New Delhi:

One in every two medical prescriptions issued in India deviated from standard guidelines, with approximately a tenth showing “unacceptable deviations”, a study, conducted by a team of researchers including those at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, has found.

The team analysed 4,838 prescriptions issued by physicians between August 2019 and August 2020 for their compliance with standard treatment guidelines.

These prescriptions were issued at 13 Rational Use of Medicines Centres (RUMC), set up by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and located in tertiary care teaching hospitals and medical colleges across the country.

The researchers found that among the 475 prescriptions they deemed to show unacceptable deviations from the standard guidelines, pantoprazole was prescribed the most often — in 54 of them.

Pantoprazole is known to help bring down the acid created in stomach and is commonly available in pharmacies under many drug names, such as Pan 40.

In the 54 prescriptions, the condition being diagnosed was Herpes Zoster, or shingles — a viral infection causing painful rashes anywhere on the body.

Tablet pantoprazole 40 milligrams was prescribed along with others, including paracetamol, and ointments, according to the study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research.

Among these 475 prescriptions, the conditions most commonly diagnosed were found to be upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and hypertension.

In 35 of the URTI prescriptions, the drug being prescribed was tablet rabeprazole domperidone (used to treat gastric conditions like acid reflux), which the researchers said was responsible for the prescription to be qualified as one with “unacceptable deviation”.

The tablet combination was prescribed along with others, including paracetamol and levocetirizine (treats cold and runny nose).

Tablet rabeprazole domperidone accounted for the second highest among the prescriptions with unacceptable deviations, after pantoprazole, the authors found.

They said the most common potential consequences of irrational drug prescription for patients were high treatment costs and adverse drug reactions.

“Gastroprotective drugs are to be prescribed if the patient has a risk for developing peptic ulcer. Unnecessary prescribing of pantoprazole may lead to potential side-effects such as abdominal bloating, oedema and rash,” the authors wrote.

The researchers said that most of the physicians followed the disease-specific ICMR guidelines, with about 55 per cent adherence.

Where there were no Indian guidelines or recent updates in the guidelines, physicians used the international guidelines, such as those of the American Association of Family Physician or the American Heart Association, they said.
 

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New Delhi:

Senior and veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Lal Krishna Advani, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday.

The BJP leader is stable and under observation, according to doctors.

He was recently conferred with Bharat Ratna by President Draupadi Murmu on March 30, 2024.

Born in Karachi (present-day Pakistan) on November 8, 1927, Mr Advani joined the RSS as a Swayamsevak in 1942. He served as the BJP National President from 1986 to 1990, then from 1993 to 1998, and from 2004 to 2005. Mr Advani had served as the President of the party for the longest period since its inception in 1980.

Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, LK Advani was first the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004).

In the run-up to the 2009 elections, Mr Advani being the Leader of the Opposition in a parliamentary democracy was assumingly considered the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate for the general elections, ending on 16 May 2009, according to the official website of BJP.

On 10 December 2007, the Parliamentary Board of BJP formally announced Mr Advani as its prime ministerial candidate for the general elections due in 2009. But when Congress and its allies won the 2009 general elections, Mr Advani paved the way for Sushma Swaraj to become the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha.

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New Delhi:

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia’s mother Madhavi Raje Scindia died this morning at AIIMS, Delhi, a source said.

She died at 9:28 am and had been on ventilator for the last few days, the source told Press Trust of India.

She was undergoing treatment at the premier hospital for the last three months and suffered from pneumonia along with sepsis, the source told news agency Press Trust of India.
 

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New Delhi:

A dual kidney transplant on a patient who was on dialysis was performed for the first time at the AIIMS-Delhi, the hospital has said.

The procedure was conducted by the AIIMS’ department of surgical disciplines and department of nephrology in collaboration with the Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation (ORBO).

The donor was a 78-year-old woman, who was admitted to the AIIMS’ Trauma Centre on December 19 with a severe head injury after suffering a fall, and later, declared brain dead, Dr Asuri Krishna, additional professor of surgery at the hospital said.

Her family consented for organ donation, he said.

“The challenge was that because of her extreme age, her single kidney would not have been sufficient for a patient on dialysis. Therefore, a decision was taken to use both the kidneys in a single recipient,” Krishna said. The recipient was a 51-year-old women on dialysis.

“She urgently needed a kidney,” he said.

The surgery was carried out on December 22 last year by the transplant team of the surgery unit. The doctor said this feat was being shared with the media now as “we wanted to ensure the patient is doing well”.

In the surgery, both the kidneys were placed on the right side of the recipient, one on top of the other, the doctor said.

“The procedure was complex because we had to place two kidneys in a restricted area. Usually, one kidney is transplanted,” Krishna said and added that the recipient had an uneventful recovery with both the kidneys performing well following the surgery.

“This one-of-a-kind surgery is a great example of using limited resources to bridge the huge demand and supply gap that exists for organs in India by using the organs from an elderly donor which usually would have been rejected,” he said.

The patient has been on follow-up since the surgery took place. She was discharged within three weeks of being operated, Dr Krishna said.

“We wanted to ensure the patient is doing well before reporting this dual transplant in the media,” the doctor said.

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New Delhi:

Cracking the whip on unauthorised individuals who exploit patients at the AIIMS Delhi, the hospital administration on Wednesday shared a WhatsApp number on which people can send complaints and evidence related to fleecing or seeking bribes.

The number will be operationalised by the end of this month, an office order read.

According to the order, AIIMS Director M Srinivas during interaction with patients and their relatives found that touts and agents were fleecing some of them by pretending to supply them medicines or helping them with investigations outside AIIMS, or referring them to other hospitals for faster turnaround times, etc.

To combat this menace and to ensure that no patient is approached by touts/agents, a dedicated WhatsApp number (9355023969) for messaging of complaints and evidence related to fleecing/ seeking bribe shall be operationalized by February 29, 2024, the order said.

“Anti-corruption helpline number — in case any tout/ agent is fleecing you or anyone is seeking bribe for services at AIIMS New Delhi, please forward the audio or video evidence and location via WhatsApp on this number: 91-9355023969.” It also said the number should be displayed prominently in signages in English and Hindi in all areas including OPD, wards, waiting areas, stores, pharmacies, etc.

“This number will not entertain routine grievances but shall only take cognizance of the complaints related to fleecing of patients by touts/agents or for complaints in cases where anyone from AIIMS, Delhi is seeking bribe in lieu of any services at the hospital,” the order mentioned.

This number shall be monitored 24×7 by the Security Department. To ensure prompt verification of complaints and for taking requisite action on an urgent basis, a team of regular security staff shall be positioned in the paging room next to the AIIMS Control Room (Room No. 12, Old Private Ward) on a 24×7 basis.

On receiving any complaint on the said WhatsApp number, a team shall be immediately mobilized in consultation with the duty officer in the Control Room to verify the complaint, the order stated.

If on preliminary verification, the complaint is fond to be genuine, the duty officer shall take immediate action in consultation with the administrative incharge concerned.

The security department shall maintain a log book of all complaints received including time of complaint, time of verification and findings thereof, action taken with regard to the said complaint, etc. A summary of the log shall be furnished to the office of the Director and to the office of Additional Director (Admin) on a daily basis by 9 am, the order stated.

“It is emphasised that ensuring a tout-free and bribe-free AIIMS is the combined responsibility of every staff member of AIIMS including Chiefs of Centres, Medical Superintendent, senior officers, faculty, etc. However, as the security department is directly responsible for stopping such activities, in case of verified complaints of fleecing or bribing of patients or their attendants from any area, the entire outsourced security staff posted in the said area shall be relieved and regular AIIMS security staff posted/incharge of the said area shall be suspended pending fact finding and disciplinary proceedings,” the office order read.

In addition to taking requisite action against the culprits, action as deemed necessary shall also be initiated against those responsible for supervisory oversight of the respective areas after appropriate fact finding and as per prescribed rules, it added.
 

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