Dr. UT Ifthikar Fareed appointed as Chairman of State Allied and Health Care Council
Bengaluru: In a significant move, the state government has announced the formation of the State Allied and Health Care Council and has appointed Dr. UT Ifthikar Fareed, Principal of Dr. MV Shetty College of Physiotherapy, as its Chairman. This council is established under the National Commission for Allied and Health Care Professions Act, 2021, and will be responsible for overseeing all allied and paramedical course colleges across Karnataka.
The council will include several ex-officio members such as the Director of the Directorate of Medical Education in Bengaluru, the Director of the Institute of Medical Sciences in Kalaburagi, and the Director of the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in Hubballi.
Dr. Ifthikar Fareed is a prominent figure in the fields of social, political, and service activities. His extensive involvement in various organizations highlights his commitment to advancing healthcare and physiotherapy in India. Dr. Fareed also holds multiple prestigious positions, including Syndicate Member of Rajiv Gandhi Health University, State President of the Indian Association of Physiotherapists, President of the Sports and Fitness Training Federation of India, and President of the UT Fareed Foundation.
Dr. Ifthikar Fareed completed his Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) from Dr. M.V. Shetty College, Mangalore University, Karnataka, in 1999. He further pursued his Master of Physiotherapy (MPT) at the same institution, affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (R.G.U.H.S), Karnataka, completing it in 2003. He then obtained his Doctor of Philosophy in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation from the National University of Medical Sciences, USA.
Dr. Fareed began his professional career as a Lecturer at Dr. M.V. Shetty College of Physiotherapy in Mangalore in March 1999. He then progressed to become an Assistant Professor at the same college from November 2003 to October 2005. Following this, he served as an Associate Professor from November 2005 to January 2009. Since February 2009, he has been serving as a Professor at Dr. M.V. Shetty College of Physiotherapy, which is affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore.
In his role as a Syndicate Member of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Dr. Fareed has contributed to the advancement of physiotherapy and allied health sciences. He has been involved in academic and clinical teaching for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of physiotherapy, while also actively participating in clinical practice at the 800-bed Government District Hospital in Mangalore. Additionally, Dr. Fareed has served two terms on the Board of Studies in Physiotherapy at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, from 2003 to 2008.
As a recognized undergraduate and postgraduate examiner at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Dr. Fareed has played a crucial role in shaping the future of physiotherapy education in the region. He has also served as an observer, squad member, and invigilator for examinations conducted by the university. His expertise is further recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India, where he serves as an inspector.
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WHO declares global health emergency over Ebola outbreak in Congo, Uganda
Abuja (Nigeria) (AP): WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths.
In a post on X, the World Health Organisation said the outbreak does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, and advised against the closure of international borders.
Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted via bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.
Health authorities have confirmed the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare variant of the Ebola disease that has no approved therapeutics or vaccines. Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have taken place in Congo and Uganda, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo virus has been reported.
Congo accounts for all except two of the cases, both of which were reported in neighbouring Uganda, the WHO said.
Officials first reported the spread of the disease in Congo's eastern province of Ituri, close to Uganda and South Sudan, on Friday. On Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths.
“There are significant uncertainties regarding the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time. In addition, there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases,” Tedros said.
Uganda on Saturday confirmed one case it said was imported from Congo, and said the patient died at a hospital in Uganda's capital, Kampala, and the WHO said that a second case has been reported in Kampala. The two cases had no apparent links to each other, and both patients had travelled from Congo, it added.
The Bundibugyo virus was first detected in Uganda's Bundibugyo district during a 2007-2008 outbreak that infected 149 people and killed 37 people. The second time was in 2012 in an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were reported.
WHO's emergency declaration is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action. However, the global response to previous declarations has been mixed.
In 2024, when the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency, experts at the time said it did little to get supplies like diagnostic tests, medicines and vaccines to affected countries quickly.
