SBI Foundation, Indian Head Injury Foundation set up neuro-rehabilitation centre for poor

Noida: SBI Foundation’s healthcare vertical SBIF Jivanam has partnered with Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF) to implement “Project Sahyog”, wherein a charitable physiotherapy and neuro-rehabilitation centre has been set up for providing support to victims of traumatic brain and spine injuries in Delhi NCR.

The IHIF Physiotherapy & Neuro Rehabilitation Centre at Sector 11, Noida was inaugurated jointly by Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director, SBI Foundation and Maharaja GajSingh of Marwar-Jodhpur, Chairman, IHIF.

The centre caters to the requirements of victims of traumatic brain and spine injuries, Persons with Disabilities, and patients with ortho and other neurological deficits through the provision of post-hospital care and neuro-rehabilitation. Though the centre is open to all, it is primarily set up for the benefit of PwDs from the weaker sections who will be provided with top class rehabilitation free of cost, said Sanjay Prakash, MD, SBI Foundation.

“Whilst the well-off patients have options, the common man has nowhere to go and that is where Project Sahyog chips in,” added Maharaja GajSingh.

It is estimated that in India nearly 10 lakh people are injured, 2 lakh die in accidents and nearly 10 lakh require rehabilitation services every year. Among various injuries, Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, disability, socioeconomic losses and poor quality of life among survivors.

Study calls for raising age limit for smoking

NEW DELHI: Researchers have urged governments to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes to 22 years or higher. A study has found it becomes less addictive and easier to quit as people get older.

The legal age to purchase tobacco is 18 years old in many countries but in some nations, there are no age restrictions. It is estimated that nearly 9 out of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily first try smoking by age 18, and 99 per cent first try smoking by age 26.

Results showed that starting smoking early is linked with higher nicotine dependency, even in young adulthood, and early starters were 30 per cent less likely to quit the habit compared with late starters.

“The study indicates that increasing the legal age to buy tobacco to 22 years or older could lead to a reduction in the number of people addicted to nicotine and at risk of adverse health consequences,” said study author Dr Koji Hasegawa of the National Hospital Organisation Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto, Japan.

50 more MBBS seats in NEIGRIHMS: Union MoS Health

NEW DELHI: The Centre has decided to increase 50 more MBBS seats in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) here, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said here.

she said the Centre will provide all necessary support to Meghalaya for setting up its own medical colleges.

"We are going to increase 50 more seats from next year so it will then be 100 seats in NEIGRIHMS," the Union Minister said.

The Centre has been focusing on strengthening tertiary care including primary and secondary as the Prime Minister's vision is to strengthen the healthcare system through central government schemes, she said. "Last year, the budget was Rs 480 crore and this year, the budget is Rs 528 crore. So we are constantly increasing (the budget)," she said, lauding the achievements of the NEIGRIHMS which include the radiotherapy treatment.