With world health organization (WHO) lifting emergency status of Covid-19, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Monday termed the declaration a big relief.

“This is very encouraging news that Covid-19 emergency is over,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement to Asian News Hub.

WHO on Friday announced that Covid-19 no longer warranted the status of a global emergency, more than 3 years after it raised the disease to its highest alert level.

Dr Hassan said the decision recognizes the falling impact that covid has now on our lives.

We are no longer seeing major surges in infection, severe illness or death. This is because people have developed hybrid immunity from widespread infections and vaccinations.

“The virus has settled now. Infections are less severe and hospitalizations are minuscule,” he said.

The DAK President said the end of Covid-19 as a global health emergency means that countries no longer need to implement public health measures like masking and social distancing.

“WHO decision makes a symbolic end to the pandemic which has had a profound impact on our lives over the last 3 years,” he said adding pandemic has affected our health, our economy, our everyday activities and caused devastation through the loss of so many lives.

“We have entered into the endemic stage of Covid-19,” said Dr Nisar.

“It is yet another infection joining many other diseases that humanity has learned to live,” he said.

“With the transition from pandemic to endemic stage, Covid is going to stay with us, but will no longer be a disruptor of daily family and community life,” he added.

The month of fast along with blessings bring health benefits for people, experts said.

Doctors said that fasting helps in weight loss, improves blood sugar control and decreases inflammation.

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Dr Fayaz Ahmad Bhat Assistant Professor Department of General Medicine at SKIMS Soura told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that fasting gives discipline and patience besides decreasing chances of developing diabetes and other metabolic syndrome disorders.

He said there remains less chances of metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver and other diseases in people who fast as compared to people who don’t.

Recent studies suggest that fasting lowers chances of neurological diseases and cancer, he said, adding that it has been also found that people who eat less have good memory besides good overall neurological status and their lifespan is more as compared to those who eat more.

“Fasting helps in regeneration of stem cells that helps in making of any tissue or organ in the body besides that mental stability and it can help you in getting rid of dementia,” he said.

“Stem cells play an important role in regeneration because they can develop into many different cell types in the body and renew themselves millions of times,” he said.

He said that fasting promotes blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance, promotes better health by fighting inflammation, may enhance heart health by improving blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels, may boost brain function and prevent neurodegenerative disorders and aids weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism.

Dr Fayaz said that fasting helps in cancer prevention and increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy besides fasting helps in the detoxification process of body and reboots the immune system of individuals.

Noted doctor S M Qadri told KNO that studies suggest that fasting helps in reduction of weight mainly among men besides that it helps in reduction of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, sometimes called “bad” cholesterol that increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Dr Owais from GMC Anantnag said that fasting has several health benefits as it helps in decreasing chronic inflammations that may be involved in the development of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis.

It also helps in weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism and may also help in better brain functioning, he said.

He said that fasting increases growth hormone secretion, which is vital for growth, metabolism, weight loss, and muscle strength.

Majority of women in Jammu and Kashmir are anaemic, said statistics published in the latest ‘Women and Men in India 2022’ report by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

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According to the report released recently, a copy of which lies with news agency—KNO, 66 percent women in Jammu & Kashmir have anaemia, including 25 percent with mild anaemia, 38 percent with moderate anaemia, and 3 percent with severe anaemia.

“Anaemia is particularly high among rural women, women aged 15-19, and other backward class women, but anaemia exceeds 40 percent for every group of women.”

As per the report, during NFHS-4, 49 percent non-pregnant women aged between 15-49 were anaemic, which has increased to 67.3 percent during NFHS-5.

However, slight improvement has been in anaemic condition of pregnant women aged 15-49 as during NFHS-4 46.9 percent women were found anaemic while during NFHS-5 44.1 percent women were found anaemic.

Over all the anaemic condition of all women aged 15-49 has increased from 48.9 percent in NFHS-4 to 65.9 percent in NFHS-5.

Notably, anaemia is a condition that is marked by low levels of haemoglobin in the blood. Iron deficiency is estimated to be responsible for about half of all anaemia globally. Still, anaemia can also be caused by malaria, hookworms, other nutritional deficiencies, chronic infections and genetic conditions.

Moreover anaemia can result in maternal mortality, weakness, diminished physical and mental capacity, increased morbidity from infectious diseases, prenatal mortality, premature delivery, low birth weight, and (in children) impaired cognitive performance, motor development, and scholastic achievement.

Furthermore, anaemia is a major health problem in Jammu & Kashmir, especially among women and children.

Several doctors while talking to KNO said diet is playing an important role in this regard as most of the women aren’t eating nutrient rich diets.

Dr Sabeena, a gynaecologist at SDH Bijbehara told Kashmir News Observer that a lack of nutrition diversity in meals — inclusion of quality sources of proteins, micronutrients in households cis one of the main reasons behind anaemia.

In women of reproductive age, heavy periods and pregnancy are the most common causes of iron deficiency anaemia as their body needs extra iron for their baby during pregnancy, she said.

If iron deficiency anaemia is left untreated, it can make you more susceptible to illness and infection, as a lack of iron affects the body’s natural defence system (the immune system), she said.

Dr Rakshanda, another gynaecologist told KNO that Iron deficiency is common in a Kashmiri person’s daily diet, as people here usually overcook the vegetables,” she says. “As a result, the nutrients are lost.”

Even pregnant women who have access to iron tablets often don’t take them because they feel uncomfortable or nauseated – common side effects of pregnancy, she said adding that in far off places women don’t have access to these things due to poverty and other issues.

The reason for rising cases of anemia is lack of awareness, lack of education regarding dietary habits, nutritional deficiencies, ignorance of menstrual health, she said.

Anemia is a major public health problem especially in reproductive age women because of their high demand for iron, she added.