Govt launches device to screen hearing problems in newborns
NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at providing affordable medical devices, the Centre has launched an innovative device to screen hearing disabilities among newborns. The device named Sohum is a low-cost and unique device that uses brainstem auditory evoked response to check for hearing response in a newborn.
“As of now, this technology is prohibitively expensive and inaccessible to many. Start-up Sohum has made the technology appropriate for the resource constrained settings and aims to cater to nearly 26 million babies born every year in India,” Minister of State for Science and Technology YS Chowdary said, adding that it’s a valuable contribution to the Make in India campaign of the government.
This programme is being implemented jointly at AIIMS and IIT Delhi in collaboration with international partners, while Biotech Consortium India Limited has been tasked to manage techno-legal activities of the programme. The newborn hearing screening device has been developed by School of International Biodesign (SIB) start-up Sohum Innovation Labs.
“Given that out of total 8 lakh hearing impaired babies born annually across the globe, nearly 1 lakh are born in the country and if the disability gets detected soon after the birth, it can be cured,” Renu Swarup, a senior official in Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said, adding that when it is discovered at 4+ years, it’s too late to reverse the damage and this leads to a host of problems such as impaired communication skills and even possible mental illness.
“The device would prove to be a great help for poor people as it’s very affordable and provides better screening results. The government is hoping that the device would help in curing hearing disabilities among newborns at earlier stage only,” she said. NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a member secretary, Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee, in a bribery case of Rs one lakh
A case was registered on July 17 under section 7 of PC Act, 1988 against the Member Secretary, Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee on a complaint from the proprietor of private firm. It was alleged that a show-cause notice was issued to the complainant by said public servant regarding revoking of consent issued to the complainant earlier on December 6, 2016. After having received the show-cause notice, the complainant met the Member Secretary several times to explain his version but the said public servant did not hear him properly. It was also alleged that the complainant along with three other persons, with similar issue, met the member secretary for the said purpose and during the meeting, the public servant demanded bribe of Rs 50,000 each for not taking any adverse action. However, subsequently, the alleged bribe amount was reduced to Rs 25,000 each i.e. total Rs one lakh from four businessmen including the complainant, who was asked by the member secretary to deliver the said bribe amount.
CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red handed while accepting bribe of Rs one lakh. Search was conducted at the residence of accused in Chandigarh which led to recovery of cash of Rs 2 lakh(approx) and certain documents pertaining to properties and bank accounts. The arrested accused was produced in the Court of Special Judge, CBI Cases, Chandigarh, on Tuesday.