Bloodless Innovation To Diagnose Malaria Fever...

Sometimes, a number of initiatives and innovations make the whole world come across as one family. Case in point, a youth in Uganda has accepted the challenge to do something significant for humankind.

This 24-year-old engineer from Uganda, Brian Gitta, has invented a faster and low-cost method to test malaria fever symptoms in a patient. For this incredible achievement, Brian has won Africa’s top award for innovation in engineering.

The prize by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering for Africa aims to develop the entrepreneurial and innovative skills of engineers. These kinds of initiatives definitely motivate and inculcate creative skills in youth to focus on and tackle some of the world’s most challenging problems in any field. The young innovators who identify such challenges dedicate themselves to work towards finding out an optimum and most feasible solution that caters to masses.

The first thing that would come to anybody’s mind is what makes his invention unique and better than previous testing methods. The answer is quite simple. This new testing method to diagnose malaria symptoms in a patient is completely bloodless. In fact, there is no need for a fresh blood sample at all in this testing method.

Rather the device has an ability to identify deforming red blood cells (RBCs) in the body that indicate the presence of malaria parasite. What happens actually is the parasite takes charge of the vacuoles in red blood cells in the patient’s body when he or she gets infected. This results in a change in the cell’s shape. 

The new testing device diagnoses this change in the body of the patient without taking a blood sample. Its functioning is quite simple too. It needs just to clip the device onto a patient’s finger to diagnose malaria fever symptoms.

A red beam of light then scans for changes in red blood cells in the body. These changes could be in the color, shape, and concentration of the RBCs. Another plus point of this device is its use that is quite simple and doesn’t require any specialist to operate. Once clipped on a patient’s finger, the device produces results within a few minutes.

The device delivers the test results immediately to the patient’s cell phone. These wonderful and innovative features make this device so simple that it becomes ideally the most suitable for remote areas that lack proper healthcare facilities. 

That means remote rural areas will get benefited the most where a lot of lives are lost just because of lack of facilities or facilities being too far from their areas that it would take a lot of time to visit those locations.

Given lack of diagnosis of malaria fever symptoms, a patient doesn’t receive the right treatment in time. A lack of transport facilities in such areas further deteriorates the cases because of loss of precious time and attention a patient needs. Gitta has named this device ‘Matibabu’ meaning ‘treatment’ in Swahili. The device to detect and identify signs and symptoms of malaria has thus become a point of discussion in the global arena in no time. 

In all other instances, it is always better to use products by reliable brands like Goodknight to keep mosquitoes at bay and avoid diseases like malaria. :)

Feasting On Lohri At Pind Balluchi...

India is a land of festivals. Food in India, is a festival in itself too. Why should it not be so, given that India is a melting pot of cultures and beliefs?

The onset of January thus marks the first festival in India, that is celebrated with fervor across North India (though mainly Punjab) is Lohri. What better place to celebrate Lohri then, other than Punjab itself? 

What if I make known to you, the fact that Punjab has rightfully descended in Delhi/NCR through the iconic Pind Balluchi, that emulates a Punjabi Village or Pind as it is called? Well, of course, Pind Balluchi is a classic brand and must be a favorite for many of us when it comes to authentic North Indian fare and festive celebrations with family by means of food. 

I am thus, no different, as I decided to celebrate Lohri by pampering myself with a feast of sorts at the newest outlet of Pind Balluchi, located at Level 3 in Mahagun Metro Mall, Vaishali, Ghaziabad. 

Pind Balluchi is an interesting amalgamation of rustic ambiance and authentic food. The ambiance being dominated by earthy tones mirrors a rural backdrop, with mud plastered walls, imitation artifacts, and their staff's ethnic attire which have ਪਿੰਡ ਬਲੂਚੀ embroidered on it.

Pind Balluchi is a place which transports patrons into a quintessential Pind of Punjab. The experience begins from the entrance itself where a traditionally attired सरदार जी sitting on a मँजी welcomes patrons with a सत् श्री अकाल. The traditional entrance doors and windows, झरोका with dazzling hanging beads and bangles, wooden chairs, and lanterns further aesthetically enhance the entire village set up.

An artificial Banyan Tree is also positioned central to each Pind Balluchi to play a vital role in enhancing the aesthetics of the restaurant. An open kitchen in the restaurant emulates a ढाबा with some delicious तंदूर and तवा preparations which further enhances a dining experience.

Pind Balluchi aces it with their food, because the flawless preparations, authentic taste of dishes and quick service are what make them earn points in their kitty.

Going by the 'Best Of Pind Balluchi' section earmarked at the beginning of their extensive menu, we decided to relish the following preparations, which were presented as Pind Balluchi's home-style signature dishes.

Appetizers: 

• Mushroom Kurkure - Button Mushrooms placed in fried, crispy cups, stuffed with Khoya and Cheese. It had a unique presentation and taste and would be one of my must-have dishes at Pind Balluchi. 

• Dahi Ke Kebab - Hung Curd with a mild tang, stuffed in fried bread. Simply melt-in-mouth. 

• Paneer Tikka - A तंदूर preparation, with Chef's Special cottage cheese chunks char-grilled to perfection. 

• Ajwaini Fish Tikka - Another तंदूर preparation which is Chef's classic, with a lemony zest infused into fish fillets char-grilled in mustard oil. 

• Kalmi Kebab - Chicken leg pieces marinated with cashew paste, hung curd, and mildly spiced, yet again in तंदूर. 

• Also tried their Soups - Murg Shorba and Tamatar Shorba - steaming hot and flavorful. 

Main Course: 

• सरसों दा साग ते मक्की दी रोटी - Quintessentially Punjab. It would be a crime to overlook this classic preparation when at Pind Balluchi. It was served alongside sinful pieces of गुड़ and melt-in-mouth मक्ख़न. If you'd ask me, this is the one preparation that is most highly recommended, more so because the साग is authentically prepared in mustard oil (सरसों तेल) as well lending it an unforgettable taste. :)

• An array of Indian gravies and curries, namely Chef's Recommended Pindi Choley, Khumb Pyaaz Bhujiya, and Murg Lababdar paired with Chicken and Mutton Parantha respectively. 

Desserts:

Classic Punjabi sweet delicacies were there to bring the meal to a fitting conclusion.

• Gulab Jamun 
• Thandi Kheer 
• Rasmalai 
• Matka and Teela Kulfi 
• Gajar Ka Halwa 

I had a great time at Pind Balluchi and would like to say that it is one of my must-visit places for authentic North Indian delicacies since the past many years. It is one chain that is effortlessly keeping the essence and the legacy of home-cooked food alive. :)

To The Many Babli's In Our Country...

For years, there have been millions, who have been suffering the pain of defecating outside, in the open, midst all kind of germs and infections, feeling guilty, embarrassed, and ashamed, only over the reason of not having a proper toilet in their home, or in the society they are a part of.

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Over 70% of the Indian population, inhabit a rural environment, and even 50% of this number, live in the remotest of areas where there is not a single facility of toilets, leave aside neat and clean washrooms. Hygiene word is far away from their lives.

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Children in rural India, the moment they learn to walk, they also become accustomed to accompanying their brothers, sisters, parents and other family members, at the break of dawn, to a far - off place, in order to relieve themselves.

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And, during the course of the day, they have to suppress Nature's Call, and their desire of revisiting the area, just for the simple reason, that it is not feasible to cover such long distances, leaving all work aside.

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For girls, like Babli, who are in their pre-teens or teens, how shameful and fearful this situation might be, one can imagine very well. On top of that, the unhygienic conditions call for a bigger risk, of fiddling with their well-being, health and hygiene. 

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Who knows, because of such routine unhygienic activities, one might even risk their life! Why should even one life be at the brink of illness for such a minuscule issue of proper washrooms, and toilets for their routine chore? 

Imagine a girl, along with her mother and other ladies of the family, conspicuously leaving home, early in the morning, at the break of dawn, or even before that, to relieve herself. The situation itself spells danger. 

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At the time of defecating openly, all the ladies crouch around a single place, ruining their hygiene. While performing their routine chore, in the dark, one has to be even more alert!

All the excreta is washed off, making its way to the nearby water body. How can it ensure a proper, hygienic surrounding?

How can a country take so long, even post-independence to get rid of such pathetic conditions?

Why is it so difficult to protect the dignity of the females of this Country?

Why is it so difficult to ensure basic security for a human-being?

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A Community Toilet in the rural area, ensuring hygienic disposal of excreta, could at least be guaranteed. But it has never happened.

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Gradually, some villages tried to ensure a safer and healthier environment, by implementing an out-of-house, enclosed quarter, so that, the kids, and females of the village could use it for defecation. But, again, the hygiene is being compromised with.

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That is why the Domex Toilet Academy was initiated, with a mission of installing 24,000 toilets in areas where there is no such provision to help the Babli's of our Nation. 

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Let us all join hands in spreading the good word and contributing towards this noble cause. I thus request every reader to join the “You Click Domex Contributes” Initiative. This meaningful mission, begun exactly an year ago, in November 2013 to provide hygienic and healthy conditions for defecation to all Bablis of the nation. Here's how you can join in...

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You can bring about the change in the lives of millions of kids, thereby showing your support for the Domex Initiative. All you need to do is “click” on the “Contribute Tab” on www.domex.in and Domex will contribute Rs.5 on your behalf to eradicate open defecation, thereby helping kids like Babli live a dignified life.

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