The time has come to take a closer look at Bharat’s health journey — what has changed, what has improved and what still needs to be done There was a time when the story of Indian healthcare was dominated by infectious diseases, inadequate infrastructure, shortage of doctors, high maternal and infant mortality, poor access to…
“I am always tired.” “I feel weak even after sleeping.” “I get breathless when I climb stairs.” “Maybe it is because I am getting older.” These complaints are extremely common. But sometimes, they are not simply the result of a busy life, poor sleep or ageing. They may be signs of anaemia, a condition that…
“Doctor, my feet swell by evening. It comes down after I sleep, so I don’t think there is anything serious.” This is a very common question in clinical practice. Many people notice that their footwear becomes tight by evening, socks leave deep marks around the ankles, or the feet and lower legs look puffier after…
“Doctor, is COVID-19 coming back again?” The question is being asked once again. After years of living with the virus, most people have gradually returned to their normal lives. Masks have disappeared from faces. COVID testing is no longer a routine part of everyday life. The daily counting of cases and deaths has stopped dominating…
A 48-year-old businessman had just returned home after a long international flight. Apart from a mild pain in his left calf, which he dismissed as a simple muscle strain from travelling, he felt perfectly well. Two days later, while climbing the stairs at home, he suddenly became breathless and developed severe chest pain. Within minutes,…
Antibiotics have transformed modern medicine. Diseases that once claimed countless lives became treatable after their discovery. Today, complex surgeries, cancer treatment, organ transplantation, and intensive care are possible largely because effective antibiotics can prevent and treat bacterial infections. Yet, one of the greatest threats to these life-saving medicines is not the lack of newer drugs….
Most of us have a surprisingly simple relationship with cough. We ignore it. A few days of coughing during a viral infection rarely worries anyone. A cough syrup is purchased, warm fluids are advised, and life moves on. when the cough lingers for weeks, many people continue to wait patiently for it to disappear on…
“Doctor, I think I am getting old. “The gentleman sitting in front of me in my consultation chamber said it. “I become breathless after climbing one flight of stairs nowadays. Earlier, I could climb three floors without stopping. I suppose this is simply part of aging. “His wife disagreed immediately about who came with him….
“Doctor, my wife says I snore loudly every night. She’s threatening to sleep in another room.” The middle-aged gentleman sitting across from me laughed as he said it in my consultation chamber the other day. “But I sleep well. Surely snoring can’t be a disease?” His wife, seated beside him, immediately disagreed. “Doctor, he stops…
In the previous episode, we discussed air pollution and lung cancer in non-smokers. The other day, an elderly gentleman visited my clinic with worsening breathlessness. He had never smoked, rarely travelled, and spent most of his time indoors. “Doctor,” he asked, “if I stay at home all day, how can pollution affect me?” His question…
