Appreciating their resolve to take action and urging all countries to review and align national plans with the Delhi Call to Action, the World Health Organization has called on countries in South-East Asia Region to build on recent momentum aimed at ending TB by 2030,.
“The Delhi Call for Action, issued by health ministers in March, demonstrates high-level awareness that business as usual is not enough, and that intensified efforts are needed. We have reached a critical consensus; the pressing need now is to translate commitment into action,” Dr Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said. 
Across the Region, TB remains the largest cause of death and suffering due to any communicable disease among the most productive age groups. Although the Region accounts for approximately one quarter of the world’s population, it has nearly half the number of new TB cases and close to 40% of TB deaths globally. In recognition of TB’s outsized burden, accelerating progress towards the 2030 target – which requires a 90% reduction in TB deaths and 80% decrease in TB incidence – is now one of WHO South-East Asia Region’s Flagship Priority Areas of work.
As a critical first step in implementing recent commitments, Dr Khetrapal Singh emphasized the need for countries to align national plans with the 2030 target. “By reviewing and amending national TB plans countries will enhance their ability to mobilize and utilize resources efficiently. Good planning is key to establishing the foundations for success,” she said.
The Regional Director likewise highlighted the need for countries to identify the package of interventions best suited to their challenges, whether that means focusing on strengthening TB services, accelerating case detection or investing in research and development. “All countries face unique challenges, meaning they should each adapt the regional and global strategies to their context. We must avoid taking one-size-fits-all approach, and must instead seek-out and embrace tailored solutions that meet specific needs and challenges,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said. 
The Regional Director affirmed WHO South-East Asia Region’s ongoing commitment to supporting countries implement the Delhi Call for Action, including by implementing mandatory case notification and working with regulatory authorities to introduce newer drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant TB. The Regional Director also reiterated WHO’s continued support for the provision of universal Drug susceptibility testing (DST)-guided treatment, for addressing MDR-TB and TB in immunocompromised patients, and for increased focus on the social aspects of TB.
‘Bending the curve’ and ending TB was a key agenda item at the Seventieth session of the Regional Committee which concluded today in Maldives. The Regional Committee is the highest decision-making body for public health in the South-East Asia Region, and includes health ministers and senior health ministry officials of the Region’s 11 Member countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today addressed a Students’ Convention on the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Centenary Celebrations, and 125th Year of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago Address, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. 

Prime Minister said that 125 years ago, on the same day that has recently come to be known as 9/11, with just a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed the world the power of oneness. The 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony and brotherhood, he added. 

PM Modi said that Swami Vivekananda raised his voice against the social evils that have entered our society. He recalled that Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity; he said that ‘Jan Seva’ is ‘Prabhu Seva.’ 

Swami Vivekananda did not believe in sermonising, the Prime Minister said. His ideas and idealism paved way for an institutional framework through the Ramakrishna Mission, he added. 

He specially mentioned all those people who are working tirelessly to keep India clean, noting that they were the ones who had most imbibed the spirit of Vande Mataram. Student organisations, while campaigning for university elections should give more importance to cleanliness, PM Modi said. He said that only those who respect women, can take legitimate pride in the opening words of Swami Vivekanand’s address – “Brothers and sisters of America.” 

The correspondence between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata will show the concern Swami ji had towards India’s self-reliance, the Prime Minister said. Both knowledge and skills are equally important, the Prime Minister added. 

PM Modi said, that people now say that the 21st century is Asia’s century. But long ago, Swami Vivekananda had given the concept of ‘One Asia,’ and said that the solutions to the world’s problems will come from Asia. 

There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses, Prime Minister said, adding that campuses should organize days to celebrate the culture and language of various States, to strengthen the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.” 

India is changing, India’s standing at the global stage is rising and this is due to Jan Shakti, Prime Minister said. “Follow the rules, and India will rule,” he exhorted the student community

Seham was just 6 years old when she was first diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

Together with her parents, she travelled hundreds of kilometres in search of diagnosis and treatment, from her home in Razeh District in Sa’ada governorate in Yemen’s north, to Hajjah and Sana’a in the country’s west.

“She was in a coma when she started her first dialysis session in Sana’a,” said Seham’s mother, Um-Seham. “We couldn’t afford the cost of living in Sana’a so we decided to return to Sa’ada. We had to move from our village to Sa’ada City, renting a one room apartment near the hospital.”

Now 10 years old, it is not only the kidney pain and gradual loss of vision that make Seham’s life challenging.

“Because of this disease, I had to stop going to school,” said Seham. “All I want is to be free from this disease and to go back again to my studies.”

Accessing dialysis has always been tricky in Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East. But the conflict has created additional challenges, with health facilities facing a shortage of dialysis supplies and travel complicated by checkpoints and insecurity. In the midst of an economic crisis, many patients complain that they can barely afford the cost of transportation to and from the health centres for the multiple treatment sessions they need each week.

Seham is one of more than 5 000 kidney patients in Yemen who struggle to access regular dialysis sessions. Treatment for non-communicable diseases in general – a category which includes illnesses such as kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer – are available in few health facilities (about 20%).

Ongoing conflict, high levels of poverty and the collapsing health system have left thousands struggling to access the care they need to stay alive. Non-communicable diseases are now killing more people than bullets or bombs, accounting for 39% of all mortality in Yemen.

Seham is one of the luckier ones. This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) transported 100 tonnes of supplies provided through a private-public partnership between Yemen and Germany to the dialysis centre she regularly attends at Al-Jumhoori Hospital in Sa’ada.

But the need for dialysis supplies remains high across Yemen. In some parts of the country, dialysis sessions have been reduced from three sessions per week to one session or less due to a lack of supplies. When there are not enough supplies in the hospitals, patients are required to purchase their own dialysis set (filters, tubes etc) for around US$ 40 per session – a cost that is impossibly high for many patients.

WHO and partners are supporting the local health authorities to provide health services across Yemen, including care for non-communicable diseases.

The Organization is calling on parties to the conflict and their allies to facilitate the safe and unimpeded passage of life-saving medicines and supplies to people in need across Yemen.

Olitia Foods Pvt. Ltd. has entered into a partnership with UK-based Greanleaf Trading Company for distribution across UK and the rest of Europe.

In the first phase, the distribution will span over UK and then venture to the other European countries. This agreement has been done for a substantial amount of olive tea. Greanleaf plans to approach stores like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

This was announced at press conference in Jaipur addressed by Directors, Olitia Foods, Mr. Dharampal Garhwal and Ms. Sarika Sawhney. Also present on the occasion were Director, Greanleaf Trading Co., UK, Mr. Gurdeep Singh and Tea Expert, Mr. Avijit Dey.

Olitia Foods has brewed up an alternate to green tea. After years of research, they have come up with the world’s first processed olive tea. This is the first time in the world that machinery has been tailor-made for crushing, tearing and curling of the olive leaves.

It was in 2007 that the Rajasthan government began cultivating olives considering that the climate there was suitable for olives. With the help of technology from Israel, olives were planted on 5000 hectares of land.

An MoU was signed with Olitia Foods Pvt Ltd in 2016 for producing olive tea. Olitia Foods had promised an investment of Rs 10 crore for the purpose.

Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of a strong antioxidant called Luteolin in olive leaves that can even help prevent several types of cancer — blood cancer, prostate cancer and ovarian cancer. After the studies and lab tests confirmed these properties of the olive leaves, the decision to process them was taken. It will medically benefit those who suffer from mental stress, cardiac disease.

Mr. Dharmpal Garhwal, Director at Olitia Foods, hopes to better the condition of farmers by involving them in the cultivation of olives with the State government. With the introduction of exotic crops, farmers are no longer dependent on the conventional crops. They can earn more profits for their efforts. Unlike other crops, olive plants don’t need soft water which is scarce in Rajasthan. Since olives don’t sprout throughout the year, olive tea leaves give farmers more income as these grow back in 40-50 days.

The olive tea is called a modern day elixir because its health benefits are more than any other tea. Packed with antioxidants, this tea clears the skin of toxins and carcinogens. It energizes even when it has no caffeine. It reduces wrinkles, acne and gives the skin a young glow. It eats away cholesterol and reduces blood pressure. It improves immunity and hence prevents cold and flu.

Olitia Foods is looking forward to give the world a modern day elixir, the olive tea. They have also received proposals from various countries including the USA and from the Gulf for MoUs. This product being produced by the farmers of Rajasthan will reach all across the globe.

Olitia Food Pvt. Ltd. is a venture to bridge the gap between a farmer and the market. They are enabling the farmers at the grassroots’ level by helping them produce better with simple organic methods.

The olive seeds were sowed in cocopeat for the first year in a laboratory controlled environment. After this, these plants were transferred to the field. The ideal sized leaves are crushed and dried to produce the olive tea.

The olive refinery is operational in the state at Bikaner, also the country’s first. The tea comes in several flavours such as lemongrass, holy basil, exotic, and mint. More flavours like ginger and tulsi will be introduced shortly.

Research has shown than olive reduces risk of cancers as olive tea has anti melanoma effect which provides protection against cancer at an early stage and prevents the growth of cancerous cells in human body.

Olive leaf extracts reverses the cardiovascular stress and chronic, disease-causing inflammation. The LDL-cholesterol levels can be reduced by a high dosage of olive tea extracts. Hydroxytyrosol present in olive leaf extracts helps in keeping the heart healthy.

Olive Tea leaves is also said to fight multiple viruses effectively. Cough and cold which has been a run-of- the-mill problem and has no conventional cure, can be easily relieved by consuming olive tea. Olive tea can act as a medicine for other viral diseases such as flu and herpes. It is rich in antioxidants and benefit the body by neutralizing and removing the free radicals from the bloodstream as it contains numerous phenols that neutralize the action of free radicals.

Olive tea extracts are found to have oleuropein which helps in relaxing the blood vessels, prevents the formation of blood clots and helps in reducing the systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly. It has been found out that olive tea extracts have been used to amplify the power of immunity system of the body.

One day after the horrific murder of eight years old student, Pradyuman Thakur, in Ryan International School at Bhondsi, Gurugram, which shocked the nation, the conductor of the school bus, Ashok Kumar 42, has confessed that he killed the boy.
In the confession after his arrest he admitted, “I was doing some objectionable activities alone inside the bathroom. The boy came inside and saw me. I got scared and pulled him inside. Then I attempted to have sex with the boy, he objected. I pulled him again and he fell on the ground. I panicked and slit his throat with a knife. I stabbed him twice near the part of his throat and ears. The boy cried and yelled, I flew away.”
Pradyuman’s father Vinod Chand Thakur said that he used to drop Pradyuman at school every day. On 8th August, he dropped his son and daughter at the gate of Ryan International School and came back home. After fifteen minutes, he got distressed calls from Ryan International School that his son fell in the bathroom. The school management took the boy to Artemis hospital. Vinod reached the hospital and saw the body of his son.
The victim’s father complained, “Simply arresting the bus conductor is not sufficient. It is negligence of part of the school administration and they should be booked.” 
“The school couldn’t even ensure basic safety for my son, how will then parents send children to school,” told the victim’s mother Jyoti to ANI. 
The police is investigating different possible angles and motives behind the murder. The Deputy Commissioner of Police South Gurugram, Ashok Bakshi, said, “The accused has been arrested and we are also integrating POCSO Act in this case. More names will be added soon.” 
Amid calls for strict action against the school, the acting principal is suspended. “Principal Neerja Batra has been suspended. A special committee is probing the case. We took action against the security agency of the school,” said Gurugram Deputy Commissioner of Police Simardeep Singh.Angry protestors outside the school and commissioner office are demanding strict actions against Ryan International School. Most of them are adamant to punish the bigger culprits, the school administration. The outrage among other parents seems obvious as their wards are also studying in that school. The protestors also tried to block Sohna Highway but the police handled the situation. 
Vinod Thakur reached the Police Commissioner’s office with lawyer to demand action against the school. The alleged assailant Ashok Kumar will be produced before the court this afternoon.

Ryan International School has become a trend on Twitter as the outrage against the cold-blooded murder of Pradyuman Thakur, a student of standard 2, has shaken up the conscience of many parents in Delhi-NCR and country as well. The confession by the conductor on sexually assaulting the eight years old boy inside the bathroom of the school premises and callously stabbing him twice near the parts of ears and throat has left a many in distressed and baffled. But this is not the first incident in the ‘finishing school’ of Ryan International Group   of Institutions. 
On January 30th 2016, Devansh Kakrora, a student of class I was drowned inside a septic tank inside the premises of the Ryan International School at Vasant Kunj. Before he could reach the AIIMS hospital he succumbed to excess amount of water in his body. 
The father of Devansh, Rahmeet Meena, had then complained about injuries on Devansh’s private parts. He also alleged that cotton was found on his private organs, a very clear indication that he was sexually assaulted. However, Delhi police in its preliminary inquiry didn’t consider the point of sexual assault. He also alleged the principal to threaten him. He said, “I was being threatened by the principal many a times.”
The administration of Ryan International School was alleged of showing extreme negligence as the building was not sealed where construction work was being carried away. The electrician, gardners and swimming coach were standing near the tank, but they remained mute spectators during the incident. If they had shown some courage then Devansh could be saved. When all remained silent, a brave student of class XI had shown valor and courage to jump inside the tank and take Devansh out, unfortunately Devansh could not survive. 
The negligence of Delhi police was also condemned by the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodiya. The police had booked the principal and the class teacher for criminal negligence in May this year. But even after 1 and half years the parents of Devansh await for justice.
Ryan International Group of Institutions is a big name in the field of education sector. It is being operated in more than 17 states. They have 11 schools running in Delhi-NCR (3 in Haryana). It has more than 300 schools in India and abroad. Established in 1976 by Dr. A.F. Pinto, the first school was set up in Mumbai. They have the motto of “Excellence of Education & All Round Development”, but the continuous horrifying incidents and the attempt to cover up the crimes are big reasons to worry.
Once again the big school has been caught neglecting the basic security and safety measures for the children. In a similar manner, Pradyuman Thakur was attempted to sexual assault by the bus conductor Ashok Kumar. Ashok confessed that he killed the boy stabbing knife twice in his throat. 
The mother of the victim sobbingly said that Pradyuman was a bright kid. The school teachers had always praised and applauded him. The theory of Blue Whale Challenge was also coined by the school authorities as they said that he died attempting to play the game. But the logical mother was not sold with this explanation. 
Now the parents await justice. They have appealed PM Narendra Modi to propose a CBI investigation in this matter as the records of the Ryan International School is very dubious on the graph of responsibility and safety for the children. The group of school has earlier also tried to cover up and influence the police probe, so Pradyuman’s parents want CBI inquiry in this murder case and sexual assault. The Gurugram police has been already probing into the matter with under the ‘POCSO Act’ too.  

Making a passionate plea to eliminate viral hepatitis from WHO South-East Asia Region, film star Amitabh Bachchan, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in the Region, has stressed on the need for increasing awareness about the preventable disease and ending discrimination against the affected.

“If this ailment is detected in time and care can be taken, there are medications that can halt this virus. A very high burden of hepatitis exists in the South-East Asia Region. Whatever work we can do to eliminate hepatitis – to detect and cure it – we must do,” Mr Bachchan said while addressing the Seventieth Regional Committee session of WHO South-East Asia Region.

The Goodwill Ambassador said, “This is a moral and social issue. Discrimination against people with Hepatitis continues to happen socially in our midst. There are women who are refused marriage, women who are refused the ability to bear children because they have hepatitis B and there are countries who deny visa to people with hepatitis. Discrimination needs to stop. People must know that there is a cure for hepatitis.”

“Each year viral hepatitis infects millions of people across the Region, killing 410 000 people – more than HIV and malaria combined. It is also a major cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis, contributing to premature morbidity and mortality, and undermining economic growth and the push to achieve health and wellbeing for all,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director South-East Asia, said, stressing on the need for countries to prioritize action to reverse this trend.

At the Regional Committee meeting, Member countries adopted the regional action plan to end viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Using the framework of universal health coverage to ensure that no one is left behind, WHO has developed the plan in consultation with Member countries, community leaders, development partners, academia and professional societies. The regional action plan provides a framework for implementing evidence based interventions.

As preventive measures WHO has been advocating for vaccinating newborns with Hepatitis B first at birth and then two to three doses of the vaccine as part of routine immunization schedule, safe blood and safe injection practices; improved sanitation, safe water and food safety; and most importantly scaling up testing and treatment of Hepatitis B and C to prevent complications such as liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee have developed a new, low-cost method for treating Osteoarthritis– a degenerative joint disease which leads to loss of bone cartilage and eventual inflammation of bone and joints.

The new treatment involves injecting ferro-magnetic nano-particles with thermal properties for treatment of the afflicted knee joints. The research published in the `Journal for Materials Science—Biomaterials.’   

According to a member of the research team, Prof K.L. Yadav, the team at IIT Roorkee developed a specific ferrite nano-material, which will provide prolonged thermo-regulated treatment.  These polymers based nano-particles when injected around the knee joint along with normal heat therapy will be able to provide long term heat therapy for the patient.

“Currently, the treatment of osteoarthritis is done using anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids, which have critical side effects on patients. Also, the treatment using such drugs cannot inhibit the natural progression of this degenerative disease,’’ says Prof Yadav, Head of Physics Department at IIT, Roorkee.

“Other than these, techniques such as knee replacement are also used, but are expensive and have a long recovery time. We wanted to develop a low cost, affordable, safe and simple therapeutic technique to inhibit the progression of the disease and enable the patient to recover faster,” Prof Yadav said.  

“We developed magnetic polymer matrix composite using ferromagnetic nano-particle structures insulated with Poly (vinylidene fluoride) polymer. It is proposed that the synthesized material in a liquid form may be injected into the affected knee joint. Once the liquid is inserted into the knee joint, the hyperthermia treatment through electromagnetic radiation can be given on the specific area at regular intervals. The heat generated during this process by the nano-particles will spread over the afflicted area for a long duration without affecting the nearby cells or tissues. This will help us in getting a focussed treatment only in the area where the therapy is required,” he explained.

The IIT Roorkee is among the foremost of institutes of national importance in higher technological education and in engineering, basic and applied research. Since its establishment, the Institute has played a vital role in providing the technical manpower and know-how to the country and in pursuit of research.

The Institute ranks amongst the best technological institutions in the world and has contributed to all sectors of technological development. The Institute had celebrated its Sesquicentennial in October 1996 and now completed more than 170 years of its existence. It was converted to IIT on September 21, 2001.  

Farmers often use toxic chemicals to destroy unwanted vegetation in their fields but such use can also adversely affect yield of crops. Now Indian scientists have found a way of making rice crop tolerant to herbicides.

A consortium of scientists led the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore has identified a novel mutant of rice which can withstand the use of a commonly used broad spectrum herbicide, Imazethapyr.

Herbicides act by disrupting key enzymes and proteins involved in essential processes associated with growth and development of plants. Imazethapyr is a popular herbicide but is not traditionally used on rice fields as it adversely affects the yield.

Over years, many herbicide-tolerant crops, including those resistant to imazethapyr, have been developed but most of them are protected under patents. The mutation identified by the group can be used without restriction in public funded rice breeding. 

Scientists used rice variety Nagina 22 in the study since it is already tolerant to heat and drought, and ideally suited for Indian conditions. In this variety, they identified a gene (HTM-N22) and the mutations within it which are responsible for development of tolerance to imazethapyr. This will enable test development for identification of the tolerant variety in rice breeding programs and protect rice cultivation from weeds. In terms of distinctness, uniformity and stability, the tolerant variety appeared indistinguishable, according to results of the study published in journal Rice.

The researchers expect HTM-N22 to have an easy process of registration for widespread commercialization since the development of this mutant did not require genetic engineering of the rice crop. They believe that the most significant use of the herbicide-tolerant mutant will be in its usage in publicly-funded rice breeding programs in India and elsewhere without the fear of infringing intellectual property.

The institutions that participated in TNAU-led project are Indian Agricultural Research Institute, National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Punjab Agricultural University, Indian Institute of Rice Research, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru; National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack; and National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi. The network project was funded by Department of Biotechnology. (India Science Wire)

Delayed meeting of India-China Special Representatives should be convened. Reference to LeT and JeM in BRICS joint statement bound to raise the hackles of Pakistan.

The crucial meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Xiamen has raised hopes of ending the nine-week-old Doklam standoff. 

The discussions between the two leaders lasting more than an hour on Tuesday (September fifth) was “forward looking” about the Sino-Indian relationship, observed Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar. Modi and Xi desired that the defence and security personnel must maintain strong contact and cooperation ensuring that the sort of situation that arose in Doklam did not recur.  

On its part the Chinese Foreign ministry said Xi told Modi that Beijing and New Delhi should stick to the basic judgement that the two sides constitute opportunities instead of posing threats to each other. It was hoped India views China’s development in a correct and rational way and let the world know that peaceful coexistence is the only correct choice for the two countries. 

This was a reaffirmation by the two leaders of the understanding reached during the Astana summit in June this year to build mutual trust and respect for maintaining peace and tranquility at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 

India has had notable diplomatic gains at the Xiamen summit in countering terrorism which was on the BRICS agenda. Being Pakistan’s all weather friend, China agreeing reference to LeT and JeM in the joint statement is bound to raise the hackles of Islamabad. 

It comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has pointedly asked Islamabad to cease providing safe havens forthwith to the two groups and others.  In any case Beijing has compounded matters for itself by opposing Mazood Azhar’s designation as an international terrorist by the United Nations. That the BRICS joint statement finds no mention of Beijing’s much touted ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative as well as its stand on the South China Sea is not surprising. 

Simultaneously, China is seeking to enlarge its leadership in the BRICS grouping to countries like Thailand, Mexico, Kenya and Egypt among others. In any case its expansionist design is well known. The significance of BRICS to India cannot be undermined coupled with the need to keep China involved multilaterally. Impartial observers emphasise the delayed meeting of the Special Representatives must be convened encompassing the problems connected with the Sikkim boundary as well as the India-China-Bhutan trijunction.  It is imperative that the BRICS decision on terrorist groups like the LeT and JeM are implemented in keeping with the desire of the BRICS leaders. 

And it is indeed crucial that the outcome of the India-China bilateral discussions are concretised. To prevent Doklam type of incidents in future, there is a felt need for a new mechanism. At the same time New Delhi cannot lower its guard amid apprehensions that transgressions by the PLA will not recur. With the Chinese Communist Party Congress scheduled next month in October, the hosts could not have afforded anything but a successful BRICS summit. 

Informed sources said the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam makes it necessary for the two armies to sort out issues. The Indian Army believes apart from the LAC being properly demarcated, necessary CBMs (confidence building measures) have to be put in place. 

The number of points of contact have to be increased for having regular contacts along with establishing a hotline between the two Armies. Areas in Ladakh are also under dispute. Lately there have been incidents of intense violence not evidenced in the past having the portends of leading to a breach of trust among the local military Commanders. Doubts can be removed when the LAC is demarcated properly and all doubts about its alignment is dispelled.