July 2021

monthly Newsletter from Indian Medical Association, Cochin Branch

iSSUE 204 JULY 2021

President’s Message General Body Meeting

Dear Friends, SVirtual cientifi&c Session

While our nation remains anxious and apprehensive about the 28th July, 2021 | Wednesday
possibility of 3rd wave of Covid – 19, another threat is being posed by 8.00 pm Meeting called to order
the emerging ‘ Zika virus infection’, a cause of concern. 8.05 pm Scientific Session

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in TOPIC
1947 in monkeys. It was later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the
United Republic of Tanzania. First Zika virus outbreak in India was reported at Managing the pandemic
Jaipur, Rajasthan on 21st September 2018. Trivandrum reported first case in of obesity and NASH
Kerala on 28th June 2021 in a pregnant woman who delivered her baby on 07th
July 2021. Chairperson : Dr Rosh Varghese
Rajagiri Hospital
The incubation period of Zika virus disease is estimated to be 3–14 days. The
majority of infected people are asymptomatic. Clinical features are generally mild Obesity & NASH: the Indian scenario
including fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache, Dr Prakash Zacharias, Lisie Hospital
usually lasting 2–7 days, mimicking Dengue fever many a time. Zika virus infection
may also trigger Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis, particularly Diet, lifestyle and medications
in adults and older children. Dr Rajesh G., Amrita Hospital

Zika virus is also transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy, through Endoscopic treatment
sexual contact, transfusion of blood and blood products, and organ transplantation. Dr Ismail Siyad, Aster Medicity
This infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other congenital
abnormalities in the developing fetus and newborn. In pregnancy, this disease Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery
may result in complications such as fetal loss, stillbirth, and preterm birth. Dr Sudheer OV, Amrita Hospital

This infection is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito from Meeting organised by
the Aedes genus, mainly Aedes aegypti, in tropical and subtropical regions. Aedes
mosquitoes usually bite during the day, peaking during early morning and late COCHIN GUT CLUB
afternoon/evening. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya
and yellow fever. ­

There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. Severe disease requiring Donation from Austrlia
hospitalization is uncommon, and deaths are rare.
Healthcare professionals under
Effective waste management and avoidance of water stagnation will go a long way the leadership of Dr. M. Parvathy
to control prevalence of mosquitoes, the vector of this disease which has created and Dr. B. Nair from University
a new fear factor in our community, off late. of New Castle, Australia donated
Rs.7,70,980/- towards charitable
Jai IMA ! activities for the benefit of under
previleged Covid-19 patients
Dr T.V. Ravi treated at PVS Apex Covid Centre,
President Kaloor. 1512 patients received
free treatment and 2500 patients
underwent free dialysis here.

(Letter from Australia inside)

President Secretary Treasurer
Dr. T.V. Ravi Dr. Athul Joseph Manuel Dr. George Tukalan
‘Smita’, P.C. Road, Kaloor P.O., Kochi 682 017 Koduveliparambil House Flat 2 F, Vinayaka Sreevidya Apartments
Mob : 98473 30445 Chennur, Kothad P.O., Kochi 682 027 Eroor P.O., Tripunithura 682 306
[email protected] Mob : 98959 18538; [email protected] Mob : 87541 54531; [email protected]

Secretary’s Message Triton Restaurant

Dear Members, 30%IMA House Kochi
off for
As we surmount the second wave and Lagoon members
prepare ourselves to live with Covid-19
along with other infectious disease like Home delivery available
Zika, we shouldn’t forget about our IMA
House. As the hospitality industry is struggling to 9744669499
survive, our roof is also under pressure. The roof that 8606400333
gives us shelter for our activities, our pride, our IMA
House. Now is the time to rise up to the occasion and
support by bringing in more Lagoon membership
as well as contributing Rs. 10,000/- and claim your
treasure of offers.

Please continue to keep social distancing, wear mask
and proper sanitisation and promote the same to live
with Covid-19.

Jai IMA!

Dr. Athul Joseph Manuel
Secretary

Woman Doctors Wing Activities

Chairperson : Dr Sheeja Srinivas Secretary : Dr Avani Pillai

One of our senior most members Members of WDW Kochi taking part in the IMA
Dr Gracy Thomas receiving an award for the National Protest Meeting held on 18th June

selfless services.

WDW June 2021 online meeting was held on
30th June to commemorate International Day
of Drug Abuse and Illicit trafficking (26 June)

and World Environment Day (5 June)

Dr Naseema Najeeb from WDW Kochi Dr Sheeja Srinivas, Chairperson WDW Kochi, WDW Kochi members Dr Suchitra and
distributing PPE kits in association with participating in Doctors protest Dr Dhanya participating in dance

Rotary club at All India Ophthalmology conference

2 Dr Sheeja, Dr Avani and Dr Anitha attended
State IMA Cultural committee meeting on the

clubhouse

JULY 2021

World Blood Donor Day

Dr. Sivadasan, RCH Officer, Ernakulam June 14th was observed as  the World Blood Donor Day. In connection with  World Blood Donor
Dist. being honoured on Doctors Day Day,  IMA Voluntary Donor Blood Bank, Cochin  organised different activities. The slogan of this
year is “Give blood and keep the world beating”.

We conducted 3 inhouse camps on this day. (1.Civil defence & Rotary, 2. Sevabharathy 3. St. Albert’s
College).  45 voluntary donors donated their blood on June 14th, 2021. Dr. Abraham Varghese
conducted three awareness sessions  on blood donation  through zoom meeting.
1.  Rajas International School, Kottayam
2. KMEA College of Arts and Science, Edathala
3. Technical (Engineering ) Professional Organisation -
IEEE, India.

Our Medical Officer also  attended  the virtual World Blood
Donor Day State Level Programme, where the chief guest
was Smt. Veena George, Honorable  Minister for Health
& Family  Welfare. The meeting was organised by Kerala
State Aids Control Society, Thiruvananthapuram.

Humanitarian Touch from the Down Under! O B I T U A RY
We are two medicos who have been working and living in Newcastle Australia for the past 36
years. We both grew up in Kerala and graduated from medical schools in Kerala. Dr P Nandakumar
Ortho Surgeon
The Covid crisis evolving in Kerala was distressing and devastating to watch from Australia. We
felt that we were unable to help in person, but wanted to help out. We decided to raise funds (Husband of Dr Jayasree
from our medical colleagues. Although it was a drop in the ocean, we were able to raise 14,000 Nandakumar)
dollars to send to IMA Charity fund. We are grateful to Dr T.V. Ravi for taking the responsibility
of appropriate utilisation of this fund. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Dr Mathew M
Thekkekara (70 yrs),
Prof B Radhakrishnan (Kichu) Nair AM Dr Mulavana Usha Parvathy General Physician.
MBBS, MD( Newcastle) FRACP, FRCPE, FRCPG, OAM MBBS FRCGP
FRCPI, FANZGM, FAMEE , FANZHPE
University of New Castle, Australia University of New Castle, Australia

Dear IMA Cochin members,

As you are aware IMA house has been completely revamped with amazing facilities. But the second wave of Covid19 has
shattered our dreams of having more business in this renovated property. Banquet functions and room occupancy is
practically nil. But a huge sum is required to maintain the property and staff. Therefore all members of IMA Cochin are
humbly requested to contribute Rs 10000/- per head towards the building renovation fund.

Happy to inform you that a bunch of discount coupons for shopping, dining and pleasure trips at prime locations , worth
Rs 1.8 Lakhs is awaiting each one of you in return.

We would like to thank the following members for their payment.

Executive Members 25. Dr T R John 8. Dr Rose Mary TS 22. Dr. Dr Sherry Issac
1. Dr V P Kuriype 26. Dr Joby Abraham 9. Dr Ramaprasad MK 23. Dr. Rinoy A Henry
2. Dr Ravi T V 27. Dr Prakash Abraham 10. Dr Parson Paul 24. Dr. Rajesh V R
3. Dr M Narayanan 28. Dr Abraham K Paul 11. Dr Tharun Krishna BS 25. Dr. Selvapandian
4. Dr Sunil K Mathai 29. Dr. Sreenivasa Kamath 12. Dr Vinod Kumar K P 26. Dr. Pushpa Susan Issac
5. Dr S S Kamath 30. Dr. Alwin Antony 13. Dr. Rafiq mohamed 27. Dr.Prabha Nair
6. Dr Junaid Rahman 31. Dr. V P Gangadharan 14. Dr.Thresiamma Thomas 28. Dr.Sarada AJ
7. Dr Pradeep Kumar V D 32. Dr. Ramakrishnan Kandathil 39. Dr. Philip John (Psychiatry)
8. Dr Athul Joseph Manuel 33. Dr. Abraham Varghese 15. Dr. Sujit Vasudevan 30. Dr. Usha Somanathan
9. Dr George Tukalan 34. Dr. Vivin Abraham 16. Dr. Paul Jayan 31. Dr. Scariachan ND
10. Dr Madhukumar K 35. Dr. M M Francis 17. Dr. Subramonian MG 32. Dr. Alexander TA
11. Dr K Narayanan kutty 36. Dr. Arun CS 18. Dr. Gangadharan M 33. Dr. Boby V Thampi
12. Dr Philip John (ENT) 37. Dr. Sunny P Orathel 19. Dr. Paulose KJ 34. Dr. Satish Bhat
13. Dr Pramod Warrier 38. Dr. C I Varghese 20. Dr. Abdul Gafoor PM 35. Dr. Susan John
14. Dr Anitha Thilakan 39. Dr. Maria Varghese 21. Dr. Abdul Aziz VK 36. Dr. Joshy Jose
15. Dr Jacob Abraham 40. Dr. M M Faizal
16. Dr Muhammed Ismail
17. Dr Vinod Padmanabhan Lagoon Members
18. Dr Remesh Kumar 1. Dr Narayanan VA
19. Dr Salini Sudhindran 2. Dr Mathew George Koshy
20. Dr S. Sudhindran 3. Dr Gopalakrishnan Nair C
21. Dr Kanakambaran 4. Dr Praveen J Thayil
22. Dr M Gopalan 5. Dr Monish J Thomas
23. Dr. Prathap Kumar KR 6. Dr Alexander MJ
24. Dr. M Venugopal 7. Dr Jeeth Isaac Jacob

If we have left out any name, please inform.

The account details:
INDIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION COCHIN.
A/C NO- 510101006413475
IFSC CODE- UBIN0902276
UNION BANK, LAMAKKARA BRANCH

President/ Secretary/Treasurer

3

JULY 2021

We need to save our Saviours

Dr George Thayil MD, FACC, FRCP

Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Lourdes Hospital Kochi

www.drgeorgethayil.com

Members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) participated patients died the relatives assaulted and threatened the doctors
in a nationwide protest on 18th June demanding a central law to and damaged the hospital. This act is very disheartening and can
prevent violence against healthcare workers. With the slogan – demoralize the future doctors of our country. Some of the reasons
“Save the Saviours”, the doctors urged the government to enhance attributed to the violence include lack of understanding between
security features in all medical facilities. Recently attacks on doctors and patients or their families, cost of the medical care
doctors have continuously been reported from different parts of and a delay in attending to the patient. The finding of a study by
the country. IMA appealed to State and Central governments to the IMA revealed that more than 75 percent of doctors across the
recognize the doctors who died of COVID-19 after contracting the country have faced at least some form of violence. Doctors faced
virus while on duty and award solatium to their families. maximum violence when providing emergency services, with as
many as 48.8 percent of such incidents reported from ICU’s or
Other professionals can be judged by their results, but a doctor can after a patient had undergone surgery, the study said.
be defined as good when he or she has as many as possible of the
above attributes. A good Doctor is simultaneously termed honest, We should understand that medicine is not a smooth road, it is
kind, humble, optimistic, efficient and God fearing. In legal terms, filled with speed breakers and outcomes are not always good.
doctors have an obligation of means toward their patients, not an Anger against doctors or health care professionals is justifiable if
obligation of result. This means that they have to take appropriate family members believe that they have been wronged, however
steps available to make the right diagnosis, provide treatment and resultant violence is not the solution.
follow up on their patients’ progress. Doctors must tell their patients
about diagnosis, nature and seriousness of treatment, risks of the A medical disease is becoming more complex, and people are
treatment and other treatment options. If all the above-mentioned living longer. There has never been a time where patients need to
criteria are fulfilled you can definitely say he is a good doctor. trust their doctors more.Patients should realize that all diseases
are not curable. A doctor, many a time enables the chronic sick
Physical assaults on doctors are relatively rare in other countries, patients to have a peaceful and comfortable life though death is
but unfortunately common in India. Let us describe a common inevitable at the end of all serious diseases. A doctor will be close
scenario in the Indian setting. A patient in the emergency room to 40 when he becomes a specialist or super-specialist. No other
or intensive care unit, in a critical state, succumbs to their illness. profession has such a long incubation period. Surely he or she is
The doctor who delivers the bad news is assaulted by the relatives. entitled to respect – and understanding if there is a medical error.
Recently in north India and in Kerala when critically sick Covid Every doctor will do only the best for the patient.

IMA observes Doctors’ National Protest Day on July 8, 2021
against atrocities on Health Care Workers & Hospitals

Ernakulam Medical Centre - Shri P.T. Thomas MLA inaugurates Doctors Strike organised by IMA AIMS Kochi

Rajagiri Hospital Govt. Medical College, Kalamassery City Hospital

Sunrise Hospital Renai Medicity Aster Medcity

Kinder Hospital Lakeshore Hospital Lourdes Hospital General Hospital, Ernakulam

IMA House, J.N. International Stadium Road, Palarivattom P.O., Cochin 682 025 Ph : 9961648800, 92495 78466 Email : [email protected] Website : imacochin.org
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