The DxConnect Marketplace initiative is aligned with FIND’s Global Access Policy, which aims to provide affordable, available, and accessible diagnostics in LMICs. Specifically, the DxConnect Marketplace addresses challenges including insufficient product knowledge, fragmented supply chains, opaque pricing information, and high logistics costs that continue to impede diagnostic access. The partnership with VIA Global Health complements FIND’s efforts to expand the reach of the DxConnect Marketplace so that more people can access quality, affordable diagnostic tests.

Rapid diagnostic tests from Premier Medical Corporation (PMC) in India were already available to purchase via the DxConnect Marketplace by buyers for LMIC markets. Today’s partnership means that availability of these PMC products will now be extended to the VIA Global Health platform.

FIND and VIA Global Health are already working together to include additional diagnostic products and expand the partnership to enable more regional and global manufacturers to reach a wider audience.

Noah Perin, CEO and Co-Founder at VIA Global Health, said: “VIA Global Health, similar to DxConnect, is also a marketplace and distribution channel committed to addressing inequities in global access to quality products, information, and services that enable quality healthcare in LMICs. Our partnership with FIND adds channels to serve the fragmented market with well- vetted suppliers, thanks to the global leadership and expertise at FIND, and we are thrilled to take this collaboration forward.

Aatish Madhiwala, PMC President/Chief Medical Officer said: “PMC has a long and successful relationship with FIND on a whole host of various products, and we feel that this is no different. For years, we have believed there can be a simpler solution to get high-quality, accurate, low-cost diagnostic into the hands of the public and private sectors in LMICs without the enormous time and financial investments required currently. This project will help this scenario by getting much needed diagnostics to underserved areas as efficiently as possible. PMC has always prided itself on the high-quality products to be delivered to LMICs, and this partnership only enhances our internal goals and vision. We are looking forward to a positive and fruitful relationship with VIA as well as FIND for years to come.

Alexandra Bertholet, Deputy Director, Market Innovations, at FIND, said: “We consistently hear from smaller buyers in LMICs that it is difficult to source quality diagnostic products. The DxConnect Marketplace addresses this problem by increasing awareness of quality diagnostics, and by bringing transparency to prices in the market.

Emma Hannay, Chief Access Officer at FIND, said: “Partnerships are at the heart of all our work, and VIA Global Health’s mission to distribute medical technologies to underserved communities is closely aligned with our aim to ensure that everyone who needs a test can get one. We are very pleased that the first products available as part of this agreement are manufactured in India, as we work with countries to bolster sustainable, quality diagnostic supply that is critical for tackling everyday health challenges as well as long-term system strengthening that is essential for pandemic preparedness.

The certificate was handed to Abhishek Sinha CEO / Co-Founder GoodDot by Mr. Abhishek Biswas, Founder & Secretary General of Sattvik Council of India.

“It’s a pleasure to associate with a brand like GoodDot Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., where the objective is to increase the natural and safe use of plant-based products and set a benchmark by terminating the processes harming nature. Sattvik Verification is important for the Vegan-friendly products & packaging that are being produced in compliance with Sattvik Parameters to gain trust & confidence in the Vegan Oriented Market. Our vision is to cover all the upcoming organizations focusing on Vegan and Vegetarian Friendly Food & Lifestyle in upcoming years so that Sattvik Verified food & lifestyle can reach each & every location in India & abroad and provide quality assurance to consumers all over.”, said Mr Biswas.

GoodDot Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. has been part of the Indian Sattvik Culture by providing tasty, healthy & plant-based meat products which are to fulfil the need for protein in the diet of desired consumers. At GoodDot, their core focus has always been to bring in the technology that will make their products safer and environment friendly.

“From curries to stir-fries to wraps, GoodDot plant-based meat products replace traditional meat in any recipe. GoodDot offers you plant-based meat in India & a more compassionate way to eat. We practice Ahimsa or non-violence with our fellow humans; now, we can extend this compassion to animals. Enjoy our tasty & healthy plant-based meat products with your friends and family.” A great emphasis on the environmental impact of processing and packaging, which is leading to various initiatives by GoodDot to

provide premium quality Plant-based meat products, and also helps in ‘Vegan-Friendly Environment’ credentials. At GoodDot, we believe that the main reason why most people eat meat is its taste. If a product could be created that not only tasted like meat but was an ethical, healthier, and environmentally sustainable alternative to animal meat, people would happily make the switch.”

We will expand to different countries across the globe this year. We are in USA, South Africa, Canada, Singapore, Dubai, Oman, and Nepal. We would like to deepen our footprint in these countries while simultaneously exploring new countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the UK., said Mr. Sinha – www.gooddot.in

By achieving the Sattvik Vegan Label Mark, gives a symbol of quality that can be used on Vegan Food Products that meet safety standards and pure quality of the food products. Sattvik Verification provides transparent assurance that products do not contain any hidden non-vegan, non-vegetarian and harmful substances.

Water conservation initiatives are taken up by the Central Government on a continuous basis and are covered under various schemes and programmes. In order to boost water conservation and rainwater harvesting in the country, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has taken up a nationwide campaign “Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain” (JSA:CTR) with the theme “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls” for creating appropriate rainwater harvesting structures in urban and rural areas of all the districts in the country, with people’s active participation, during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods during 22^nd March, 2021 to 30^th November, 2021.

On 24^thApril 2022, Hon’ble Prime minister launched a mission to conserve water for the future, known as Amrit Sarovar Mission. For celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Amrit Sarovar aims to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district of India. Under this mission, 50,000 water bodies of size of about an Acre will be created by 15^thAugust 2023. Apart from these two other schemes and programs viz. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Bhujal Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Mission Namami Gange, Unified Building Bye Laws (UBBL) of Delhi, 2016, Model Building Bye Laws (MBBL), 2016, Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, 2014 etc. are also being implemented as Water Conservation initiatives.

States/ UTs have been advised to enable   Rural   Local   Bodies/Panchayats to utilise 15^th Finance Commissions grants to take up rooftop rainwater harvesting in Government buildings like panchayat, bhawans, anganwadis, Primary Health Centres etc. Government organises workshops, seminars/webinars, awards etc. and encourages people to become active participants for water conservation an drain water harvesting.

Water Harvesting works has been accorded one of the thrust areas of MGNREGS, Ministry of Rural Development. Maximum works which are permissible under Scheme, are related to Natural Resource Management (NRM) which directly or indirectly support water conservation and groundwater recharge. The Scheme has helped in reviving many traditional water bodies. Farm ponds for individuals, Check dams, Trenches, many kinds of plantations, recharge pits, etc. Construction of Dug well is one of the important assets created majorly for individual, community and groups.

As a systematic measurement of the existing depths of groundwater levels on an extensive basis throughout the rural landscape of the country, on27^th   September, 2022, JALDOOT app was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development which will based across the country to capture and regularly measure the water level of selected 2-3 wells in a village. This will enable groundwater monitoring, water budgeting and planning for water harvesting and conservation-related works.

About

The app will work in both online and offline mode. Water level can be captured even without internet connectivity and captured data will be stored in mobile and when mobile comes in the connectivity area, data will synchronize with the central server. The regular data to be input by the Jaldoots would be integrated with the database of National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC), which can be utilized for analysis and display of various useful reports for the benefit of various stakeholders.

Significance

This app will facilitate observing water tables across the country and the resulting data can be utilized for Gram Panchayat Development Plan and MGNREGS Plans. The app is launched to capture the water level of selected wells in a village across the country twice a year during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The app will also ease panchayats with robust information that can be later used for better planning of works.

Status of Groundwater Depletion

According to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), with 230 billion meter cubes of groundwater drawn out each year for irrigating agricultural lands in India, many parts of the country are experiencing rapid depletion of groundwater.

The total estimated groundwater depletion in India is in the range of 122–199-billion-meter cubes.89% of groundwater extracted is used in the irrigation sector, making it the highest category user in the country. This is followed by groundwater for domestic use which is 9% of the extracted groundwater. Industrial use of groundwater is 2%. 50% of urban water requirements and 85% of rural domestic water requirements are also fulfilled by groundwater.

Causes of depletion

Green Revolution: The Green Revolution enabled water-intensive crops to be grown in drought-prone/ water deficit regions, leading to over-extraction of groundwater. Frequent pumping of water from the ground without waiting for its replenishment leads to quick depletion. Further, Subsidies on electricity and high MSP (Minimum Support Price)for water- intensive crops.

Industries Requirement: Water contamination, as in the case of pollution by landfills, septic tanks, leaky underground gas tanks, and from overuse of fertilizers and pesticides leads to damage and depletion of groundwater resources.

Inadequate Regulation: Inadequate regulation of groundwater encourages the exhaustion of groundwater resources without any penalty.

Federal Issue: Water being a state subject, initiatives on water management including water conservation and water harvesting and making available adequate drinkable water to citizens in the Country is primarily the States’ responsibility.

Way Forward

Water Conservation a National Priority but people tend to neglect the importance of water conservation because in most places it is free of cost or charged nominally so some way forward steps proposed as under:

1. Rational pricing of water can be put to practice, keeping in mind the affordability of the population in the country.
2. Along with this, reuse, reduce and recycling of water should be promoted.
3. Artificial Recharge of Groundwater: It is the process of spreading or impounding water on the land to increase the infiltration through the soil and percolation to the aquifer or of injecting water by wells directly into the aquifer.
4. Groundwater Management Plants: Installing groundwater management plants at local levels will help the people know the groundwater availability in their area, making them use it wisely.

Water conservation is the practice of efficiently preserving, controlling, and managing water resources. It has become an essential practice in every part of the world, even in regions where water appears to be enough. It is the most practical and environment-friendly approach to lessen our need for water. Considering its increasing scarcity, the planning, and management of this resource and its optimal, economical and equitable use has become a matter of the utmost urgency. Concerns of the community need to be taken into account for water resources development and management. Depending upon the specific situations, various combinations of private sector participation, in building, owning, operating, leasing, and transferring water resources facilities, may be considered.

-Pallav Kumar Chittej, IES

Assistant Director Ministry of Rural Development

(views expressed are personal)

The article has been peer-reviewed and is available at:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/22221751.2022.2119169

The intranasal Sputnik V was studied in in mice and in non-human primates (common marmosets). High immunogenic properties of the vaccine were verified by marked IgG and neutralizing antibody (NtAb) production in blood serum, antigen-specific T-cell proliferation and formation of IgA antibodies in the nasal mucosa.

The vaccine induced a robust (no less than 180 days) systemic and local immune response. Study’s findings demonstrate that in the mouse model, intranasal and intramuscular administration of Sputnik V vaccine elicits comparable magnitude of central antigen-specific immunity, while only intranasal vaccination forms humoral and cell-mediated response in lungs.

Lungs are more vulnerable to infection by the novel strains of coronavirus, including BA4 and BA5 sub-strains of Omicron. The ability of intranasal vaccine to elicit protective immunity at the entry gates of infection provided by mucosal vaccination is key to block virus infection and transmission and may become a “silver bullet” that could bring the pandemic to an end.

Intranasal administration of Sputnik V is well-tolerated and effective for developing both local and systemic immune responses, as well as providing protection against lethal virus challenge, which is comparable to that of the initially developed intramuscular vaccine.

An earlier study conducted by a team of Russian scientists including representatives of the City Clinical Hospital No. 67 named after L.A. Vorokhobov and the Gamaleya Center has demonstrated Sputnik V’s efficacy against hospitalisation caused by Omicron for those vaccinated with 3 or 4 components (re-vaccination with Sputnik Light or Sputnik V after Sputnik V) was 97% and 99.4% against critical cases. These results have been published in June 2022 in the Vaccines leading peer-reviewed medical journal[i].

Sputnik V is one of the safest and most effective vaccines against coronavirus in the world and has become the most exported pharmaceutical product in the Russian history. The high safety and efficacy of Sputnik V and one-shot Sputnik Light have been confirmed by more than 50 clinical studies and data compiled during national vaccination programs in various parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Research on the Sputnik V vaccine has been published in leading international peer-reviewed medical journals, including The Lancet, Nature, Vaccines, Cell Reports Medicine and others.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund is among the world’s leading sovereign wealth funds with a diversified investment portfolio in key sectors. RDIF has played a leading role in development of a ‘triad’ against coronavirus including test-systems, a drug and the Sputnik V vaccine, which has helped to save millions of lives in more than 30 countries around the world.

RDIF invested in development and production of both Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, which have helped save millions of lives globally. Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with total population of over 4 billion people. Sputnik Light has been approved in more than 30 countries. Sputnik V and Sputnik Light are based on a safe human adenoviral vector platform proven in more than 30 years and are not associated with serious adverse events such as myocarditis or pericarditis.

SmartCardia, a leading MedTech company dedicated to strengthening the healthcare ecosystem, launched 7L patch, their 7-lead Cardiac Monitoring Patch in India today. This state-of-the-art patch monitor combines medical wearable technology with AI to provide predictive and personalized patient insights through remote monitoring.

The 7L patch is tracked by SmartCardia’s AI platform which is developed from millions of ECG segments interpreted by cardiologists and certified cardiac technicians and performs real-time detection of important arrhythmia events at cardiologist level accuracy. The platform also presents a real-time dashboard for clinicians to view full-disclosure ECG at any instance and detect early deterioration of patient conditions. The 7L patch measures parameters including seven lead Electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate, pulse rate, respiration rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), skin temperature, activity and posture from a single miniaturized unit at clinical accuracy.

The 7L patch and cloud platform present a single unified solution to replace holter recorders, event monitors, mobile cardiac telemetry systems and ward monitors. The 7L patch is easy-to-wear, water resistant and can be used for up to 14 days without requiring a battery recharge.

Commenting on the launch of the 7L patch in India, Dr. Srinivasan Murali, Founder and CEO, SmartCardia said, “In today’s post COVID era, it is important to be able to monitor patients continuously and remotely. It is therefore important to have an ultra-low noise, highly accurate system that can monitor patients’ vitals in real time. The 7L patch has been designed ground-up to meet these stringent requirements and coupled with our AI platform, we will be able to provide Cardiologists with accurate and real time monitoring data.”

Also commenting on the launch, Dr. Manoj Mashru, Head of Cardiology. HN Reliance, Mumbai said, “Most existing cardiac patches are single lead or have leads close to each other, while cardiologists require multi-lead ECG to accurately diagnose cardiac conditions. SmartCardia’s 7L patch provides complete 7-lead ECG with excellent P-wave, QRS and ST segment morphologies, allowing for more accurate diagnosis of a wide variety of arrhythmias.With the ability to do live Monitoring & Real Time Transmission of Important Cardiac events taking patient monitoring to a whole new level”.With the launch of the 7L patch, SmartCardia aims to provide a complete end-to-end solution and empower millions of patients with chronic conditions with actionable insights to improve their health.

Over the course of the pandemic the Gamaleya Center has been consistently studying the new emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 and adapting Sputnik V to them accordingly. The new version of Sputnik V has been Delta- and Omicron-adapted as Omicron is currently the dominant variant around the globe. This new version is also addressing the L-452-R mutation in Omicron BA5 variant which was not present in the BA1 variant.

The Delta and Omicron-adapted version of Sputnik V is the most promising version of the vaccine specifically adapted to new variants as compared to those tailored against the combination of the original strain and Omicron variant.

The Sputnik V vaccine adapted against the Delta and Omicron variants provides for a significant reduction in the viral load in the lungs of animals infected with the Omicron BA5 variant.

The existing version of Sputnik V shows excellent results in preventing hospitalization and death caused by Omicron. A study conducted by a team of Russian scientists including representatives of the City Clinical Hospital No. 67 named after L.A. Vorokhobov and the Gamaleya Center has demonstrated Sputnik V’s efficacy against hospitalisation caused by Omicron for those vaccinated with 3 or 4 components (re-vaccination with Sputnik Light or Sputnik V after Sputnik V) was 97% and 99.4% against critical cases. These results have been published in June 2022 in the Vaccines leading peer-reviewed medical journalⁱ.

Sputnik V has become the most exported pharmaceutical product in the Russian history being one of the safest and most effective vaccines against coronavirus in the world.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund invested in development and production of both Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, which have helped save millions of lives globally. Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with total population of over 4 billion people. Sputnik Light has been approved in more than 30 countries.

Sputnik V and Sputnik Light are based on a safe human adenoviral vector platform proven  in more than 30 years and are not associated with serious adverse events such as myocarditis or pericarditis. The high safety and efficacy of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light have been confirmed by more than 50 clinical studies and data compiled during national vaccination programs in various parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Research on the Sputnik V vaccine has been published in leading international peer-reviewed medical journals, including The Lancet, Nature, Vaccines, Cell Reports Medicine and others.

This Sarcoma Awareness Month, Apollo Cancer Centres, India’s best cancer hospitals, hosted ‘Winners on Wheels’ cyclothon to spread awareness about Sarcoma cancer. This initiative was aimed to create awareness and encourage positivity about cancer treatment for a better quality of life. To shed light on how a well-treated cancer patient can lead a successful life, people volunteered to participate in the cyclothon as Apollo’s brand ambassador. Regional Cyclothons across 5 cities – Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai are also being conducted to create awareness about Sarcoma Cancer & its symptoms.

The event was flagged off by Mr. P Shivakumar, Managing Director – Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and Dr. Shanthi Bansal, Director Medical Services, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. The clinicians, doctors and medical staff were present for the event. Local cyclist associations also participated in the cyclothon along with Sarcoma cancer winners.
  

Sarcoma is one of the cancers which affects the soft tissues or bone. Bone Sarcomas constitute as the third most common cause of mortality in adolescents. In addition to raising awareness around Sarcoma cancer, the cyclothon also promoted the need for a healthy lifestyle to ensure a future with less cancer risk. The gathering discussed the primary topic of reasoning on the forgotten disease.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. P Shivakumar, Managing Director, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said, “At Apollo our endeavor has been to facilitate timely diagnosis and try and curb complexities. However, in case of cancer, many a time it goes undetected, and patients only consult experts when the condition has advanced to a complex stage. Hence the emphasis is always on early detection by identifying symptoms and prevention by seeking immediate expert intervention.”

On the occasion, Dr Yatinder Kharbanda, Senior Consultant, Orthopedic surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said, “Sarcoma is a type of cancer that originates from the bones or the soft tissues of the body like cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, fibrous tissue, or other connective or supportive tissue. There are over 70 kinds of sarcoma based on where cancer crops up. The actual cause of sarcoma is unknown, but generally cancer forms due to mutations in the DNA within the cells, but risk factors include inherited syndromes passed down from parents to children, and exposure to chemicals or viruses. However, if diagnosed on time, sarcoma is preventable, similar to this case, where our patient was detected in the early stages of sarcoma cancer, such that with a primary surgical intervention, we were able to treat the patient successfully.”

Sharing his perspective, the patient, said “I would like to thank and acknowledge the team of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals for helping me feel healthy again. We had lost all hope when I was detected with cancer, but it was because of the support and efforts of the team here that I was able to stay resilient through this journey of recovery.”

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/6/938/htm

The study was conducted from 11 January to 21 February 2022 involving over 1,000 patients in Moscow. Sputnik V showed high efficacy against hospitalisation at 85.9% among patients vaccinated with at least one component. Efficacy among those vaccinated with 3 or 4 components (re-vaccination with Sputnik Light or Sputnik V after Sputnik V) rose to:

• 97% against any cases of hospitalisation;
• 97.7% against moderate-severe and more severe cases;
• 98.6% against severe and critical cases;
• 99.4% against critical cases.

As authors note, “the study shows that vaccination with Sputnik V and Sputnik Light has a high effectiveness for protection against hospitalisation. The reduction in the severity of COVID-19 regarding the Omicron variant was also observed. The greatest effectiveness was evident in protection against a critical course of the disease requiring patients to be admitted to the intensive care unit.”

To date, Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with a total population of over 4 billion people, and Sputnik Light has been approved in more than 30 countries. The Russian Direct Investment Fund invested in development and production of both Sputnik V and Sputnik Light.

The startup delivers an affordable and standardized surgical care and wellness care for domestic & international patients, ensuring maximum utilization of small & medium hospital facilities. Mykare has served more than 1500+ national and international patients so far. Currently, MyKare operates with four facilities in Chennai and plans to expand its services in the whole South Indian region including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. It has operating offices in Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Assam, Tripura, Andhra, Kerala and one in Bangladesh. Due to high demand of affordable health care services Mykare will also expand its facilities in North and North East of India along with SAARC regions, by next year.

Mykare has witnessed the 204% YOY growth, 63% growth in the current financial.

Mykare was founded by Mr Senu Sam in 2020 with a vision of transforming the healthcare experience of every common man by providing the most affordable, personalised and standardised care. The Idea of building Mykare had came in Senu’s mind when his father was admitted at a local hospital in his home town for a surgery, he flew down to coordinate the entire process. Put in the shoes of a regular patient, he observed the entire process unfold in a new perspective. This made him wonder how his father was one among many countless patients across the country, waiting at the hospital without a clue of what they are going through. This is when he felt the need for an end-to-end tech platform experience with personalised and standardised care for patients who are looking for affordable surgical care.

Now, Mykare Health aims to build India’s largest asset-light healthcare chain for elective surgeries & preventive/wellness care. Mykare is an integrated platform solution including free second medical opinion, providing 24*7 in-app assistance for travel, logistics, stay & pre-insurance care. The brand also provides standardized care at Hospital and post- surgeries care as well.

Mykare has tied up with small & medium hospitals in India as well as abroad. It enables partner hospitals with technology, patient access, and branding. The brand utilises the under utilised facilities & their senior surgeons for the procedure.

People can utilize Mykare services by downloading its mobile application from the Google Play store and following a few easy steps. They can book their surgeries and medical checkups using one application.