Health
No need to panic as most Kashmiris have hybrid immunity against Covid-19: DAK
Srinagar, Dec 29 (GNS): With surge in Covid-19 cases in various countries, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Thursday said there is no need to panic as most people in Kashmir have hybrid immunity because of a combination of widespread natural infection and vaccination.
“Hybrid immunity offers robust and long lasting protection against Covid-19,” said DAK President and Influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement issued to GNS.
Dr Hassan said according to a new study people with hybrid immunity developed by both vaccination and previous infections have significant protection against future Covid infections.
“The research has found that a major and durable immune response occurs if a person has been both vaccinated and got infected with the virus,” he said.
The DAK President said more than 90 percent population in Kashmir is vaccinated and people have contracted the virus more than once during three Covid-19 waves that we witnessed since the beginning of the pandemic.
“The third wave was caused by omicron and its subvariants which are responsible for Covid-19 cases globally even now. We have been exposed to almost all of them over the last few months without there being any sign of surge in cases or hospitalization. And, we don’t see this trend changing soon,” he said.
“So there is no need to panic over Covid rise in China and other countries as Kashmiris have excellent protection against currently circulating variants,” said Dr Nisar.
“However, we need to enhance genome sequencing of Covid-19 to look for newer variants,” he said
“There is an urgent need to set up a genetic testing lab in Kashmir to detect and track Covid-19 variants,” he added.(GNS)
Srinagar, Jan 04 (KNO): With continuous dip in temperatures to sub-zero levels in Kashmir valley, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday said chilly weather puts people at greater risk of high blood pressure.
In a statement, issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), DAK president Dr Nisar ul Hassan said falling temperatures in winter cause hike in blood pressure which increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, two leading causes of death and disability in the valley.
He said high blood pressure; also called hypertension is harder to control in winter. “Even healthy people aren’t off the hook. They tend to have high blood pressure in winter.”
“When winter arrives and temperatures drop, there is one place where the mercury rises, that is in the blood pressure gauges,” he said.
The DAK President said frigid temperatures constrict blood vessels which increase blood pressure because more pressure is needed to force blood through narrowed vessels.
“Hormones, like adrenaline and nor-adrenaline increase in response to cold and they cause spike in blood pressure,” he said adding that lack of sunlight during winter reduces vitamin D levels which increases blood pressure.
He said people are sedentary in winter, staying inside and eating more that causes weight gain which contributes to hypertension.
“While we can’t change the weather simple precautions can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure in winter. Keep yourself warm to prevent from cold temperature. If you move out, dress in layers, wear a hat, gloves and scarf. Avoid going in chill for walk and move your workout inside. Reduce salt intake and take diet rich in vegetables and fruits. And, don’t forget to take your vitamin D,” advised Dr Nisar
He added people who are on treatment for high blood pressure need to monitor their blood pressure more frequently during winter as they may need increase in doses or addition of drugs to keep their blood pressure under control—(KNO)
Srinagar, Dec 27 (KNO): Government Medical College Srinagar and its associated SMHS hospital has successfully performed its first and milestone Autologous Bone Marrow Stem Cell Transplant on in a case of high risk multiple myeloma.
According to statement issue to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said the patient was admitted in Medical Unit-III of the Postgraduate Department of Medicine and the whole procedure was conducted by the qualified and experienced Clinical Hematologist Dr. Mir Sadaqat, Assistant Professor-Department of Medicine and Clinical Hematology Unit of GMC and Associated Super-Specialty Hospital Srinagar.
The statement reads the procedure involved stem cell mobilization, stem cell harvesting, myeloablation and stem cell rescue.
“The patient remained admitted for 22 days in the hospital and was discharged after successful engraftment of the stem cells,” it reads.
It reads it was due to the visionary approach of principal GMC Srinagar Prof. (Dr.) Masood Tanvir and his administration along with guidance from Prof.(Dr) Rakesh K Koul, HoD Medicine GMC Srinagar, support from Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Ismail – HoMU-III, mentorship by Prof. (Dr.) Javid Rasool, HoD Clinical Hematology SKIMS Soura and full blood bank support from Prof. (Dr) Sheikh Bilal, HoD Pathology/Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine which made this successful.
“This is first time in the history of GMC Srinagar that this type of treatment modality in a blood cancer patient has been provided that too in a resource limited setting.”
It added by providing such treatment modalities to cancer patients will definitely help them not only as a standard care for a disease but also an option which was never available before—(KNO)
Likely To Join One of The PAGD Parties
Anantnag, Nov 13: J&K Peoples Movement (JKPM) Vice President and founding member Syed Iqbal Tahir has resigned from the post of Vice President as well as from the basic membership of the party.
In his resignation letter addressed to the party state executive committee, Iqbal Tahir has said that the illegal abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution of India was a momentous milestone in the chequered political history of Jammu & Kashmir and the abrogation has wiped off any trace of the ‘special status’ that people of J&K had enjoyed under the constitution.
While acknowledging that JKPM was prompt in challenging the abrogation before the Supreme Court of India, in his resignation letter Iqbal Tahir has however stressed that the struggle for restoration of Articles 370 & 35A has also to be carried out at political and other levels.
“It is very painful to leave an organization of which I was a founding member but I am convinced that in order to achieve the ‘larger goal’, younger political workers like us have a moral obligation to bolster such political forces in the state who are much better placed and equipped to achieve justice and dignity for the people of J&K which was taken away from them in August 2019. It is time to “join hands with them rather than work in silos” and raise a collective voice against the suppression unleashed over the people of J&K after abrogation” Iqbal Tahir has mentioned in his resignation letter.
Widely considered as the public face of the party and an emerging grass-roots leader, Syed Iqbal Tahir is an advocate at the Supreme Court of India. He is an alumnus of Bristol Law School, UK and attended a leadership programme at Harvard University, USA.
As per sources, he is likely to join one of the PAGD parties in the coming days
