BPL For Women: Employee Insights

Last 5 years, the women workforce in India rose from 21% to 30% now. It’s possible to have a job and enjoy it too.

It’s 2020, and many women are now eager to work in the professional sectors. There are many examples of women leading the way. And I know that many companies are now opening their doors to promote gender equality. Do you know that from the last 5 years, the women’s workforce in India rose from 21%-30%?

As a woman, I know that working for a company may still seem difficult. Trust me, it’s entirely possible to work in a company and have work-life balance too! When I started working with BPL Med Tech, I had many concerns, but my team felt me welcome from the early stages.

Sometimes, I was the only lady on the team, and I felt safe to work in the company to express my opinions. The team is supportive, and we used to celebrate many events together, and we had good team bonding. As a company with 50 plus years of experience in this field, I was delighted to work with this team.

Kudos to the management for their help in recruiting more women on the team! Senior leadership shared our concerns and genuinely helped us to overcome any challenges. When it came to updating my skills, like learning MS Excel, management approved my request.

When I shared my ideas, management was open to receive them and work on them. We were noticed when we provided excellent work and management made it a point to share our positive attitude with others.

We had the freedom to create our own report style if the work demanded, management was open to receive new ways. We had to learn a lot of things on the job, and yes it takes some time, like any other company you need to have some patience.

I know that work-life balance is vital for everyone, and I am happy to state the BPL Med Tech team is supportive of the same. We were able to manage our office time and were able to have Saturday off, which was really lovely.

Overall, excellent learning and safe experience. I thank BPL Med Tech team from the bottom of my heart, and as a woman, you can definitely have a great experience here!

March 27, 2020 0

It’s Time to End Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is an often-overlooked disease. Many might question the importance of learning more about this illness. However, a lack of awareness and preparedness can cause this disease to fast spiral out of control, affecting many immunocompromised communities.

So what is tuberculosis, or TB?

TB is a communicable disease brought about in people by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. It mainly influences the lung and affects other organs of the body. In the case of latent tuberculosis, TB-infected patients don’t tend to show any symptoms.

TB IN INDIA

In 2018, the WHO (World Health Organization) estimated that over 2.69 million people in India were affected by tuberculosis, at the rate of 199 per 1,00,000 people. Currently, India contributes about a quarter of the world’s TB patients. According to TB Facts, India also has approximately 79,000 multi-drug resistant TB patients. India falls in the list of high-burden countries, a list of countries that have higher counts of infected patients and have been prioritized on a global level.

WHY IS AWARENESS IMPORTANT

Tuberculosis still poses a great global health burden on medical facilities around the world. With over a quarter of the world infected with this disease, it is crucial to increase awareness to stop the spread of the illness. However, current surveys quantify that the degree of awareness about TB prevention is only around 63%.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The main symptoms of TB include persistent cough, consistent weight loss, loss of appetite, and coughing up blood.

THE RISK FACTORS

The risk factors for getting prone to TB infections are high due to the infectious nature of the disease. The following people are at risk:

People in close contact with a TB-infected patient

People with a poor immune response system

People affected by habitual diseases like diabetes and kidney disorders

Cancer patients going through chemotherapy.

With the spread of this highly communicable disease on a rise, the WHO Europe, along with the UN, are working in close partnership to help countries speed up testing and response times. In December 2019, the Government of India created a national framework for a gender-responsive approach towards eradicating TB in India. As a key signatory of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, India has pledged to achieve its goal of a TB-free India by 2025. In the proposed 2020-2021 budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman advocated for expanding Jan Aushadhi Kendras to all districts of the country to provide medicines at affordable rates. If you have any more questions about tuberculosis awareness in India, you can visit the Central Tuberculosis Division’s website.

So this March 24^th, on World TB Day, let’s make a commitment to reducing the stigma around tuberculosis and working towards a happier and healthier future.

March 23, 2020 0

Heart-Healthy Valentine

It’s Valentine’s Day, and, American Heart Month! It’s the perfect time to take stock of your heart. Due to its place as the center of your cardiovascular system, maintaining good heart health can have a positive impact on your body’s daily functions, and making some healthy choices that will help reduce the risk of heart disease in your future

One of the easiest things you can do for your cardiovascular health is adopting a healthier diet. Doctors suggest making the following changes:

Eating healthy fats: Educate yourselves on the differences between healthy fats and trans fats. Trans fats can clog your arteries, lower good cholesterol levels (LDL), while raising the bad cholesterol levels (HDL). Trans fats are often referred to as partially hydrogenated fats, so try choosing 0 trans fats. Some examples of healthy fats are avocados, olive oil, and canola oil
Go lean: Pick meats without fat or skin, and choose to cook them by baking, broiling, or roasting. Lean cuts can also be pan-fried or stir-fried, so there are enough ways to maintain the flavor while cutting down the unhealthiness
Limit salt: A low-sodium or no-salt diet can be a particularly effective way of lowering the risk of heart disease. A simple way of doing so is to reduce the amount of processed or canned foods you eat on a daily basis

However, diet is just one way to minimize any potential risks. Doctors suggest lowering stress and increasing physical activity can be great ways of improving overall health, thus helping keep you disease-free for a long time. A start can be trying to move more, and not spending too much time sitting in one spot.

Another very important action can be to reduce your exposure to tobacco, even if it’s through secondhand smoke. People with high blood pressure or cholesterol should be especially careful, as they are at higher risk for developing heart disease, as chemical present in cigarette smoke can increase the plaque buildup in the arteries.

There are other steps you can adopt to ensure that your heart stays healthy for a long time. Focusing on your mental health, getting the right amount of sleep for your body, reducing your dairy intake, and even practicing good dental hygiene, can help you stay good at heart, both physically and emotionally. So this Valentine’s Day, commit to making your heart happier!

February 14, 2020 0

Coronavirus: What You Need to Know!

Background
On 31^st December 2019, reports of a new virus originating in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China spread across the world. The Chinese authorities identified this strain as coronavirus, part of a family of viruses usually cause upper respiratory diseases, from the common cold to rarer diseases like SARS and MERS. Due to the nature of this virus, most people may have experienced some low-level symptoms at some point in their lives, from runny noses, headaches, coughs, fever and a general feeling of being unwell.

Current Status

As of January 2020, this latest outbreak of the virus has been named 2019-nCoV. This latest strain also confirms that human-to-human transmission is possible, with the current toll of infected people has hit close to 6,000 people, mostly in China. At the moment, the range of severity of this disease is causing concern- people suffering from poor health appear to be at greater risk of some of the more serious symptoms, while others have only experienced mild illness.

Symptoms

This virus causes pneumonia, with patients suffering from cough, fevers, and difficulties in breathing. The typical incubation period for this between two to ten days, and starts with a general feeling of being unwell. Depending on the severity of the infection, there can be organ failure, respiratory failure, or even death.

Should You Be Concerned?

Unless you’ve recently traveled to China, or have come in contact with someone who has just returned from there, you are at low risk for contracting this disease. So should you experience any cold or cough-like symptoms, treat them as you normally would and do not panic. If you’d still prefer to take further precautions, you can get the flu vaccine, and should you start feeling sick, stay away from others and follow strict hygiene procedures till you feel better.

February 1, 2020 0

Cervical Cancer- Everything You Want to Know

As soon as you hear the word ‘cancer’, there is a sense of panic that sets in. No one would wish for themselves or any of their friends/relatives to suffer from a disease like cervical cancer. However, you would do well to note that most cases of cervical cancer are preventable with the aid of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccination as well as appropriate screening. Now what is this HPV and how is it related to cervical cancer? All that is lacking amongst the audience is appropriate awareness about cervical cancer. During this Cervical Health Awareness Month (January is designated as one), let us know more about the risk associated with cervical cancer as well as its prevention.

What is Cervical Cancer and How is it Caused?

HPV is a highly common infection that is known to spread through sexual activities, and most people suffer from cervical cancer due to this virus infection. While many people have this infection without even knowing about it, not all of them (HPV infected population) suffer from cervical cancer.

Majority of the deaths (around 90%) caused by cervical cancer happen in low and middle- income nations. This mortality rate can be reduced with the help of prevention, early diagnosis, appropriate screening and, effective treatment programs.

How can Cervical Cancer be Prevented?

HPV vaccination at the right stage can prevent a person from suffering from cervical cancer.

Early Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer

Effective screening tests for cervical cancer can detect abnormal growth of cells at an early stage before those cells turn into cancer. These regular screenings can be followed up with appropriate care to prevent cervical cancer. Some of the popular screening tests for cervical cancer include HPV testing, VIA (Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid) and Cytology.

Having said that, screening options for cervical cancer may not be available in all the countries, and also it may not be possible for every person to keep doing these tests without understanding or detecting the symptoms of cervical cancer.

Common Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Some of these might include the following:

Pain in the back, leg or pelvic and maybe a swollen leg
Vaginal discomfort and odorous (smelly) discharge
Vaginal bleeding (after sexual intercourse) that occurs irregularly, between periods, and is not normal
Loss of appetite, fatigue, and weight loss

What is the Treatment for Cervical Cancer?

Once someone is detected with abnormal cells or precancerous modifications through screening tests, that person needs to undergo follow-up, diagnosis as well as treatment to avoid cervical cancer from setting in or growing to an advanced stage.

BPL ColpoView C1 is a device with an LED lighting system & powerful data management software for the cervical examination, which helps gynecologists in detecting and treating precancerous lesions.

Depending on the complexity or stage of cancer, various treatment methods can be applied. If you are at a cervical pre-cancer stage, LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) or Cryotherapy can prove to be useful.

Most Important things to Keep in Mind for Cervical Cancer Awareness

You can educate others around you to go for HPV shots (vaccine) at a pre-teenage after consulting doctors. Check if you can get hold of any insurance that covers the screening tests for cervical cancer. Keep in mind the symptoms, and note that HPV infection mainly arises out of sexual activity.

January 28, 2020 0

Top Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle in 2020

2020 has begun and many of us have tried to make new resolutions for the year – with fitness being a must in this new decade. Many of us tend to relate fitness with only workouts at the gym, but forget that overall health revolves around a lot of other factors related to eating, drinking, sleeping, physical activity, mental activity, and more. So, what are the things you need to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle in 2020? Let us discuss some of these healthy living tips below.

6 Best Ways for Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

1. Consistent Physical Activity

Going for swimming sessions or a game of football/cricket every Sunday morning may not be enough to keep your body active, especially when the rest of the week you are sitting for the whole day at work in front of your laptop / PC. Aim for consistency in any physical activity that you do. To avoid boredom, involve yourself in a variety of physical activities on a regular basis – which may be hitting the gym, or going for a swim, or going for a round on cycle, or even playing a game of cricket or football on the turf.

2. Eating at Regular Intervals

Before we dwell on what you should eat and what you shouldn’t, it is important to ensure that you eat something at regular intervals of time. Regardless of how busy you are, do not keep your stomach empty for a long duration.

3. Sleep Well

Ensure your body gets enough sleep on a daily basis. If for some reason you couldn’t sleep for at least 7 hours at night, make sure you have good sleep on the following night. A good night’s sleep will ensure you stay active the whole day and will even improve your efficiency and productivity at work and otherwise.

4. Own Your Mornings

Many of you will give the excuse of lack of time to do any physical activity or maybe to give attention to your own body. Aim to sleep early around 11 p.m. and wake up by 6 a.m. on most days of the week. Keep aside the time from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. for yourself and engage in a few minutes of walking, yoga, cycling, or even a quick yet effective HIIT workout at the gym. This habit shall ensure that your body and your mind stays active for a longer amount of time.

5. Healthy Eating Habits

Have a wholesome breakfast in the morning comprising of idlis or egg omelettes or similar hot food items, along with cereals/oats/muesli, dry fruits, and a glass of milk or fresh fruit juice. Make sure you consume at least two fruits and some salad every day. Drink 2-3 glasses of warm water immediately after waking up in the morning, and drink a minimum of 11 to 12 glasses of water throughout the day. Ensure that your dinner is the lightest meal of the day, and make sure you have it before 8:30 p.m. every day.

6. Prepare Yourself for Tougher Physical Challenges

To keep yourself motivated throughout the year to indulge in physical activities and a healthier diet, try involving your family/ friends in your fitness journey. Try group activities like marathons, hikes, or treks to bring an element of fun and competition into fitness, so you’re always feeling engaged and challenged!

By integrating these tips into your lifestyle, you’ll find yourself loving its positive effects on your overall well-being. So try it out and start 2020 on the right foot!

January 20, 2020 1

Childcare During Pregnancy

The experiences of a woman during her pregnancy are both exciting as well as nervous. If you are someone who has gone through pregnancy or are currently going through one, you would understand the anxiety you have to just ensure everything about the baby (in your growing belly) is perfect! It is normal to be anxious, but it is also necessary to focus on the things in your hand – like eating healthy foodstuffs, keeping your body active and fit, and keeping your mind stress-free.

Let us touch upon these points in brief before we discuss ways to check the heartbeats of the baby after the initial few weeks of pregnancy.

Wholesome Diet

You will crave for different kinds of food items during pregnancy, and you may consume them subject to approval from your gynaecologist. Additionally, you need to ensure that you do consume enough fruits, vegetables, dry fruits, etc. to have an appropriate intake of protein, carbohydrates, calcium, minerals, and fats, that are required for you and the baby.

Body Fitness

Do not stop working just because you are pregnant. Keep yourself engaged in your office work and household work, as well as try and go for early morning walks to get fresh air into the body.

The well-being of the Baby

As you happen to read more about how to bond well with the baby as well as know everything is OK with the baby, you will come to know about the ability of certain devices to help you hear the heartbeats of your baby. How wonderful is that experience going to be? For the initial period of your pregnancy (before the baby starts kicking), these heartbeats will perhaps be the only way by which you identify the baby. This is when you will bump into words like ‘fetal doppler’, which is a hand-held, ultrasound device that is used by practitioners to enable you to hear the heartbeat of the baby during prenatal checkups/appointments.

How does the Fetal Doppler Work?

It makes use of sound waves to enable you to detect the heartbeats of the baby and make you hear the same. To start off, the device sends out high-frequency sound waves that get reflected from various tissues. Once the doppler is able to detect a heartbeat, it manages to convert the same into an auditory signal – so the doctor and you can hear the heartbeat. Isn’t this exciting for the to-be parents of the baby?

A reliable fetal doppler is offered by BPL Medical Technologies along with an LCD display so that the doctor can monitor the heart rate accurately. It makes sense to use the doppler under the guidance of the doctor so that he/she can guide you to look at the necessary things and hear the heartbeat in the best way possible.

December 30, 2019 0

Defibrillators: What Do They Do?

In this digital age, we seem to have more options for entertainment and recreation. However, our hectic lifestyle and inconsistent food habits have made us vulnerable to several diseases and some severe conditions like cardiac arrests.

Gone are the days when only people with cholesterol and heart problems suffer from cardiac arrests. There are several cases of Sudden Cardiac Arrests (SCAs) and millions of Indians seem to succumb to this, sometimes without any obvious health warnings. When SCA occurs, the heart of the person stops beating/functioning abruptly. If this situation is not handled immediately, it can lead to the death of the individual. These SCAs are caused due to a condition called as Ventricular Fibrillation (VF). In such conditions, it is mandatory to get the heart ‘defibrillated’ as soon as possible – as the chances of survival for the person (suffering from SCA) decreases by 7 to 10% for every minute lost (and in which normal heartbeat is not restored).

Clearly, minutes (or even seconds) stand between you remaining alive and you giving up your life to a SCA. This is where a portable device like Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can help you. These AEDs enable you to save a life within a few minutes.

What exactly does an Automated External Defibrillator do?

The good part about an AED medical device is that it is easy to operate, equipped with automated voice controls, and relatively light in weight to carry around. So, you can easily keep it in your medical emergency kit (in an ambulance or other first-response vehicles) and use it whenever the situation arises with the help of the voice commands.

AEDs are known to deliver an electric shock via the chest, to the heart. This kind of shock is used to potentially halt an irregular heartbeat and resume a normal heartbeat, after the occurrence of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).

Steps to Effectively Use Automated External Defibrillators

1. With the help of electrodes, the AED checks the person’s heart rhythm and determines if defibrillation is required.

2. If heart rhythm is irregular and defibrillation is needed, the voice command will instruct the device user (rescuer) to press the ‘Shock’ button.

3. Once the shock is given, the heart stops all activities for a moment and gets the chance to resume normal heartbeats.

4. The user simply has to follow the rest of the steps as per the voice commands.

The AEDs (also known as Public Access Defibrillators) available at BPL Medical Technologies, can be installed in public places such as malls, theatres, airports, railway stations, bus stations, office buildings, hotels, and so on so that life can be saved just in time when needed. In short, these should be present at locations where someone suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest need not depend on timely help from a doctor. They are so compact that they can be strategically placed outside elevators, inside cafeterias, inside convention centers, near changing rooms at sports venues, in main corridors or reception areas, and more.

December 12, 2019 0

Air Purifier: An alarming need to invest in your health

Where do you spend a major part of your day? Is it at home or in the office? Or maybe you are the third category of people who spend a lot of time on the road (travelling) if your work demands the same? Most of us are likely to belong to the initial two categories – which involves spending maximum time indoors.

You often hear people complain about the deteriorating air quality while travelling outside. But, do you know that the quality of indoor air (at home or office) is much worse than the air outside (as per EPA estimates). The indoor air is susceptible to different kinds of dust particles, germs, and similar micro-sized items, which when inhaled by you can cause allergies, breathing problems and related diseases, and even serious health issues.

This is scary – considering the amount of time you spend at the office for work, and at home for relaxation, unwinding, and getting some much-needed sleep. So, how do you ensure you breathe better quality of air indoors? Invest in a good set of air purifiers – and ensure better health for yourself, your family members, and your office colleagues.

In this post, let us find out how air purifiers can be an effective investment for your health maintenance through purification of indoor air.

What do Air Purifiers Do?

These purifiers comprise of few internal fans that pull the air circulating in your rooms/office space. They start removing airborne germs (bacteria), dust particles, pollen, and so on with the help of well-maintained filters. The purified air is then released back into the rooms/office space. This cycle of air purification keeps repeating at periodic intervals of time – till the time the air purifier is switched ON. Thus, they keep your surroundings free from harmful airborne particles and enable you to breathe relatively fresh and pure air while you are indoors.

Benefits Offered by Air Purifiers

Prevents Dust from Settling

No matter how much cleaning you get done at your home or office, dust will find a way to accumulate and start entering the bodies of people when they inhale air. This dust may come in from the nearby road or playground, or from the nearby construction site, and cause complications like sinus, watering of eyes, pulmonary issues, breathing problems, and so on. The air purifier will trap the dust particles and get rid of most of them before releasing the improved air back to the indoor environment.

Gets Rid of Unpleasant Odour

Apart from removing harmful micro-sized particles from the air, their purifiers also help you to get rid of bad odour coming out of the kitchen (due to specific items being cooked), or from the socks, or from wet clothes. Thus, you need not worry about that bad odour causing cough, nausea or breathing issues.

Decreases Exposure to Harmful Smoke

Smoke – be it from cigarettes or from industries or from vehicle traffic is harmful to the human body as it may cause serious diseases related to the lungs or even aggravate the condition of people suffering from Asthma and any pulmonary complications. Most of the harmful particles that emerge out from such smoke emissions can be removed with the help of air purifiers.

Keeps You Safe from Your Beloved Pets

You may think how can your healthy pet cause health issues to you. Well, many of those furry animals release airborne dander and similar allergens into the environment that can have a negative impact on your lungs over a long period of time. By using air purifiers, you can negate the impact of these airborne allergens coming out from your pet!

The above-listed are few of the benefits offered by an air purifying device. Most importantly, you can consider themselves as a must for a healthier lifestyle in home and office environments. BPL Medical Technologies has a wide range of compact and effective air purifiers, and you can browse through a variety of them here.

November 29, 2019 0

Category: News