Sustainable Nitte

GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

INTODUCTION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

As per Global estimates, the pandemic has halted or reversed the progress made over the past decade in health, especially reproductive, maternal, and child health, and shortened life expectancy. With the rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases along with the emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases, there is an increasing need for countering this trend with good health care, quality health education, and building a healthy society. In this regard, Universities can play a transformative role, and Nitte (DU) has taken the lead in doing it for the past decade. To achieve the goal by 2030, 9 targets were set towards reducing maternal mortality, reducing preventable deaths in newborns and those under five years old, ending epidemics of AIDS, TB, Malaria, and Neglected tropical diseases, combat Hepatitis, and water-borne diseases, reducing premature mortality to Non communicable diseases, promote mental health and wellbeing, strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse and harmful use of alcohol, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, achieve universal health care, reduce deaths and illness due to air, water, soil pollution and contamination, support research and development in vaccines and medicines for communicable and noncommunicable diseases that affect developing countries, increase health financing and recruitment, increase the capacity of developing countries for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.

The proportion of graduates who receive a degree associated with a health-related profession out of total graduates.

• Collaboration with health institutions: local, national, or global.
• Health outreach programs focussing on hygiene, nutrition, family planning, sports, exercise, and aging well.
• Shared sports facilities with the local community.
• Free sexual health care for students including information and educational services.
• Mental health support to students and staff.
• Smoke-free policy on the campus.
• Publications around good health and wellbeing.
• Policies adopted by the Nitte (DU)
• The campus has been declared a Tobacco Free Zone.
• The campus has a Student Wellness Centre for the physical and mental health and well-being of the staff and students of the University.

• Justice KS Hegde Charitable Hospital is a 1000 bedded hospital providing health services at affordable prices since 1999 equipped with 23 specialty and super specialty departments along with allied health departments. It caters to around 3 lakh outpatients and 30000 inpatients in 2022. It is a teaching hospital for KS Hegde Medical Academy with an annual intake of 150 for MBBS during 2022.





• The hospital stands out with its specialty services which include an IVF lab, level-1 sleep lab, comprehensive tissue bank, burns care unit, and a dedicated children’s ICU complex. Growth and community service being its primary motto, new services like radiofrequency ablation therapy, catheterinduced thrombolysis, ERG testing, a menopause clinic, and a childbirth education unit are now available in the hospital. The hospital has also received licenses for liver transplant, amnion transplant, bone marrow transplant, and skin and bone tissue transplant. To add to the credit, the hospital is now recognized as an adverse drug reaction monitoring center under PVPI, an approved training center for advanced trauma & life support (ATLS) course of the American College of Surgeons and Emergency Abdominal Surgery Course. The Central laboratory and the Virology laboratory of the hospital are NABL accredited. The hospital underwent the final assessment of NABH and is in the process of getting accredited. The hospital has also introduced PACS and Electronic medical records as an initiative to go green. The hospital takes pride as one of the first hospitals in the district to start telemedicine services, and medicine delivery services during the COVID pandemic. It is also the first hospital to receive DCGI approval for starting Convalescent Plasma Therapy and the first hospital to start a Comprehensive Post COVID Care Clinic in the coastal region.
• Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital has also been certified by the National Accreditation for Hospitals and Health Care Providers (NABH) and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for providing excellent patient care, safety, and quality.





• AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences is a 425 chaired with comprehensive diagnostic, curative, and rehabilitative care. Established in 1985, A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences is recognized by the Dental Council of India and the Malaysian Dental Council. It is an affiliate of Okayama University Dental School, Japan, and an academic mentor to Oman Dental College Sultanate of Oman. In association with the Smile Train Organization, USA, and Cleft Children International, Switzerland, the institution has the unique distinction of being at the forefront of treatment & research in cleft lip and palate & other craniofacial anomalies in the country. The Institution also has MoUs with Radboud University, The Netherlands, and the Universite de Paul Sabatier, France for faculty and student exchanges. Following the motto ‘Service to Humanity’ and ‘Dental Healthcare Delivery at the Doorstep’, the college has established a network of 21 Rural Dental Health Centres since 1991, spread over a radius of 150km. It is a matter of great pride that the college is ranked 6th in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2022 by MHRD, GoI among the Dental Colleges in India. It is ranked 3rd among the Private Dental Colleges in India (The Week magazine’s ‘Hansa Research Survey 2021’). The Institution enjoys the distinct honor of being conferred with ‘The Best Community Dental Service Activities Award’ among all the dental colleges in the country, by the International College of Dentists, USA on several occasions for promoting good Oral Health and hygiene among the public and providing free dental treatment to the rural and underprivileged section of the society. The institution was awarded ‘The Best Outreach Program Award’ by the Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry at the National Level in the years 2017 & 2020. The institution has also bagged the coveted ‘Sushruta Award’ for the Best Community Outreach Program at the National level instituted by the IDA Head Office. The Institution has made a foray into the Limca Book Records 2020-22 for ‘The Maximum Number of Complete Dentures Fabricated and Delivered in a Single Day’. 149 completely edentulous needy patients were given complete dentures in a single day free of cost. The concept of ‘Single Day Denture Camps’ was conceptualized for the first time in the county way back in the year 1991 by A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences. The Institution has recently introduced an ‘Interns Exit Assessment’ to assess the attitude, knowledge & skill levels of the intern
• The University also has separate educational institutions of Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Speech/ hearing, Science, education, and research.







• The university also runs 21 outreach health centres in various locations in 3 districts providing medical and dental health services to around 200000 people every year. The centers provide free medicines to all the patients along with health/ dental/ laboratory services at affordable prices.













• The family adoption programme is being run by the university where more than 1000 families in and around the hospital have been adopted. They have been provided with health care services at affordable cost.





• Health insurance schemes for individuals and families have been provided through JKSHCH at affordable cost.





• Justice KS Hegde Charitable Hospital was awarded Best Charitable Hospital in Karnataka by News 18 on 29th June 2022.







• Nitte (DU) has a Healthy university goal aspiring to create a learning environment and organizational culture that enhances health, wellbeing, and sustainability. The UK Healthy Universities Network supports its members to develop and implement ‘whole university’ approaches to health, wellbeing, and sustainability. It is part of a global movement calling upon higher education institutions to:

  - Incorporate health and sustainability into their mission, vision, and strategic plans

  - Lead and drive change in society by modeling, testing, and transferring innovative approaches.

  - Nitte (DU) being an associate member of The UK Healthy Universities Network, is actively working towards achieving its objectives by creating a learning environment and organizational culture that enhances the health, wellbeing, and sustainability of its community and enables people to achieve their full potential.

• Students of Nitte (DU) have access to comprehensive healthcare facilities at the Teaching Hospital attached to the University.

  - Preferential free/subsidized access to out-patient services, investigations, and treatment

  - Free dental care

  - Annual free health check-ups

  - Immunization services for students of health professions programs

  - Student Wellness Centre for promoting positive mental health.

  - Sexual and reproductive healthcare services.

  - Help for substance dependence (including nicotine, alcohol, and other substances)

• Awareness and health education programs on sexual and reproductive health are conducted for students and staff. Free counseling and referral services are provided if required while maintaining confidentiality. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Justice KS Hegde Charitable Hospital, the teaching hospital attached to the University, offers family planning, antenatal and postnatal care, general gynecology, infertility services, and cancer screening for gynecological oncology.
• NITTE (DU) has collaborations with the University of Minnesota, Wake Forest University, Penn State University, and Canterbury Christ Church University.




Research publications
• The university has conducted and published 538 research articles related to health in reputed international and national journals.


Patents and technology transfer
• The University has 22 patents and technology transfer with the Governments of India, Australia, South Africa, and Germany in 2022.


Ph.D. awarded
• A total of 11 PhDs were awarded from the university to candidates who conducted research in the field of Health care.




Extramural research projects
• 35 extramural research projects are ongoing in the university sponsored by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), DSTSERB, RSSDI, and some foreign research institutes.




Ongoing Extramural research projects
• Dr Suchetha Kumari received a grant of INR 13500000 from the Government of Japan for the study titled ‘Studies on Pregnancy, Delivery, and Child Development Pattern in Water contaminated area of India.’
• Dr Usha Sachidananda Adiga received a grant of INR 10000000 for the study titled ‘A liquid Biopsy Panel as A Non-invasive Alternative to Liver Biopsy for NAFLD: A Cross-sectional Study.’
• Dr Indrani Karunasagar received a grant of INR 8900000 from the Swedish Research Council for the study titled ‘Testing the potential of microalgae-bacteria consortium to manage pathogens in cultured shrimps (Indo-Sri Lanka).’
• Dr Anirban Chakraborty received a grant of INR 6500000 for the study titled ‘ The association of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility and severity to COVID-19 in Indian population and validation using zebrafish model system.’
• Dr Indrani Karunasagar received a grant of INR 5500000 for the study titled ‘Lessons for the future: Qualifying and quantifying South Asia’s first widespread ciguatera poisoning outbreak.’
• Dr. Deekshith received a grant of INR 4740248 from ICMR for the study titled ‘Investigating the antimicrobial efficacy of NANOBIOTICS against multidrug-resistant gut pathogens Grant in Aid.’
• Dr Anirban Chakraborty received a grant of 4400000 for the study titled ‘ Combating cancer through alternative approaches: Investigating the antitumor properties of non-typhoidal Salmonella in transgenic zebrafish cancer models.’<\li>
• Dr Gunimala received a grant of INR 4063000 for the study titled ‘ Liquid Biopsy for Lung Cancer: Development of LAMP assays using cell-free DNA for screening of gene mutations that interfere with response to TKIs in patients.’
• Dr Praveen Kumar Shetty received a grant of INR 3964202 from ICMR for the study titled ‘Therapeutic implications of Nutritional supplement short chain fatty acid-butyrate in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis.’
• Dr Bindhu Suma Shekar received a grant of INR 3400000 from ICMR for the study titled ‘A Study on the role of steroidogenesis activating transcription factor 3 in the development of hypospadias on male mice induced by finasteride- A randomized controlled trial.’
• Dr Uchhagi Statyaprasad Akshath received a SERB grant of INR 3270340 for the study titled ‘Target induced core-shell satellite structures creating a polyvalent multifunctional platform for multiplexed detection of nucleic acids.’
• Dr Sudarshan Kini received a grant of INR 3253395 for the study titled ‘Development and characterization of a novel threedimensional biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the assessment of the mechanism of nonmucoid to mucoid strain conversion, virulence, antibiotic resistance, and macrophage immune response.’
• Dr Chaitra S Malli received a grant of INR 3024861 from ICMR for the study titled Development of a sensitive cell-based assay for the detection of a diagnostic biomarker (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody) in Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.‘
• Dr Lekha Pandit received a grant of INR 3000000 from ICMR for the study titled ‘Indian Multiple Sclerosis and Allied Demyelinating Disorders Registry and Research Network.’
• Dr Krishna Kumar received a grant of INR 2672395 from ICMR for the study titled ‘ Elucidation of platelet activation and NLRP- 3 inflammasome response in platelets during invasive vibrio vulnificus infection to understand its potential role in the immunopathogenesis.’
• Dr Biswajit Maiti received a grant of INR 2650000 for the study titled ‘ Deciphering outer membrane protein-based resistance of bacteria to antibiotics and bacteriophage for effective control of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii.’
• Dr Damodar Gowda received a grant of INR 2310252 for the study titled’ A novel dietary approach for fetal programming of major chronic disorders in adult life using Albino Wistar Rats.’
• Dr Jayaprakash Shetty received a grant of INR 2299544 from ICMR for the study titled ‘Validation of RDT KIT for screening of Anaemia among women of childbearing age group at field level in comparing with the gold standard test in the rural area of coastal Karnataka.’
• Dr Gollapalli Pavan received a grant of INR 1830000 from SERB for the study ‘Estimating differential metabolic functionality in antibiotic-resistant Helicobacter pylori through integrated experimental and computational analysis.’
• Dr Uday Venkat Mateti received a grant of INR 1356000 from ICMR for the study titled ‘Impact of pharmacological care on clinical, economic. and health-related quality of life of diabetic foot ulcer patients.’
• Ms Anjana Kaveri B received a grant of INR 1031200 for the study titled ‘Deciphering the molecular transition of cells during epithelial to mesenchymal transition in a co-cultured liver tumoroid model.’
• Dr Divyashree M received a grant of INR 1000000 for the study titled ‘Screening and Production of Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHB) by bacterial strains isolated from hydrocarbon contaminated soil using a metagenomic approach.’
• Ms Roopashree received a grant of INR 1000000 for the study titled ‘Cross-talk Between Medium Chain Fatty Acids and Oncogenic Signal Transduction Pathway in Breast Cancer.’
• Mr Nithin K K received a grant of INR 1000000 for the study titled ‘Short chain fatty acid, butyrate induced miRNA disrupts AnxA2- EGFR signaling axis in the progression of Triple Negative Breast Cancer.’
• Dr Ashwini Chauhan received a DST-SERB grant of INR 236500 for the study titled ‘Bacteriophages and their products for controlling the biofilms of drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.’
• Dr Chaitra D received a grant of INR 200000 from RSSDI for the study titled ‘Polymorphism of Omentin(ITLN1) and Netrin 1 genes and their expression in the diabetic foot.’
• Dr Indrani Karunasagar received an Indo- Norway project grant for the study titled ‘Developing One Health Approach for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance in Humans, animals, and Environments in China and India.’
• Dr Iddya Karunasagar received a grant for the study titled ‘Relationship between arecanut chewing and risk for oral cancer - A community-based study Evaluation of Cellular and organismal cytotoxicity of Arecanut aqueous extract.’
• Dr Murali received a grant for the study ‘To conduct single dose and 28-day repeateddose oral toxicity study for Arthralgex (UPAIN-1) using Wistar rats.’
• Ms Pallavi Bhat A received a DST-Inspire fellowship grant for the study titled ‘Lytic activity of Phage Proteins against multi-drug resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae.’
• Dr Apoorva Kenjar received an ICMR grant for the study titled ‘Lytic activity of Phage Proteins against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii.’
• Mr Nishith Kumar received a grant for the study titled ‘Elucidation of platelet activation and NLRP-3 inflammasome response in platelets during invasive Vibrio vulnificus infection to understand its potential role in immunopathogenesis.’
• Mr Venkadri Adithya received a grant for the study titled ‘ Elucidation drug resistance traits of pathogenic E.coli using infectionrelated in vitro gut conditions.’


Intramural research projects
• The university provided seed money of INR 3459180 towards 64 projects in 2022.


Start-up in Health care
• Dr Biju Thomas has started ‘Dentronics Private Limited’ which is recognized as a start-up by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The startup is working in the Healthcare and Life Sciences industry and Medical devices and Biomedical sector.




Conferences/webinars/symposiums
• International Bioethics, Medicine and Research conference ETHOS 5.0 was held in KS Hegde Medical Academy between 11-13 November 2022 with the theme ‘ Ethics in health science, education and research.





• National conference on Pharmacovigilance and Outcomes research between 2 – 3 December 2022 by NGSMIPS.









• The Nitte Physiotherapy Panacea- International Physiotherapy conference was held between 2–3 December 2022 on the theme ‘Sunny side of Global Physiotherapy Research, practice and education.





• National conference on current concepts in Oral cancer was held between 2-3 February 2022 by the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences in association with the Indian Academy of Oral Medicine and Radiology attended by 969 delegates.
• The Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, in association with the Central Research Laboratory, K S Hegde Medical Academy, Nitte (DU) conducted an Online workshop on “Integrated Geographic Information System (IGIS) Software Training for Health Professionals “for two days Online Workshop from 3rd to 4th November 2022.


Outreach activities
• World Health Day was celebrated by conducting health awareness role plays and exhibitions in association with the State Health Department on 7th April 2022.



• The university has worked as a partner institution in Unnat Bharat Abhiyan which aims to bring about transformational change in the rural development process.
• COVID-19 primary and booster vaccination: JKSHCH has also been actively involved in the COVID-19 vaccination drives in the community along with creating awareness and mitigating the myths. Over 75,000 vaccination doses against COVID-19 were given at the hospital and Mobile Vaccination Camps at the Colleges, Schools, Hotels, Offices, Apartments, and Religious places with active support from other departments and the dental college.
• KSHEMA conducted multiple malnutrition screening camps for school-going children in Puttur taluk in the month of June 2022 covering around 400 children.>





• International Yoga Day was celebrated on 21st June 2022 conducting various competitions and mass yoga exercises by around 150 participants.





• KSHEMA conducted monthly health checkup camps for students staying in Ramakrishna Ashrama with around 200 beneficiaries.





• Anganwadi Health Programme: Anganwadi centers are the focal units for the implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services projects in each block. JKSHCH has conducted 45 activities involving 200 beneficiaries including general Health check-ups and Nutritional Status Assessments for children under the age of 6 years, an immunization Programme, awareness regarding breastfeeding practices, menstrual hygiene, sensitization regarding PCPNDT ACT, and family planning practices.
• Elderly home visits are being conducted every two weeks by Doctors to perform health check-ups and provide free medications for various communicable and non-communicable diseases.







• A cervical cancer screening camp was conducted in Puttur in association with the district health department on 4th April 2022 covering 64 beneficiaries.





• Health camps for screening for Sexually transmitted diseases for Female sex workers and MSM were conducted on 19th March 2022 along with Hind Kusth Nivaran Sangh.





• Blood donation camps were conducted in several institutions under the university during 2022 and 451 units of blood were collected.





• A walkathon was conducted by the university on the occasion of World Diabetes Day with the involvement of 250 people on 14th November 2022.








National Health Programs
• National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP): DOTS center established. Worked for subnational certification of TB.
• National AIDS Control Organization (NACO): ICTC approved for testing of HIV and distribution of ART.
• NP-NCD: anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic drugs are distributed free of cost and outreach screening camps are conducted
• National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP): regular larval surveys conducted for dengue and malaria.
• Universal Immunization program: all children up to 16 years are vaccinated every Thursday at the hospital and all the Rural and Urban Health Training Centres.





• Staff in KSHEMA worked as external monitors in assessing Routine immunization, Intensified Mission Indradhanush, and Pulse Polio immunization in Belthangady Taluk and Ullal in collaboration with the WHO NPSP unit of Mangalore.





• A training program on First Aid and Emergency Care named ‘Apathbandhu’ was conducted by NUINS in various villages for rural volunteers in association with MRPLONGC.








The epidemiological unit:

The total number of health education activities accounts for 25 in number in the year with the total number of beneficiaries accounting for 600 individuals. Topics covered for health education and awareness included important health days such as World Mental Health Day, World Cancer Day, World Health Day, Blood Donation Day, World Diabetes Day, World Tuberculosis Day, Universal Health Coverage Day, International Day of Persons with Disability and on various awareness weeks such as Breast Cancer Awareness Week, Breast Feeding Awareness Week, Autism Awareness, Mental Health, Blood Donation, Suicide prevention month, etc. In general, importance was given to information and education on Family Planning, Ill Effects of Tobacco and Alcohol, Prevention of Communicable Diseases, HIV, Importance of ORS, Worm infestations, Adolescent Health, Drug Abuse, Menstrual Hygiene, and Reproductive Health and Family planning.