AGE OF PARALLELISM

For nearly last 50 years I have been observing that the society has refused to continue with the previous single track approach to its activities. Like the parallel economy, in other walks of life also this parallelism has strongly developed and by all probabilities appears to stay. Why we prefer to this approach ? What are the losses and gains of this new practice ? It is our duty to sit and think over. I am afraid, if we gave it a long rope, it will ultimately hamstring the primary institutions.
Previously, we sent our wards to government schools as there was no concept of any other alternative. Then came the so-called public schools which are practically private. They charge higher fees and teach in English medium. Still today in India, the general understanding is that a good knowledge of English opens the door of success. Particularly for competitive examinations, this foreign language becomes a decisive factor. Moreover, getting the children admitted in a public school also enhances the social status of their parents. Consequently, this experiment proved to be a booming business. Today parents run from pillar to post to get their children admitted to any reputed public school for which they have to shell out a good part of their hard earned money. The thing does not stop here only. Despite being in a good school, in the present age of cut throat competition, the parents send the students to coaching classes for better results. Coaching has developed into an industry today. Coaching is available right from class I to post-graduation and for civil service examinations and other professional lines like medical, engineering etc. In this race, the mother institution is left behind and the parents are getting impoverished.
If you come to health sector, once again this parallel practice has weakened the established  system. Government hospitals, which were previously the mainstay for all, is now meant for only have-nots. Anybody of some status goes to a private hospital. Since the fashion of cashless treatment is made available by the employers, or CGHS card rebate is permissible, the beneficiaries invariably will run to a private hospital where the accommodation is hygienic, crowd is less and even the doctors are amicable and more responsive. This private treatment has also run into menace of parallelism due to greedy behavior of several doctors. They will see the patients and advise them to come to their own clinic for special attention. Even otherwise, they will force the patients for tests to a particular laboratory which will give commission to the doctor.
Today for every other services like Aadhaar card, passport, election i/card, ration card, paying telephone and electricity bills etc services are available in the open market. You have not to go to the concerned offices having huge crowds and incooperative officials. This parallel service has its own drawbacks. The govt. officials deliberately avoid doing work because the agents will give them commission. Most of them in a telephone office, I have seen playing cards in the nearby lawns for three hours. In such a situation, work culture becomes a misnomer. What about the post office? The parallel courier service has made it redundant. Similarly mobile phone has replaced landline. Money transfer in banks has made moneyorder a thing of past.
I once again wish people to think over this developing parallelism or alternativism to decide its relevance to the society. For some comfort or false satisfaction, are we not killing the basic institutions?

SWEET IS SOUR

                                                

I remember my bitter experiences of 2006/7 when my wife developed cancer. Having diagnosed cancer is enough to create havoc in the family. Next steps are mammography, biopsy, operation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy followed by lifelong periodical monitoring. Then I had placed three posts in my blog My Turn, not as a professional expert, but just as a sufferer to share experiences with new patients so that they are encouraged to patiently undergo the entire treatment course and tide over this curable disease. Similarly, as a sugar patient for last nearly 20 years, I have read, heard, learnt   and experienced many tit-bits getting apprised of which, any sugar patient may benefit.

It may be added here that under the banner of the WHO, April 7 every year is observed as Health Day in which this year (2016), the theme was sugar because it has enveloped the world like an epidemic. The World Health Assembly was held for the first time in the year 1948 in Geneva where it was decided to celebrate this day. It was first celebrated worldwide in the year 1950. Since then this thematic annual event has been focusing on any one problematic disease. It has thus played a cataclysmal role in creating much needed awareness globally about a particular disease. 

Diabetes is a rapidly increasing non-communicable disease in several countries, mostly developing though top three are China, India and USA. It is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose, which over the time leads to serious damages to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common is type ii disease, usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce required quantum of insulin. In the past three decades, the prevalence of type ii diabetes has risen dramatically. On the other hand, type I diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. The patient is totally insulin-dependent. According to the WHO, today there are about 350 million people in the world diabetic.

This disease is also caused genetically. But in rest of the cases, it has been termed as a life-style disease. Obesity surely leads to high blood sugar conditions. Sedentary life style, food with heavy doses of fat, carbohydrate, sugar, alcohol, smoking and extra- protein intake pave way for diabetes. Early diagnosis and intervention is the starting point for living with diabetes. A series of cost-effective interventions can help people to manage their condition. These interventions include: blood sugar control through a combination of diet, physical activity and if necessary, medication, control of blood pressure and lipids to reduce cardiovascular risk and other complications.

From my experience I suggest that if you are diagnosed a diabetic, please purchase insulin syringe, random sugar checking kit and weighing machine so that you are not dependent on any outer agency. As suggested by your doctor, keep on using those aides and maintain a record of every result which will help your doctor to treat better. The patient has to exercise daily which may be walking, swimming, cycling Asanas, indoor games etc. The walk should be minimum for 30 minutes. This could be done even in your balcony or on the roof. One who walks for one hour, will find his disease always under control. He should have basic knowledge of diet so that only permitted items are consumed. Drinks and smoking will prove fatal.  Playing truant to medication is strictly disallowed. With this lifestyle, food, medicines and exercise management, despite diabetes, one can live his full life. I myself am double seven today.