Bangalore: (Press Release) Aster Neurosciences of Aster CMI hospital and Aster RV hospital, Bangalore marked the World Parkinson’s Day on Monday by organising a walkathon in partnership with I Love To Care (India) Charitable Trust.

More than 150 people including Parkinson’s patients, working professionals, doctors, and nurses participated in the walkathon to raise awareness against Parkinson’s.

Dr. Kalpana Gopalan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Dept of Labour & Dept of Public Grievances, Govt. of Karnataka who participated in the event as the Chief Guest flagged off the event and also took part in the walkathon to support the cause.

“Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. It begins gradually and deteriorates over the long run. Those suffering from Parkinson’s disease exhibit symptoms such as shaking of limbs, muscle stiffness, and trouble walking and maintaining their balance and coordination. As the disease worsens, they additionally experience difficulty in talking, disturbance of sleep, problems with memory, psychological issues, behavioral changes, and various other side effects,” an official press statement from Aster stated.

Addressing the audience and the need to create awareness about Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Kalpana Gopalan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Dept of Labour & Dept of Public Grievances, Govt. of Karnataka chief guest at the event, said, “We want everyone - patients, families, and society - to understand that Parkinson's disease is treatable and manageable. However, considering the increasing prevalence of Parkinson's disease, there is a need to create awareness about Parkinsonism and foster a sense of public urgency. In India, ignorance and misinformation may be barriers to the early diagnosis and the provision of optimal care to those living with the disease. Keeping this in mind, Aster Hospital has organized this Walkathon to raise awareness about this degenerative yet treatable brain disorder. I thank Aster for inviting me to be a part of this event and appreciate everyone present here today.” 

Dr. Ravi Gopal Varma, Lead Consultant Neurosurgery & Program Director – Global Centre of Excellence in Neurosciences, Aster Hospitals Bangalore, said: “India is home to about 10 lakhs Parkinson's patients, and every year 75,000 new patients are diagnosed with this condition. The disease predominately affects the elderly those aged 60 years and above. However, now it can also be seen in younger generations as well. Parkinson's disease, fortunately, has a successful treatment. The medical treatment along with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has brought about a revolution in the management of Parkinson's disease, enabling the patient to live a normal and dynamic life. DBS is a functional surgery where electrodes are placed in specific areas of the patient’s brain and stimulated with the help of a pacemaker placed in the chest wall. In this case, the pacemaker is unique as it has the capability to receive feedback from the brain and relay the exact amount of stimulation on demand to the implanted electrodes for the brain to function accordingly. As the patient begins to show signs of improvement, the medications are reduced. The surgery is highly beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and reducing the patient's dependence on medicines.”

About Aster DM Healthcare

Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in GCC and in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence, we are one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary healthcare through our 27 hospitals, 118 clinics, 323 pharmacies, and 66 labs & patient experience centres in seven countries, including India. We have over 24,350 plus dedicated staff including 3,110 doctors and 7,063 nurses across the geographies that we are present in, delivering a simple yet strong promise to our different stakeholders: "We'll treat you well." We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the "Aster", "Medcare" and "Access" brands.

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Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): The BJP on Wednesday demanded a thorough investigation into the case of Kerala trekker GS Sharanya, who went missing for three days and was later found.

Members of the BJP’s Kodagu unit lodged a complaint at the Napoklu police station, seeking a probe and stating that the case appeared suspicious.

Sharanya, who had gone on a trek to Tadiandamol hill near Kakkabbe, went missing and was later found on Sunday following a search operation by the police, forest department, and residents.

Kodagu BJP leader P Danoj submitted a complaint to the Station House Officer, seeking a proper investigation into the case.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the behaviour of Sharanya, who was found on the fourth day, had raised suspicions.

“It is impossible for anyone to survive in a dense forest for four days without food. Naxal activities are taking place in several areas, and this case has further raised suspicion,” he said.

He demanded that the police conduct a thorough investigation and inform the public of the truth.

Napoklu BJP Shakti Kendra president Ambikaryappa alleged that Sharanya’s disappearance could be a "publicity stunt".

“It appears to be a drama aimed at tarnishing the tourism prospects of our district. Moreover, it is suspicious that Sharanya, who was in the dense forest for four days, was found without any signs of fatigue,” Ambikaryappa said.