CNS

Five years in, tobacco treaty is saving lives, continues to be stymied by industry, U.S. still absent

Representatives from the 168 ratifying countries of the global tobacco treaty gathered to celebrate the landmark treaty's fifth anniversary. As part of the convening, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a comprehensive report on the state of the treaty, assessing its successes to date and the challenges that remain. Read more

Supreme Court conditionally permits Narmada canal construction work on Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar canals subject to scrutiny and approval by Experts Committee and Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). The case of Narmada canals came up for hearing in the Supreme Court recently, wherein the issues related to the displacement, rehabilitation and environmental impacts and mitigative measures, especially command area development were raised by Narmada Bachao Andolan before the High Court of Madhya Pradesh. The High Court had stayed the land acquisition and excavation in the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar Projects, through its well-considered judgment dated 11-11-2009. Read more

‘The old order changes, yielding place to new; and God fulfills Himself in many ways’.
As a national daily has rightly pointed out, the great churning process of our moribund education system has begun, thanks to several new steps being initiated by the HRD Ministry. Every day new ideas seem to be cropping up. But it is imperative to tread carefully if one has to sift the grain from the chaff in this stupendous task. Read more

A female doctor working at a reputed Medical College in Vellore in India, is reportedly berated by the Head of Institute (and slapped by her parent when the complaint reached her home) for indulging in the immoral (?) activity of being active on the ‘Facebook’. She is told that this is not expected of a woman coming from a good family. Read more

Incessant downpour in drought prone and poverty stricken northern Karnataka.

Aftermath: 5000 villages in 12 districts inundated. 225 lives lost in a day. Worst in 60 years. Estimated total loss - 18000 crores.

In this article, are some revealing images from "The Deluge and After", a homage to the victims and survivors by Esha and ActionAid. Read more

In Memory of Dr. Radium Bhattacharya

With sorrow, we report that Dr. Radium Bhattacharya, the founder-president of Indian Network of NGOs on HIV/AIDS (INN) passed away on 20 December 2009. Dr. Radium was one of the first to step forward in the 1980s to mount India’s response to HIV/AIDS. She was a scientist, an organizer and a relentless advocate for over two decades and will be sorely missed by her colleagues in India and around the world. Read more

It is a great satire on the education system and the attitude of society. It tells us rote learning can be very harmful. That knowledge is to ‘know’ and not just in the name of educating ourselves memorise whatever comes our way. Learning without understanding can prove to be very dangerous. Unfortunately we have been patrons of such system from time immemorial. Read more

30th January happens to be the death anniversary of two great personalities, who were very different from each other and yet had so much in common – Mahatma Gandhi and Mary Ward. One was a devout Hindu who spread the doctrines of truth and ahimsa and helped India to gain freedom from British subjugation. The other was Mary Ward, a Catholic ‘woman beyond compare’ of England, who worked for the rights of women. 300 years of tumultuous history separated them. One rightly earned the title of ‘The Mahatma’ and laid the foundations of a free India; while the other was the foundress of the Loreto Order, who had proclaimed 400 years ago that ‘women in time to come will do much’. Both gave up their lives fighting for integrity, justice, peace and freedom. Read more

My first impressionable memory of Pundit Pradyumna Kishore Shankhdhar, whom we respectfully called 'Babooji', was of him in his UNICEF office. He used to cycle down to the office everyday - which stood starkly in contrast to the world's finest limousines parked in this office, to which he was possibly entitled to use. The attitude to save every penny possible, sacrifice all material comforts and live frugally, and invest all possible resources in order to give a better tomorrow for his family was a mission for Babooji. "It's easier to fill books on philosophy than it is to bring one principle in practice" had said Lev Tolstoi. Babooji lived up to this principle in his life. Read more

Tobacco control is most cost-effective way to prevent cancer

- Special on World Cancer Day: 4 February 2010

Most public health programmes of the Government of India are directed towards communicable diseases such as malaria, filaria, polio, tuberculosis and leprosy etc. The occurrence of certain diseases due to lifestyle changes like diabetes, respiratory/cardiac diseases, tobacco related disease and cancer, has now been recognized, and public health programmes are also being initiated against them. But these are few and far between. Life style diseases have a peculiar “follow others” ingredient which becomes still more complicated due to ignorance, especially in families where the elders have addictions and wrong eating habits, and the youngsters are exposed to the “role model” phenomenon. In many situations elders tell children that tobacco is bad for children and the latter are confused as to how it is bad for them and good for others. This ambiguity, coupled with peer pressure proves to be disastrous for the youth. Read more

One can't believe my sense of joy and pride when during a Management Information System presentation on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, one of the groups told us that the foundation of commercial RFID industry is credited to Sri Sanjay Sarma from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), when in 1999 Auto-ID center at MIT developed it. This is because I am privileged to have been a batch-mate of Sri Sanjay Sarma at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. Read more

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. The theme of World Cancer Day (4 February 2010) is: "Cancer can be prevented too", which focusses on simple measures to prevent cancer such as:
- no tobacco use
- a healthy diet and regular exercise
- limited alcohol use
- protection against cancer-causing infections Read more

"Revamp academic programme of IIT Kanpur to motivate students": Pandey

"IIT Kanpur must withdraw the expulsion order of students"

"Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur must withdraw the expulsion order of students and revamp its system so that the academic programme motivates students to learn and engage in engineering-related socially-useful work rather than go after non-engineering consumerist oriented jobs which are totally non-productive" asserted Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and a former faculty member of IIT Kanpur and former member of Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India. Dr Pandey also launched a signature petition to mount further pressure on IIT Kanpur (petition is online here). Read more

Development Journalism is crucial for social change

Refresher course must for all journalists: PII editor

Emphasizing the great importance of development journalism in today’s world, Ms Sangeeta Rajeesh, senior editor, Press Institute of India (PII), Chennai said that it is very essential that we sensitize our journalists towards focusing on issues relevant to development. Ms Sangeeta who is the current editor of Vidura – a magazine on mass communication published by the Press Institute of India (PII) since 1963, was addressing media professionals at the fortnightly 'Media for Children' organized at the UP Press Club by Media Nest with the support of UNICEF. Editor of 'Grassroots'- a journal on development journalism published by PII for the last eleven years, Ms Sangeeta is also head of programmes for PII. Read more

The young people are the true custodian of our future, so their voices must not be ignored. The children who live in urban slums in state capital of Uttar Pradesh gave a powerful message to grown-ups to save the environment. The outcome of rising pollution in the city and other adverse manifestations of environmental hazards, are often worst faced by those from the lower socio-economic group. Read more

Saraswat Samman for this year 2010 is being conferred upon Prof (Dr) Rama Kant for his social welfare activities. Professor (Dr) Rama Kant is the Head of the Department of Surgery at Chhattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU - upgraded King George's Medical College KGMC). He is the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General's Awardee on tobacco control for the year 2005. He is the former Chief Medical Superintendent of Gandhi Memorial & Associated Hospitals (GM & AH), CSMMU. He was conferred upon the Best Eminent Surgical Teacher Award by Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), UP. He is the President of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) UP. Read more

Media Nest, a pan India body of media professionals that works for the welfare of journalists and their families, will be felicitating the newly elected members of Uttar Pradesh State Accredited Correspondents committee (UPSACC) at Uttar Pradesh Press Club at 11.30 am on 23 January 2010. Read more

Mind That Diabetic Foot

2010 Dr SC Misra Oration Award [Listen to audio podcast] was conferred upon Dr Ajith Kumar Varma at the 55th Foundation Day of Department of Surgery (General), Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (upgraded King George's Medical College - KGMC). Dr Varma is an assistant Professor in the Department of Endocrinology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, Kerala. After serving the army for 15 years, he is doing excellent work in the field of podiatric surgery, related to the diabetic foot. I had the opportunity to meet him when he was recently in Lucknow to attend the 55th Foundation Day Celebration of Department of General Surgery, CSM Medical University, where he charmed everyone with his suave manners and modesty, as well as his passionate zeal for improving the quality of life of those living with diabetes. Read more

This article is based on an exclusive interview given by him to Citizen News Service (CNS). The concept of reconstructive and corrective surgery for the diabetic foot has evolved very recently, as a means to correct foot deformities. This latest technique is presently being practised in very few countries of the world. There are a few selected centres in the US, UK, Germany, Russia, Spain and Australia, with USA, which has 7 podiatric schools performing such operations, topping the list. In India, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, situated in Kochi, is the only institute doing this type of reconstructive surgery in high risk patients of totally deformed diabetic foot, thus obviating the traumatic need for amputations.

There is an entity called 'Charcot' in diabetic foot problems. In prolonged diabetic foot problems there is an increased blood flow to the lower limbs, due to autonomic neuropathy, which causes demineralisation of the bones. It is a tsunami like effect, just washing away the minerals of the bones. Moreover, it stimulates certain cells which simply eat up the bones. All this weakens the bones, and makes them soft and pudgy. This results in the collapse of the foot and ankle bones, making it impossible for the patient to walk. Moreover, multiple increased pressure points are developed on the soles of the affected feet, where ulcers and calluses develop. These act as portals for entry of bacteria. As the cellular immunity of the patient is suppressed, even the slightest bacterial infection can cause a serious life threatening problem, so much so that if the patient is not given proper treatment within 24 to 48 hours of the infection setting in, it may result in amputations or even death.

Worldwide, 50% of all leg amputations happen to people living with diabetes. In India, an estimated 50,000 amputations are carried out every year due to diabetes related foot problems. By employing reconstructive and corrective surgical techniques, to correct the shape of the deformed feet and remove the high pressure points, a large number of such amputations can be prevented. Thus the patient can lead a near normal life, free from complications.

After having trained in the US, two years ago, Dr Varma has been performing different types of foot and ankle corrective surgeries, at the Amrita Institute, to normalise the shape and function of the grossly deformed diabetic feet. Last year, more than 25 such surgeries were performed. The best, amongst the 8 to 10 types of surgical techniques currently available, is the Triple Arthodesis Surgery, which costs around Rs 30,000. The costs of implants, titanium screws and suture fibre wires are additional. This, according to Dr Varma, is quite reasonable, especially when compared to the exorbitant fees charged in the USA for a similar operation.

Not only this, Dr Varma and his team have developed a new 'Amrita Sling Technique' for foot stabilisation, which is one of its kinds in the entire world. This obviates many complications which routinely occur after the reconstructive surgery.

In normal corrective surgery of 'Charcot's Foot' (as is being done in the US and elsewhere), the patient has to take rest for 4 to 5 months before s/he can start walking, as the bones need time to reconsolidate gradually. Moreover, during this period, an external fixture called 'Illazarov Frame' has to be fixed on the foot with screws and pins, which penetrate the bones and flesh. When the patient starts walking, it is very likely for infection to set in, paving the way for amputation.

But the Amrita Sling Technique, when applied once the reconstruction is done, results in quick normalisation of the gait bio-mechanics and ambulation of the patient. This reduces the long recuperation period, and also minimises the post operative complications. It has been successfully tested on 10 patients at the institute who are now leading a normal life.

Apart from doing pioneering work in the field of podiatric surgery, the Amrita Institute happens to be the only one in Asia, offering three specialised courses under one roof, informed Dr Varma. It conducts a one year post doctoral fellowship programme in podiatric surgery with a view to train more doctors in this field. Another 4 year course in diabetes and diabetic foot surgery exists for MBBS students, as also a course for training paramedical staff for management of diabetic foot.

Dr Varma stressed upon the importance of proper and timely foot care and foot wear advice to patients, to prevent limb and life threatening infections. From the day the patient is diagnosed with diabetes, proper foot care and foot wear advice must be instituted to prevent further complications. As far as a good foot wear prescription is concerned, it has to be given with utmost care. Diabetic foot wear are not off-the-counter purchases. They are made of specific material, like micro cellular rubber, micro cellular polymer, or ethyl vinyl acetate, which distribute pressure evenly on the surface, and prevent build up of pressure points, to avoid formation of calluses which are entry points for bacterial infection. Proper footwear should ideally be prescribed only after doing a pedopodogram, in which plantar pressure at each point of the under surface of the feet is measured. This is as necessary as testing the blood sugar levels of a patient before prescribing insulin or other oral medication.

With India earning the dubious distinction of being the diabetic capital of the world, Dr Varma rightly stressed upon the need for awareness about the complications of the disease in the public, in the patients, and, above all, in the primary care physicians, working in rural areas. In his words 'Pick up the lesion at the earliest', so that the problem can be resolved without amputation. In developing countries, as in India, the amputation rate is over 45%, whereas in the USA, and also in patients at Amrita Institute, it is a mere 8.5%, thanks to the novel surgical techniques available. Not only this, as diabetes is a disease of the blood vessels, all the organs get affected, especially the heart, which is strained over 15%. Even with the best of processes in place, there is 85% mortality, within 5 years of the amputation, due to cardiac arrest. Hence it is imperative to salvage the limb. Only then can we improve the quality, as well as quantity of life of patients, many of whom may be bread winners of their families.

Through good healthcare and informed self-care, it is possible to prevent diabetes-related amputations in the majority of cases. Prevention is always better than cure, more so in the case of diabetes.

Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)

Published in:
Hindustan Times, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
The Colombo Times, Sri Lanka
The Asian Tribune, Sri Lanka
Media From Freedom, Nepal
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
News Blaze

CSMMU Surgery Department celebrates its foundation day

The Department of Surgery (General) of Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU, upgraded King George's Medical College - KGMC) has been functioning for almost a century now (98 years to be precise). Just for the sake of records, the post-graduate course in surgery was started in the year 1928, and the first Masters of Surgery (MS) in General Surgery was awarded to Dr MAH Siddiqui in the year 1930. Read more

Lucknow will for the first time play host to a summit of media schools of Uttar Pradesh on 21 January 2010. UNICEF and Amity school of mass communication, Lucknow, are the joint organizers of this unique event. Cine star Ms Sharmila Tagore, will open the summit, while actor Farooq Sheikh will conclude it. The Member Secretary of the National Commission for Protection of Rights of Children will chair the concluding session. Read more

Will you marry only a fair-skinned girl?

“My mother jokes about how I am too dark to be her daughter”

“Kaali ho rahi hai. Tujhse shaadi kaun karega”?

The latest Tweets? Let us hope not but beware of them! And perhaps go a step further. Like Kannan Mehta and her friends who designed and organized the ‘Kya aap sirf ek gori ladki se shaadi karenge?’ campaign [Will you marry only a fair-skinned girl? campaign] on one of the Bangalore's main streets in November 2009. Here's what I learned about the protest during an e-chat with Kannan a student of the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in the city. Read more

Counterfeit medicines can result in treatment failure

Counterfeit medicines are medicines that are deliberately and fraudulently mislabelled with respect to identity and/or source. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), use of counterfeit medicines can result in treatment failure or even death. Public confidence in health-delivery systems may be eroded following use and/or detection of counterfeit medicines. Both branded and generic products are subject to counterfeiting, says the WHO. Read more

NREGA Social Audit in Unnao

A social audit of national rural employment guarantee scheme (NREGS) shall be conducted by Asha Parivar and National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh (UP), during 15-21 January 2010.

"Commitment to transparency and accountability runs through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). This commitment also flows from the right to information Act 2005. The Right to Information (RTI) Act should be followed in both letter and spirit in all matters relating to NREGA. No request (for information) should be refused under any circumstances. All NREGA-related information is in the public domain" says the chapter 10 of the NREGA operational guidelines. Read more

State Information Commission slapped fines on errant officers

In a significant order, the State Information Commisison has slapped a fine of Rs 9,750 (about USD 200) on two errant public information officers of the Nandurbar district administration (Maharashtra) for having caused enormous delay in satisfactorily responding to an application for information filed by a Sardar Sarovar project affected adivasi Siyaram Singa Padvi. Read more

Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights

"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution of India. We are proud to live in a nation that believes in the ideal of universal human rights. However, sometimes the state expediently forgets its professed ideals and tries to ride roughshod over the rights of citizens. These transgressions have become more frequent as commercial, industrial and mining interests from all over the world have become more interested in the resources of this country" said veteran Gandhians Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar in a statement issued on DailySouthAsian. Read more

The year 2010 was declared as year of the lungs to recognize that hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable chronic respiratory diseases. This initiative acknowledges that lung health has long been neglected in public discourses, and understands the need to unify different health advocates behind one purpose of lung health, informed Dr Nils Billo, Chair of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). Read more

Go well Dr Radium Bhattacharya

Go well Dr Radium Bhattacharya

Dr Radium Bhattacharya breathed her last in early morning wee hours of Sunday, 20 December 2009. She was one of the first veteran AIDS activists in India to take up the fight against AIDS in 1980s. Her contribution to HIV prevention options for women and enabling civil society working on AIDS-related issues to network and collaborate effectively to improve HIV response was a benchmark indeed. Read more

Lucknow Journalists commit to the cause of child rights

Lucknow Journalists commit to the cause of child rights

Anjali Singh, CNS

Lucknow journalists joined hands with an organization working on child rights to sign a petition to stop child abuse. The media fraternity of Uttar Pradesh capital city has also urged the government to set up a Child Protection Unit in the state to put a stop to the rising incidences of crime against children. Read more

Lack of immunization ups fatal diseases like diphtheria

Lack of immunization ups fatal diseases like diphtheria
Kulsum Mustafa

Low percentage of routine immunization in Uttar Pradesh is resulting in the resurgence of diseases like diphtheria and whooping cough in children. While in some districts of UP, immunization is less then 20 percent, in others it is between 20-40 percent. Professor (Dr) Yogesh Govil from Department of Paediatrics, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU, upgraded King George's Medical College - KGMC) said that in Tamil Nadu the immunization is 92 percent while in Karnataka it is 84 per cent.

Professor Govil gave this information in his presentation titled ‘Routine immunization-bitter facts’. Prof Govil was interacting with the journalists at ‘Media for Children’ programme, a bi- monthly media- sensitization event held at the UP Press Club on Friday, 25 December 2009. The programme was organized by Media Nest, a forum working for the welfare of journalists and their families and is supported by UNICEF.

Vaccinations for diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, tetanus and measles are necessary and a right of every child. Prof Govil said that when we do not give these life-saving vaccinations to our children we subject them to life threatening diseases. The doctor bemoaned the fact that the lack of immunization is resulting in the resurgence of these diseases and the results are fatal in many cases.

“All these vaccinations just cost less then Rs 5, but they provide the child with an armour of health,” said Dr Govil adding that only after a child gets all these vaccinations that we can say that he is 100 per cent immunized.

“We got 107 cases of diphtheria in our hospital but could only save 41. Sixty six children were lost because somebody somewhere did not think it important that the child was given the vital and necessary vaccination for diphtheria,” said Dr Govil.

Urging the media to come forward and help in focusing the attention of the masses on this issue Dr Govil said that it is important that those who draft and execute the state health policies are subjected to greater accountability.

On a suggestion by a scribe whether the government focus and priority being pulse polio has affected the routine immunization he answered in the affirmative. However he agreed to a suggestion coming from another journalist in the audience that routine immunization be linked the pulse polio programme.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

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Let Heaven And Earth Rejoice

Let Heaven And Earth Rejoice

It is Christmas time once again. It is the season of rejoicing; of giving and receiving; of raising our hands in Thanksgiving. Christmas no longer belongs merely to the Christians. It is more of a universal celebration. The festivities of Christmas have seeped into the ethos of all nations. As I write this, I a

m inhaling deep, the festive spirit pervading the streets of a misty morning Bangkok, whose 92% population, of over 6 million, is Buddhist and a mere 1% Christians. Yet, there are fairy tinsel lights, white Christmas trees (a few coloured ones too, but none green) and breathtaking decorations in and outside the malls. The petite Thai waitresses, even in small eating joints, have donned red pixie caps and the warm air of the city reverberates with the sounds of laughter and joy. The peak tourist season adds to the gaiety, with honeymooning couples strewn all over the place.

Santa Claus, or Father Christmas (can’t we have Mother Christmas? was the innocent remark of my friend’s 5 year old son) has long overpowered the infant Jesus Christ. We now have even the ‘Best Santa’ contests, with Jimmy Chan of Hong Kong being voted this year’s top Santa Claus of the world. The corporate world has added its own embellishments by way of greeting cards, expensive gifts, Christmas Eve Balls, special Christmas dinners, etal. I wonder, if the proverbial stockings are still hung in homes (we did that in our very Hindu home), as the modern day gifts would rarely fit into them. So it is more of a display of wealth and an excuse to splurge in the ever expanding shopping malls. The humble manger, with the infant Jesus swathed in rags, is almost forgotten. Yet, there have been some well meaning improvisations. The Green Santa Claus from Japan, who instead of doling out gifts, talks about preserving the environment to have peaceful and beautiful Christmas times in future.

The birth of Christ is an event which teaches humanity the lessons of austerity and humility. It teaches us to respect the poorest of the poor and to accept the graces, as well as tribulations of life with equanimity. Let Christmas not be reduced to a fashionable and commercial venture. Let us not forget the real meaning of Christmas, which is of forgiveness and humility. Let the massed ringing of cash registers in shopping malls not drown the jingling of the reindeer’s bells, bringing joy to the uncluttered hearts of children.

Yet, this time of the Yuletide season, always reaffirms my faith in the goodness of humankind. It really seems that God is in her place in heaven and all is right with the world. So be it. May peace and goodwill always prevail on earth.

A Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year to all of you, from Citizen News Service.

Shobha Shukla

(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)

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Another Setback in Noor Bano case

Anjali Singh, CNS

Once again the case of seven year old Noor Bano came to a dead end on Dec 22 with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) forwarding the case to the government Railway Police (GRP) for ivestigation and action. The case was first brought before them for hearing by Saaksham Foundation on Dec 15.

While the CWC remained indecisive then, yesterday on Dec 22 a three member committee comprising of Dr VV Brigeetha, DK Chaudhary and Shyam Kumar again sat on judgment of the case and issued a letter to GRP Police once again to investigate the case.

The CWC letter was delivered yesterday evening to the thana incharge of GRP seeking lodging of First Information Report in the Noor Bano case.

Interestingly what was omitted was the fact that the case had already been referred to the Krishnanagar Thana by the DGP who instructed them to lodge an FIR when the case was put up before him.

But the Krishna Nagar thana refused to lodge the FIR and forwarded it to GRP saying the case came under GRP's jurisdiction.

The CWC also did not to make use of their suo motto powers to give verbal orders to lodge an FIR to Krishnanagar Thana to investigate the case. Neither did they consider the fact that the child was in immediate need of rehabilitative care and medical compensation.

Saaksham Foundation in its letter addressed to the CWC Chairperson had categorically mentioned that the case be registered at the Krishna Nagar thana and investigation into kidnapping, physical abuse and disfiguring of the child be ordered immediately. The GRP had no jurisdiction in this case as the child had gone missing from Alambagh and is a resident of Kanausi, Manaknagar which is under the Krishnanagar Police circle.

Yet decision on the case was delayed and when a judgment was finally delivered a week later all the details were not taken into consideration and the case was forwarded to GRP.

This will not only further dilute the case but also hamper delivering of justice to the child and her family.

As requested on behalf of the child, letter from CWC should have been shot off to the DGP and the DIG Range to immediately get the FIR on the case lodged in the relevant thana so that proper investigation on the matter could begin. It should have also instructed the state officials responsible to ensure rehabilitative care due to Noor Bano her as per her right.

But none of the above was done and the buck continues to be passed on in the Noor Nano case even by the Committee which is a foremost representative and protector of child rights in UP.

Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saaksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)

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Will cancer-stricken commissioner get justice on 14 January 2010?

Kulsum Mustafa

Mumbai: The Commissioner of Customs at Mumbai, Deepak Kumar, and members of anti-tobacco lobby are anxiously looking forward to heralding in the New Year. On 14th January, 2010, will be pronounced a landmark judgment in the case that has already gone down in annals of history. Whatever the verdict the case is India’s first such complaint to be filed by a serving officer.

Deepak Kumar has registered a case at Maharashtra Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Mumbai. on December 2. He has demanded compensation of Rs. 1 Crore (INR 10 million or USD 200,000) from ITC Ltd, Kolkatta for severe physical damages, including loss of natural voice, incurred due to tobacco consumption without awareness of the dangers posed by the product.

After nearly 40 years of regularly smoking cigarettes, he had developed throat cancer. Kumar's larynx – the voice box has been removed. So severe was his ailment that his treatment entailed two surgeries and radiation therapy, just to keep the cancer from spreading. The dream of the man who wanted to become an attorney after he retired from the Customs department today lies shattered. His resonant voice is gone Mr. Kumar can barely utter just a few words, and that also with great difficulty and after first covering the hole in his larynx with his palms. From his neck hangs a white gauze bib- an attempt to hide the gaping whole left by the surgery.

“It is not money, it is not personal vendetta, I await this judgment because it is in larger interest of tobacco consumers. The consumer must know he is inhaling and chewing poison,” Mr. Kumar told media persons at a national level media interaction organized in Mumbai by Healis Sekhsaria Institute for public Health.

The judgment Mr. Kumar hopes will make tobacco companies accountable, pressurize government bodies to curb tobacco products in India and make public aware of the ill effects of tobacco and draw attention to the hardships faced by users of tobacco.

“I have seen death, pain and suffering. On the hospital bed I took a vow- if I survive I will devote my entire life to anti-tobacco campaign. I do not want others to suffer what I have…... “ says Mr. Kumar, his voice choked with emotions. Mr. Kumar was operated in the Tata Memorial Hospital in November 2008.

Not able to take on the strain of speaking through prosthetic voice box Mr. Kumar addressed the media through power point presentation. He went on to describe his journey from a 16 year old boy, thrilled and excited at smoking his first cigarette. In the next 40 years the number increased to 40 sticks a day. In those days there was no warning about cigarette smoking being injurious to health. This came to be printed on cigarette packs only in mid eighties. "If I had made an informed choice 40 years ago, it would be a different story. But when I began smoking, which started as just a cigarette or two during my pre-college and early college days, there were no warnings. Nothing. How could I -- or the millions of others in India who started then -- have known that cigarette smoking is more addictive than heroin? It was intentionally made glamorous, through marketing. I used to smoke Wills Navy Cut, an ITC brand. I'll never forget that advertisement campaign they ran: a beautiful young girl, a handsome young man, and between them a pack of Wills Navy Cut. The slogan? Made for each other," said Mr. Kumar in a remorseful voice.

"More than anything, I regret smoking that first cigarette. Ultimately, it ruined my life. How many more lives must be ruined by tobacco in this country?" he asks, adding that education and awareness for the people is the most important step especially in India which has more tobacco users than almost any country in the world.

Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)

Published in:
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Orphanages are viable options for some children: Study

Orphanages are viable options for some children: Study

A Duke University study of more than 3,000 orphaned and abandoned children in five Asian and African countries has found that children in institutional orphanages fare as well or better than those who live in the community.

The findings contrast sharply with research that associates institutions with poorer health and well-being, and the policies adopted by many international agencies/governments.

"Our research is not saying that institutions are better. What we found is that institutions may be a viable option for some kids," said study leader Kathryn Whetten, director of the Center for Health Policy at the Duke Global Health Institute. "As the number of orphans continues to rise worldwide, it is vital not to discount orphanages before assessing whether they are harmful to the millions of children for whom they care."

Whetten’s research team compared the physical health, cognitive functioning, emotion, behaviour and growth of orphaned or abandoned children ages 6-12, half of them living in institutions and the other half dwelling in the community. The study found that children in institutions in five countries reported significantly better health scores, lower prevalence of recent sickness and fewer emotional difficulties than community dwelling children. These findings suggest the overall health of children in orphanages is no worse than that of children in communities.

The research team has been following the 3,000 orphans involved in the study for three years, and they plan to continue tracking them into their late teens and early 20s to determine how their childhood affects their life course.

Published in the interactive open-access journal PLoS ONE, this is one of the most comprehensive studies of orphans ever conducted. Data were collected between May 2006 and February 2008 from children and their caregivers in 83 institutional care settings and 311 community clusters. The study assessed five culturally, politically and religiously-distinct countries that face rising orphan populations. Sites included Cambodia, Ethiopia, Hyderabad and Nagaland in India, Kenya, and Tanzania.

"Very few studies cross a span of countries like ours does," said Whetten. "The design flaw of past studies is that they compared a small number of orphanages against community houses. Those limited results can’t be generalized to other places."

Some of the most influential studies on child institutions were conducted in eastern bloc countries. But the greatest burden of orphans and abandoned children is in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern and Southeastern Asia.

Of the estimated 143 million orphans and abandoned children worldwide, roughly half reside in South and East Asia, according to UNICEF. An estimated 12 percent of all children in Africa will be orphaned by next year as a result of malaria, tuberculosis, pregnancy complications, HIV/AIDS and natural disasters, according to the World Health Organization.

The Duke study included less formal institutions in Asia and Africa that were not studied before, and not easily recognized. Researchers spent the first six months meeting with members of each community to identify and map orphanage locations. In Moshi, Tanzania, the research team found 23 orphanages, after initially learning of just three from local government officials.

"What people don't understand is that, in many cases, the institutions are the community’s response to caring for orphaned and abandoned children," said Whetten. "These communities love kids and as parents die, children are left behind. So, the individuals who love children most and want to care for them build a building and that becomes an institution. These institutions do not look or feel like the images that many in this country have of eastern bloc orphanages, they are mostly places where kids are being loved and cared for and have stable environments."

The research findings run contrary to global policies held by childrens rights organizations such as UNICEF and UNAIDS, which recommend institutions for orphaned and abandoned children only as a last resort, and urge that such children be moved as quickly as possible to a residential family setting.

"This is not the time to be creating policies that shut down good options for kids. We need to have as many options as possible," said Whetten. "Our research just says ‘slow down and let’s look at the facts.' It’s assumed that the quality of care-giving is a function of being institutionalized, but you can change the care-giving without changing the physical building."

Whetten said more studies are needed to understand which kinds of care promote child well-being. She believes successful approaches may transcend the structural definitions of institutions or family homes.

"Let's get beyond labeling an institution as good or bad," she said. "What is the quality of care inside that building, and how can we help the community identify cost-feasible solutions that can be delivered in small group homes, large group homes and family homes?”