Latest news with #VIMS
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Doctors stage protest at VIMS
Visakhapatnam: Doctors working as assistant professors at Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) staged a silent protest at the hospital from 9 am to 11 pm on Thursday demanding salary hike. The doctors said that they have been working for a salary of Rs 92,000 per month for more than three years after joining the service as assistant professors, while doctors working at Palasa Kidney Hospital in Andhra Pradesh on a contract basis are being paid Rs 1.6 lakh per month. They said that the PG students are getting more than their salary as stipend. The VIMS assistant professors demanded that their contract should be renewed with increased salaries.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Tenecteplase injection saves 2,650 lives in Andhra Pradesh under STEMI
1 2 3 Visakhapatnam: Under the STEMI (ST-elevated myocardial infarction) programme, which aims to enable treatment for heart attacks during the critical golden hour, Tenecteplase injections costing approximately Rs 45,000 are being provided free of charge to eligible patients in Andhra Pradesh. This initiative by the state health department has so far saved around 2,650 lives since the programme's inception about 10 months ago. According to experts, thrombolytic therapy using Tenecteplase is crucial during the golden hour for patients experiencing acute myocardial infarction. The golden hour represents the vital window during which immediate medical intervention can significantly improve patient outcomes. This clot-dissolving medication works by breaking down blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the heart. State health minister Satya Kumar Yadav said that the costly injection is being provided free of charge to patients, which has helped save 2,650 lives. "I appreciate all the stakeholders involved in this STEMI mission," Yadav added. When administered properly, Tenecteplase helps restore blood flow through blocked arteries. The earlier the treatment, the better the chance of preserving heart muscle and reducing mortality. Similarly, in cases of ischaemic stroke, prompt administration of Tenecteplase within the approved time window is essential to avoid permanent brain damage. Dr K Rambabu, director of the Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), explained that approximately 40 mg is administered to patients with myocardial infarction (MI), while 20 mg is used for those suffering from ischaemic stroke. "After stabilising myocardial infarction patients with this thrombolytic therapy at VIMS, they are referred to hospitals equipped with cath labs. Stroke patients, however, are treated at VIMS itself. Thanks to the govt, the free injection is a blessing for poor patients. It facilitates recovery during the critical golden hour. VIMS has requested the establishment of a cath lab, which would not only aid in treating MI patients but also allow advanced procedures such as embolisation," Dr Rambabu said. Ch Jagannadha Rao, a 70-year-old patient, shared his experience after being admitted to VIMS for right-sided weakness in both upper and lower limbs (stroke). "I noticed my mouth was deviating to the left, and I was slurring my speech. The doctors told me a CT scan showed no haemorrhage. They administered a Tenecteplase injection, and within an hour, I noticed improvement in my right limbs and speech. They continued my treatment with other medications. After five days, I could walk unaided and speak normally. I was discharged after nine days, fully recovered," Rao said. The STEMI programme operates under a hub-and-spoke model. Major hospitals function as hubs, while selected community health centres, area hospitals, and district hospitals are connected to these hubs and serve as 'spokes'. If a person experiences chest pain, they can visit the nearest smaller hospital (a spoke), where doctors perform an ECG. Senior specialists at the hub then review the data and determine if the Tenecteplase injection is required. If so, doctors at the spoke administer it immediately, and the patient is subsequently transferred to the hub for further treatment.
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
20-bedded Covid ward now at VIMS
Visakhapatnam: After seeing spike in Covid-19 cases in Singapore and Hong Kong, the State government issued orders to take precautionary measures to tackle Covid cases, which are spreading through a new variant JN1,LF7, NB1.8, said Dr K Rambabu, Director of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS). As part of it, he informed that a special ward with 20 beds has been facilitated in the hospital. The director mentioned that rapid kits have also been made available for Covid medical tests as a case has been registered in the city. He stated that if the rapid kit result comes out positive, they will immediately be sent for RT PCR tests for further confirmation. Dr Rambabu said that as part of precautionary measures, PP kits have been provided to doctors and the staff. Required medicines have been stored to treat Covid patients, he added. He suggested that elderly people, pregnant women and those with comorbid condition should follow basic safety measures. He appealed to the people to stay alert towards the new variant of Covid, maintain physical distance and avoid mass gatherings. The elderly and pregnant women should be confined to their homes. The use of masks and constant sanitisation are mandatory, he informed.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
COVID isolation wards opened in KGH, VIMS after detection of first case in Vizag
The detection of the first case of COVID-19 in Visakhapatnam city, after a long gap, the increasing number of cases in a few States in the country and a spurt in the cases in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and China, is once again causing panic among citizens. 'The COVID-19 situation is serious in Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries. The number of cases is increasing in a few States in India but there are no reports of ICU admissions from anywhere in the country. The present virus is a variant of JN.1. Those with co-morbid conditions, and low immunity should preferably wear a mask in public places and avoid crowded areas,' Dr. K. Rambabu, Director of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), told The Hindu on Friday, May 23. When his attention was brought to the fact that the woman from Vizag, who has tested positive for COVID-19, has no travel history, Dr. Rambabu, who had served as the State Nodal Officer for COVID-19 in the past, said, 'Though the virus has lost its virulence, it continues to live in a 'dormant' state in humans, who were earlier affected by the disease. The virus has been undergoing mutations, and once the person's immunity drops due to any reason, the virus tries to gain the upper hand.' 'As the new variant JN.1, subvariants LF.7 and NB.1.8, are causing concern among the public, a 20-bed COVID special ward has been opened in VIMS on Friday, on the directions of the government. Rapid Test kits for COVID tests have also been procured,' Dr. Rambabu said. 'Only when a patient tests positive in the Rapid test, his/her sample will be sent for RTPCR test for confirmation of COVID-19. PP kits have been procured for doctors and staff, and medicines for patients, as a precautionary measure,' he added. Random screening 'Random thermal screening of 2% of the international passengers, arriving by the direct flight from Singapore to Vizag is being done as usual. We haven't received any specific guidelines so far from the government on increasing the screening of international passengers,' says Officiating Airport Director N. Purushottam. 'The RTPCR test done at the King George Hospital (KGH) has also confirmed that the woman is COVID positive. However, she is recovering at home and there is no cause for worry. We have opened a 20-bed isolation ward,' said Dr. P. Sivananda, KGH Superintendent. Meanwhile, Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV) general secretary T. Kameswara Rao and president M.V. Ramaiah appealed to Health Minister A. Satya Kumar Yadav to issue guidelines to all districts on implementation of all COVID-19 protocols to check the spread of the virus.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
What's Up? Media Article on Menhaden Fails to Tell Both Sides
WASHINGTON, DC / / May 16, 2025 / A recent article by Lisa Lewis in What's Up? Media ("The Osprey-Menhaden Bay Connection," 5/16) presents a one-sided perspective that echoes the claims of a well-funded coalition of special interest environmental groups, while ignoring the extensive scientific evidence and stakeholder voices that contradict their narrative. The piece amplifies talking points that have been challenged by federal agencies, independent scientists, and frontline workers in the industry, while repeating several inaccurate claims about the menhaden fishery. The Science Is Clear: Menhaden Are Not Overfished The article asserts that industrial fishing is to blame for a decline in menhaden abundance in the Bay, while omitting the overwhelming scientific consensus to the contrary. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the agency that manages menhaden for East Coast states, has repeatedly found the stock to be healthy and sustainably managed. According to the Commission's most recent stock assessment, released in 2022, menhaden are not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring. The fishery operates under Ecological Reference Points, an ecosystem-based management approach that accounts for the needs of predators like striped bass, bluefish, and weakfish. In fact, less than 0.5% of menhaden born each year are harvested. The menhaden fishery is also certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the gold standard for international third-party environmental certification. USGS and VIMS Question Osprey Diet Claims The article relies on preliminary findings from a 2024 survey by the Center for Conservation Biology, suggesting menhaden scarcity is causing osprey chick reproduction failure in parts of the Chesapeake Bay. However, it does not mention a recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) letter to the House Natural Resources Committee, which responded to congressional questions about the osprey claims. In its letter, the USGS found no biologically significant change in the proportion of menhaden in osprey diets from 2006 to 2021. Menhaden made up a slightly higher portion of the diet in 2021, and any apparent changes were not statistically significant. The letter explained that many other factors - including adverse weather, nesting density, predator interactions, and prey accessibility - can impact osprey chick survival. It emphasized that striped bass is a key prey species for ospreys in parts of the Bay; striped bass is currently overfished, primarily due to recreational fishing mortality. Scientists with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) also questioned the purported menhaden-osprey connection in a 2024 peer-reviewed response. VIMS noted that a previous 2023 study on osprey did not establish a causal relationship between menhaden availability and osprey reproduction. Ocean Harvesters Is a U.S. Company with American Crews The article claims the fishery is dominated by a "Canadian-owned company," which is wrong. While Omega Protein is part of the international Cooke, Inc. family of companies, the vessels that harvest menhaden are owned and operated by Ocean Harvesters - a U.S.-based, independently owned company with American-flagged vessels and unionized American crews. In 2024, the U.S. Maritime Administration confirmed the company is in full compliance with the American Fisheries Act, which regulates participation by foreign companies in U.S. fisheries. Omega Protein, based in Reedville, Virginia, processes the fish caught by Ocean Harvesters under a service agreement between the companies. These jobs support rural communities and represent one of the largest unionized workforces in the region. On Transparency and Collaboration The article repeats the false claim that Omega Protein refuses to share data with scientists, citing concerns raised by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Dr. Allison Colden. This suggestion is simply not true. Confidential landings data from the menhaden reduction fishery is routinely provided to NOAA, the ASMFC, and state regulators-including the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. This data is not casually handed out to competitors or to researchers affiliated with advocacy groups seeking to undermine the fishery; rather, it is shared with official scientific and regulatory bodies responsible for stock assessments and management decisions. This data is not publicly distributed because it is protected under federal confidentiality laws, just like commercial data from all fisheries. However, it is actively used in the development of all stock assessments, including the Ecological Reference Points that Dr. Colden herself has publicly supported. The entire scientific understanding of the health of the menhaden stock depends on this data. To suggest otherwise is either a misunderstanding of fisheries science or a willful attempt to mislead the public. In fact, the fishery has supported and participated in more than 15 research projects in collaboration with institutions such as VIMS and NOAA and contributed to the design of the Bay-specific study referenced in the article. Industry critics can't have it both ways-celebrating models built on this data while claiming the data isn't provided. Reasonable Precautions Are Already in Place The article accurately notes the Chesapeake Bay harvest cap has been cut repeatedly, from 109,020 metric tons in 2006 to 51,000 metric tons today - a reduction of more than 50%. That cap remains in place today as a precautionary safeguard, not in response to any scientifically derived or observed population decrease necessitating harvest cuts. Local Economic and Social Contributions In addition to its ecological and regulatory strengths, the menhaden fishery is a major driver of the local economy in Northumberland County, Virginia. The fishery, primarily operated by Omega Protein and its harvesting partner Ocean Harvesters, generates over $100 million in annual economic activity. If operations ceased, the region would face the loss of over 500 direct and indirect jobs, with Northumberland County bearing the brunt of this impact. The industry directly employs over 260 individuals and provides an annual payroll and benefits package of approximately $23 million. Fishery workers are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 400, which ensures strong collective bargaining rights, fair wages, and safe working conditions. This makes the menhaden fishery one of the largest union-represented private-sector employers in the region. Importantly, the fishery is one of Northumberland County's largest minority employers, providing stable, long-term jobs to a historically underrepresented workforce. The industry's community impact extends to local vendors and businesses supported by its operations. A Note on Media Integrity It's worth noting that Lisa Lewis's article ends with a telling admission: "Special thanks to Valerie Keefer, Maryland communications & media relations manager, CBF, and Kenny Fletcher, director of communications and media relations, CBF." This acknowledgment makes clear that the story was heavily influenced-if not directly shaped-by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's communications team. It raises serious questions about the objectivity of the piece, which lacks input from fisheries scientists, union workers, and others with direct knowledge of the fishery. For readers seeking a balanced view of the Chesapeake Bay's most regulated and scrutinized fishery, this article falls short. One modest but important positive is that Dr. Bryan Watts, quoted throughout the article, acknowledges uncertainty about the cause of reproductive issues in ospreys. This marks a notable shift from his previous public statements, which more definitively attributed the issue to the menhaden fishery. Dr. Watts now says, "We do not know why menhaden have become less available to ospreys," reflecting a more nuanced and scientifically appropriate stance given the complex web of factors at play. The menhaden fishery is highly regulated, science-based, and a vital part of the Bay's economy. The complex ecology of ospreys, striped bass, and menhaden deserves continued research - and that research should be conducted in good faith, not through premature conclusions or special interest narratives. About the Menhaden Fisheries CoalitionThe Menhaden Fisheries Coalition (MFC) is a collective of menhaden fishermen, related businesses, and supporting industries. Comprised of businesses along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the Menhaden Fisheries Coalition conducts media and public outreach on behalf of the menhaden industry to ensure that members of the public, media, and government are informed of important issues, events, and facts about the fishery. Media Contact:Menhaden Fisheries Coalition(202) SOURCE: Menhaden Fisheries Coalition View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
