Council of Higher Secondary Education announces Class XII exam results Rankings out, divisions out, gradings in
IMPHAL, May 22: For the first time in the annals of the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (COHSEM), the Class 12 results of 2013 were declared today under the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system in which grading system has t.....
Court to record evidence in Sharmila’s case on Aug 30
NEW DELHI, MAY 22: A Delhi court on Wednesday fixed August 30 for recording of prosecution evidence in a case against rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu for allegedly attempting suicide during her fast-unto-death in New Delhi in 2006. The Manipuri act.....
Evicted families dismiss CM's claims
IMPHAL, May 22: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi's assertion that settlers recently evicted from Kabo Leikai were not in possession of valid land ownership documents and that the Government spent Rs 9 crores as compensation amount has been outrightly rejected b.....
Street vendors demand due place
IMPHAL, May 22 : Demanding a suitable place at Khwairamband Keithel, street vendors of Khwairamband Keithel today staged a sit in protest at Keishampat Lairembi. The protesters later marched to submit a memorandum with five a point charter of demand to.....
Smile Train Shija Cleft Project Mission To Myanmar Flagged Off 12 team member leave to lend healing touch
IMPHAL, May 22: Smile Train Shija Cleft Project, a joint initiative of Smile Train Inc, USA and Shija Hospitals and Research Institute, Imphal has set off on a journey to render free surgical treatment to cleft lip and palate patients at Monywa, Myanmar. .....
Thieves held
IMPHAL, May 22: With assistance from 10 Assam Rifles troops, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) staff caught five persons while they were trying to steal GI pipes worth around Rs 1.2 lakh from Kangchup area of Senapati district. According to a.....
Judicial remand
IMPHAL, May 22: Rakesh Kumar Yadav, a CRPF jawan who has been accused of molesting and attempting to rape a woman sweeper of SBI building has been remanded to 15 days judicial custody. The accused was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class, .....
State farmer
IMPHAL, May 22: Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India has awarded All Manipur Trained Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Promoters Consortium (AMAPCON) President Potshangbam Devakanta with Pla.....
Bio-diversity day
IMPHAL, May 22: Like in other parts of the world, international Biological diversity Day was observed here in the State. Under the joint aegis of Directorate of Environment and Manipur Bio-diversity Board, the global observance were organised at Kangl.....
MSCW chief
IMPHAL, May 22: Manipur State Commission for Women chairperson Dr Ibetombi Devi has pledged to take all possible measures to address plight of the women and work for their betterment. Interacting with mediapersons at her office chamber in DC (IW) offi.....
June event co-hosts seek public assistance
IMPHAL, May 22: ahead of the 12th Great June Uprising Unity Day 2013 to be observed jointly by AMUCO and UCM the event co-hosts have sought the people's cooperation and financial contribution to facilitate smooth observance of the historic occasion. Ad.....
URF disputes CM
IMPHAL, May 22: Apparently referring to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's comment at the national Anti-Terrorism Day observance yesterday that likened insurgency movement in Manipur to acts of terrorism, the armed United Revolutionary Front (URF), Manipur c.....
Govt holds talk with UG groups
IMPHAL, May 22 : In line with the stated purpose of talking things over the negotiating table, State Government representatives including Principal Secretary (Home) Dr Suresh Babu and the Union Joint Secretary in charge of the North East Shambhu Singh hel.....
VISA office
IMPHAL, May 22 : In order to convenience to overseas travellers, a VISA office will be opened in Manipur within this year, said Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam. He was speaking at the flagging off ceremony of Mission Myanmar, a triagular effort of My.....
ATSUM stir
IMPHAL, May 22 : Putting up various demands, the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has announced a Statewide ‘intense agitation’ for 38 hours from 5am of June 3 to be followed by a ‘sustained agitation’ for 38 days. This was announc.....
One day fast called
IMPHAL, May 22: Rongmei Lu Phuam (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland) has urged all the Christians in the State to observe a fast on May 26 (Sunday) as a token strike against the eviction of Kabo Leikai residents by the Government. Talking to reporters at th.....
KSCWF executive members elected
IMPHAL, May 22: Holthang Mate, Rev JK Touthang and Thangkhomang Haokip have been elected as the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary of the Churachandpur district branch of Kuki Senior Citizens Welfare Forum, Manipur. Election of executive members of .....
SANSA urges authority
IMPHAL, May 22: Many lapses on the part of the Government were reportedly found at Leisan High school and Maichon PS in Ukhrul district. A team of Sagolmang Naga Students' Association (SANSA), Manipur had inspected the schools on May 21. SANSA presi.....
Biodiversity Day at Senapati
IMPHAL, May 22: As observed in other parts of the World, the International Biodiversity Day was held today in Senapati district with the theme 'Water and Biodiversity.' The Maram Students' Union (MKS) in collaboration with Senapati district administrat.....
DG AR visits State
IMPHAL, May 22: Director General Assam Rifles Lt Gen Ranbir Singh arrived on the two-day State visit on May 21 and was received by IGAR (S) Maj Gen UK Gurung at Tulihal Airport. The General officer visited far flung and remotely located posts of vario.....
Headlines
By : Our Staff Reporter
Hepatitis screening camp held
IMPHAL, Nov 30 : With active support of BD India Pvt Ltd, BMS India Ltd and Zydus Cadila Heptiza Vision, a 10-day free screening camp for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C was opened today at the Paediatric Centre of Excellence, JNIMS exclusively for children living with HIV.
Talking with TSE about the free screening test, PCE programme director Apabi Hijam said children living with HIV often end with liver cancer of liver cirrhosis if they are co-infected with either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.
It is essential to ascertain whether any child is co-infected with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis at the early stage before necessary treatment.
As per the epidemiological profile published by MACS, till October 2012 there are around 2773 children living with HIV in Manipur. But there is no concrete data regarding how many of these children are co-infected with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C as the screening for these infections are dismally low.
At the international level, the most common mode of HIV transmission is through sexual route, the most common route in Manipur is sharing of syringes or/and needles among injecting drug users.
Both Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can be transmitted through sharing of syringes and needles if one of them is infected with either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.
According to a sentinel surveillance report of 1998 published by MACS, HIV transmission among IDUs account for 72,78 per cent. It got reduced to 17.9 per cent in the sentinel surveillance report of 2007.
It again climbed to 28.65 per cent as recorded in the latest surveillance report of 2008. Whereas the total number of HIV+ children registered at JNIMS PCE is 1058, the number of HIV+ children who have started ART is only 408.
Dr Apabi Hijam advised that children tested positive for HIV infection should be given ART as early as possible.
But it is mandatory to check whether the HIV+ children are co-infected with Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C before giving ART. LFT should also be conducted.
However, there is no provision under NACO and MACS for compulsory screening of HIV+ children for Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C.
As it costs Rs 300 to Rs 700 in screening a patient for Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C infection, most of the patients could not afford the sum and they usually started taking ARV drugs without screening for Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C co-infection.
If a pregnant woman is confirmed to have been infected by Hepatitis C, she should make sure that her baby is administered immunoglobulin vaccine within 12 to 24 hours of delivery. This considerably reduces chances of transmission of Hepatitis C from mother to child, said Dr Apabi.
As for Hepatitis B, there is a vaccine for immunization. As such, the best way is to test for Hepatitis C at the early stage for starting necessary treatment as soon as possible.
Generally, 30 per cent of babies born to HIV+ positive parents die in the first year itself, and 50 per cent die before their second birthday.
Such children should have their blood tested after six weeks. If they are found HIV+, they should be given ARV drugs irrespective of their CD4 counts.
Dr Apabi also appealed to all concerned parents to bring their children for Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C test during the 10-day screening camp.
HIV+ parents would also given the facility of free Hepatitis B/Hepatitis C test.
This would enable researchers collect and collate data about the rate of transmission of Hepatitis C from parents to children, Apabi added.
