India facing epidemic of workplace diseases and death

Agate Worker Mr. Dilawar at work. Image source: www.counterview.org

Mr. Dilawar, aged 36, an agate polisher of Khambhat, Gujarat, succumbed to silicosis earlier this year.  He has been exposed to silica sand from years of cutting and polishing the agate stones that go into everything from junk jewellery to landscaped gardens. Years of inhaling the fine dust particles as a result of dry grinding, causes the silicosis that kills the polishers. Mr. Dilawar is just one among the invisible victims of development in India who are contracting fatal diseases at work. However, their predicament is neither reported nor are they compensated. This is according to a new report released by Asia Monitor Resource Centre(AMRC)

“Invisible” because it is difficult to obtain actual numbers. It is estimated that around 18 million people in India are currently victims of occupational diseases.In an interview to a leading news outlet, Mr. Sanjiv Pandita, Executive Director, AMRC laments,

“The problem is there is no data, absolutely no data. You can get quarterly data for economic statistics, but you can’t get any data about the workers… what is their health, how are they faring? There is no data on that,” said Sanjiv Pandita, Executive Director, AMRC.

There is no provision to report accidents at work for large number of workers across economic sectors.

In 2005, ILO published its estimates on accidents in India (Introductory Report; Decent Work-Safe Work). According to this report, based on 2001 figures, economically active population in India was 443.8 million. ILO estimated 40,133 fatal accidents in India. It also estimated 2,61,891 fatal work-related diseases. Against this estimation, our (AMRC) official data  reported 1346 deaths at work and we have no estimation of our own.  In India there is 1 factory Inspector for every 506 factories (the number has increased from 415 in the year 2008). Some of the states like Punjab have a ratio of 1:1601 and Andhra  Pradesh 1:795.

The report highlights the reasons that increase the risk of mortality. These include:

• Lack of training in occupational health safety
• Lack of personal protective gear
• Poor quality of protective equipment
• High workplace pollution
• Inadequate training for handling machinery and chemicals
• Long and odd working hours

In many cases, when workers fall sick, they just go home. So, the problem of reporting any incident vanishes for the employer. Lack of regulation over the use of toxic materials compounds the problem further.

Asia Monitor Resource Centre is an independent non-government organisation which focuses on Asian and Pacific labour concerns. The Centre provides information, research, publishing, training, labour networking and related services to trade unions, pro-labour groups and other relevant NGOs in the region. AMRC’s main goal is to support democratic and independent labour movements in Asia and the Pacific.

The complete report for India can be downloaded here.  The detailed report portrays the situation of six Asian countries namely China, India, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.This report shows the extent of the problem. Let us  hope it will draw public attention to this senseless massacre of workers across the country.

National Museum, Delhi welcomes visually challenged

When we enter an exhibition or museum, most of us with normal vision take for granted the ability to view, examine, and marvel at the artifacts on display. But, what about individuals who are visually challenged? Would their inability to see deprive them from experiencing art?

Tactile Patterns. Image source: www.artagogo.com

The National Museum in Delhi has become the first museum in India to enable visually challenged individuals to appreciate art through a blend of sensory experiences. The National Museum Institute (NMI) has installed monograms, signs and Braille inscriptions to make objects in the museum blind-friendly. The main passages, ramps, and galleries have also been reworked so that they are barrier-free.

Tactile diagram of the Parthenon. Image courtesy: www.artagogo.com

Tactile diagrams have been used in other parts of the world to make art accessible to the visually challenged. Replicas of the artifacts are created incorporating different types of raised patterns. An outline of ancient sculptural art of India to the special audience will be presented through replicas display, supported by bilingual Braille text, self-guided floor path facility and audio guide. This would allow individuals to feel and touch the artifacts thereby aiding to create a mental picture of them.

“Though visually impaired visitors used to come earlier also, they had to take the help of guides and could only listen to the narrations. Now they can feel and learn by touching the objects” says Dr. Bose, who is also the National Museum Institute vice-chancellor.

The museum has completed pilot programs to accommodate visually challenged individuals.

“The exhibition will explore the nature of the perceptual power of the Indian images and gives audience an aesthetic, educational and spiritual experience through touching and feeling. It will give an overview of Indian sculptural art through ages,” says Dr. Bose.

These facilities will become operational from April 2011.

Admission
10.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M. (Monday Closed)
Entry Fee
Indian Citizens – Rs. 10 each.
Other – Rs. 300 each (inclusive of Audio Tour Charges).
Students – Rs. 1 each.
Visit the National Museum website for more details.

Heart disease is India’s number 1 killer

During the 1800s, cholera attributed to 15 million deaths in India. Between 1900 and 2000, the maximum deaths in India resulted from diseases such as plague, cholera, typhoid, malaria, and tuberculosis. These diseases are infectious diseases(also called communicable diseases), caused by bacteria. A recent survey in 2010 reports cardiovascular disease is India’s number 1 killer.

The findings are part of the Million Death Study that is following the lives and deaths of 1.1 million households throughout India until 2014. This seminal study, aims to gather information on the causes of death across urban and rural India.

Top ten causes of mortality in India. Image source: www.indiatoday.in

The preliminary findings indicate that ‘lifestyle’ diseases have overtaken ‘communicable’ diseases in India’s mortality numbers. This shift in trend should not come as a surprise to us. Scientists have found that South Asians are genetically prone to heart disease. 1 in 25 Indians carry a mutated gene that causes heart failure. Add to it the stressful jobs, poor eating habits, and sedentary lifestyle. Though one may assume these factors to exist only in cities, with ‘urbanization’ of rural India, the rural population is also facing similar problems.

The affluent in our society have access to medical facilities, and information to take precautions, whereas for the poor, these are unaffordable luxuries. The government intends to review the results of this study and help improve the health care conditions in India.

In related news, Government of India launched the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS). The programme  with an estimated expenditure of Rs.1,230.90 crore ($275 million) will be implemented in 100 districts across 15 states and union territories through mass education and by promoting healthy lifestyle.

“Under the programme, it is expected to screen more than 70 million adults above 30 years of age for diabetes and hypertension, early diagnosis of non-communicable diseases and treatment,” the home minister Mr. Chidambaram said.

Meanwhile, we should be aware of the issues and improve our lifestyle and food habits.

Toxins in silk partially blind weavers

For many years, weaving has been one of main occupations for people in Magadi, and Ramnagara districts of Karnataka, located near the capital Bangalore. Weavers from neighbouring states migrate to these places in search of livelihood. Recently, some of them paid a hefty price for doing their job.

Ahmed said as soon as they put the raw silk yarn, which was brought from Bangalore, into the spindle and turned on the machine, there was a pungent chemical smell. “Immediately, our eyes started to burn and tear up. Within seconds, there was swelling and our vision blurred,” he said.

This was also the case with 45 year old weaver Narayana in Magadi. His employer took him to an eye clinic and then to a hospital in Bangalore, which is 50 kms away. He is not sure if he will be able to see again. Ahmed and Narayana are among the nearly 60 weavers have lost the eyesight after handling the chemically treated silk yarn.

“This consignment of raw silk yarn was probably treated with chemicals by suppliers to increase its weight and give it the semblance of better quality yarn which costs twice as much — Rs 2,500 per kg,” said Nanjundaswamy, one of the weaving unit owners, who has since closed the unit. Nanjundaswamy said the yarn is supplied by traders from various parts of the country through middlemen and it was not possible to say where these toxic supplies came from.

Samples of the yarn have been sent to the forensic laboratory to ascertain the chemicals present in them. Meanwhile the affected weavers and their families demand an inquiry into this incident. Would the government turn a ‘blind eye’ to this request?

Read more here.

Tobacco snuffing Indians

‘Cigarette smoking is injurious to health.’  We have read this numerous times in the Indian media. ‘Injurious to health’ is an under-statement. Smoking kills.  It kills nearly 10 lakh Indians every year. Would it make a difference for smokers and their families to know that though Tobacco kills people, it is preventable?

Some numbers…

India currently has 10 per cent – over 12 crore – of the world’s smokers. Almost a third of Indians – 57 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women – consume tobacco in some form, and many use more than one type of tobacco products.

Smoking kills over 10 lakh Indians yearly. Without intervention, over 3.8 crore bidi smokers and 1.3 crore cigarette smokers will die prematurely from tobacco-related diseases.

We need to generate awareness regarding tobacco and the disastrous effects caused by it. India has anti-tobacco legislation in place, and India is also a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Enforcement of the law is weak. Kiosks selling cigarettes, gutka and other tobacco products continue to thrive near schools among other places.  Youth is also targeted in various media campaigns.

The World Health Organization Representative to India has brought out a report on Tobacco Control in India.

Some recommendations provided in the report include:

• Raise taxes on all tobacco products to increase prices and generate revenue for tobacco control.
• Spend the additional revenue on social sector initiatives benefiting the poor and on strengthening tobacco control programs.
• Impose a ban on oral tobacco products such as ‘gutka’.
• Strengthen enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
• Establish coordinating mechanisms at centre and state levels.
• Mobilize the people through mass education and community empowerment.
• Promote tobacco cessation through other health avenues.
• Restrict the import of tobacco products into India.
• Progressively reduce the area of land under tobacco cultivation in India

A political will to strengthen tobacco control in India coupled with community commitment to diminish the menace of tobacco is needed.

Drug control squad seizes fake medicine shops in Orissa

I had read about many incidents involving medicine shops selling fake drugs at the original cost to the consumers, and this was the first time saw some action being taken against the shops.

Unlicensed medicine shops have been mushrooming in rural areas of Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district in which they have been selling duplicate and substandard medicines without the knowledge of drug control officials. One racket was actively supplying substandard medicines and charging the original rate from  patients.

According to this news report,

Drug Control Squad led by drug inspector Mr Anjan Kumar Sahoo raided  different medicine shops of Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district and seized 6 illegal medicine shops in Balikuda and Jagatsinghpur areas. Five medicine shops were opened in front of Dasbatia primary hospital under Balikuda police station in which these shop owners have been selling substandard and fake medicines to the patients.

This raises so many questions…Though the practice of selling fake medicines is rampant all over the country, why don’t we hear much about the action taken on these medicine shops? Should we assume that no action is taken at all? How can we justify the plight of the patients? It is already difficult to suffer from poor health. Add to it that the medicines taken are fake and adulterated. And we are not even discussing the potential harmful effects of these fake medicines…

Researching this more, I found out that every state and union territory in India  has been assigned a Drugs Controller by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization. Their responsibilities include

Monitoring of quality of Drugs & Cosmetics, manufactured by respective state units and those marketed in the state.  Investigation and prosecution in respect of contravention of legal provisions.

When will this division of the government take more responsibility in discharging its duties?

Child undernutrition in India

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights  states “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” With regards to nutrition however, all of India’s children are not equal.

According to India’s third National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) of 2005-06, 20 per cent of Indian children under five-years-old are wasted due to acute undernutrition and 48 per cent are stunted due to chronic undernutrition. Seventy per cent of children between six months and 59 months are anaemic. Despite a booming economy, nutrition deprivation among India’s children remains widespread.

UNICEF India notes that Child undernutrition in India is a human rights issue.

In absolute numbers, an average 61 million are stunted.

Can we combine the existing technical knowledge with the political will to change the lives of millions of India’s children? 61 million of them are waiting…

Read more  here.

Kashmir coming out of conflict trauma

A while ago, I had written about Kashmir’s other conflict. Today, I want to share some good news emanating from Kashmir. 

BBC News reports that psychiatrists in Indian-administered Kashmir are seeing a sharp decline in the number of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cases, courtesy of an improvement in the security situation.

According to official statistics, the annual number of violent incidents in the state went up to nearly 6,000 during the peak of insurgency. It is down to a mere 400 this year.”Traumatic incidents are on the decline and so is the incidence of PTSD,” Dr Hussain says.

Despite this decline in the PTSD cases reported, the mental health of the people living in Kashmir is precarious. There has been an alarmed increase in suicides and deaths due to substance abuse.

“The Kashmiri language doesn’t have a word for suicide,” remarks Dr.  Hussain. “That speaks volumes about the rarity of the phenomenon in this society. This is a Muslim society that used to have the lowest rate of suicide in India. But the past few years have seen a spurt of cut throats and burns.”

 Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, has been working with mental health issues in Kashmir for the past seven years. A drawing competition recently held for students, as part of a mental health week was an eye- opener. 

Many of the children did not draw hands, says counsellor Munazza. “Not drawing hands means they do not have freedom, that otherwise they want to do so many things.”

Children were also found to use dull colours in their drawings.

“They have depicted their stress so well. They have drawn barren land, naked trees without leaves and flowers. This is how they see their own lives.”

Losing an entire generation to war, and another generation to drugs is heart-wrenching. Here’s hoping common-sense prevails and stability is returned to what was once, a peaceful state.  Read more here.

Unprecedental levels of antibiotics pollute India’s water

A vast array of antibiotics such as ciproflaxin, enoacin, cetirizine, terbinafine and citalopram have been found in India’s streams, lakes, and well waters, close to pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.  The water is used by many villagers for farming and drinking purposes, heightening worries of long-term consequences to animal and human health.

Levels of antibiotics measured in streams, lakes and well water near pharmaceutical factories in India are 100,000 to 1,000,000 times higher than levels measured in waters that receive sewage effluent in the US or China.

While comparing the toxic levels in two different countries is not always helpful, these numbers aid in giving an idea of how bad the situation is. Worldwide concerns about pharmaceuticals in water have been on the rise. The drugs contaminate ground water and drinking water.  Waste water treatment processes are not efficient in removing the drugs.

Research was carried on by Swedish scientists. Well water was collected from 6 villages around Hyderabad, India. Samples were also collected from a waste treatment plant that receives wastewater from 90 different drug manufacturing facilities.

High amounts of four antibiotics were measured in the lakes that do not take in wastewater from the sewage plant. The levels of ciprofloxacin (2.5 mg/L) and cetirizine (20 μg/L) in one of the lakes was higher than previously measured levels in the blood of people taking the medications, report the authors. This suggests there are other unknown sources – perhaps illegal dumping – of wastewater responsible for polluting the lakes.

Read more here and here.

United in Prohibition, Different in Implementation

Alcohol consumption is steadily on the rise in India. Per capita consumption of alcohol  increased by 106.7 % over the 15 year period from 1970 to 1996 (Source: www.addictionindia.org) Though alcohol consumption and abuse is on the rise, two states in India, Gujarat and Mizoram have laws prohibiting the consumption. The way the law is implemented in both the states is different.

In Gujarat, ever since the Special Enforcement Department was disbanded, the police have been enforcing the law.In Mizoram, enforcement of the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition (MLTP) Act of 1995 lies with the specially-formed Excise and Narcotics Department, but it is the youth groups that handle most of the policing, mainly through NGOs.

A number of NGOs including the Young Mizo Association (YMA) has 700 state-wide offices to monitor alcohol activity round the clock.

“The help we receive from the society and the NGOs is invaluable. As a department, we do not have enough manpower, and these NGOs know their own areas much better than we do. So, they know the bootleggers, where they operate and where they brew liquor,” said Lalbiakmawia Khiangte, Commissioner, Excise and Narcotics Department, Government of Mizoram.

“When we nab offenders and threaten them, they know our limits as a government arm. But with the YMA or any other NGO, they get really scared,” Khiangte said.

Contrast this with Gujarat, where community policing is taken care by only few women groups.  Irrespective of the difference in implementation, these two states are  the only two ‘dry’ states in our country.  Read more here.