One in five patients who stay long likely to be hit; patients with burns at high risk

Francis P Barclay. Bangalore

If you are being wheeled into any of the hospital wards or operation theatres in the city, be prepared to face one of the most lethal bacteria known to man. One in five patients who stays for long at any city hospital has chances of getting infected by the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria. Burns patients are definitely more at risk. Babies too face the risk of getting meningitis and septicaemia caused by MRSA, said an expert Gayathri Arakere working with Sir Dorabji Tata Research Centre for Tropical Diseases which interacts with hospitals here and helps them in diagnostics. Arakere said about 40% to 50% of staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from the burn and trauma wards of two leading hospitals in Bangalore were found to be methicillin-resistant. In some of the city's hospitals, the prevalence was found to be higher. What causes concern is that Type-3 and 3A SCC MEC cassettes of MRSA are entrenched in hospitals. They show resistance to at least five to six classes of drugs. Public awareness of the bacteria is abysmally low. Most healthcare officials do not want to talk about it lest they be blamed for aiding its spread. All city hospitals have become breeding grounds of these 'cockroaches of the microbial world', said Dr H Srinivasa of the department of microbiology, St John's Medical College and Hospital. Also called staph, the bacteria thrive in hospitals which are old and overcrowded, and where hygiene standards are unsatisfactory. They mainly target ICUs and burns units and patients with chronic ailments and weakened immune systems become easy victims. While a recent study placed southern India in the high risk map on superbugs, a 1996 survey put Bangalore atop Indian metros that are most vulnerable to Staph. "Staph profusion is a harbinger of a larger antibiotic resistance pandemic. There are many such microbes that are developing resistance against antibiotics," said Dr Srinivasa, an expert on pathogens. The percentage of drug-resistant mutants in Staph is at least 30% in city hospitals. In some, the percentage is above 50%, he said.Dr Preeti Galagali, a consultant paediatrician of a city-based hospital, said mutant strains of the bacteria had evolved due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. "As doctors over-prescribe and patients abuse antibiotics, the bacteria gain immunity," she said. "A government policy that regulates prescription of drugs is needed. Movement of drugs across the counter too should be controlled," said Dr Savitha Nagaraj of St John's Medical College. Staph usually infects an operated area or open wound. To a patient, a secondary superbug infection means additional ailment, longer stay in hospital and additional costs. Understaffing in hospitals facilitates easy transmission of staph infections within the premises. Besides medical instruments, doctors and nurses too become carriers of Staph. A solution to this problem lies in appointing a hand-hygiene co-ordinator, arranging recorded messages urging people to wash their hands and installing ultra-violet light boxes to check washed hands for missed bacteria. It is alarming that MRSA has developed resistance against stronger drugs like vancomycin. But, as doctors say, it is something that needs more than adqequate attention today.

Satyam stutters at box office

By Francis P Barclay

Published in The Hindu's Ergo, Chennai, on August 17, 2008

Satyam is rather a muddled composition of individual scenes than a movie, with strenuous but thoughtless efforts. For the first few minutes, you feel like you are watching Kaaka Kaaka again. Four cops are assigned an ‘encounter’ job and they dart out on their mission.
The hero is introduced, ACP Satyam, similar to ACP Anbuselvan. But there is a twist: he prevents his colleagues from carrying out the ‘encounter’. A series of punch dialogues follow, including a dig at Vikram’s Samy: “Naan porikki illa police,” the hero clarifies.
The racy action then paves way to the child stars and for a while you think you are watching a kids’ film. Deiva (Nayanthara), a reporter, becomes their sworn enemy. Vishal sheds the khaki robe and dons superhero costumes to dance with the kids.
In Home Alone style, the kids torment Deiva. Satyam and the heroine are portrayed as enemies for sometime. But suddenly you find out that they have become lovers.
Only, you don’t know when and how. Similar abrupt cuts in the storyline mar the flow of the movie, leaving you confused all the way. A sudden flow of punch dialogues and song sequences in the most unwarranted places add to the muddle.
In the intro, Nayan is said to be a television journalist. For a few moments, you find her around Satyam with a camcorder. Otherwise, she is an idler. Her role is not clearly portrayed, though her screen presence is overwhelming.
Vishal, too, looks stunning with his six-pack abs. He is attractive, and his stunts, though with explicit graphic intrusions, are appreciable. But again there is a volleyball stunt which closely resembles the one in the Rajinikanth-cropper Baba. It is evident that Vishal has put in a lot of effort but the script leaves a lot to be desired.
It seems Vishal liked to don the khaki robe and the film just fulfils his wish. The children and Nayan’s accomplice, Prem G. Amaran, manage to evoke laughter at some places but he could have been used a bit more. Upendra too.
The Kannada superstar makes his entry into Kollywood but under easy-to-forget circumstances. People could have at least kept this on their minds while etching his role. After a hyped introduction, the strength of his role wanes steadily.
Comedian Senthil reprises his role from Kamal Hassan blockbuster Indian as RTO Pannerselvam. Harris Jayaraj, in his 25th movie, ends up creating noise more than music. In short, Satyam fails to live up to the hype it generated.

The debate over condom wrappers

By Francis P Barclay

Published in The Hindu's Ergo, Chennai, on July 31, 2008

While campaigns advertising the use of condoms are getting vigorous and animated, a recent PIL filed at the Madurai bench of Madras High Court raises an interesting debate: should obscenity be allowed on condom wrappers; and more importantly who decides the standards.In abusinessman from Madurai filed the PIL seeking a ban on obscene visuals on packages and advertisements of the condoms, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court ruled that condom manufacturers cannot market their products “indiscriminately” with obscene visuals.
His complaint is that obscene visuals on condom packages create a wrong impression about condoms, primarily medical products and not inducers of sexual desire. What is the strategy behind the use of such visuals on condom wrappers? Are they necessary or not?
“It is actually a tricky issue,” says sexologist G. Sampath Kumar, adding that the obscene visuals on condom wrappers act as a “stimulating factor” of sex. “Premarital sex has become a commonplace phenomenon and there are many factors that induce it,” he points out.
Another city-based sexologist points out: “Ladies, especially those sexually active, carry contraceptives with them. Levels of awareness on sex and related issues are also high among the IT professionals who lead lavish and swanky lifestyles.”
“Certainly when people are exposed to obscene visuals, they are tempted to have sex. Condoms come in myriad shapes, types, sizes and flavours claiming to enhance sexual pleasure. And pictures to suit each of them,” he says, adding that condom wrappers are disposed carelessly and they even land in the hands of children sometimes.
However, he agrees that condom promotion is crucial now and adds that instead of using those visuals on the wrapper, they can be used on the inner foil. “Condoms are used even by illiterates and the visuals attract them.”
Finding obscene visuals unnecessary on condom packages, Dr. Amudha Hari, gynaecologist and critic on sex-related issues, makes it clear that condoms are primarily contraceptives, a medical device. It is used to avoid spread of STD (sexually transmitted diseases) and pregnancy.
In fact, she adds, the naked pictures on the wrappers make people feel that condoms are rather sexual inducers and pleasure boosters. Due to this, the consumers are diffident to ask for it in shops. “Instead of using pictures of naked people on bed, they can use the space to create awareness on condoms and tell about the advantages of its use.”
Though the court noted that the right to carry on business is subject to reasonable restrictions that could be imposed in the interest of decency and morality, it said that it is difficult for the court to fix standards of decency and morality and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self-regulatory voluntary organisation of the advertising industry, would be in a better position to deal with the issue.
But the Council told Ergo that it has not received any complaint on condom wrappers so far. “After a consumer lodges a complaint with us, we will place it before the Consumer Complaints Council for discussion,” said Alan Collaco, Secretary General, ASCI.

`Miffed’ Cheran spits venom

By Francis P Barclay

Published in The Hindu's Ergo, Chennai, on July 31, 2008

“I want to quit movies and return to my village,” director-actor Cheran exploded at an audio release function in Namma Chennai on Wednesday. Venting his ire against what he termed as “false and derogatory” reporting by a section of the vernacular media, Cheran lashed out on the stage of the audio release function of upcoming “Raman Thediya Seethai” at Santham Cinemas.
The function itself had proceeded on an acclamatory tone with several leading actors and directors praising the cast and crew for their offbeat cinema. But little did they realise what was to come from the “yathaartha nayagan” (the recent title of ‘realistic hero’ bestowed upon Cheran).
Referring to reports that he was in “friendly” terms with co-artist Padmapriya and that he had creative differences with the movie’s director Jaganath, who had once been his assistant, Cheran called the journalists “baadungala” (Tamil slang).
He continued his diatribe even as a section of the media voiced their dissent. “I am an honest person and I don’t know why people don’t like me to grow.”
Saying that Jaganath and he were in healthy terms, he said: “I am one of his well wishers and the difference between us was not over the screenplay of this movie as published. Instead of getting caught in these controversies, I would rather return to my village and breathe fresh air.”
Irked over his speech, the mediapersons prepared to leave when Jaganath was giving his address. Cheran returned to the mike again to apologise for his speech, making it clear that his condemnation was “an honest one against false media reports.” But the function ended there abruptly.
Earlier, president of Tamil Film Producers’ Council Ramanarayan released the audio CD and Kalaipuli S Dhanu received the first copy, following which three songs of the movie were played at the Santham theatre. Words of praises and wishes echoed through the auditorium as the guests were mouthing kudos to the music director.
Actors Prakashraj, Bharath, Srikant and Sibiraj were among the special invitees. There was also a huge contingent of directors: Balu Mahendran, K.S.Ravikumar, Ameer, Bhagyaraj and Vasanth.
Music director Vidyasagar, producers G. Dhananjayan of Moser Baer Entertainment and K. Ramesh of Global One studios and three of the five heroines of the movie were present at the function.
While Pasupathi and Nithin Sathya assume lead roles in the movies, Karthika, Vimala Raman, Ramya Nambeesan, Navya Nair and Gajala feature as heroines. Vidyasagar, who is famed for his dulcet melodies, has also sung a song for the movie.