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March 10, 2022• Featured, Lifestyle, News, Tech, Travel

Meshing of Big Data, AI And ML in Cardiac Care Continuum

Introduction:
Every year 2.1 million patients die due to heart ailments in India. We have just 1 Cardiac Specialist for every 3 lakh patient. Although secondary and tertiary health care providers are engaged in doing ECGs and several other vital collections to analyze heart health conditions, but none of the existing solutions can identify high-risk cases from such reports and respond in time.

To address this gap, iKure combining Big Data, AI, and machine learning works on ECG signal anomaly detection & Patient risk model using stank ranking & deep learning that can assist cardiologists to offer preventive care much faster in the human life cycle. In association with IBM data science, iKure’s integrated platform provides seamless automation and interpretation of patient data to enable instant feedback for high-risk cases and offers high quality and cost effective continuity of cardiac care both for rural and semi-urban population.

Timely interventions can reduce the time span between critical and stable heart health conditions. However, failure of such gets magnified typically in last mile populations that constitute over 16 million cardiac patients out of total 30 million people. It has been observed that over the year from 2000 to 2015, the age-standardized rate of mortality (per 100,000 person-years) due to coronary heart diseases increased among rural men by 40% and for female it rose to 56%, whereas decline was registered among urban residents. Cardiac care in rural India is limited and inaccessible due to major shortfalls like shortage of doctors, diagnostic centers, equipped facilities, coupled with lack of awareness.

Cardiac diseases can be addressed through effective treatment plans, constant screening, and monitoring. Artificial Intelligence(AI) and Machine-learning(ML) can provide life-saving care in general and CardioVascularDiseases(CVD) specifically as high risk conditions can be identified early, impending strokes and heart attacks spotted in advance. Studies have established that AI is set to revolutionize cardiac care. This is particularly relevant in today’s context, as India is home to 16% of the global population, 25% of the world’s Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) burden, 120 million hypertensives, and a large number of individuals with Rheumatic heart disease (RHD). CVD will be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country by 2020. Researchers have started meshing up Big Data with AIand machine learning algorithm to predict the anomalies quickly, cheaply and accurately without using the invasive methods.However, implementation of such advanced technology in primary healthcare delivery is still in its nascent stage in last mile communities. iKureusingAI and ML into their primary healthcare delivery, has taken cardiac care to advanced level of treatment.

The Cardiac Risk Model: The initiative is jointly done by iKure and the IBM Data +AI elite team that work on ECG signal anomaly detection and Patient risk model using stack ranking & deep learning. By leveraging iKure’s cloud based platform, it brings the power of AI with respect to patient’s clinical data stored in an AWS, MySQL data store to develop high risk pattern and can predict cardiac arrest in patients in much earlier stage.

Data is knowledge and when big Data from EKG signals coupled with a large volume of patient data from IBM cloud, cardiologists will get empowered to deal with cardiac problems through risk ranking of cardiac patients. It could also classify the EKG data as normal or with anomalies and present a prioritized list of patient cases to the call center physician for review based on potential acuteness via a cloud-based web application. It will help them to treat patients based on acuteness. In that way resources are utilized in the best possible way. Proof of concept is already developed that demonstrated that the platform can bring the power of AI to iKure’s data stored in an AWS, MySQL. The pilot project is showcased at IBM’s technology conference, Think 2019 in San Francisco. Accuracy of this model is already proved using patient clinical and demographic variables and physician feedback with the added benefits of rapid model development, publication and iteration.

Analysis of arrhythmia anomaly to predict cardiac arrest

Conclusion: The analytics help screening of vital parameters including Heart Rate monitoring, a disorder in application sequence, arrhythmias, an electric axis of heart, myocardial ischemia and infarction and cardiac rhyme diagnosis vital for the prevention of early cardiac arrest. Leveraging iKure’s integrated model together with machine learning algorithm and Artificial Intelligence will enable specialists to have a more logical approach to diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmia. The output of such effort will enhance continuity of cardiac care even in last mile communities.

March 10, 2022• Featured, News, Staff Picks, Tech

WHO advice on screen time for children under five?

1. That for children under one-year… sedentary screen time (such as watching TV or videos, playing
computer games) is not recommended and that when sedentary, engaging in reading and storytelling
with a caregiver is encouraged.
2. That children under two years of age should have no screen time whatsoever
3. For those aged two years, sedentary screen time may be no more than one hour; less is better.
4. That three and four-year-olds should not play with iPads or watch television for more than an hour
a day ( less is better).
5. WHO recommends at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities for three-to-four-
year olds.
6. Improving physical activity, reducing sedentary time and ensuring quality sleep in young children
will improve their physical, mental health and well being.

The nuances of contemporary society in the above context:

During our childhood, before 1960, there were no TV, video games, mobiles etc. Only radios were
available and that also one radio per 15 to 20 families. Apart from filmy songs at a predefined time, all
programmes were for knowledge and science. Our only pass time was playing all sorts of games starting
from early morning till late evening with a break for school and when mothers caught hold for feeding.
In the school also there was one hour compulsory physical training. For PT there used to be a PT
Teacher, full attendance was necessary and carried marks in the examinations. Because of that we enjoy
better health at present than our children.
What WHO has recommended is very correct and must be implemented.
The problem is how ? Now majority of middle class families are living in 2 bed room flats where TV is on
most of the time, If it is stopped the whole family will have to be denied TV. Schools are running in few
rooms with out play ground.
So, it is a big problem and the solution is very much elusive.
Children under FIVE years of age need to spend more time with their parents, trying to imbibe the soft
and hard skills of life over this period and beyond. They learn on the successes and failures of daily
activities of life and experiences too, which is called “imprinting in the brain”.
Many parents indulge in handing over mobile phones/tablets to very small kids to keep them distracted
and occupied in order to complete the task of mechanically feeding them …or getting them ready for
school, as a quick fix measure. This act should be condemned !
That the child in question cries inconsolably without such gadgets, is an unacceptable excuse

Digital Detox

This phenomenon / concept is in crying need of the hour.
The society at large has become a ‘ slave’ to the digital revolution and its nuances. We hardly see
someone who displays a considerable freedom from such digital devices in the present times.
Admittedly…the arrival of digital personal devices have revolutionized our lives in a big way….but the toll
it has taken on our lives is often immeasurable and disastrous. The moral decadence of society cannot be
ignored !

Signs of digital addiction and abuse…………………………………….

1. Engaged with a digital device of any kind, for most waking hours of a day
2. Strong distraction at home and at work place with digital gadgets..thereby causing interactive
issues with peers and those around. This goes to such an extent that house members sitting in
adjacent rooms are often found communicating through digital devices amongst themselves !!!
3. People are very often unable to feel comfortable without looking at their personal gadgets….
many a times….every five-ten minutes. Employees working at office are terribly overpowered to
check their personal emails and social media accounts, every now and then…to that extent that
employees cannot restrain themselves from gazing at their phones during Interview sessions and
important board meetings at office…IN PRESENCE OF THE BOSS !!!
4. People on their mobile devices who scan the social media very frequently feel a terrible urge to
respond to friend requests/postings/comments, to feel that they are of importance to the one at
the other end and that they do not lag behind in any way !! They feel tremendously relieved to live
in a competitive make believe world which is exclusively illusive.,..often bringing in frustrations in
their own lives !
5. School children many a time pester their parents to give them mobile phones citing silly reasons,
to which the parents relent without any after thought and then suffer the consequences in a bitter
manner..at a later date. Prior to the era of digital technology arriving in a big way….there were
generations of students and parents who never faced any problems in their day to day lives !
6. The situation has come to such a passé…that very often personnel in demanding
professions….for ex. Hospital / Aviation industry / Railway personnel… are busy with their
personal devices often at the cost of a set back/potential loss of money/time/even a life-in a few
cases.. to the served target subjects …!! There are many examples which can be cited on such
counts.
7. Crimes of any conceivable nature have arrived in the scene…which are principally committed by
the help of such digital gadgets and persons of all ages have become very vulnerable now to fall
victims of such unhealthy trends,including emotional / otherwise blackmailing, to make any digital
records viral in the social media. The society is grappling in a major way within the framework of
cyber laws and cyber judiciary regulations to grapple with such issues seeking and aiming to
bringing he offenders to book, in the name of justice.
8. Many people feel a vague subjective discomfort without access to their personal digital devices
around them and display overt features of bodily symptoms such as vague aches and
pains..headaches…lack of concentration….suppressed anger…improper sleep….lack of appetite
etc etc. They may get labelled as subjects with psycho-somatic illnesses to which the remedy
though simple , often stays elusive.
9. Clear health issues may overcome the well being of digitally addicted folks….in the form of
“Computer Vision Syndrom”e..affecting the hands/neck/eyes/body muscles in a significant way
following excessive usage of computer devices which require long staring in defective postures at
office/homes.

Suggested ways for a detox from the digital world………………………………..

1. Begin a practice of digital abstinence….initially for short spells..maybe an hour or so…and slowly
increasing it on a daily basis. The abstinence should be applicable to holidays also !

The results of such self-restraint get obvious over a period of time.
2. Parents to decide very critically in allowing their children the personal usage of mobile
phones/tablets etc…based on a no. of factors such as age/necessity/any tendency to
communicate with friends in the sly/duration of holding these devices on themselves/any
tendency to lend these devices to friends/associates for abusive use etc.
3. Parents of children of all ages should be checking on the Internet usage nature very intensely in
order to prevent them having access to obectionable/adult sites and make an effort to ban
such web access in their home/individual devices. Lack of vigilance on the part of
parents/guardians often lands up the concerned under age folks and family in an unanticipated
trouble to their already burdened lives ! This is very important with growing children at home
and should not be neglected.
4. Encourage people as much as possible in offices…..public transport modes…public places..to
engage in more of personalized conversation and exchange of pleasantries, rather than spend
most of the time hooked on the LCD panels of their devices in hand…!!!
Get back to the dying habit of wishing and greeting people on their face with a smile.
( The smiles should come back on their faces, instead of through emoticons in their digital
devices ).
5. Taking a short break from the mundane chores of daily lives……….when the digital devices are to
be totally shunned till normal lives are resumed again ! This shall be a welcome change which
the body may be craving for a long time.
6. Children and students should be encouraged to spend more quality time outside in the
playground at simple games which involve a good amount of physical exercising and running
around for improving their concentration at work and preventing that much hated complication
of ‘Childhood Obesity’…which gets over time transitioned to ‘Adult Obesity’ !!
Addiction to digital devices contribute to Obesity in a major way across all ages.

March 10, 2022• Featured, News, Tech, Trending

iKure introduces non-Invasive Hb tests for last mile community

On a Tuesday afternoon, Shivani while returning from her field, noticed a banner in a primary school about a health awareness campaign for mothers and children. She found few of her friends waiting there too. Shivani enquired about it and came to know that the campaign was providing diagnostic tests for Hemoglobin and with a doctor consultation.

Shivani then asked them won’t it be painful? “I never had any Hb test before, but I have heard, they prick it hard and collects blood in good amount”. As she was thinking of returning back, she noticed, this Hb test was different. It neither involved a needle, nor did it collect any blood sample. Shivani decided to give it a try. And later, she revealed that she made the right choice by staying back!

That day, like Shivani, there were Urmila, Kusum and Malati who attended the health awareness campaign, availed Hb test, doctor’s consultation and discounted medicines before returning back to their home. On way back, for the first time, they discussed about their haemoglobin count and how they need to take care of themselves better.

In the rural region of North Karnataka, and West Bengal, what has changed for these women is access to life-saving diagnostic care within their community, and even their door-steps- all facilitated by iKure.

Globally, rural communities face limited access to point-of-care diagnostic tools. Incidence of anemia in rural pockets are staggeringly high, since a simple Hb test require long distance travel time to diagnostic centres or waiting in long queues in health centres. In such situation, rural women delay getting an anemia test done in the first place, with their family members pay little or no heed towards the importance of such tests.

In response to the need, iKure introduced non-invasive diagnostic tests in rural hinterland that can be conveniently used by its health workers in campaigns and during their home visits.

The diagnostic system takes the images of the lower eyelid, analyses the picture to quantify the conjunctival pallor and studies the paleness of the mucous membranes caused due to reduced amount of oxyhaemoglobin in the blood. Further, the point-of- care can be linked to patient’s smartphone via Bluetooth on which all data can be directly sent to patient as required.

The use of point-of-care technologies for quick tests is widespread in public health system, but the benefits of using them are only limited to health workers. As such device comes with minimal maintenance costs, highly portable and handy, it can be used for self-testing, testing in communities by health workers, testing in clinics and hospitals that can significantly reduce the rapid turn-around time and enable access to treatment regimens almost instantly.

Using conventional technologies in laboratories make turn-around time long and in the process patients do not return for further treatments. But, use of such point of care diagnostics in hard-to-reach communities play an important role in convincing the women community from dropping out of the existing treatment regimens and rapid testing holds prospects in improving the knowledge of the patients about their own medical situation bringing more awareness towards their dietary pattern, nutritional supplements and even in health seeking behaviour.

As iKure is aggressively involved in disseminating new technologies in its existing healthcare model that links its end-users to the higher level of care, it also works with various stakeholders like NGOs, Self-help groups to bring sustainable changes in women’s health outcomesso that do not remain entangled with their family life and complex choices.

March 10, 2022• Featured, News, Reviews, Trending

How much does a Pair of Eye Glasses Costs for People at the Last Mile?

Vision impairment due to lack of access to eyeglasses has been identified as one of the largest unaddressed disabilities in the world. There are many remote villages, where getting a pair of eyeglasses is a distant dream for many. With a pair of glasses costing pittance, 550 million people in India are still in dark. Whereas, there are other parts of the world, where the first reading eye glasses can be picked up easily from a grocery store or a pharmacy.

Of all the eye problems, the commonest eye problem results mainly due to refractive error causing hyperopia, presbyopia, or myopia, and which can be easily corrected using eyeglasses. Refractive error is a condition where a person is unable to focus clearly on an object. Above the mentioned problem, Presbyopia is the most easy to correct just by trying out different corrective glasses. But, quite apart, such diseases remain largely untreated. Vision impairment is more than just a health disorder. It has economic, social and public safety implications and with variety of approaches tried and tested, to date none have succeeded on a larger scale.

iKure’s eye care intervention shows 78 per cent need access to eyeglasses particularly among them are construction workers, bus drivers, and school going children. With the staggeringly high impaired vision, the quality of life remain hampered, translating into reduced productivity, economic losses and huge absenteeism in school.

With the mission to bring eye glasses to all who need them, iKure has potentially paved the way for a new beginning in dissolute communities. With access to simple pair of spectacles, the venture has drastically improved earning power, educational prospects, and enabling every day task easier. Post intervention, our beneficiaries have reported to feel motivated with positive social and economic outcomes, better learning behavior and even fewer road accidents. So far, iKure through its eye care initiative has helped more than 0.5 million people get access to corrective eyeglasses.

Another approach initiated by iKure includes access to power testing using state-of-art technology. The use of advanced technology has facilitated getting corrective eye glasses with reduced chances of manual error, bringing ease of using among the end-users.

While the problem too large to scale, but simple enough to solve, we look forward to working with partners and Govt. initiatives to bring the first pair of eyeglasses needing them.

March 10, 2022• Uncategorized

5 facts to know on World Mosquito Day !

On World Mosquito Day, iKure shares 5 important facts to curb the outspread of the menace.

1. This day is observed every year on the August 20^th , to commemorate the discovery of the female Anopheles mosquito as the notorious vector for the transmission of Malaria,through the Plasmodium parasite, by the British Scientist Sir Ronald Ross…as back as in 1897. This feat was possible by this great scientist in the premises of the current SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, India.The day is celebrated every year at the Mosquito Center in ‘London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’, amidst wide fanfare of students,researchers and young scientists in honour of the pioneer scientist who discovered the fact.

2. Mosquitoes are of different species….and the dreaded ones are the Anopheles,AedesAegyptiand Culex variants….and they are regarded as creatures of International menace!

3. There are different types of Malaria depending on the specie of the plasmodium parasite…the most fatal one being Falciform Malaria,(Malignant Malaria…being a dreaded complication).If treated properly and in time, many of the Malaria deaths can indeed be averted. It still remains a preventable disease targeted only by mosquito control measures….in the immediate environment of the community.

4. Dengue/ Dengue Fever is, as of recent another dreaded disease, with not much treatment resource being available for the condition and the mortality has been escalating in the past decade or so.It is caused by the Dengue Virus which is transmitted by the AedesAegypti mosquito as vector, and the high morbidity and mortality could be ascribed to the complications developing due to this infection in humans. DHF (Dengue Haemmorhagic Fever) / DSS (Dengue Shock Syndrome) are the two usual complications of this illness and the latter being quite serious, unless hospitalized management begins soon and in a deft manneras per standardized and universal management protocol of the condition!Other mosquito borne illnesses are Japanese B Encephalitis/Filariasis/Chikunguniya/Zika/Yellow Fever etc. which have different degrees of morbidity profile, depending on host resistance/immunity and the treatment available to the affected population.

5. India and the African continent and elsewhere have been affected by such diseases for many generations now and the mosquito control by all conceivable measures still remains a big challenge, which the governments are trying to grapple with!

March 10, 2022• Featured, News, Tech

Why celebrate World Senior Citizen Day?

iKure’s purpose in celebrating world senior citizen day is to raise awareness and support the health conditions of older people.

21st August is regarded as World Senior Citizen Day. Anyone beyond 60 years of age is a Senior Citizen by convention.We cannot help but lamenting that we cannot boast of having done anything remarkable on the welfare of Senior Citizens of this country by the method of policy…and this matter does not fare high in the list of authoritative priorities.

Nevertheless, bodies and associations have come forwards since not too long, to think on this sensitive issue and create a better living for a senior citizen across this country.

Old age homes have started dotting everywhere but the terms and conditions for housing them must be subsidized to include more and more of such population….without too much of a burden for the self-financing groups. Old people remain isolated from the family buzz and children moving to greener pastures leave such hapless people vulnerable to the nuances of social insecurities and bodily morbidities. They become alienated from the families they once took pride in building up and become redundant in the household of younger folks. Their opinions do not matter anymore in the day to day lives of the gen X and the seamless peace of life gets replaced by daily miseries of psyche and dignity. They are made to be figured out as burdens to the society.

Senior Citizens are prone to suffer from several clusters of diseases as below:

Cardiovascular ailments…acquired over their lifetime which needs to be addressed seriously. Coronary Arterial disease/Valvular disorders/Heart Failure/Heart Attacks (AMI) dominate the,list of morbidities in this group.

1. Lifestyle diseases such as Hypertension/Diabetes/Dyslipidaemias/Obesity form the prominent members of this groupacquired as a result of erratic/unrestricted lifestyle and often with genetic predisposition. They need lifelong care from Physicians attending them periodically, for as long as they would survive.

2. Gastrointestinal conditions like..Colonic disorders/Chronic constipation/GERD/Anorectal diseases/ Genitourinary diseases…. form another group which need either one time attention, or, follow up with the respective Speciality Doctors.

3. Neurological conditions like Stroke causing bedridden morbidity with/without paralysis needing prolonged close care by family members/attendants…or….physiotherapy for extended sessions form a bulk of suffering in this age group..

4. Miscellaneous category…comprised by Psychiatric illnesses/ Abandoned cases /Victims of physical abuse/Discharged from Hospitals or infirmaries with no family contact/ Addicts to Drugs and Alcohol / Homeless ones… etc.

All the above ailments require financial help and social inputs to manage the vulnerable segment of population and the dreaded solitude that it entails…which in itself brings down the life span of such seniors….the octogenarians and nonagenerians in society.

There are many countries where such people form a major part of the living society…such as Japan…who can boast of well laid down policies and generous grants from the government, to take care of the issues related to old age survivors and their health matters.

In india we are still far from this achievement in a mentionable way but efforts have just begun! The discipline which deals with medical issues of this age is called “Geriatrics” and Doctors are getting specialized in this field to work with only senior citizens.

Our mindset needs to change to support and care for the people of such advanced age in their twilight years and not regard them as just ‘gone over the hill’. ..!

Children need to be more sensitive and empathic to the needs of their parents who brought them up and not forget that they are also going to reach this age one day in future.

We need to approach this social malady in a holistic and pragmatic way seeking cooperation from NGO-s and similar social workers and a teamwork of trained personnel to come forwards in solving this growing issue of ‘unattended in old age’ concept.

How iKure is working towards the welfare goals of senior citizens?

“iKure” is an exemplary organization striving towards the very challenging goal of making the lives of our citizens better through many of its innovative ways and means, often defeating the challenges of human resource mobilization and deployment………..meaningful utilization of available resources…and constantly looking for areas of intervention in healthcare…in domestic & international geography, to mention a few!

In its ambit of operations…iKure has allotted priority to some areas of suffering of fellow human beings,such as Lifestyle diseases ( NCD-s) which is a modern scourge to humanity.

Across the intervention areas of this organization, a sizeable portion of the target community served hails from this group….the Senior Citizens….for whom we pay a little added focus, because of the enumerous socio-economical nuances, that such people have to face in their day to day lives.

iKure organizes medical camps from time to time…..serving the regional population…many of whom are of advanced age..in the areas of NCD-s….with regards to an holistic approach…which includes not only management of such ailments but the relevant health education required to understand such diseases…up..close..and personal ..by gaining knowledge on the occurrence causes…preventive modalities…and complications which may come up…for those who unfortunately have fallen victim to such diseases.

iKure attaches a lot of importance on Eyecarewhich is predominantly skewed towards the elderly folks, in addressing the conditions arising in old age such as Cataract/Glaucoma/ARMD/Retinal deterioration etc. The organization applies modern technology to detect such conditions in a proactive manner, screens the population of such sinister eye diseases and guides them through the scientific protocol of management /referral of such cases, being affected by specific eye diseases. Had this not been in place, a lot of hapless and underprivileged people would have lost their eyesight by now!

The mechanism is on.. to increase the door-to-door surveillance of the segment of the senior population affected by Cardiovascular Disease by means of remote monitoring and coordination through wearable devices …..under experimentation for implementation policy. This will go a long way to detect major and minor cardiac ailments for a timely referral to the domain of specialists to address the particular issues.

Last but not the least…iKure is in the planning stage to enter into a rather new concept of “ Continuum of Care“…wherein….it can collaborate with secondary/tertiary Medical Centres,to take care of interim/transitory patient care for the welfare of patients in the home settings of such clientele, many of whom are senior citizens.

With iKure’s integrated efforts, we can only hope that the plight of senior citizens gets better with time in this country and around the world…in order that this day is celebrated with increasing fervor in society…in times to come.

March 10, 2022• Featured, Tech

iKure Celebrates National Nutrition Week

The National Nutritional Week ( the first week of September) concept was created by the Govt. Of India in 1982 to emphasize,educate and create awareness among people on the importance of eating/drinking the right kind of nutrients and the impact it has on the health of a person.

The word ‘Nutrition’ means the understanding of consumption of all edibles available to one, leading to the promotion of health and the word ‘Dietetics’ implies the management of facts and science behind the right kind of food elements towards good health and in conditions of disease, along with other preventative, prophylactic and therapeutic measures.

Nutrition is the fundamental birthright of all citizens of this country and one of the strong pivotal criteria of building a sound human base for the upkeep of this nation. The only way to create this in a continuous manner against all nuances is to provide the basic nutrition to all people of this country in the journey from ‘developing’ to ‘developed’ nation …beginning with breastfeeding just after being born to food guidance in the later years in life through all ages ! Lamenting though..we have not reached anywhere near to the standards of many a nation in this world…on this topic..which is not even given its due priority.

We can only wish a separate ministry by the name of “ Ministry of Nutrition and healthy consumerism “ be formed in India, to take care of the myriad aspects of nutrition plaguing this nation and the solutions needed to address the same.

‘Midday School Meals’ need to be taken much more seriously across the length and breadth of this country to plant the sapling of a sound nutrition to children who are the future citizens of India. There is no uniform policy in place for the proper utilization of funds allocated on this and just any combination of low grade food elements are used to serve such meals to children. ..often to the point of denial. This needs a serious redressal and soon. ‘Maternal and Child Nutrition’ needs to be looked into from a rather preventive angle.

‘Food adulteration’ is another area of mammoth deception to mankind for easy profits and takes a serious toll on human health in the long run. There is simply no effective law on this and the punishments are not grave and the involved people get away easily without any significant punitive measures. This applies to both raw food elements in the open market, as well as, semi-prepared and prepared food which is plain speaking unfit for human consumption. Recent instances of passing off animal carcasses as consumable meat to humans, form a glaring example to the height of daringness and apathy on vigil in this matter !

We need more Nutritionists & dietician to cover the large population of this country to work towards the sound health of people through Governmental and Non-governmental organisations and they should be empowered with authority to book the offenders and refer them for due legal recourse. This week is dedicated to initiate and start such projects across the states of this country ,with a varying theme each year, with regards to poor maternal nutrition/ill health of children/ignored health of poverty stricken population and more. There must also be stress on the educative aspects of this huge problem by different means of reaching the vulnerable segment of the population and guided by the general literacy of those affected. Group meetings with real time food sample demonstration sessions and a guide to elementary home cooking can go a long way to initiate a campaign towards sound nutrition of humans. Food analysis….random check on food vendors….and standardization of policies need to be implemented with immediate effect….to prevent the growing menace of food adulteration which has already cost a good no. of human and animal lives in this country of ours ! A good amount of research in nutrition as applicable to the socioeconomic fabric of this nation and monitoring the impact at the ground level…is also a perquisite.

March 10, 2022• Lifestyle, Tech, Travel

What Causes High Prevalence of Anemia in Rural Hinterland- A case study to assess the gap

Anemia is most prevalent in low-resource settings, where it goes undetected until becomes severe. Despite the implementation of several initiatives by the Government, India has made only 13 percent progress in eradicating anemia (Global Nutrition Report, 2017).¹

Periodic screening and early diagnosis are the keys to controlling anemia. The conventional Hb tests involve invasive methods with the requirement of hygienic infrastructure and skilled healthcare providers. But with the huge gap in basic health infrastructure, rural community members have very little provision for diagnostic facilities.

In Kenduapal Village of PaschimMedinipur, West Bengal shows 88 percent of reproductive-age women have undergone Hb tests for the first time in their lives. They were not aware, if they are prone to a high-risk pregnancy or not. It also indicates the behavioral risk factor which contributes to delay in Anemia detection.

According to WHO recommendation, a non-invasive hemoglobin device is proved to be a good addition. Non-invasive point of care devices can eliminate the potential contamination, bio-hazard handling and can even enable frontline health workers with basic education to perform Hb Test.2 Joseph et al. (2016) also affirm that non-invasive methods are safer than invasive methods and improve patient satisfaction.3Bandyopadhyay S., Neogi, and John D. et al. (2019) further contributed to the fact that as most of the anaemia screening happen in outreach settings, where provision for laboratory support seems difficult, the device ought to be tested in field settings with health workers, non-invasive diagnostic provides viable accuracy.⁴

iKure’s non-invasive anemia screening initiative started with the vision of reaching out to the last mile community. Members are chosen from the community and are technologically and clinically trained to use them for screening patients. The community health workers are further mobilized to collect other health parameters important to understand the risk of the patients. Instead of using a paper-based format, CHWs use WHIMS that is able to collect patients’ vitals on a cloud server. The data available on the cloud are further sent to medical professionals for referral and counseling.

However, while iron deficiency is the main cause, micronutrient deficiency, inflammations and inherited disorders also contribute to anemia. A baseline report of mother and child health camps reveals that 64% of pregnant women were anemic and 30% with milder anemia. Nutritional experts suggested that a large section of the community are found to be anemic because of women’s ‘‘non-compliance/non-adherence” to the consequences of the anemia and fear and anxiety towards invasive blood drawing.5 Also, women’s consumption rate of IFA supplements are low since they complain of suffering from gastrointestinal upset. Altering such behavior requires regular counselling. iKure’s CHWs are deployed to spread awareness and bring positive health-seeking behavior among pregnant women, new mothers, and adolescent girls.

iKure’s non-invasive anemia testing initiative has been rolled out successfully in school health program and mother and child health camps catchment areas. Within few months, it has gained significant traction such as:

In West Bengal and Karnataka more than 50% population are found to improve IFA tablets consumption rate.
Regular awareness and counseling by iKure medical team during health camps have altered care-seeking behaviour with a reduced percentage of anemic patients
The introduction of non-invasive screening devices has improved patients’
footfall with more women willing for Hb tests

While priorities and approaches may differ according to geographic settings, but strategies to curb anemia remain the same. At iKure, we believe in bringing the desired change soon in India’s rural villages.

Reference :

1. “From promise to impact ending malnutrition by 2030”,Global Nutrition Report,2017,
2. Ma’ayan L., Choppe L., Tikva P., Israel, Lausanne, “Non-Invasive Hemoglobin Screening for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Anemia”, Read More
3. Josheph, Bella., Haider, Ansab., Rhee, Peter., “Non-invasive hemoglobin monitoring”, International Journal of Surgery, 33 (2016):254-257
4. Neogi SB, John D, Sharma J et al. Cost-effectiveness of invasive devices versus non-invasive devices for screening of anemia in field settings in India: A study protocol [version 1; peer review: 1 not approved] F1000Research 2019, 8:861 Read More
5. “Nutritional Anaemias: Tools for Effective Prevention and Control”, World Health Organization, 2017, Read More

March 10, 2022• Featured

World Alzheimer’s Day

This Day is observed on the 21st September every year, as a day in the World Alzheimer Month…by organisations and foundations worldwide with this name.

Alzheimer’s disease is a slowly progressing cascade of cognitive decline affecting subjects in the senile age group and is regarded as multifactorial in its origin and with no significant treatment as yet, assuring a reversal or stoppage in the progress of this slow brain cell death…ending up with bodily cessation of functions in course of time.

The hallmark of this disease is dementia and this particular condition is the commonest cause of dementia affecting human kind.

It has an obscure aetiology this far ..speculated to being caused by the abnormal deposition of proteins amidst the brain cells….like Amyloid ..causing plaques and and Tau…which remain entangled with the neurons in the brain.

While the unmodifiable factor(s) could be…age/familial/genetic…modifiable ones could be lifestyle/environmental/smoking/depression-due to any cause/sedentary life in solitude /exposure to cumulative effects of noise /untreated hearing loss etc. Also morbid grief after losing a loved one , financial worries,health anxiety of chronic debilitating illnesses could be a common precipitant of this condition. It is seen to have a gender bias..as to slightly more common in women above 65 years than men of similar age.

Some common pointers towards this affection is the initial presentation of very mild memory loss/cognitive decline…appearing to be normal of this age, but gradually advancing to affect the normal ability of a person, to execute the very basic tasks of day to day lives and failing to recall the names of familiar persons and simple objects of life, accompanied with inappropriate social behavior and lack of mental restraints. With this begins a phase of dependency on others around, to lead a normal daily life and ultimately ending up with immobility and gross paucity of activities towards the terminal phase of this phenomena…of senile dementia.

Since this disease does not kill immediately…a chosen caregiver has an immense role to play in caring for such affected individuals in their twilight years.Empathy and not sympathy is the sheet anchor of an approach to any person affected with Alzheimer’s. In fact..it is always better if a normal personwho is supposed to play the role of a caregiver, to undergo a brief orientation session, as to how to deal with a person affected with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Some important aspects of communicating with persons suffering from this condition may be as below …

To speak in simple sentences with them,in a slow pace, stressing more on long term past memories and avoid asking questions which emphasize on short term memory.
On seeking for preferences….as to wishing to have egg/fish for lunch..it is better to show them the objects ,for a better clarity in the question and response.
The speaker must remain aware of his/her own’s body language or mannerism while talking to the affected one…focusing on direct eye contact and in the absence of any sensory distraction.
Demonstrate ample amount of patience while communicating with a dementic person…till the patient is able to comprehend the topic on which spoken to.
Never ever comment on the mental /intelligent set back on the faculties of an affected person in front of the communicator.
Be aware of the limitations of the affected person….on memory loss/difficulty in handling complex tasks/problems in planning and organizing their personal lives/difficulty in coordination and locomotion etc. etc.Preventive aspects on this condition are many ….which includes leading a simple lifestyle….avoid being affected by extremes of emotions…regular touch with friends and relatives….cutting down on caffeine intake to increase the sleeping hours,following a simple rule to keep the cognition active…by doing simple calculations mentally-trying to recall all those whom the person had met earlier in life-trying to place the names of persons by visuals (pictures/photos)-and spiritual recourse at convenient timings in day to day lives.

Researches are on for a definitive management strategy of this disease but the results are yet to come forth in a big way.

February 12, 2019• Video

Covid-19 and the adaptation by iKure in the service offerings, during the pandemic- a synopsis

Covid-19 has churned out the whole human civilization into an abyss of indefinite uncertainty with the appalling incidents and consequences, including an unacceptable record of deaths and sufferings worldwide, which has thrown mankind out of gear and the uphill struggle for a safe survival continues.

Coupled with this disease menace, is the scenario of economic gloom arising out of job layouts, downsizing of companies, lack of new job prospects etc. which is bringing in an enormous amount of despondency and negative affections of mind and body, unheard of this kind earlier.

iKure being a population healthcare service provider enabled by Technology and Research oriented objectives, has made an attempt to be a forerunner in the sector of healthcare in rendering its services, during such difficult times, to all stake holders in more than one novel ways backed by the skills and expertise of our employees from all walks of training and experience towards our declared mission of ensuring “Zero Mortality” through primary healthcare and beyond.

Ways in which iKure stood out to adapt to the current unprecedented crisis

Based on the three prongs of prevention i.e., social (physical) distancing/usage of barrier tools like masks & hand sanitizers to say the minimum, iKure has embarked on a path of remote consultation for patients through the new concept of Telemedicine which has enabled a large no. of clients/patients to seek medical attention from the safe confines of their homes and the Physicians feeling safe at their point of presence.
In the events of some subjects/patients approaching our hubs/clinics, the safety measures have been strictly put in place, (with PPE-s etc.) to ensure safety of all concerned and a smooth play of operations to continue as earlier within the norms of recommended prevention guidelines.
Special measures have been put in place to render door step services

(Albeit with mutual protection of subjects & staff) to deliver medicinal items/ related consumables and any other medical attention/advice that may need at any point of time…through our field workers (CHW-s).

POC Tools/Devices have been made available to community members through our staff and CHW-s, for a directed approach to Covid-19, up the ladder of scientific strategy to address it.

During the peak healthcare crisis ’Oxygen Concentrator’s were arranged for desperate and needy patients who otherwise would have succumbed to the disease! Anecdotal incidents of providing expert opinion and guidance to few critical subjects infected with the virus helped them pull out of crisis and survive albeit with few sad mortalities though.

Our Doctors have been attuned to the call of the times, to be sensitive towards our patients, at the same time being on guard to detect suspicious infected cases and do the needful as per the advised protocol of the health authorities…imparting relevant health education to the subjects in attendance.

Novel projects undertaken by iKure

Screening the blue-collar workers (in the realty & real estate industry sector) for Covid-19, by means of well decided clinical vital parameters at site and follow the recommended protocols of suspicion of the infection in any of the persons screened. Our ground staff have physically attended such events with due precautions, almost on a daily basis, during the peak crisis period and provided a social service in a proactive approach to healthcare…under the supervision of Medical Professional(s).

A first ever Bio-Bubble Project mission at a Cricket Tournament in another state, handling reputed players and their associates through laid down Covid-19 safety protocols, enabled by frequent testing and screenings within the framework of a seamless harnessing of technology and trained manpower and means to trouble shoot the breaches, if any, during the whole session. The venture was hugely successful and widely commended by the organizers, athletic personalities and public forum.
During the second wave of the pandemic Remote Monitoring of Covid-19 +ve subjects was undertaken by daily monitoring calls and enquiries and periodical virtual consultations with Doctors/Monitoring team members to help tide over the critical fortnight period. Few were guided for Hospital admissions depending on their physical conditions.
Attempts were also made to secure small isolation spaces for those with mild affection of the disease, supported with oxygen and gadgets for a closer monitoring.
A glaring example of a PPP (Public–Private–Partnership) may be cited by mentioning the launch of a Telemedicine collaboration with the Govt of Nagaland, (Naga Telehealth) in joint efforts with another prominent Indian association, to serve the community of Nagaland, which is a hilly terrain basically, in seeking medical attention from Doctors at Govt Health Centers there by means of remote consultations on general and specific health issues, centering the pandemic and beyond.
To boost the morale of our staff, iKure had arranged a whole remote session with a ‘clinical psychologist’, to address the common feelings of our employees during this pandemic season, where ‘work from home’ has been the norm, so that along with their psyche the productivity does not sag and they can adapt themselves to cope up with any such mental issues in their stride.

It is because of such concerted and consolidated approach to serving humanity during such unprecedented times with mounting challenges, guided by mentors and domain experts in our team, with unflinching dedication and sincerity and confidence, the World Economic Forum has offered iKure a coveted space in the top 50 listing of organizations, which displayed exemplary activity in such crisis times.

It is an honor bestowed upon us, serving as an impetus to move on with our mission with more dedication and objectivity.

Efforts ongoing

iKure wishes to plan with foresight, ventures involving our service offerings in other states and may be beyond Indian shores based on the success of our initiatives this far.
Webinar has been arranged by our staff to keep public enlightened on the nuances of “Post-acute / Long Covid Syndrome “seen to affect a section of those suffered this illness…with opinions and recommendations from domain experts/Doctors in the virtual seminar.
Work in the Non-communicable Disease area (NCD) which is the need of the hour in this country, keeping the Covid-19 affection in mind, is being planned in a refined manner, since this particular virus affects the CVS in a major way, along with other co-morbidities, as surfacing from those who contracted the disease and those who recovered from the illness!
Some critical research areas are also been looked into, which engages the data acquired in re-guiding us through AI and/or ML mechanisms, on few members of NCD-s as the scope may be obtained such as Diabetes/Hypertension etc.

Stake holder partnerships are being explored by our business associates for more and more Govt/Pvt. Collaborations and grant providers, based on our track record of success and innumerable accolades that the organization has achieved by dint of merit amidst tough competitions.

Since the pandemic is far from over yet we do not know what is in store for mankind once the virus leaves civilization. The challenges are indeed in the realm of the unknown.

Whether we have really achieved herd immunity. Whether we have managed to eradicate the virus for good. What are the residual signs/symptoms of those who have been affected by the Virus? Are only issues that time will tell and help us unfold but till then, iKure shall continue with its offerings in healthcare in all possible ways both traditional and innovative in nature to mitigate the health issues in the post-pandemic era that’s for sure.

IKureAdmin