Natl Med J India
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Letter Case Reports
Tracheo-oesophageal fistula by ingestion of a lithium battery.
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Case Reports Observational Study
Addressing disparities in rural and remote access for rheumatology practice through a transformative tele-healthcare delivery system: Experience of a large cohort of patients in eastern India.
Background We present the experience of telerheumatology consultation services carried out in an eastern state of India. Methods We did this prospective, observational study of patients with rheumatological disorders and followed through telemedicine between December 2015 and May 2019. Results During the study period, we provided teleconsultation to 3583 patients with the help of 11 201 telemedicine visits. ⋯ The cumulative savings of the patients as a result of this service were ₹2.4 crore (24 million). The median travel time saved was 7 hours (30 minutes to 12 hours) per patient per visit and a median of ₹6700 was saved per visit per patient. Conclusion Sustained efforts over a long period can lead to the delivery of essential rheumatology services via telemedicine to an under-priviledged population, reduce the financial burden of the poor, and help women to access healthcare services in remote parts of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
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Historical Article
The Epidemic Diseases Act (1897): A study of international and domestic pressures on British epidemic policy formation in India.
The Epidemic Diseases Act (EDA) was enacted in February 1897 by the Government of India to prevent and control the spread of the plague. Since then, the Act has become a key legal tool for the control of epidemics/pandemics in India. We attempted to understand the international and domestic pressures that led to the adoption of the EDA in three ways. ⋯ Third, we analyse the discussions of the Council of the Governor General of India on the bill titled 'A Bill to Provide for the better prevention of the spread of Dangerous Epidemic Diseases', which later became the Epidemic Diseases Act No. III of 1897. We situate the EDA in an international context of International Sanitary Conferences, quarantine, trade concerns, and pilgrimage to Mecca in order to understand the pressures that impacted British epidemic policy formation in colonial India.