First aid: Foremost in ensuring everyday safety

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Though we hope this would never come true for you, there will be a time when you wish you had a proper first-aid kit close by. Here’s why. If your injury involves blood-loss, you only have precious seconds to get the necessary supplies to stem the bleeding. Keeping a first-aid kit can provide you with the valuable extra time you need before you can get help. Also, mishaps among kids getting hurt with cuts, bruises and burns is a common occurrence. Hence, a first-aid medical kit equipped with the appropriate supplies can help the child in quick pain relief. Furthermore, good workplace practices require businesses to keep first-aid medical supplies readily available. For, the cost of an injury can prove to be high.

It is so important to have a proper first-aid kit that we have created a blog to list down essential information around the kit for ensuring everyday safety. But before we get into the details, it is important to first understand why a medical kit can make a difference between quick respite and a grievous injury.

A proper medical kit helps bridge time: Having a first-aid kit provides temporary aid until one can get help. No kit means no immediate help. Precious time to respond can mean further injury, which may prove fatal.

A proper medical kit helps prevent small injuries from becoming big:The longer you wait for treatment, the more severe your injury can become. In this context, immediate treatment can reduce risk.

A proper medical kit fosters peace-of-mind: Being prepared and even being able to help others when injury occurs is a strong enough case to have a first-aid kit handy.

Here are some essential points around a medical kit that will help build your confidence against emergency situations:

Purpose and usefulness of the first-aid kit

The purpose of any first-aid kit is to treat cuts, scrapes, bruises, burns, etc. In the workplace, especially in a factory environment where employee safety and health is paramount, it is not only meant to help the employee get quick relief, but also to keep them productive on the job. Besides, regulations also enforce such establishments to have a well-stocked medical kit. At home, it is essential to have one for minimising pain and providing immediate relief around common injuries. Though not many have it, it is essential to also have a medical kit in your car for swift response to accidents, etc.

Identifying potential injuries for ensuring greater kit effectiveness

An evaluation of past injuries can help you understand what to stock in your medical kit for ensuring greater effectiveness. For cuts and scrapes, it would be a good idea to have a variety of bandages and gauze. Also, it is essential to look at your immediate environment. For instance, if there is welding or any type of heat generation, then additional burn gel should be stocked. Furthermore, it is suggested that one should always keep basic first-aid supplies on hand for any potential injury.

Box item

Checklist for some common medical-kit essentials

*Cold compress *Adhesive bandages *Adhesive tape *Antiseptic treatment applications *Burn treatment applications, including burn dressing *Sterile gauze pads *Antibiotics *Antibiotic ointment applications*Analgesics *Hand sanitizer *Band-Aid*Antiseptic wipes *Antiseptic solution (like hydrogen peroxide) *Acetaminophen and ibuprofen *Tweezers *Scissors *Alcohol wipes *Mouthpiece for administering CPR *Calamine lotion *Splint *Thermometer *Scissors *Cotton swabs *Flashlight (with extra batteries) *Blanket

Learning basic first-aid administration

Though it is easy to administer pills and other oral medicines, some basic understanding of medical techniques would be vital for addressing slightly complicated issues like, say, CPR, or certain types of injections. Knowing these procedures is true to the ethos of first-aid in terms of dispensing important medical protocols in saving lives or preventing further complications.

Checking for damaged/expired products

It is important that you check your medical kit regularly to weed out expired, damaged, soiled, or even partially-used products. Consumption of these might have fatal side-effects. Also, one must engage in safe disposal of these. Furthermore, there some things in your first-aid kit that you might frequently exhaust, like Band-Aids. Replace the missing items so you have them in the future.

Keeping your medical kit in a place that is easy to reach

The entire purpose of a medical kit will be wasted if it is kept in a place that is not easy to reach. Also, if you are not keeping the kit in a pre-decided place, it will be counter-productive to search for it when you should be actually administering the first-aid. So ideally, the kit should be kept in a fixed place and also within easy reach for children to also access it.

Invest in a proper medical pouch

Often, in the quest to stock the right contents within the kit, the kit itself is ignored. Usually, we make do with a pouch or a bag that does not find utility elsewhere. However, it is of paramount importance to procure a professional medical pouch/kit, which has proper inserts/straps/holders for safely storing the different items of first-aid. Besides, such bags are also easily identifiable as they are generally white in colour with a bold red medical cross on it.

We urge you to take a closer look at your first-aid kit and restock items that you may have run-out of, while also evaluating the additional resources you might require to upgrade your kit’s quality. And yes, while talking about first-aid and health, health insurance is yet another critical resource that you should have in your ‘life’s medical kit’.

So here’s wishing you injury-mitigated homes and offices. Long live the first-aid kit!

GD Assist

Hotline: 16457; +8801617666888. Email: gdal@green-delta.com

Website:  gdassist.com

Durga Pujo festivities are here!

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It is that time of the year when even the most laid-back Bengali will become the most energetic member of his para. It is that time of the year when even the most mundane spaces in the city of Kolkata will magically transform into mesmerising art-scape. It is that time of the year when even the strictest diets will make way for extended pet pujo. Yes, it is that time of the year when you have to be in Kolkata to experience the chaotic, charming, enchanting and endearing Durga Pujo festivities!

A primer to the Pujo

Durga Pujo is a celebration of the Mother Goddess and the victory of the revered warrior Goddess Durga over the evil demon Mahishasura. The festival honours the powerful female force in the universe. Durga Pujo is celebrated in West Bengal, particularly in the city of Kolkata. In fact, it is the biggest and most important occasion of the year in the region. Besides, Bengali communities in other locations across India and the world celebrate Durga Pujo too. Notably, the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar and the Durga Pujo is celebrated during the last five days of Navaratri and Dussehra. For you to mark your dates, for 2018, Durga Pujo will take place from October 15 to October 18, followed by the grand immersion of the Durga idols on October 19.

Experiencing Durga Pujo first-hand

If you want to experience Durga Pujo fully, you should be in Kolkata ideally at least a week before the festival starts so that you can witness the artistic finishing touches being put on the idols of the goddess. The Kumartuli area (literally meaning potters’ locality) of north Kolkata is where most of the idols are made and a trip to the lanes and by-lanes of this historic neighbourhood will help you witness the creative flourish that artisans and craftsmen here are renowned for. However, despair not if you are not able to visit Kolkata just before the festivities begin. For there are still plenty of other ways to enjoy the festival.

The easiest way to participate in the celebrations is to take a Durga Pujo festival tour, such as the ones organised by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation. These tours normally have guides who are seeped in the history of the Durga Pujo in the State and will regale you with anecdotes as you walk past the various famous installations across Kolkata. These guides will also provide you with a slice of history of the para area and will also ensure that you savour local snacks and savouries like the jhaal murioralu-bhaaja or fuchkaa. Alternatively, for a more leisurely experience, you can also take one of the especially-curated pujo tours organised by the Calcutta Tramways. Sitting comfortably in a decorated tram, you can meander your way through the city, halting at spots that have must-see pandals.

Because there are hundreds of pandals in Kolkata, it’s only possible to visit a fraction of them and touring even these requires careful planning as they’re spread all over the city. However, you’ll find the most well-known ones in north and south Kolkata, which is conveniently connected by the Metro railway. The most popular time for pandal hopping is in the night when the installations are all lit-up. However, you must contend with the crowds, which though are generally orderly.  Some of the famous idols and pandals that should be in your itinerary include those in Baghbazar, Kumartuli Park, College Square, Mohammad Ali Park, Santosh Mitra Square, Badamtala Ashar Sangha, Jodhpur Park and Sitala Bose Mandir. While these are fairly well-dispersed across the city, you can also take time out to visit the smaller pandals along the way, which are also dressed in particular themes and have a rich story to tell.

While Kolkata’s public Durga Pujos tend to get all the attention, the traditional ‘Bonedi Bari’pujas in the city’s palatial private mansions are also worth experiencing. The mansions belong to affluent aristocratic zamindar (landowner) families who have been continuing with their traditional household pujas for centuries. Such households are spread out across Kolkata, as well as other major towns in Bengal, including Murshidabad. However, two of the most famous ones in Kolkata include the Sovabazar Raj Bari and the Rani Rashmoni Bari.

Witnessing other Pujo ceremonies

While pandal-hopping is an essential element of the Durga Pujo, one can also attend the ‘Kola Bou Bath’ ceremony. The auspicious start to the Durga Pujo commences with the invocation of the holy presence of Goddess Durga into the idols. The ritual begins early in the morning before dawn, with the bathing of a banana tree in the mighty Hooghly River. According to the rituals, the banana tree is dressed like a newly-wed bride (known as ‘Kola Bou’ or the banana bride) in a sari and is used to transmit the goddess’s energy. The best places to attend the ritual are Prinsep, Baghbazar and Ahiritola ghats, which are all well-connected with the various parts of the city.

The last day of the Durga Pujo, known as Dashami, which is also a sad day on the calendar as the festivities come to an end, the rituals commence with married women placing red sindoor (powder) on the idols of Goddess Durga. They then smear it on each other with chants and intonations. This part of the ceremony is often referred to as sindoor khela.  In the evening, the idols are immersed in the waters. One of the most popular immersion points is Babu Ghat (centrally located near the famed Eden Gardens), although you’ll be able to catch the action at any of the ghats along the river. An excellent way of seeing it is by boat. Yet again, the state’s tourism department operates special immersion boat cruises down the river.

Durga Pujo also means pet pujo

There is never a better time to sample Kolkata’s famous Bengali cuisine than Durga Pujo. The festival isn’t considered to be complete without food and one can find a wide array of it everywhere – on the streets, at the pandals and in specialty Bengali restaurants.  Food served to visitors in the pandals is called bhog (offerings to the god, which is distributed). It commonly consists of mixed vegetable curry, a sweet dish, a fried item and chutney. Furthermore, Kolkata’s Bengali restaurants have exclusive Durga Pujo menus packed with authentic delicacies. Some of the restaurants that you should try out include Bhojohari Manna, Saptapadi, The Bhoj Company, Kasturi and Kewpie’s Kitchen, among others.

So, visit Kolkata during the Durga Pujo and come back with memories of a lifetime – and yes, with overflowing shopping bags too!

GD Assist

Hotline: 16457; +8801617666888. Email: gdal@green-delta.com

Website:  gdassist.com

Impact of surgical costs on your financial health

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Homemaker Khatoon Reza, 55, felt acute chest pain and upon investigation, it was found that she had coronary artery disease, which entailed the removal of the accumulated plaque in her arteries. Though her bypass surgery costs were principally covered under her medical insurance, yet she had to pay to out-of-network medical service providers. She did not have this information beforehand and was taken by surprise with the amount she had to pay out of her own pocket.

Before his three-hour neck surgery for herniated disks a few months ago, Shadab Mohammad, 49, signed a pile of consent forms. A finance professional at a large consumer goods company, Shadab was blindsided at the total anaesthesia and surgery bills that he received from the hospital. Though he had done some calculations, he was shocked at how divergent the total tally was. Though he had regained his neck movement, his financial health was put to risk. Worse, he had no choice and no negotiating power.

Khatoon and Shadab are among the large number of people who either do not seek full information prior to a critical surgery, or become victims of expenses related to surgical care that have a devastating impact on their finances. Notably, while people in high-income countries face minimal financial risks arising out of surgical care, the situation is alarming in middle-income and low-income countries.

Surgical costs and the negative financial impact

Because of the typically high costs associated with surgical care, paying for surgery out-of-pocket, commonly known as self-pay, can be incredibly expensive and, in most cases, unaffordable too. As the tables below indicate, the risk of catastrophic/impoverishing expenditure for surgical care can have a severe negative impact on household finances, often pushing the masses into poverty. People living in low- and middle-income countries are especially vulnerable as they find themselves at the confluence of relatively low incomes on the one hand and high surgical costs on the other. This is in stark contrast to the wealthy who face no such financial risks because of their affluence.

Risk of catastrophic expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk)

  2008 2017
High-income 2.1 1.7
Low-income 71.5 65.4
Middle-income 36.3* 30.3
World 33.8 28.1

Risk of impoverishing expenditure for surgical care (% of people at risk)

  2008 2017
High-income 0.4 0.4
Low-income 74.5 72.9
Middle-income 27.9* 23.8
World 26.9 23.6

* Figures for 2013; worldbank.org

Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10 per cent of the total income. Impoverishing expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care that have the potential to drive people below a poverty threshold (using a threshold of $1.25 PPP/day).

Medical tourism to the rescue

In the face of growing financial risks associated with surgery, one can easily reduce this risk by opting for surgery in international destinations. Popularly referred to as medical tourism, the biggest benefit that the patient can have out of this is true affordability. For instance, surgery in countries like India, Thailand, Singapore or Malaysia is almost always less expensive – as much as 75 per cent less than what the procedure would cost in the US, and that too with similar medical outcomes. In addition to benefits associated with affordability, the attractiveness of these global medical tourism destinations on international patients is anchored on several other factors:

  • One, high quality medical staff credentials; in some cases, the surgeons are themselves trained in outstanding American facilities
  • Two, highly accredited hospitals
  • Three, state-of-the-art medical equipment and infrastructure
  • Four, teams exclusively assigned to international patients; in some hospitals, translation services are also available
  • Five, robust post-operative care dispensed by well-trained staff
  • Six, minimal wait times through quicker patient admission

Hence, considering the immense benefits of medical tourism, one can now access high-quality surgical care at costs that are truly affordable. With medical tourism, surgery can be well within the reach of most.

Insurance can also help unlock quality surgical care for most

Though there are multiple benefits of health insurance, the one that can be singled-out as truly the most useful is its ability to enhance mass access to quality medical care.

Today, there exists a large number of insurance plans and policies that help provide a protective cover for a vast spectrum of healthcare needs. Thanks to competition and technology-enabled lower costs, insurance plans are affordable while providing a cover that is large enough to take care of most hospital expenses, without the patient having to pay much out of his pocket. Furthermore, some insurance companies even pay for medical tourism for necessary procedures, thus providing the patient with dual benefits. Moreover, top-up insurance policies are also beneficial as they help extend the medical cover and prevent the need for self-pay. Thus, health insurance represents an effective route to access quality medical care.

A word of caution: You should select your health insurance provider after careful consultations. The key points to note include an understanding of what is covered in the insurance policy, whether insurance is cashless or reimbursable and how large is the insurance provider’s hospital network.

Useful ideas on lowering your surgical costs

Some of the most common types of surgeries include appendectomy, breast biopsy, carotid endarterectomy, cataract surgery, coronary artery bypass, free skin graft, hysterectomy, low back pain surgery and mastectomy, etc. It is always a good idea to determine how you can best lower the cost of your surgery before you even have the procedure. First, it is always better to ask questions to those who have undergone a surgical procedure before. This will provide you with first-hand and first-rate information on what to expect before you yourself undergo the procedure.

Furthermore, you should also find out where the procedure will cost you the least, without hampering the outcome in any way. Here, a reputed medical tourism service provider can be of significant help as they would be able to offer consultation on options from all the different medical tourism destinations of the world. Furthermore, this company would also be able to help you in choosing the right insurance product as surgical care requires the services of everyone providing care, including from anaesthesia to the surgeon, to the hospital and pharmacy, which means that these have to be in-network for your insurance to provide the maximum benefit to you.

GD Assist is a longstanding medical tourism company with a robust hospital network in the top medical tourism destinations of India, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Now GD Assist is offering EMI facility to its valuable clients. The GD Assist clients can now get their treatment done without leaving a scar on their wallet. This is another way to take care of your financial health.

So if you have any queries on surgical care or on any other healthcare-related issues, we invite you to get in touch with us.

After all, who doesn’t want to lead a pain-free life.

GD Assist

Hotline: 16457; +8801617666888. Email: gdal@green-delta.com

Website:  gdassist.com

Celebrating World Heart Day 2018

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The typical human heart beats about 115,000 times a day and is the most crucial for survival since it enables blood circulation throughout the body. However, despite the criticality of this organ in human survival, little do we know or care about the state of our heart. It is only if we feel blinding chest pain do we rush to the hospital for a bypass – otherwise, all our responses are reactive and never preventive. It is precisely to reverse this approach and raise awareness about the state of the heart in humans that the World Heart Day is celebrated across the world every year on 29 September.

Let the hearts beat – Background of the World Heart Day

Conceived by the World Heart Federation (WHF), World Heart Day (WHD), established in the year 2000, has emerged as the biggest platform for raising awareness and enlightening people around the globe that cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death, claiming as many as 18 million lives each year.

The WHD also aligns with the commitment made by world leaders in May 2012 to reduce global mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25 per cent by 2025. Notably, CVD accounts for nearly half of all NCD deaths, making it the world’s number one killer. Relevantly so, the WHD platform also highlights the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control CVD. For instance, the WHD aims to drive action to educate people that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least 80 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke can be avoided.

WHD is a global campaign in which cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, primary care physicians, patients, family members, educational institutions, companies and governments all over the world, as well as individual citizens, can take part to organise activities aimed at promoting better cardiovascular health. Through this campaign, WHF unites people from all countries, ethnicities and backgrounds in the common fight against the CVD burden and inspires and drives international action to encourage ‘heart-friendly’ living across the world.

This sort of awareness is most crucial for countries like Bangladesh in which the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that NCDs account for a shocking 59 per cent of the total deaths in the country and CVD constitutes as much as 17 per cent of the proportional mortality (percentage of total deaths, all ages). World Heart Day is therefore the perfect platform to raise awareness about the condition of the heart in a bid to reduce the disease burden as well as for the CVD community to unite in the fight against CVD.

Start your good heart journey: WHD campaign, 2018 

The World Heart Day 2018 campaign is anchored on accomplishing several key goals that include the following:

>>To be all encompassing

The WHD campaign has held a global viewpoint with a strong emphasis on prevention and the initiatives people can take to improve their cardiovascular health. In 2018, while maintaining this focus, the WHD platform seeks to make the role of the healthcare professional to be clearer with more accountability.

>> To be actionable/relevant

The WHD has made a clarion call to action that asks everyone, from individuals and families to healthcare practitioners and policymakers, to promise to do their bit in improving their own heart health and that of the others in terms of working to reduce the impact of CVD, to educate the common people and to learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). In 2018, the WHD is asking for a commitment from the heart, which is encapsulated in the heart-warming expression of: ‘MY HEART, for YOUR HEART, for ALL OUR HEARTS’.

>> To be educational

The WHD will be actively used as a platform for debunking myths about CVD, which is, paradoxically, the number one killer, but not the most understood.

>> To be inspirational

The WHD, to inspire change, has asked WHF members to share their stories of inspiring ‘Heart Heroes’. These personal stories allow people to talk about key CVD risk factors and treatments and motivate people to make lasting behavioural changes.

>> To be sharable

The WHD campaign includes numerous elements that encourage sharing, dialogue and engagement. The more people share and engage, the greater is the chance of achieving the fundamental goal of making every heartbeat matter.

For 2018, the overarching WHD theme is about celebrating and connecting like-minded people. It is anchored on simplicity, warmth, emotions and translatability and is flexible to provide an umbrella for the different campaign strands the world over.

The campaign sentiment of ‘MY HEART, YOUR HEART’ is about wrapping a sense of commitment around the common issues related to heart health. It is a concept that educates, inspires and motivates people to keep their hearts healthy. Essentially, it is also about saying to ourselves, the people we care for and individuals all around the world, ‘What can I do right now to look after MY HEART and YOUR HEART?’ It also resonates with the professional cardiology and healthcare audiences who dedicate themselves to looking after ‘ALL OUR HEARTS’.

The campaign draws strength from the fact that though CVD is the world’s number one killer today, it doesn’t need to be this way. By making just a few small lifestyle changes, one can not only reduce his/her risk of heart disease and stroke but also improve overall life quality and set a strong example for the next generation.

State of the heart: Debunking myths around your heart

As a part of one of the key goals of World Heart Day 2018 on educating the masses around good cardiovascular health, accurate information about CVD risk factors is vital for early detection and treatment. So here are some of the common myths around CVD:

>>Heart disease only affects older people: False

Almost 22 per cent of all disability-adjusted life years (or years of healthy life lost) in people aged 15-49 years are due to CVD (as per Global Burden of Disease Study 2016). Hence, good lifestyle choices made early in life are key to prevent risks around CVD later.

>>If one has high blood pressure, one would have noticeable symptoms: False

The majority of people with hypertension do not show any visible symptoms. However, if left unchecked, hypertension can cause a myocardial infarction and, in the long run, heart failure.

>> If heart disease runs in the family, there’s nothing one can do about it: False

Genetic factors do play a role in high blood pressure, heart disease and other related conditions. However, environments and other factors also increase heart disease risks and should be always addressed on time. Making good lifestyle choices are also important to prevent CVD.

>>Having diabetes doesn’t mean one has a higher chance of developing heart disease: False

CVD is the primary cause of death of patients with diabetes. Diabetes was recognised as a CVD risk factor in the exploration of risk factors in the Framingham Heart Study. Moreover, diabetes was consistently found to be a stronger risk factor for CVD in women than men.

What happens on World Heart Day?

Governments and non-government organisations celebrate and promote World Heart Day with activities such as fun runs, public talks, concerts, and sporting events. The World Heart Federation organises awareness events in more than 100 countries. They include health checks, sports events, (walks, runs and fitness sessions), public talk shows, concerts and exhibitions, among others. These activities are conducted in collaboration with organisations such as the WHO.

Activities on the World Heart Day aside, what are the initiatives you could take to celebrate World Heart Day every day? Here are a few suggestions:

  • Promise to eat well
  • Cut down on sugary beverages and fruit juices
  • Swap sweet, sugary treats for fresh fruit
  • Try to consume 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
  • Try to limit processed and pre-packaged foods (that are often high in salt, sugar and fat content)
  • Promise to get more active every day – take the stairs, walk or cycle instead of driving
  • Promise to say no to smoking
  • Control your blood pressure
  • Avoid tobacco
  • Engage in weight control

So how will you celebrate World Heart Day on 29 September 2018 and what are the initiatives you expect to undertake to ensure that your heart is in the pink of health? Write to us on gdal@green-delta.com

GD Assist has partnered with CVSKL (Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur) and now GD Assist clients can avail the benefits of this state of the art cardiac hospital.

On that note, here’s wishing you a happy World Heart Day 2018!

GD Assist

Hotline: 16457; +8801617666888. Email: gdal@green-delta.com

Website:  gdassist.com