CNS

APLCC 2016 Insight: Issue 1 (13th May 2016)

APLCC 2016 Insight is the official newsletter of IASLC Asia Pacific Lung Cancer Conference (APLCC 2016) being held in Chiang Mai, Thailand: 13-15 May 2016. CNS is the official media partner of APLCC 2016 and managed content for all three issues of APLCC 2016 Insight. First issue of APLCC 2016 Insight is online here.

Senior leaders from different countries in Asia Pacific and globally who have contributed significantly on different aspects of lung cancer prevention, diagnostics, treatment, research, care etc, were interviewed by CNS Correspondents in lead up to APLCC 2016. Here is the first issue of APLCC 2016 Insight.

[Focus] Why despite HC order, children of government staff are not studying in government schools?

A holistic approach is needed to tackle India’s asthma burden

Urvashi Prasad, CNS Correspondent, India

It is estimated that India has around 30 million people living with asthma. Approximately 25% of the Indian population is suffering from allergy and 5% are living with asthma. As highlighted by Dr Jeremiah Chakaya Muhwa, Member, Board of Directors, International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) during a recent webinar organised by CNS and The Union, asthma is often not taken seriously. He went on to add that the condition is frequently either not diagnosed or not treated even when diagnosed, resulting in several social, economic, psychological and physical problems.

[Webinar recording] We welcome you to register for an exclusive media webinar in lead up to this year's World No Tobacco Day. Our governments have committed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs - by 2030, one of which (SDG 3.a) is to strengthen the implementation of the global tobacco treaty (formally called World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control or WHO FCTC) in all countries, as appropriate. We need to ensure that the implementation of WHO FCTC is on track for the world to meet the SDG targets by 2030 or earlier!

Innovation: Yoga to relieve asthma-related problems

Owen Nyaka, CNS Correspondent, Malawi

Yoga has gained global popularity as a form of exercise with general life-style benefits, and recent studies have investigated the potential of yoga to relieve asthma-related problems. A global independent network of researchers, professionals, patients, carers and people interested in health (Cochrane) recently published a systematic review on the benefits of Yoga for asthma patients. The authors reviewed 15 randomised controlled studies, which involved 1,048 men and women with asthma.

APLCC 2016: Latest updates on lung cancer science

Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant, CNS (Citizen News Service)

Dr Ekaphop Sirachainan, Vice President
Thai Society of Clinical Oncology

Dr Ekaphop Sirachainan who is the Vice President of Thai Society of Clinical Oncology (TSCO); faculty at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University; and a member of the Local Organising Committee of APLCC 2016 shared the highlights of some of the interesting oral and poster presentation abstracts. Asia Pacific Lung Cancer Conference (APLCC 2016) took place in Chiang Mai, Thailand (13-15 May 2016). It is organized by International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), Thai Society of Clinical Oncology (TSCO) Chiang Mai Lung Cancer Group, and other lead partners.

You can control Asthma

Alice Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland

While many non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are associated with stigma, discrimination and fear it has notably been of interest that people living with asthma actually get cool nicknames associated with this disease. A chat with Joseph Jele (name changed), a 49 year old male telephone technician, revealed that from his teenage years he has been nick-named ‘Wizzy Joe’, due to the wheezing fits he used to get when playing with other young boys. This is an identity he has carried with him through adulthood and, as he jokingly noted, will carry it to his grave.

Addressing asthma is a big challenge

Pritha Roy Choudhury, CNS Correspondent, India

This is the fourth day this week that Ashmi has been absent from school. A student of Class 4, Ashmi has been performing very well and has been an academic achiever for the third consecutive year. Mrs Hemvat, her class teacher is really worried— “She is not only a bright student but also is a very active child who takes part in most of the activities. But this year she has been absent most of the days.” Ashmi has been suffering from breathing problems for the past two years, but the problem has increased this year.

How to prevent premature deaths from asthma?

Francis Okoye, CNS Correspondent, Nigeria
(First published in Nigeria Politics Magazine)

In a webinar organised for media by Citizen News Service (CNS), in lead up to this year’s world Asthma Day on May 3, 2016, it was revealed that about 2.4 million premature deaths from Asthma can be prevented, if certain doable actions are put in place. This premature death prevention would also result in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

Asthma: A manageable burden

Josephine Chinele, CNS Correspondent, Malawi

Every day, Talimba (name changed), cooks using firewood which produces lots of smoke. She does not have any affordable alternative source of energy. 20 year old Talimba dropped out of school to take up the responsibility of looking after her household, including her siblings, after the death of their parents. “I live in the rural area where there is no electricity at all. I even use paraffin lamp for lighting at night. That’s what we can afford,” says Talimba.

Do not ignore your asthma

Tuyeimo Haidula, CNS Correspondent, Namibia

Despite the fact that asthma affects over 300 million people globally, very little attention is given to this chronic and persistent disease. Speaking during a webinar organized by Citizen News Service and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Jeremiah Chakaya, of Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) lamented that asthma is under diagnosed all over the world, and not just in poor countries, and when it is diagnosed it is under treated.

Moderate quality evidence that yoga reduces impact of asthma

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India
[First published in Theindiasaga.com]

Researchers have found moderate-quality evidence that yoga probably leads to small improvements in quality of life and symptoms in people with asthma, but there is more uncertainty about potential adverse effects of yoga and its impact on lung function and medication usage. According to a new Cochrane Review, the results of randomised control trials (RCTs) has found evidence that practicing yoga might be able to improve asthma quality of life and symptoms to some extent.

Asthma: We can beat it but not kill it

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS

World Asthma Day is Tuesday, 3rd May 2016
Asthma is a common chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) that is usually characterised by inflammation of the bronchial tubes or airways of the lungs. 10,000 litres of air and blood pass through our lungs and, as a result, they deliver 350 litres of oxygen every day. If this delivery is hampered in any way it leads to respiratory distress or breathlessness. The episodic onset of respiratory symptoms is called an asthma attack.

Achyut Patwardhan Bal Sabha of Socialist Party (India) was formed in Lucknow on Thursday, 2nd June 2016. Socialist Party (India) has formed this group (Achyut Patwardhan Bal Sabha) with the objective of educating children about constitutional values and working towards an egalitarian society.

CNS around World No Tobacco Day 2016

Prof Rama Kant being interviewed by India News (TV)

CNS in association with key partners globally and in Lucknow, India was actively involved in a range of activities around World No Tobacco Day 2016. Here is a WNTD 2016 snapshot:

Akanksha Sethi
[World Asthma Day is Tuesday, 3rd May 2016]
Not all ailments are of the type that can be cured completely over time, even though they are not life threatening. Asthma, which afflicts an estimated 300 million people worldwide, is one such disease that cannot be cured though it can consciously be controlled. Those who keep it under check, through a proper lifestyle, diet and regular medication, are able to lead a normal life, said Professor (Dr) Surya Kant, Head of the Respiratory Medicine Department at King George's Medical University, in an interview given to CNS (Citizen News Service).

[Webinar] World Asthma Day 2016

India’s TB challenge: Unmasking the social stigma

Urvashi Prasad, CNS Correspondent, India

TB has surpassed HIV/AIDS worldwide as the greatest killer disease due to a single infectious agent. With an estimated 2 million new cases every year, India has the highest TB burden of any country in the world. It also claims an unacceptably high number of lives (around 300,000) in India every year, despite being a fully curable disease, if diagnosed early.

Although the governments of UN member countries had adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015, a lot more work needs to be done to deliver on these promises by 2030. Thirty-six Asia Pacific nations had met in Thailand for Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) but largely failed to agree with consensus on a regional roadmap to achieve these promises by 2030. The window of opportunity is not closed yet - Asia Pacific nations still can demonstrate leadership on implementing SDGs by agreeing on an ambitious plan to move forward.

US Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI) took the rare step of issuing a public letter to the president of the World Bank Group (WBG) raising concerns about its role in the water sector. In the letter, Rep. Moore calls on the Bank’s leaders to stop funding and promoting water privatization pending an independent review and congressional hearings on the glaring conflicts of interest created by its investments in water privatizers through its private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice Rajindar Sachar released the first list of probable candidates of Socialist Party (India) for UP Vidhan Sabha elections 2017. The candidates are as follows (constituency-wise): Sewta: Dr Shuchita Kumar; Lucknow West: Zeenat; Mahmoodabad: Munnalal; Sidhauli: Manoj Kumar; Rohaniya: Dharma Devi; Sewapuri: Urmila Patel; Bangarmau: Sushma; Chunar: Urmila Vishwakarma; Fazilnagar: Gowardhan Prasad Gond; Kannauj: Dhaniram; Bilgram-Mallawa: Abhishek Patel; Amethi: Kiran Gupta; Gonda: Janki Prasad Gaur; Arya Nagar, Kanpur: Saraswati; and Sandila: Ramdai.

[Call to register] Webinar for media in lead up to World Asthma Day 2016

[WEBINAR RECORDING] We welcome you to register for an exclusive media webinar in lead up to this year's World Asthma Day. Our governments have committed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs - by 2030, one of which is to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by one-third by 2030. We need to ensure that asthma rates are declining, and declining fast enough so as to reduce the burden of all NCDs including asthma by 1/3rd by 2030, or earlier!

When living becomes a pain: MDR-TB

Dr Richa Sharma, CNS Correspondent, India

TB is an intimidating word in the world of public health. Even though the disease is centuries old, it was only in 1882 that Dr Robert Koch discovered the TB bacillus—the agent that causes TB. Antibiotics were used against TB for the first time in 1944 after the discovery of streptomycin. But use of this drug alone led to antibiotic resistance that is still a major problem.

Ending the TB epidemic

Dr Amitava Acharyya, CNS Correspondent, India

TB which finds mention in Indian ancient texts, seems to be as old Indian civilization. In Ayurveda, it is included in “Sosha” group of diseases. These are diseases with a prominent feature of wasting, and there are other symptoms such as cough and blood-spitting. According to Indian mythology the Moon-god, was the first to become a victim of TB, and so the disease is also known as Rajayakshma—the king’s disease.

Malawi needs to expand TB control interventions

Martin Chiwanda, CNS Correspondent, Malawi

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that Malawi must expand interventions to control TB as it is one of the developing countries with very high incidence of the epidemic. The Director of WHO Global TB Programme Dr Mario Raviglione, in an interview via a webinar hosted by Citizen News Service (CNS) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease said that Malawi government needs to fully adhere to the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of which Goal 3 targets to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

[Focus] Urban poor must be central to urbanization and development justice

Business outside the box to combat MDR-TB

Catherine Mwauyakufa, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe

The approach of business as usual has to end, as tackling MDR-TB is an emergency that calls for unusual approaches if we are to meet the target of ending TB by 2030, as envisaged in one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The world has to combat multi drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) on a war footing to make the dream of ending TB by 2030 a reality.

85% pictorial warnings and curbing selling of tobacco in smaller packs both positive for public health

Dr Raghav Gattani, CNS Medical Correspondent

It is an important public health development that government of India has not bowed down to conflict-of-interest riddled Parliamentary Committee recommendations to reduce pictorial warning size and from 1st April 2016 implemented the 85% pictorial warnings on all tobacco products. Not only the size of pictorial warnings remains as directed earlier 85% but also minimum size of warnings has also been prescribed, which will help in stopping sale of tobacco in smaller packs.