Natl Med J India
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The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment modified the definition of blindness in 2017 in line with the internationally accepted definition. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to compute pooled estimate of blindness in India among adults aged 50 years and above by using recent and old definitions of blindness. ⋯ There is a decrease in the prevalence of blindness in India using recent and previous definitions and a declining trend over time. High quantum of blindness remains an unfinished public health agenda for implementing programmes in larger populations to reduce its burden.
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Management of tumour bleeding remains a challenge in oncology. With a number of methods available, radiotherapy still holds a crucial place. There are no standard guidelines for dose fractionation of haemostatic radiotherapy (HRT), and it varies from case to case. We aimed to study the effectiveness of HRT. ⋯ HRT is safe and effective in achieving haemostasis in advanced tumours presenting with bleeding from either the primary or the regional lymph nodes. Although optimal dose fractionation has not yet established, hypofractionated radiotherapy is preferred, with the total dose depending on several factors. However, the overall prognosis remains poor.
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Postgraduate medical education in India is beset with many problems including lack of a uniform national syllabus, nonexistence of an accepted list of competencies across disciplines, lack of uniformity in teaching/learning methods between different institutions, a poor evaluation system which focuses on a day's performance rather than the whole course and lack of attention to attitude and professionalism both in the training and evaluation processes. Since there is no national-level quality control of the outgoing postgraduates, there is no uniformity either in knowledge or skill level among them. Regulatory control over the whole process inhibits institutions from making any changes. ⋯ In this scenario, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, introduced and implemented a competency-based training programme for medical postgraduates, which is now in the 4th year. This model is suitable for the Indian milieu as it can be implemented within the regulatory guidelines. The model has been described with details of the processes involved in preparation, implementation, monitoring and overcoming possible hurdles and pitfalls in the Indian context.
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Historical Article
History of medicine in undergraduate medical curriculum in India.
History of medicine is rich with the achievements and successes of years of research and development. The Medical Council of India incorporated teaching 'History of Medicine' in the undergraduate medical curriculum in India nearly a decade ago. ⋯ Teaching 'History of Medicine' to undergraduate medical students may be a good divergence from the fact-based teaching of undergraduate medical curriculum. It will also help students cherish medical achievements of the past and inculcate in them a sense of pride and belongingness to the medical fraternity.