [of the disease] are being suggested lifestyle modifications and 61 per cent and 22 per cent detected with controlled and uncontrolled diabetes respectively are under the MCGM medical care programme,” says Manisha Patankar-Mhaiskar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western suburbs). “But the ambition is to create awareness of diabetes and not to focus on numbers,” she adds.

Over 500 screening centres will be set up today across the BMC’s ward offices and in over 40 member companies of CII (Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, ICICI, Star Indian, Mahindra, Bajaj, Blue Dart, etc.), chemists, pharmacists and public places in Mumbai that will target to screen over 2,00,000 individuals reaching out to the workforce as well as the larger community. Blue balloons will identify these centres. Over 700 paramedics will also be mobilised across Mumbai to test individuals across industries. The private sector has come forward to provide screening kits including glucometers, strips, swabs, lancets, information booklets and questionnaires alongside training and capacity building for the paramedics.

“This drive will generate significant data which will help understand the incidence and prevalence of diabetes,” Patankar-Mhaiskar says. “It will be analysed to generate a final report on the state of diabetes prevalence in Mumbai, generic recommendations on the way forward as well as lessons learnt during this massive community led drive. Such a report will be useful to policy makers, programme officers, healthcare providers as well as other agencies working in the area of diabetes.”

Categories
Kharcha paani

Mumbai will spend less this Diwali: Survey

City is second to New Delhi in probable cut in Diwali spending; inflation and shaky job situation are the reasons.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Diwali will be upon us in November, but it seems that worried Mumbaikars are practicing thrift already.

A country-wide survey conducted by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and released recently reveals that this Diwali, there will be a 40 per cent cut in most households’s festive budgets, with Delhi-NCR topping the list. The survey sample includes a majority of middle and lower income families.

The reasons given for slashing their Diwali spends were: rising monthly expenses due to high inflation, less job opportunities, shrinking real wages, and staggering costs of food commodities that are commonly used during Diwali.

Titled ‘High prices dampening the festive spirit’, the survey was conducted under the aegis of ASSOCHAM and showed that over 72 per cent respondents from middle and lower middle income families would spend nearly 25 per cent of their monthly salaries on Diwali for shopping, sweets, gifting, apparel etc. Delhi-NCR is on top of the chart projecting curtailment of festive budget thanks to eroding purchasing power, while Mumbai ranks second, followed by Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chennai.
 The survey was conducted over two months beginning August to September 2013 in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun etc. A little over 200 persons were selected from each city on an average. 
“The skyrocketing prices of essential commodities have left the aam aadmi  hard pressed. Be it sweets, dry fruits, crackers, pulses, dairy products, fruit or vegetables, the prices have registered large increases this year compared to the Diwali of last year. Even gold, the much sought-after item during this festive season, stays in the range of Rs 30,000 per 10 gm compared to Rs 22,000 last Diwali,” said DS Rawat, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM.
The survey reveals that the high income group remains unaffected from rupee fall, double digit food inflation. However, a large number of lower and middle income groups indicate that they are finding ways to cut back spending now or indicating they will do so in the future, noted the survey. A majority of respondents said that they plan to spend fewer amounts on this festive season as the prices on average of most of the gifts and traditional Indian sweets have gone up by 55 per cent, while the value of saving has gone gown by almost 15 per cent. Revisions in interest rates by banks have also sent their EMIs soaring, further eroding their monetary power, adds the survey.
Most of the respondents plan to cut down on personal expenses or go bargain hunting to keep their festive budgets in control. Over 57 per cent of the respondents will buy only on sale or discounts, 12 per cent will buy fewer gifts and the rest 2 per cent will buy a group gift. Only a small percentage feels that festivals are the time to splurge, even as discounts remain the biggest attraction for most buyers.
Over 76 per cent of respondents said that monthly grocery bills have jumped to about Rs 7,000, compared to Rs 4,000 in the last 12 months. The prices of vegetables and bakery products have also risen in the last few months. Obviously, this will affect the Diwali celebrations. Milk, butter, sugar, dry- fruits, flour and labour charges all go into making sweets. On the other hand, dry fruit and sweets are the most expensive items in Diwali.
The survey adds that the rates of ghee, sugar, edible oils, atta and spices have also registered increases of around 25 per cent to 35 per cent during the past one year.
(All figures courtesy ASSOCHAM. Picture courtesy webylife.com)
Categories
Event

Largest ever auction of princely jewellery to take place in Mumbai

A sneak peek into the biggest-ever auction of royal Indian jewellery and other valuables to be auctioned at Taj tomorrow.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The biggest-ever auction of royal princely jewellery and other valuables of historical interest in the country will happen in Mumbai tomorrow, on Sunday, September 29, 2013. On auction will be paintings, sculptures, gems, jewellery, and coins, which the auctioneers, Rajgor’s, have sourced from collectors in Mumbai.

Dilip RajgorSpeaking to The Metrognome, Dr Dilip Rajgor (in pic on left), CEO, Rajgor’s explained, “It took about six months to put the entire collection together, after we had purchased it from collectors in the city. There are several wealthy collectors who have precious historical objects in their collections. Most of them are not interested in selling, but we convince them.”

Interestingly, a lot of people who have these historical treasures in their private collections are neither aware of the objects’ value nor are interested in getting a valuation done. “They sell off the pieces when they need money, but they may not get the items valued through the proper channels. An ordinary goldsmith will value a historical gold coin on par with today’s market rates for gold. But the true value is a 100 times more, owing to their rarity and historical significance.”

Mumbai boasts several private collectors, he says, as do other cities in the country. “Most of the collections comprise objects that are purchased from other collectors, while some were purchased directly from Kings. Collectors sell when they get old, if they are not handing rajgors2the collection down to the next generation,” Dr Dilip explains.

The auction

There will be four categories at the auction – coins, antiques, paintings and royal jewellery (this last is divided into 13 sub-categories). “We had an auction for the other items even last year, but the really interesting element this time is the jewellery,” Dr Dilip says. “There are so many beautiful surviving examples of historical jewellery, which give us a glimpse into making styles and design elements of the time. For example, when we speak of the Mughal period in history, we merely think of that era in terms of paintings. But there are so many beautiful items of kundan jewellery to be found in that period.”

The auction includes items right from the time of Alexander the Great to contemporary times. “We have tried to give continuity – there are all ranges, all eras. There are several collectors from outside who have already expressed an interest in buying tomorrow,” he says.

View some of the objects that will go under the hammer tomorrow:

If you want to be present at the Heritage of India Auction 10, register in person at 6th floor, Majestic Shopping Centre, Near Central Plaza, 144 JSS Road, Opera House, Mumbai 400004. Call 022 23820647 for details.

(Pictures courtesy Rajgor’s)

Categories
Trends

Need blood tests? Don’t step out of home

You can get your blood work done and X-rays taken in the comfort of your home. We tap the trend.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Mulund resident Sushila Paranjape (56) suffers from diabetes, and for the last two years, a recurring back problem that makes sitting impossible. “I need physiotherapy twice a week, and a blood test once a month. However, the local pathology laboratory is always crowded, and last year, I stopped going for blood tests because the lab could never do my blood work immediately and I had to wait for a long time.”

Her physiotherapist suggested that she call blood technicians home. “I was initially hesitant because I thought that it would cost me more to get the technicians home, but I found that the laboratory also did home blood testing at a very nominal home visit cost. They were very quick and the results came back within a few hours. Now I don’t go to the laboratory myself unless I am assured of immediate attention.”

Like Sushila, there are several others who are increasingly getting their testing done at home. “It’s faster and I am more relaxed because it happens in the comfort of my home,” says Santacruz resident Ruchit Hattangady (36), who gets a check-up done every six months. “Not just blood tests, the local hospital near my house also offers urine testing, lipid profile and other tests. I call them as per my convenience and I get the results the next day,” he says.

blood test at homeThe trend is catching on

Several diagnostic facilities and hospitals are now offering ‘testing packages’, where patients can choose which tests they want to undergo and pay as per the particular package they select. “For instance, we offer a package where we do a variety of tests through just one blood sample, right from Vitamin D levels to bilirubin, and from blood sugar to blood cholesterol levels,” says a technician attached to a private hospital in Powai. “There are some 20 tests in the most basic package, and most people opt for it. However, there are others who want more tests, such as bone and muscle strength tests, for which we offer separate packages.”

A single such package may contain a minimum of 10 tests and may be priced Rs 1,500 and above. Says Dr Shashank Ahuja, a cardiologist, “We find that many patients are hesitant about undergoing a battery of tests at private hospitals, where every test comes with prohibitive costs. They are happy going to a diagnostic lab they trust and get a range of tests done at a lesser cost. Also, labs are presenting the results in a detailed manner, so with a bit of research, even the patient understands the state of his or her health.”

Even X-rays can be taken at home

In Mumbai, there are at least three private clinics offering the option of getting an X-ray taken at home. “People are always short of time, and X-ray machines are more portable and light-weight than they used to be, so carrying them to the patient’s home is not an issue,” says a technician. “Of course, the price of this facility is higher than the money one would spend in getting it done at a hospital. But people are willing to pay.”

Three years ago, a company in Thane started manufacturing kits for malaria testing for as low as Rs 30. “A person could purchase the kit from a chemist but the blood would have to be drawn by a technician. Doctors also feel that the test is a fairly accurate one and since it is so cheap, even the poor will not hesitate to get themselves tested,” said the manufacturer of the kit.

A diagnostic facility in Mumbai said that recently, a family requested for cardiac testing on a 74-year-old man to be done at home. “Since this requires a stress test and a treadmill test, we tied up with a local gym to conduct part of the test there. We are now looking at offering cardiac testing at home, though the costs will be higher,” says a spokesperson for the facility.

Names of diagnostic facilities and hospitals have been withheld.

(Pictures courtesy www.nyu.edu, online.wsj.com. Images have been used for representational purpose only) 

Categories
Campaign

City hosts three dementia seminars

Dementia and Alzheimer’s awareness seminars at three places in the city reached out to several relevant stakeholders. A pitch report.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The Mumbai-based social enterprise, Echoing Healthy Aging (EHA) organised seminars on dementia and Alzheimer’s at venues in South Mumbai, Mulund and Bandra last week. The seminars, titled ‘Dementia Sense’ were held to coincide with September 21, World Alzheimer’s Day.

The seminars got a very good response from participants and especially from stakeholders such as nursing schools, caregivers, family members of dementia sufferers, occupation therapists, matrons and nursing tutors, among others.

A senior nurse from Bhakti Vedant Hospital said, “As a nurse, very often I come across old patient [suffering] with Alzheimer’s. I always found it difficult to understand their behaviour. This seminar helped me understand the point of view of the person with dementia and the five golden rules given in the seminar will definitely help me to work more efficiently in caring for patients with dementia.”

Added a senior lecturer from Sion Hospital’s nursing school, “It is time for us to change our attitudes towards this chronic disease ‘dementia’, and support families of people living with dementia. I hope more such seminars are conducted more often, and they will make people realise that people living with dementia too can have a good quality of life.”

‘I had to put variety of locks on my front door,so that my husband diagnosed with severe dementia, doesn’t go out of house and forget his way back home. But this caused more agitation and aggression in him. This seminar gave me tips to solve this problem and they are simple and easy to implement. It will also give my husband a sense of independence and at the same time, I can keep him safe,” explained a family caregiver of a person suffering from dementia.

See a few pictures from the event:

 

(Pictures courtesy EHA)
Categories
Campaign

Fun and learning with senior citizens

The city-based NGO Silver Innings Foundation organised events for senior citizens at the YWCA yesterday. Here are some event snapshots.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The Silver Innings Foundation, which works in the field of elder care, counselling and assisted living for senior citizens, among other things, yesterday organised a series of activities for elders at the YWCA, Andheri. A few students from Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work  also participated in the events.

The Foundation’s events were a good success, with about 50 elders participating. Says Sailesh Mishra, Founder President, Silver Innings, “We did a street play, then an interactive PPT talk. We also conducted a memory checkup and held memory games and exercise for the elders. There was also a sharing session by family care givers, and the best part was the dance in which everybody took part!”

See pics of the events below:

The Metrognome is committed to the cause of Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness in India. If you have an experience or information to share on Alzheimer’s or dementia, do write to us at editor@themetrognome.in and we will feature your story.

 (Pictures courtesy Silver Innings Foundation)

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