K'taka govt mulls special health screening for auto, cab drivers amid rise in heart attack cases
Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI): Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Thursday said the state government is mulling a separate health screening programme for autorickshaw and cab drivers amid reports of a rise in heart attack cases among this group.
The Minister was replying to a question raised in the assembly during Question Hour.
He stressed the need to improve the state's health screening system and said the Health department would take action in the days to come.
Citing data from Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, which revealed that last year about 20-30 percent of heart attack cases were auto and cab drivers, the Minister said, "it is due to pollution, lack of sleep, dining outside, stress, they may also have BP and diabetes and don't take medicines, also they may have comorbidities, it is everything combined."
The government is currently in discussion with unions of auto and cab drivers for a separate screening for them.
Rao further said the government is considering conducting an initial cardiovascular screening for school children. "... School children have mental stress, they will have mental counselling. We are discussing if any initial screening (for cardiovascular health) can be done under it."
Senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar suggested that the government conduct a massive CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training campaign across the state.
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West Asia: India supplied 22,000 MT of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March, says MEA
New Delhi (PTI): Amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, India has supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March and has received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements, the MEA said on Friday.
At his weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his response to a query related to requests received from India's neighbouring countries for fuel amid the West Asia situation, also said that India is "finalising a government-to-government agreement" for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security of Mauritius.
The conflict in West Asia has now stretched to nearly 50 days, with global ramifications.
"So, we have received requests from our neighbouring countries for supply of fuel, and these are being looked into, keeping in mind our own requirements, availability and refining capacity," Jaiswal told reporters.
He further said India has "supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March 2026, and further supplies have continued this month as well".
"You would recall that last month we had supplied 38 metric tonnes of petroleum products to Sri Lanka as well," he added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Mauritius last week, the MEA spokesperson said, adding, "We are finalising a government-to-government agreement for supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing the energy security of Mauritius".
As far as Nepal is concerned, there is an existing arrangement between Indian Oil Corporation and Nepal Oil Corporation to supply petroleum products to Nepal as per its requirements. The supplies are continuing without any interruption, he said.
Energy supplies to Bhutan also continue according to the existing arrangement.
"As I had mentioned earlier, we have received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements. We continue to be in touch with them in this regard, and are considering the request keeping in mind our own domestic requirements and availability of fuel.
"I would also like to add that our neighbouring country governments have expressed appreciation for the uninterrupted supply, fuel supply to them during the West Asian conflict," Jaiswal said.
Global oil and gas prices surged after Iran restricted the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG trade.
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