JIPMER, Part 2

Dr. Subhash Parija is an expert in parasitology. The focus of his research lab is to develop diagnostic methods for more rapid and accurate detection of parasitic infestations. He walked me around his lab and had the head of each section describe the equipment and the types of studies performed. In Bacteriology, they use a Bactec system, including anaerobic cultures. Both of these characteristics are found in few clinical labs here in India. They also make much of their own agar and other culture media. We went to Virology, Serology, the TB area, and the molecular biology area. They also have a tissue culture area that is currently maintained only for educating the microbiology residents (there is a residency here separate from path for persons who want to be MD microbiologists). This area, consisting of two rooms, is slated to be completely renovated in the next few months. Dr. Parija’s lab is going to be a referral center for avian flu for all of South India. They have funds to renovate as well as get two real-time PCR machines and other fancy pieces of equipment.

We then went out the front door of the building and headed to a smaller structure that is dedicated to HIV testing and counseling. Dr. Parija heads up the newly created HIV Cell at JIPMER, and maintains a separate lab area for all HIV-related specimens and assays. Finally, he showed me the animal facility, which he also heads. There they house mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and sheep. They used to have non-human primates, but decided that it was too much for now.

I am impressed with JIPMER and with Dr. Parija. It is an institution where research efforts are valued and prioritized, and one that has a long tradition of excellence both in research and the clinical arena. I am going back Monday to meet with Dr. Hamid from Internal Medicine. He sees most of the HIV-infected patients.

We found the “R,” sort of

I’m editing this post to explain the title. In our experience here, we have been lamenting that even though this is Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of research actually being conducted here.

Yesterday at MGMC&RI we finally met someone who was happy to be here and was doing something that resembles research. The Community Health department deals with issues of sanitation, hygiene, and health education, and it seems like they have pretty extensive programs in place.

The AP we talked to was excited to talk about the programs he was involved in, and had been here for (gasp) an entire year with no current plans of leaving.

Today, in typical Med-Peds fashion, Paras, Alicia, and I switched over to the medicine side and rounded in the ICUs with Tim. In the middle of rounds, the door flew open, the Casualty doctor ran in wheeling a young woman who had suffered a snake bite. As we watched her saliva frothing from around her mouth lying there almost unresponsive, Tim wisely wondered if her airway was intact. A bit of coughing with insertion of an OP airway told us that it was. They sent the intern down to the Pharmacy to see if we could get Antivenin. They usually give 10 vials at a few hundred rupees a pop.

Other things:

-Six American adults in one auto-rickshaw is a little cramped
-We ran out of gas on the way home last night. Fortunately there was an open gas station on the way. They had all their sodas lined up along the wall–a glass wall…which I’m sure gets mighty hot in direct sunlight.
-I might actually start enjoying a good cognac here and there.
-Alas, we have our first true GI casualty of the trip. Brooke is currently back at the dorm taking Cipro and Pepto-Bismol.
-no stache for me