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In difficult times, people turn to poetry, reading, and writing for solace and peace. In emotionally intense and traumatic times, people use poetry to process and understand the lived eyepieces. The havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the emotional and psychological well-being of individuals all across the world. Poetry has emerged as a savior in these difficult times. A phenomenon, "lockdown poems", came into existence as individuals all across the globe processed and shared their lived experiences of isolation, pain, and suffering through poems. In the present paper, students of a management program process and share their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the subsequent lockdowns, and their community work experience. Poetry as a therapeutic and hope-building tool is discussed in the paper along with the original poems written by the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global health diplomacy has gained significant importance and undoubtedly remained high on the agendas of many nations, regional and global platforms amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Many countries have realized the importance of the health sector and the value of a healthy workforce. However, there is little control on issues related to trade that impact on human health due to the dominance of profit-oriented business lobbies. A balance, however, needs to be struck between economic profits and a healthy global population. This paper aimed to highlight the importance of building capacity in global health diplomacy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic so that health personnel may effectively negotiate on the multisectoral stage to secure the resources they need. The recent proposal to waive off certain provisions of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19 by India and South Africa at the World Trade Organization (WTO) presents an important opportunity for all governments to unite and stand up for public health, global solidarity, and equitable access at the international level so that both developed and developing nations may enjoy improved health outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, marked by stringent lockdowns and reduced human activity, resulted in a significant decrease in air pollutant emissions. This study investigates the impact of these altered atmospheric conditions on human health by focusing on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, and meta-xylene (BTX), comparing data from before, during, and after the pandemic lockdowns. The objectives were to assess changes in Total VOC (TVOC) concentrations and to evaluate the associated health risks, particularly Lifetime Cancer Risk (LCR) from benzene exposure. Analysis of the data revealed a notable reduction in TVOCs during the 2020 lockdown, with average concentrations of 12.15 ± 20.49 µg/m3 in 2019, 8.08 ± 5.50 µg/m3 in 2020, and 5.12 ± 7.56 µg/m3 in 2021. LCR values also fluctuated, with averages of 1.12 × 10−5, 1.23 × 10−5, and 6.91 × 10−6 or pre-pandemic, during-pandemic, and post-pandemic periods, respectively. The findings highlight the potential effectiveness of lockdowns in reducing air pollution and underscore the need for continued, targeted environmental policies to improve public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to medicines has become a major concern for countries worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, as pharmaceutical production and trade have been disrupted in the course of the crisis. Antibiotics are one group of medicines where worries about access have been raised. Access to the right antibiotic at the right time is important not only for curing infections of individual patients, but also for curbing antibiotic resistance globally. Reliable pharmaceutical supply is key to ensuring access to medicines. The global supply of generic medicines has over the last decades been transformed by the rise of India's pharmaceutical industry. In this paper, I trace the changing role of this industry for the global export of antibiotics, by mapping and describing changes in Indian antibiotic exports and discussing these in light of historical processes and events. The paper offers a novel approach to analyse global antibiotic trajectories by using international trade data from publicly available resources combined with a secondary literature review. I show that India's pharmaceutical industry today holds a key role as one of the world's biggest exporters of antibiotic medicines, but with an increasing dependency on China as a supplier of antibiotic ingredients. This produces both opportunities and concerns for access to antibiotics globally. • Offers a novel approach to trace antibiotic and pharmaceutical geographies. • Uses international trade data to map India's role for global antibiotics supply. • Describes that India has become one of the world's biggest exporters of antibiotics. • Shows that India is highly dependent on China for import of antibiotic ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical education in India that includes MBBS and specialty post-graduation programmes are intense, thorough and well acclaimed. The new medical education curriculum introduced by the National Medical Commission in 2019 is all set to be uniformly implemented. It is a welcome move in the direction of competencies-based assessment, as well as enhancing soft skills and integrated learning. It is also important for medical students to learn other aspects and skills that are highly important in shaping their career, practice, and life after their education is completed. These include business, finance and administrative skills and knowledge, medicolegal aspects, interacting with and tackling different kinds of patients, understanding the scope and benefits of general practice, family medicine and holistic healthcare, making informed career choices, and selfcare that involves coping skills, building resilience, managing stress, and maintaining one's own physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]