The Union Health Ministry implemented a ban on 156 "irrational" FDC medicines, effective immediately. These medicines, including widely used antibiotics, painkillers, and multivitamins, were commonly used to treat fever, cough, and infections. The ban was imposed due to the associated health risks and lack of therapeutic justification for the ingredients in these FDCs.

What are FDC medicines?

FDCs or fixed-dosed combinations, also known as "cocktail drugs," are medications that combine multiple drugs in a single pill. They are designed to treat multiple symptoms or conditions simultaneously. While they offer convenience, they can pose significant risks. These risks include the possibility of overdose, adverse interactions between the drugs, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, many FDC medicines lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and efficacy.

Expert opinions on FDC medicines

Experts have raised concerns about the use of FDC medicines. They believe that many of these combinations lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and effectiveness. Additionally, the combination of multiple drugs in a single pill can increase the risk of adverse side effects and interactions with other medications.

Experts have also found that FDC medicines may not be as effective as individual drugs in treating certain conditions. It is important to note that safer and more effective alternatives are available for most of the medical conditions that FDC medicines were used to treat. One particular concern is the inclusion of antibiotics in some FDCs. Overuse of antibiotics can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, a major public health threat.

The risks of FDC medicines

The use of FDC medicines can lead to adverse effects, including serious ones. Additionally, safer alternatives, tested in clinical trials, are available to treat the same medical conditions. Experts recommend prescribing drugs individually based on a patient's clinical symptoms rather than combining them in FDCs.

The ban on irrational FDC medicines by the Union Health Ministry can be seen as a positive step towards promoting rational drug use and protecting public health. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary and potentially harmful drug combinations. This is a step forward in reducing the risks associated with medication and ensure safer and more effective treatment options for patients.

Health officials in Kerala have reported two deaths caused by West Nile fever in Ernakulam district.

The deceased was identified as Muraleedharan, a 70-year-old man from Kadangalloor near Aluva. The elderly man died while undergoing treatment on Monday at Kalamassery Medical College, officials said.

Muraleedharan, who was suffering from cancer and had respiratory problems, was admitted to the Medical College Hospital a few days ago with symptoms of West Nile fever. This is the second death from West Nile fever in the Ernakulam district in a week.

Saraswathiyamma, a native of Paravur, died of West Nile fever the other day. Many people have reportedly sought treatment at various hospitals in Ernakulam district with West Nile fever and dengue fever symptoms.

Health Department Issues Advisory

Following the incident, the state health department urged people to remain cautious and also issued an advisory urging the public to take precautions against the mosquito-borne disease.

In a statement, the department said the disease is caused by a flavivirus commonly found in migratory birds and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.

It clarified that the disease does not spread from person to person and that preventing mosquito bites is the most effective way to avoid infection.

According to health authorities, symptoms may include fever, high body temperature, stiffness of the neck, behavioral changes, confusion, semi-consciousness, or loss of consciousness, PTI reported.

Also read: Shigella: The Infection That Claimed A 4-Year-Old's Life In Kerala; Government On Alert

The statement warned that severe infection could affect the nervous system and lead to conditions such as encephalitis and meningitis.

"Elderly persons, those with low immunity, individuals with underlying illnesses, pregnant women, and children have been identified as high-risk groups requiring special attention. Culex mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant and polluted water bodies, drainage channels, septic tanks, marshy areas, paddy fields, and overgrown vegetation, are the primary carriers of the disease," the statement said.

What Is West Nile Fever?

The disease is spread through mosquito bites, and most who get infected do not have any symptoms. However, one in every five infected people has a fever, headache, body aches, and other flu-like symptoms.

The West Nile virus also infects the nervous system and is capable of causing serious brain or spinal cord inflammation.

According to the WHO, West Nile Virus is a member of the flavivirus genus and belongs to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae.

The mosquitoes become infected when they feed on birds that carry the virus in their blood, and then bite humans and infect them.

It is found in different parts of the world, including North America, Europe, Africa, Central Asia, Australia, and Asia. Cases in 49 states in the US have been reported, and the total number of symptomatic cases in the US is 51,000 since the first cases were detected in the country in 1999.

Read More: Salmonella Outbreak: Instant Noodles Sicken Over 80 In The UK, Europe

What Are The Symptoms?

The symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, rash around the chest and back, swollen lymph nodes, sore throats, and pain behind the eyes.

In severe cases, individuals may have an intense headache, high fever, stiff neck, making you unable to move your chin towards your chest, confusion, muscle weakness, loss of control over your muscle movements, seizures, paralysis, and coma.

How Can It Spread?

While the mosquitoes that feed on infected birds are the carriers, there is still a lack of evidence to determine whether it comes directly from the birds. The incubation period for symptoms to show up is two to six days, but it can extend to 14 days, too.

It can be transmitted from a pregnant person to their fetus, through human milk, blood transfusion, and organ transplant. People who are over the age of 60, have cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure are more prone to the virus.

Treatment

There are no treatments or antiviral medications available for it. However, you can treat the mild symptoms at home with over-the-counter medications that you take for a cold or the flu. The best way to prevent is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

There is an outbreak of food poisoning in the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. Notably, almost all cases are linked to the same strain, thus suggesting a common source of infection. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has confirmed 83 cases of Salmonella Stanley ST2045 in the first week of June, and of these, 20 have been hospitalized.

The ECDC also states that 26 more cases are not sequenced and may also be linked to the outbreak.

As per the health authorities, the cases have been found in nations including the United Kingdom, Austria, Czechia, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.

The ECDC has said, “collaborating closely with the affected countries and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)”.

Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director of Gastrointestinal Infections at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), told journalists, “We are supporting an ongoing investigation into an international Salmonella outbreak, with most reported cases occurring in children and young people."

She also added that the current findings are leading the health authorities to the possibility that the source of the outbreak was potentially chicken‑flavoured instant noodles or processed chicken products, or both, as they share ingredients.

“Salmonella generally causes a mild illness, although vulnerable groups with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.” She added.

Though ECDC also states that not all cases can be explained by exposure to these instant noodles. They emphasized ongoing investigations into the cases. They added, “Based on what is currently known, the overall risk of Salmonella Stanley infection is assessed as very low for the general population and low for children and young adults, as long as cooking instructions are adhered to.”

What Is Salmonella?

As per the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness and fever called salmonellosis. It can be spread by food handlers who do not wash their hands and/or the surfaces and tools they use between food preparation steps. It can also happen when people consume uncooked and raw food. Salmonella can also spread from animals to people.

The FDA notes that people who have direct contact with certain animals, including poultry and reptiles, can spread the bacteria from the animal to food if hand washing hygiene is not practiced.

Pets, too, could spread the bacteria within the home environment if they eat food contaminated with Salmonella.

Also Read: Ebola Outbreak Escalates: Uganda Rushes Medics To Congo Border Regions

Common symptoms of Salmonella include:

• diarrhea,
• fever,
• stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
• The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment, though in some cases it may lead to hospitalization.

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illness.

Ebola is still showing no sign of slowing down as the patient count is still increasing steadily, and the country that has faced the most adverse effects of this is the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), followed by its neighboring nation, Uganda, but it is still trying to help DRC even while trying to contain the fatal disease within its borders.

Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at Uganda's Ministry of Health, said that Uganda has deployed a team of health workers to DRC to contain the outbreak. She made that statement while she was in a meeting with visiting World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Kampala.

As per the post by the health ministry of Uganda, it is also setting up 50-bed treatment units to support Ebola response efforts in eastern DRC, which is considered the epicenter of the disease.

What Is The Current Situation Of Ebola In Africa?

The situation regarding the outbreak of Ebola is nowhere near slowing down, and the World Health Organization (WHO) said that this outbreak of Ebola is far from under control. The outbreak of the disease in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda has already reached the 500 mark.

On Saturday, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported that its total number of Ebola cases had increased to 488 from 515 cases and caused 91 deaths. Its neighbor, Uganda, also has reported 19 cases.

This time, the Ebola outbreak has caused most harm to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and during this mayhem, its neighboring nation, Uganda, which is also fighting to contain the disease as it is also seeing a surge in cases, has completely closed off its western border with DRC.

The worsening condition of the situation is clear, as the global health monitoring organization, the World Health Organization (WHO), has already declared the outbreak an international public health emergency.

Also Read: AIIMS Delhi Study Warns Air Pollution May Harm Unborn Babies

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and deadly disease caused by a virus mostly found in Africa. The spread of the disease happens through contact with infected body fluids.

Some symptoms can indicate a possible infection. This includes fever, headache, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, sore throat, and unexplained bleeding. This eventually leads to severe complications like bleeding, organ failure, and death.

Ebola is a highly lethal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Over the past five decades, it has caused over 30 outbreaks, primarily in Central and West Africa. The virus takes its name from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Three strains of the virus — Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus — have caused the largest outbreaks in Africa. Among them, the Ebola virus is considered the deadliest, with fatality rates reaching up to 90% without treatment.