Tag Archives: healthcare

Murdered in a Pandemic

Crowds gather at the election rallies and religious gatherings.
Politicians showing their hypocrisy by encouraging both,
While demonizing you for getting afflicted.
In any case,
You were not killed by a virus but murdered by the state!

Contrarian View: Why a Covid-19 vaccine might not be the answer to end the pandemic!

Vaccines are tough business. From all the decades of collective knowledge in vaccine development we have, it is very rare that we will get a successful vaccine for any disease. Vaccine development takes years and for good reason.

HCQ Saga : Bad Science, Petty Politics, Shaky Integrity and Lack of Critical Thinking!

The scientific community should be embarrassed that they lost their nerve in the middle of a pandemic. In the race to publish new papers due diligence like peer review and data congruence was ignored by the editorial boards of both the journals involved in the scandal. ICMR leadership too is doing a disservice to scientific thinking in public health policy. Their obscurantism of the HCQ question by publishing vague non-scientific studies actually keeps the world from knowing if HCQ works or not for sure

Guidelines for the Oculoplastic and Ophthalmic Trauma Surgeon during the COVID-19 era – An APOTS & APSOPRS Document

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic is changing the infection, transmission and safety practices of medical establishments globally. From evidence that is available presently, the risk of transmission of this virus is high amongst medical personnel involved in procedures and surgeries around the head and neck region- Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Craniomaxillofacial surgery, Head and Neck Oncology, Neurosurgery including Anesthesiology. The field of Oculoplastic Surgery has risk factors common to both ophthalmology and all of the above craniofacial subspecialties. While clear directives and strategies to handle elective, urgent and emergency surgeries in SARS-Cov2 positive patients is constantly evolving, we herewith attempt to consolidate various guidelines from various relevant professional global medical societies which will be beneficial to the orbit, oculoplastic and ophthalmic trauma surgeon and also their hospital administrators.

The Alina Project- TVM’s first steps into Vietnam!

The Vision Mission (TVM) travelled to Vietnam in July-August, 2019. TVM was collaborating with Alina Vision, USA to set up a Medical Retina Service and Oculoplastics service at Alina’s first eye hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam.  TVM’s goals as an organisation has been at capacity building, sustainability and access to sub-speciality eye care in under-served areas in East and South Asia. This found mutual synergies with Alina Vision. This Project was named “The Alina Project”

The Sri Lanka Diaries- TVM footprints in 2016

I was part of a team of surgeons who went to Northern Sri Lanka to operate on poor patients there who couldn’t afford eye surgery. We went to a hospital in Vavuniya which was the biggest hospital in the northern province to do the surgeries. This region was the most affected by the 25 year old civil war which only recently ended.

Medical advances since the 18th century!

I was recently reading up on the watershed moments in the history of modern medicine and I have to admit I was overwhelmed with information. The list below is the timeline since the end of the 18th century. I may decide to update the post at a later date. 1796- Small pox vaccine introduced byContinue reading “Medical advances since the 18th century!”

Why Physicians Write?

Storytelling forms the very basis of medicine. We doctors listen to patients stories, construct a narrative and tell other doctors those stories (case presentations, studies and case reports) comparing notes with existing scientific data and collective knowledge (conferences and peer-reviewed journals). Physicians are witnesses of human drama- life, death, suffering, fear, pain and joy- every day. This theater that plays out in front of them sometimes finds catharsis and bleeds onto paper.

Ways to build a successful career in Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology has been one of the fastest growing specialties in the world. The advances in the field in the last three decades has been astounding. Yet building a career in Ophthalmology is becoming come complex. I hope to add some insight about how to get started in Ophthalmology in India