Health and demographic indicators of selected districts of India: An impact of Swasthya Rakshan Programme (SRP).

Swasthya Rakshan Programme (SRP) provides health care services through Ayurveda, an initiative of the Government of India that aims to survey and create alertness of essential health appliances to ameliorate society from its grassroots level. The present study aimed to survey the prevailing health standards of residents in certain districts of India and to record the prevalence of diseases among them according to their living conditions, food habits, lifestyle, education, occupation and other socio-economic status. Data was collected through a community-based cross-sectional survey conducted from April 2018 to March 2019 in 22 Districts of 19 states in India. A stratified multi-stage sampling design was adopted for the survey. Documentation of demographic profile, food habits, lifestyle, hygiene status, and existing health conditions was assessed. A pre-designed semi-structured questionnaire was used for the collection of the data. Before initiating the programme, written consent was obtained. In this study, from 162 selected villages/colonies/areas, a total of 562,913 population and 81,651 households were surveyed. Sixty-nine thousand three hundred nineteen patients were cared for various ailments through health camps. The study found that the most prevalent disease in the concerned population was 'Sandhivata' (Osteo-arthritis), that is, 43.0%, followed by 'Dourbalya' (Debility), that is, 11.7%. The study includes insightful analyses of comprehensive demographic and health indicators classified by various socio-economic categories. The collected data regarding the prevalence of diseases with their sociodemographic correlations may provide a better understanding of the locality and thus may help in all future health endeavours.

Efficacy and Safety of Ayurveda interventions in the management of conjunctivitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva. Although data on clinical efficacy and safety of various ayurvedic treatments in conjunctivitis is published, systematic review is not done. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ayurvedic treatments in conjunctivitis. METHODS: A literature search of the Cochrane Library (Cochrane central register of controlled trials: issue 6 of 12, June 2018), Pub Med, AYUSH research portal (Govt. of India), DHARA portal, Google scholar and online clinical trials registers was done. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-randomized controlled trials (QRCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs) and multiple arms clinical trials were identified in which Ayurveda treatments with any dose, type, schedule, drug, dosage form, and advised Pathayapathya (lifestyle changes) were selected. RESULTS: We identified 13 eligible RCTs, five CCTs and two multiple arms clinical trials which includes a total of 816 participants. Meta analysis of data from five trials showed that ayurvedic treatments benefitted more compared with non-ayurveda interventions in symptoms like itching (SMD = -0.98, 95% CI (-1.30,-0.65) p < 0.00001, I2 = 38%), pain (SMD = -0.57, 95% CI (-0.87, -0.29, P = 0.0001, I2 = 0%), ropy discharge (SMD = -1.02, 95% CI(-1.45, -0.59), P < 0.00001, I2 = 0%), conjunctival congestion (SMD = -0.67, 95% CI (-0.91, -0.43), p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%), foreign body sensation (SMD = -0.68, 95% CI(-1.06, -0.29), p = 0.0006, I2 = 46%, Fig. 8) and lid heaviness (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI(- 0.98, -0.33), p < 0.0001, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Although some findings confirm the benefit of ayurveda as opposed to non ayurveda for the treatment of conjunctivitis, since the studies have high risk of bias and are of lower quality, the findings could not be generalized. There is a need for high quality studies in ayurveda in this regard. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42019129436.

Dhatri Lauha in the management of iron deficiency anemia: A prospective open-label single-arm multi-center trial.

Background: The burden of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) remains persistently high in India due to the poor tolerability of oral iron supplementation. Therefore, more focus is required to explore traditional medicine for safe and effective options for managing IDA. Aim: To assess the clinical safety and efficacy of Dhatri Lauha in patients with IDA. Materials and methods: An open-label, prospective, single-arm, multi-center trial was conducted at 12 centers with a sample size of 40 participants per study site. Patients with IDA aged 18-60 years with hemoglobin levels in the range of 6-10gm/dl, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) <80 fl, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) <34 µg/dl, serum ferritin <30 µg/dl and serum iron <50 µg/dl were included in the study. Dhatri Lauha 500 mg capsule was administered twice daily with lukewarm water after meals for 45 days. The primary outcome measure was the change in hemoglobin (Hb%) level from baseline to day 45. Secondary outcome measures included the change in MCV, MCHC, serum iron and ferritin levels, incidence of adverse events, and change in safety parameters (liver and kidney function tests). The mean (statistical) change in outcome measures from baseline to day 45 was compared using a paired sample t-test. Results: Out of 458 participants enrolled in the study, 400 contributed to the final analysis. A significant difference was observed in the outcome parameters such as Hb%, MCV, MCHC, serum ferritin, and serum iron levels (P < 0.001) after 45 days of treatment. Mean Hb% changed from 8.46 ± 1.14 g/dl at baseline to 9.18 ± 1.61 g/dl on day 45 (P < 0.001). LFT and KFT were within the normal limits after the study period. No participant withdrew from the study due to adverse events. Conclusions: Dhatri Lauha is a safe intervention and can be expected to improve hemoglobin levels, red blood cell parameters, and iron stores in patients with IDA. Future RCTs with a larger sample size, standard care as control and a longer follow-up may produce more accurate and reliable results.