NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, through its Chief Secretary, calling for a detailed report in the matter of several deaths of children in the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur. It has also asked about the steps taken for relief and rehabilitation of the affected families as well as action taken against the guilty officers within four weeks. Taking suo motu cognizance of several media reports hinting at negligence in the supply of liquid oxygen at the hospital which resulted in the tragedy, the Commission has observed that reported deaths, in such a large number in a government run hospital, amount to serious violation of right to life and health of the innocent victims. “This indicates towards gross callousness on part of the hospital administration and the Medical Education and Health Department of Uttar Pradesh. Earlier also, it has come across several instances of deaths in the hospitals due to Japanese encephalitis,’’ the notice says. The Commission has further observed that the issue of deaths due to Japanese encephalitis was discussed with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the State Government in detail during its recently concluded Open Hearing and Camp Sitting at Lucknow for the cases of Uttar Pradesh from the 9th to 11th August, 2017. However, in spite of assurance given by the state administration, the situation has not improved. According to the various media reports, carried since 12th to 14th August, 2017, by the most of the Hindi and English newspapers, the private firm, contracted to supply liquid oxygen to the BRD Medical College, stopped the supplies, as it was not paid the outstanding dues of almost Rs. 70 Lakh and the result was tragic deaths of about 60 children, admitted in the Neo-natal and Encephalitis Wards of the Hospital. As per media reports, the magisterial inquiry has been ordered by the administration to ascertain the cause of death. In the last three decades, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) have claimed over 50,000 lives in the eastern Uttar Pradesh, mostly in the Gorakhpur district. It is further mentioned that total 124 deaths were reported in the hospital till 8th August, 2017. As many as 641 children died last year and 491 in the year 2015.

NEW DELHI: BeNative has embarked on a very vital initiative to empower the youth of today and developing societies. They aim to provide today’s educated generation a rightful place in the emerging global sectors. After having successfully assisted leading MNCs and corporates in South Korea, the company plans to make its foray into the Indian market equipped with a digital initiative to up-skill youth in Business/Corporate Communication.
“BeNative is in touch with a number of innovative Indian institutes and universities to help them provide their students a platform to enrich their business/technical English and Chinese so that they can express themselves more effectively in the global markets,” says BeNative’s Director Shruti Kaul, who hails from India and is now settled in South Korea. She is leading BeNative’s foray in India and was recently in India to explore possibilities of expanding her company’s exposure in India.
“South Asian countries, particularly India, is ready to take a more meaningful position in the global markets when it comes to education and training in communication skills. We have taken up this responsibility with the objective of bridging further communication constraints to make world a truly global village. We train workforce to improve and sharpen their communication skills, particularly in their specialised fields, to enable them express forcefully and more effectively,” Ms. Kaul adds.
BeNative has partnered with Ashoka University to understand the needs of today’s youth and find a proper balance between the products currently being offered and what needs to be improved and added to cater to the local market. “We see a vast yet diverse market in India and would like to play a pivotal role in the ongoing skill India movement. We plan to have many such engaging events and partner with universities and related government organizations to provide a platform for today’s digitalized youth in both rural and urban India so that they can be champions in their own fields in the language that the world speaks,” says Ms. Kaul.
BeNative CEO Alan Moonsoo Kim, whose first company Etoos was sold for $30 million, has been working in the online education industry since its inception over 15 years ago. “We believe that any student, if given the right kind of inspiration, learning path and sufficient exposure to the opportunities available, will certainly be able to realize his/her potential. Our mission is to provide such inspiration, learning and exposure to millions of students by closing the gap between their skills and industry needs,” says Mr. Kim.
More than 2000 companies and universities in China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan use BeNative tools to improve their employees’ and students language skills in both English and Chinese. BeNative has already established itself as a leader in corporate education in Asia. Its premium service, BeNative Pro, is currently used by major companies including Samsung, LG, and IBM for employees learning English and Chinese. It has won several awards around Asia and the Americas.? It has been nominated as one of 2016’s top innovative companies by the Edison Awards.
BeNative creates their unique content material by interviewing business people, including CEOs and other top-level executives. Some of their current interviews include employees of major companies such as General Motors, IBM, Paypal, 3M, and Harvard Business School. In addition to that, BeNative also has in-house videos to teach and explain certain other essential business etiquette required to be successful in the business world.
BeNative teaches: Native English from native speakers. Most commonly used phrases and vocabulary in the business world. Most modern expressions and idioms used in the business world. English for business situations. English for business travelling.
(Courtesy: ictflash.com) 

Monsoon is often called as the season of death in Poorvanchal—eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh and the adjoining region for rains lead to the death of hundreds of children every year due to viral encephalitis and its cousin Japanese encephalitis – the first caused by a water-borne enterovirus and the second by mosquito bite. The symptoms of both the killer diseases are almost the same and both are marked with high mortality and morbidity among children.
Not much has changed at Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur since 1978 when reports of children dying of JE/AES first came. The Hospital then had less capacity – though the best in the region—then number of patients was also less, but as the Hospital was upgraded – after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s visit in 2011 following a spate of deaths—the number of patients has increased manifold as it still continues to be the best. Patients as far as from Nepal come to get their children treated here putting a huge load on the infrastructure and staff.
Japanese encephalitis and viral encephalitis diseases, broadly classified as AES, are a poor man’s diseases and affect the families of paddy farmers. But, it is not only a health issue. Of course, the present apathy and callousness of the hospital administration—if proven in the probe ordered by the State government—is nothing less than criminal negligence which needs to be dealt with in an exemplary manner.
Contaminated water, lack of proper sanitation facilities and bad personal hygiene habits are the factors which lead to children contracting the diseases. Living near paddy fields where mosquitoes breed and drinking infected water from shallow tube-wells are the risk factors as is the presence of pig farms located within the hamlets where communities live. These act as breeding sites for mosquitoes.
The patients who come here are poor and, therefore, undernourished, which even further lowers their chances of survival. Those who come from far off areas for treatment reach the hospital in a critical stage and their chances of survival are slim.
In 2012, the Centre government launched a National Programme for Prevention and Control of JE and AES on the recommendation of the Group of Ministers. The Rs 3,350 crore project was to be implemented in a phased manner. The first phase was launched in 60 most affected districts and included provision of rehabilitation for those who were left mentally retarded.
Over the years, not much could be heard of the project which was to be implemented by the Ministries of Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Human Resource Development, Women and Child Development and Health and Family Welfare. While the focus has always remained on the achievements of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in this respect, no one even questions the other Ministries – which have a crucial role in preventing the diseases. They probably have forgotten about the project!
 Annual deaths at the BRD Hospital are shameful. Successive governments have not paid necessary attention to address the issue is even worse. Upgrading the Hospital with additional beds or ventilators and other infrastructure can only help in treating the patients but what is required in multi-pronged strategy to fight the scourge which has now spread to 17 States across India with almost all eastern States under its grip. Awareness and quality communication are equally important to raise the levels of information and education among the community and needs to be implemented well at various levels—community, providers and policy makers themselves.
Back at the present situation in Gorakhpur, it only speaks of the systemic failure that has sniffed away more than 60 innocent lives. Whether the oxygen supplier actually stopped the flow of life-saving oxygen or whether the administration held back the payment is indicative of the weak supply chain we have even in health facilities; and speaks of the possible corrupt practices the authorities indulge in while releasing the payments. These are issues which will come out in the enquiry reports, but one hopes that the issue does not die a natural death this time round too! 

Seeking to clear the air regarding allegations that it was trying to influence policies in India, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has said it rarely initiates programs from scratch and instead partners with leaders and communities striving to add value as they take on big health and development challenges.

“Over the years, the Gates Foundation has learned a lot about how to be an effective partner. We understand India’s scale and diversity and know that we don’t have the resources to support multiple programs here on our own. We also recognize India’s complexity and know that the most reliable and sustainable solutions are best provided by local champions who have spent their careers working in India,’’ the second edition of the India Country Office Letter of the BMGF, released here said. The letter is authored by Nachiket Mor, India Country Director of the Foundation.

“Sometimes the Gates Foundation contributes expertise. We know the issues and key players and can help connect the right people and resources. At other times we contribute data. We quickly set up pilot projects to test and refine a strategy, and provide decision-makers with examples and evidence,’’ the letter added.

The Foundation said it also helps facilitate important relationships across traditional boundaries so that governments, non-governmental organizations and private sector companies can collaborate to deliver innovations faster to those in need. The investments they make fill gaps and help good ideas become lifesaving solutions.

The letter highlights progress in India’s development through investments in scientific and technological advances, as India moves forward to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. Specifically, the letter focuses on successful interventions in sanitation, women and child development, vaccination and lymphatic filariasis, and demonstrates how thoughtful application of innovation and technology can contribute to transforming health and development outcomes.

Speaking on the launch of the second edition of the India Country Office Letter, Mr Mor said, “The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is partner to the Government of India in their efforts to address inequities that affect the most vulnerable populations, so that everyone can lead healthy, productive lives. This letter demonstrates through some examples of how science and technology can advance and transform India’s health and development outcomes.” He further added, “We admire the scale and scope of the country’s ambitions related to its development and are optimistic of the country’s progress across key development indicators.”

India is applying new-age thinking and cutting-edge technologies that can contribute to progress on the most challenging issues facing the poor. As the country strives to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is optimistic about India’s future, the letter says.

Soldiers sometimes have to be at high altitude with sub-zero temperatures for prolonged periods of time. To keep warm, they use a variety of strategies. This could include warm clothing, using heat packs, or electric blankets. But, they do not provide comprehensive solutions.

While warm clothes do prevent loss of body heat, they fail to generate any heat on their own, hot water bottles fail to retain the heat for long durations and electric heating pads or blankets require electric supply which has a risk of causing skin burn and thus making them unfit for prolonged use. 

Now, scientists at the Defense Laboratory Jodhpur (DLJ), and the Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur (IITJ) have designed a new combination of previously known materials that could help save soldiers and those living in cold regions from adverse events such as frostbite and hypothermia. 

The scientists, have made this new combo-material using sodium acetate trihydrate and ethylene glycol that can retain significant amount of heat for long . The combo-material is a type of ‘phase change material’, that have been previously used for making thermal management devices for regulating human body temperature, reducing temperature fluctuations inside buildings, and for storing solar energy.

Sodium acetate trihydrate is known to make efficient heat packs. But, it has several disadvantages. For example, it is hard and lumped, with sharp edges that makes it prone to puncture or damage during use. Also, it provides heat at nearly 57 degree Celsius as opposed to a temperature of 40degree Celsius, which is required to manage frostbites. 

The scientists at DLJ and IITJ have now found that it can be made more flexible and its heat retention time could be increased by about 10% by adding ethylene glycol and thus made suitable for thermal therapeutic applications like for frostbites. 

The scientists, Ambesh Dixit, Rohitash Kumar, SumitaVyas, and Ravindra Kumar have published their results in a recent issue of science journal Nature’s  Scientific Reports.

 Â“Novel ethylene glycol and aqueous sodium acetate trihydrate composite phase change materials with enhanced thermo-physical properties have been designed and developed. It is a promising material for applications such as body warming, building heating under adverse conditions and seasonal solar thermal energy storage”, they said in their report. 

Mohammed Farid, professor at the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Auckland, New Zealand, who is not connected to the study but works with similar materials agrees that, “scientists have improved the performance of the materialthrough modifications. It will also make it more comfortable to use”, he says. (India Science Wire)

KATHMANDU: The grouping of seven BIMSTEC countries have  reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, which remains the single most significant threat to peace and stability in the region.

The member-countries agreed to take concrete measures to step up cooperation and coordination among their law enforcement, intelligence and security organisations. 

They also agreed to expedite the ratification of the BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, signed in Myanmar in 2009. The 20-year-old BIMSTEC grouping has Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal as its members. 

In a joint statement, issued at the end of the 15th BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting in Kathmandu on Friday, it was also agreed to complete the internal procedures to sign the BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters at the earliest.

The joint statement expressed satisfaction that the member States have commenced negotiations on BIMSTEC Convention Against Trafficking in Persons. 

The member-countries agreed to implement the recommendations of their National Security chiefs to counter terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization; and deepen cooperation to deal with traditional and non-traditional security threats in a comprehensive manner.  

Apart from counter-terrorism and trans-national crime, the joint statement touched upon 15 other areas for increasing cooperation among BIMSTEC countries. These are trade and investment, climate change, energy, agriculture, public health, transport and communication, technology, poverty alleviation, fisheries, tourism and culture, blue economy and mountain economy and people-to-people contact.  The two-day ministerial meeting was inaugurated by Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.  

Earlier, in her address External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj noted that BIMSTEC countries represent one-fifth of world humanity and  said the region is also one of the fastest growing regions in the world. 

Stressing that BIMSTEC enjoys the unique strengths of connecting South and South-East Asia, she said that it links the ecologies of the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal. With shared histories, values and ways of life, it is the natural platform, to build our common future, she said. 

For India, Ms. Swaraj said, BIMSTEC remained its natural choice to fulfil the key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’.

Listing the priority areas of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime; Transport & Communication; Tourism; and Environment & Disaster Management, where India was the lead country, Ms. Swaraj said that peace and security were  essential for development to take place. 

She noted that the first meeting of BIMSTEC National Security Chiefs in New Delhi in March this year had adopted a holistic approach to tackle traditional and non-traditional security challenges that threaten our region. 

“We worked out collective strategies to counter the scourge of terrorism, violent extremism & transnational crimes, as also to strengthen our maritime and cyber security cooperation. Specific follow-up measures in these areas are now under progress,’’ Ms. Swaraj said. 

Pointing out that the region was vulnerable to a variety of disasters due to its geo-climatic conditions, she said that to build regional capacities India would be hosting the first BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise in October 2017. It will help in developing  quicker, coordinated and comprehensive responses to disasters. 

“Intra-regional tourism got a boost with the launch of the BIMSTEC Network of Tour Operators recently in New Delhi. This first-of-its kind platform has brought industry and stakeholders together. Promotion of intra-BIMSTEC tourist circuits, joint marketing strategies, and BIMSTEC specific tourism products, notably the Buddhist circuit, would allow tourists to experience our rich and shared civilizational heritage,’’ Ms. Swaraj told the ministerial meeting. 

Describing energy was the engine of economic development, she expressed satisfaction that cross-border exchange of power between India, Nepal, Bhutan & Bangladesh was on a rapid upswing. The BIMSTEC MOU on Grid Interconnection, which has been finalized, would further facilitate regional energy trade. 

Arguing for deeper economic integration, she said that BIMSTEC has a combined GDP of over USD 2.85 trillion but the potential remains unfulfilled. 

As the BJP’s go to man in the South, can Venkaiah Naidu’s elevation as Vice President change the saffron brigade’s fortune there.

The amiable M Venkaiah Naidu’s facile win in the Vice Presidential elections last Saturday (August fifth) was never in doubt. The cross voting became all too evident with his opponent Gopalkrishna Gandhi losing by a wider margin that expected even as he acknowledged gracefully that “it was the victory of the ballot”. 

Expectedly certain regional parties in the South like the ruling but faction ridden AIADMK in Tamil Nadu as well as the TRS in Telengana and the YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh backed the old war horse whose popularity was never in doubt. 

Naidu sought to clear the air once for all right at the beginning emphasising that he no longer belongs to any party. History has been created with the BJP bagging the top three constitutional posts in the country – President, Vice President and the Prime Minister – for the first time since it was formed in 1980. 

The credit for achieving this landmark must go to Narendra Modi in large measure as the Head of Government. In the first instance he zeroed in on Ram Nath Kovind, a low profile barrister and a Dalit hailing from UP, for being ensconced in the majestic Rashtrapati Bhawan, in a bid to assuage the feelings of the 21 per cent Dalits in the country towards the BJP. 

Then he turned to Venkaiah Naidu as the Vice President to boost the Lotus party’s image in the South accounting for no less than 130 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. There is a felt need to enlarge the party’s image and presence in the South akin to winning Assam and having a BJP government for the first time in Gauhati considered the gateway to the Northeast. 

Being a fractured entity since the passing away of Amma and AIADMK supremo, J Jayalalithaa, the Lotus party had set its eyes on having a truck with them. It appears to be fructifying now with chief minister E K Palanisamy meeting the Prime Minister in the national capital on Thursday for being an ally of the NDA. The faction headed by erstwhile chief minister O Paneerselvam is merging with the ruling faction subject to certain conditions being met. 

This has the portends of the saffron brigade achieving a significant breakthrough in Tamil Nadu. At the same time considering the pitfalls and unpredictability of the situation in the AIADMK, the BJP is hopeful of its calculated gambit succeeding in Tamil Nadu, a main battleground state in the South. It has a tally of 39 seats in the Lok Sabha. 

The endeavour of Modi along with his confidant and BJP president Amit Shah is to enlarge the saffron brigade’s footprint all over the country including the South rather than being confined to the Hindi heartland. 

The gambit is to take advantage of Naidu’s outreach in the South akin to his tenure as BJP president from 2002 to 2004 considering his fluency in several languages like his mother tongue Telegu, Tamil and Kannada among others. There is no doubt he is the most prominent face of the BJP from the South. Karnataka is the only state in the South to have voted the BJP to power. 

Left to himself, Naidu might have preferred to remain in active politics. He was BJP’s man Friday for making allies in the South. He had developed a good equation with southern leaders like Telengana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, AP chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and the late Jayalalithaa in Tamil Nadu. 

At the same time his role as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha in ensuring the smooth functioning of the House of Elders will be crucial. Naidu has to ensure debate rather than disruptions which has been the norm in the Rajya Sabha lately. It is significant that the BJP has managed to edge past the Congress tally thus becoming the single largest political entity in that House. Nevertheless, the BJP led NDA still has some way to go before achieving a majority in the 245-member House of Elders. 

The BJP has become the dominant party in the country evidenced with the splash of the saffron on the country’s map. Its aggressive politics enabled it to bag major states and install its party men as chief ministers. This is indicative of the BJP securing another mandate for itself in the 2019 general elections with hardly any opposition on the horizon. 

With the ruling dispensation virtually having complete sway over key seats of power, how it pans out in practical terms remains to the seen. The Constitution requires the President and the Vice President to be non-partisan which is bound to be put to test now.  

Winning the trust of the opposition might not be easy in the wake of Naidu’s long association with the BJP. He has alluded to no longer being a party man and that it will be his duty to preserve and protect the Constitution. He was installed as the 14th Vice President of India yesterday (Friday, August 11) when he was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Nath Kovind.  

Legendary sportsperson, Milkha Singh, has been appointed WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Physical Activity in South-East Asia Region.
As WHO Goodwill Ambassador, Milkha Singh will promote WHO South-East Asia Region’s NCD Prevention and Control Action Plan which seeks to reduce the level of insufficient physical activity by 10% and NCDs by 25% by 2025.
“Promoting physical activity for health is an important intervention, which is expected to get a significant boost in the Region with the support of octogenarian Mr Milkha Singh, a champion for the cause,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said.
Regular exercise and physical activity helps reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer – diseases that are now increasingly afflicting people cross the world.
An estimated 8.5 million people die due to NCDs every year in WHO South-East Asia Region. Many of these deaths are premature and nearly all are lifestyle related, the Regional Director said.
An alarming 70% of boys, 80% of girls and nearly 33% adults in the Region report insufficient physical activity which is becoming a common feature of modern life, she said.
Physical activity is not only cost effective, but also has long-term impact when applied strategically, for example at schools and workplaces, communities and cities, and national and sub-national events. WHO has been advocating for physical activity as a “best buy” intervention for reducing the risk of deaths due to NCDs.
WHO recommends at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children and 150 minutes of weekly activity for adults to stave off noncommunicable diseases. Physical activity helps those aged 65 years and above to maintain cognitive functioning and reduce the risk of depression. To facilitate this, WHO has also been advocating with governments to create public spaces for recreational and organized sport.
“Whatever the age group, gender, physical ability, or socio-economic background, being physically active is an effective way to ensure a healthy and productive life”, the Regional Director said.
With support of Milkha Singh, we expect to promote and scale up physical activity in the Region to be able to arrest and reverse the NCD epidemic, she said.

Bharati Rathore, a former Defense Research Development Organization Researcher and Cognitive Neuro-Scientist, whom I met on LinkedIn, shared the story of inventing ‘Futuristic Safe Injection System-2020’. Bharati and her family are working diligently to help millions facing serious menace of the burden of unsafe injections in the world and invented ‘Futuristic Safe Injection System-2020’. It is a method and device for sustainable drug delivery system. The mission is to eradicate the threat of the adverse effect of reused syringes on humankind. Here are some excerpts.
About the invention:
This disruptive invention provides the most effective, cheapest, safer, greener and ergonomic drug delivery method and device compatible to WHO’s guidelines. It consists of two variants of reusable injector and 18 variants of safely disposable drug-cartridge. It contains piston and retractable needle along with a fixed dose of medicament, wherein needle retracts automatically within the empty cartridge after the injection process. Neither of the two parts per se are syringe but constitute an efficient, simple and user-friendly auto-retractable safety syringe, when both the parts are coupled together. The disposable drug cartridge, thus, constitutes a smart packaging material to pharmaceutical industry. The injector is provided with an LED indicator, which not only regulates and keeps vigil on the entire injection process but also illuminates the injection site in dark hours to conveniently facilitate the injection procedure. Besides, the injector may also be used to collect the fluids safely, when attached with the specially designed Fluid Collector. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u24Rc7ZIaXo 
Backgrounder:
Bharati’s family came across a World Health Organization (WHO) report regarding ‘the burden of unsafe injections worldwide’ published in 2004. It revealed that only in 2002, up to 70% injections were being given by reused syringes in developing world, causing 1.3 million deaths, loss of 26 million years of life worldwide and estimated increased medical costs $1 billion alone in USA annually. The exposed deadly contaminated needles of used syringes and the Needle Stick Injuries (NSI) caused by such syringes, were held responsible as a primary source of the most dreadful diseases like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, gonorrhea, typhus, herpes, malaria, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, syphilis, and tuberculosis as well as other communicable diseases. It reported a spike in new cases, particularly caused by Needle Stick Injuries (NSI) up to 30% of hepatitis B, 41% of hepatitis C and 9% of HIV/AIDS. Increasing lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hormonal problems etc. have added a steep growth of injections. Each injection needs a new syringe every time, which is ultimately discarded after use along with the empty drug container creating ever-growing piles of hazardous medical-waste posing serious health concerns and increasing the  global disease burden as well as global healthcare burden. 
Motivation behind the invention:
“In 2006, doctor prescribed regular insulin shots to my diabetic mother, Dr. (Mrs.) Neelam Rathore. Buying a new syringe for every single shot of insulin for rest of her life was a quite expensive affair but we had to afford. Once, it occurred as an unexpected incident, my younger brother, Jai Hind Rathore, who was hardly of 7 years and student in 3rd Grade, found syringe as a fascinating toy to play with and started collecting the disposed syringes from garbage without our knowledge. One day, while cleaning his cupboard, our mother found a box full of used syringes, she annoyed and scolded him with a warning not to indulge in such activities. Being a doctor, she knew well about the repercussions and the grave hazards of sharp medical waste particularly, the risks of deadly contaminated needle-stick injuries, which made her furious. Despite, it was not possible for the lad to keep away his fascination for syringes as a toy. He still continued having lot of questions behind her fear.” 
“The same year my elder sister Pratibha, student of class 11 and my father Dr. B. C. Rathore) had just finished a research project relating to the density fingerprinting of alloys to determine the purity of gold jewelry using ‘decoding of density method’ without any destruction of such precious jewelry. Our findings subsequently published in ‘Material Letters’ as “Theoretical optimization of constitution of alloys by decoding their densities” in publication of ELSEVIER Journal, which was highly appreciated by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO), National Physical Laboratory (NPL, Delhi), Vikram Sarabhai Space Research Centre (VSSRC) etc. and also the then President of India, His Excellency Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam took cognizance and referred the matter to BARC and BIS for further action.”
“At this point of time, we collectively undertook the WHO’s report as a missionary challenge and consistently worked with a zeal to find out a most suitable solution to effectively curb the menace of unsafe injections. Our studies revealed that only and only the retractable syringes may be the perfect solution of this challenge, but the costly retraction mechanism makes the syringes so costly that they are hardly affordable even to o.1% of the global population.”

Global Recognition of the Technology Â“The European Patent Office, while examining our International Patent Application (PCT/IB2016/051060)WO/2016/142799  has clearly opined as follows:
“Recently, our invention scored 2nd position in the world among 225 inventions/projects submitted from various countries by securing more than 32000 global populous votes at#youforG20: Project of an Interconnected World, an initiative undertaken by Deutschland on the occasion of G-20 Summit-2017 at Hamburg. It has been featured in ISIPS Newsletter of USA (Issue: 7th July, 2017), which is fully dedicated to ensure complete prevention of Needle Stick Injuries (NSI), the ultimate root-cause of  HIV, Hepatitis B & C as well as other communicable diseases worldwide. It has also been shortlisted among few inventions globally in the first stage of ‘The First Mile Innovation Challenge’by The Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies (CAMTech) of Massachusetts General Hospital in association with GE Sustainable Healthcare Solutions. The invention has also been awarded with ‘BIRAC-SRISTI Appreciation Award-2017’worth Rs.1Lac by ‘Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institution’ (SRISTI) and ‘Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council’ (BIRAC) under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India.Now, we are at final stage of pitching in ‘Millennium Alliance Award’ conducted by FICCI in August, 2017. The system is fully compliant to guidelines laid down by WHO, FDA and NIOSH.”
What was the role of each of the inventors? Have you named the product?
“Family of five, have put our persistent endeavors and invested our entire knowledge, skill, efforts, time, money, energy as well as all available resources in this pious missionary task of designing our dream invention to save the lives of millions. Pratibha Rathore, [Director of Rescitech Vision Pvt. Ltd., M.Tech. in Medical Nanotechnology] – Technical expertise in inventing new technology, Bharati Rathore, [M.Tech. in Cognitive& Neuroscience]- Technical expertise in inventing new technology, Jai Hind Rathore, [Student]- Technical expertise in inventing new technology, 3D Designing, Animation and Virtual Prototyping of the product, Dr. (Mrs) Neelam Rathore,[Medical Practitioner]- Medical expertise, presently working as Medical Officer in a State Ayurvedic Hospital under the Govt. of U. P, Dr. B. C. Rathore- Expertise in Legal and Intellectual Property Rights, Presently working as a Govt. Servant under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India. 
Have you registered a company in India or plan to do so for the scaling up in terms of manufacturing and marketing? Are you looking at a tech transfer to the industry or you will be founding a company to do so?
“Rescitech Vision Pvt. Ltd., founded in 2014, is a technology and design company with a focus on sustainable innovations. Its mission is to accelerate the world’s transition towards sustainable and inclusive innovation growth by creating simple technologies with no technological divide. Our innovation start-up envisions the complete prevention of Needle Stick Injuries, re-use needle, counterfeit drugs, drug-abuse etc. and simultaneously to avoid the need of separate syringe for injection procedure in order to reduce the cost of injection procedure. Our invention is expected to decrease the bio-medical waste generated due to disposable syringes globally up to 70-75% and save the same extent of raw material particularly plastic material to be converted into bio-medical waste.” 
“Presently, we are trying hard to raise the requisite funds to secure our IPRs worldwide and commercialize our invention from the money obtained from various awards, grants, seed funding, licensing etc. We are zealously trying to become a part of the most ambitious ‘Make in India’ regime of Government of India. We have seriously planned to adopt Licensing model for commercialization and revenue generation.”
How much funds went into the invention? What has been the funding source? Has that been enough?
“Since 2006, all the financial resources, whatsoever, available at our ends have already been streamlined and exhausted completely in inventing and prosecuting patents of this breakthrough technology. Recently, the invention has been awarded with ‘BIRAC-SRISTI Appreciation Award-2017’ worth Rs.1Lac by ‘Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institution’ (SRISTI) and ‘Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council’ (BIRAC) under Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. Now, we are processing to enter in national phase patent applications filing to protect patent rights in potential PCT jurisdictions. Simultaneously, our sincere efforts are underway to R&D and commercially exploit our invention, so that the real benefits of the technology may reach to the end-users. We are also in need of global network and resources, expertise etc. to commercialize our innovation. For all such purposes, we are in urgent and dire need of money. We are putting all possible efforts to arrange the necessary funds from external sources.”Currently at what stage is the product development? Does it require further refinement?“We have successfully completed technical phase as inventors in developing this breakthrough technology. The virtual prototype has been created to ensure its feasibility. International Patent Application (PCT/IB2016/051060) has already been filled, which has been published by World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva on 15th September 2016 as WO/2016/142799.Now, the invention is ready for commercialization. The European Patent Office (EPO), a globally acclaimed International Search Authority has recognized our entire claims novel, possessing inventive steps and industrially applicable. It fervently inspires our confidence and provides solid footings to assure about the grant of patent in all potential PCT countries. We are in process of filing our national phase patent applications in various potential PCT jurisdictions i.e. USA, Europe, EAPO, ARIPO, China, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Canada, South Africa etc. to secure patent rights. Simultaneously, our sincere efforts are underway to initiate further R&D and commercially exploit our invention, so that the real benefits of the technology may reach to the end-users.”“Presently, we are facing hard a severe crunch of funds urgently required even for filing and prosecuting our national phase patent applications in potential countries. We urgently need to undertake R&D activities too. In order to effectively address all such urgent requirements, we are in urgent need of a huge amount of money in crores along with the expertise resources, which we are clearly lacking and finding no active platform which may support us in accomplishing our pious and visionary mission.”
What are your expectations both in terms of commercialization and revenue?“The statistics reveals that more than 2.5 billion syringes were used in 2010 worldwide which are forecasted to grow by 10% annually. Potential market of syringes is expected to increase from USD 10.56 billion in 2016 to USD 15.99 billion in 2021 at a growth rate of 8.7%. Several governments across the world have started adopting legislation that restricts the frequency of needle-stick injuries (NSIs).  WHO’s Global Health Initiative for Needle Safety is urging countries to transition by 2020 to the exclusive use of the new “smart” syringes. Increasing adoption of safety syringes, increasing demand for vaccines, high prevalence of chronic diseases and increased awareness as well as the requirements on safety syringes are bound to expand enormously the market of safety syringes worldwide. Despite all market constraints i.e. costs, procurement structure etc. will be negated by our technology to effectively meet the rising global demand.”“The medical devices industry has doubled from Rs 31,900 crore in 2013-14 to over Rs 60,000 crore in 2016, with nearly 80% being imported, according to estimates by Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED).With this huge influx of imports, domestic companies are reeling under the threat of Chinese manufacturers who are dumping products that are 30-40% cheaper. India imported US$ 29.87 million worth of syringes and the overall imported quantity was 783.14 million units in FY 2014-15. The medical devices market in India is dominated by imported products, including products manufactured using imported material, which comprises approximately 75% of the total sales. This is heavily eroding our Forex reserve. The domestic companies which are largely involved in manufacturing low-end products for local and international consumption can now be upgraded to solely manufacture this cheapest, smartest, greener and safer device for domestic as well as global consumption removing our import dependence. Indian can become the sole exporter of this smart indigenous technology to meet the domestic and international demands firmly.”
“Moreover, India is the tenth largest pharma exporter in the world with domestic pharma industry of $12bnin 2015. The Indian Pharmaceuticals Industry (IPI) earns around 70 per cent of its revenues from sale of generic drugs and generates around 50 per cent of its revenues from exports. But the export of injectable is weak due to prime reasons like increase in competition, regulatory issues faced by Indian pharma companies which may be overcome by utilizing strategic innovation for smart packaging of injectable drugs. Moreover, immense opportunities in domestic market as only half of the country’s rural population is covered by the sector and Indian average income keeps rising and the lifespan increases, the middle and upper classes are spending more on healthcare than ever before that will only keep rising in the future and globally as the governments around the world are beginning to favor generics – the strength of most Indian drug companies – for greater affordability, the smart packaging will exponentially increase the domestic as well as export revenues due to it very high reachability, affordability and safety assurance. The smart packaging of injectable drugs in fixed dosage in our Drug-Cartridges will do value addition of latest technology to the finished products which will strategically enhance the commercial as well as export prospects of the product worldwide enhancing their huge revenue, reputation, and goodwill.”“The smart packaging of injectable drugs in fixed dosage ranging 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 ml etc. in our Drug-Cartridges will not only facilitate them an extended technologically advanced, smart, safe, ergonomic and aesthetic packaging to add value to their finished products but will also ensure the prevention of all risks and probabilities of under/over-dosage, contamination, wastage of drug etc. during transfer of drug into syringe and further into patient. Our technology will  increase the efficacy of drug by avoiding all risks of contamination with  no further requirement of 5-15% of ‘overfill quantity’ of drugs amounting huge direct input savings of pharmaceutical industry compensating/negating increase in cost and preventing wastage of drugs; ensuring safe disposal of empty drug-cartridge encapsulating used-needle as safe non-hazardous medical waste. Automation being affordable only to big pharmaceutical industry will strictly prevent prevalence of counterfeit-drugs safeguarding their huge revenue, reputation, and goodwill. Such a value addition of latest technology will strategically enhance the commercial as well as export prospects of the product worldwide. Besides, being a green technology, it will reduce the bio-medical waste by 70-75% and simultaneously will save same extent of raw material, particularly the plastic material, from being converted into hazardous bio-medical waste.”
“Futuristic Safe Injection System-2020 is versatile, sustainable, inclusive and strategic innovative solution to fulfil the aim of ‘Pharma Vision 2020’ to make India the global leader in pharmaceutical markets by becoming sole exporter of this breakthrough technology worldwide popularizing ‘Made in India’ generic injectable drugs worldwide. It will also help in meeting Govt. of India’s commitment to phase out disposable syringes, Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement on Climate-Change and global leadership to India for safety syringes by 2020 conferred by WHO.”
What would the approximate cost of the product once in the market? What are your thoughts on affordability for masses?
“First time in the history of syringes, the expensive retraction mechanism has been made frequently reusable in the form of reusable injector. The frequent use of injector decreases its cost almost to zero with each and every next injection procedure. The smart packaging of fixed dosage of drugs in drug cartridges will, however, increase drug’s packaging cost by 20-25% as compared to conventional packaging but it will also save ‘overfill quantity’ containing 5-15% additional precious drug that goes waste which will result inhuge direct input savings of pharma industry compensating/ negating any increase in cost by smart packaging.”
“In proposed innovation, the end-user only needs to buy medicine packed in the drug-cartridge without any further requirement of separate syringe for each and every dose.  NO NEED TO BUY SYRINGE makes this innovation a cheapest and affordable solution for all resulting in huge saving on the out-of-pocket expenditure of the end-used.  It will decrease overall cost of injection procedure by at least 70-75%.  And also will decrease the global health burden as well as global disease burden to a considerable extent simultaneously.”
What are the future plans and way forward? 
“Futuristic Safe Injection System-2020 will effectively reduce Needle-stick injury almost to zero, to exponentially decrease global disease & healthcare burden; democratize healthcare system making it equally affordable and accessible to all; meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by multi-fold benefits to healthcare system and fighting grave challenges of healthcare sector’s contribution to Climate-Change by negating the carbon footprint of entire syringe industry to achieve the highest goal of securing a safe, healthy and dignified ‘Right to Life’ for all.”

Ahmed Patel winning the Rajya Sabha seat is not going to turn around matters or ensure the Congress party regaining power in Gujarat. It will require a lot more.
For a strategist who prefers remaining in the shadows coupled with being the political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for more than 15 years, it should not have surprised those who have watched Ahmed Patel closely to get the better of BJP president Amit Shah in winning the Rajya Sabha seat in his home state of Gujarat. 
There is no doubt Patel seemed edgy throughout Tuesday till late at night when the results were declared. Without exception most of the Congress heavyweights backed him by knocking at least thrice on the doors of the Election Commission of India and succeeded in having its objection upheld. That not only ended the nail chilling suspense raising hopes about the door being barely ajar for the desperate Congress to bid for a comeback.    
This had become a prestige issue for Shah, who was elected to the House of Elders along with union minister Smriti Irani. That brought down the curtain on a day of high drama with the pendulum swinging back and forth about Patel’s prospect of winning which was nothing short of a cliff hanger. 
Even as the Congress wasted no time in expelling eight MLAs for cross voting, the BJP’s bubble of invincibility has been burst in Gujarat which was seen as a proxy war between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi.  
Patel’s win is a shot in the arm for the Congress which has been steadily losing ground in the country over the last three years since the BJP led NDA came to power in 2014. This win has raised the hopes of the oldest party in the country making a determined bid to regain power in Gujarat. That is, however, highly premature at this juncture. 
Blocking Patel’s entry into the Rajya Sabha was clearly in keeping with the BJP’s desire of striving for a “Congress mukt Bharat”.  At the same time the discriminating feel the Congress faces an uphill task in the assembly elections in Gujarat later this year as the party organisation is in a shambles besides being riven with factionalism.
The contest for the Rajya Sabha seat was bitter and brought to the fore how such elections should not be fought. The elected representaties of the people in State assemblies constitute the electors and it is an abuse of this scheme by political parties to encourage cross voting which should be desisted. When the strength of the assembly is known, it is unseemly to field an extra candidate and force a contest. 
Literally in the dumps, the Congress party has been laid low by the BJP over the last 36 months since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. It is in this context that its senior leader and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh drew attention to the party facing an existential crisis and its leaders behaving like Sultans having lost their Sulatanate. The points raised by him needs to be discussed with the seriousness it deserves in the highest party fora. 
There is urgent need to reinvent itself and move beyond a few predetermined and ordained leaders from the dynasty who have failed to make any impact or infuse confidence among the people at large. 
The Congress direly needs to prop up youthful and energetic faces who have the capacity to make a difference to the Old Lady of Bori Bunder. There have hardly been any new faces that have come to the fore in the last decade and a half which has proved to be a major dampener for its revival. 
The challenges for the party are manifold and not just resting on the laurels of getting Patel a berth in the Rajya Sabha. There is no doubt he is one of the main and powerful faces of the party in Gujarat. Patel’s win is bound to strengthen the Congress and particularly the old guard. However, the party’s turnaround will require redoubled efforts in Gujarat and a lot more as the challenge for the Congress lies elsewhere than Patel winning the Rajya Sabha seat.