KNOWLEDGE OF FARMERS TOWARDS PRIVATIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES IN GANJAM DISTRICT OF ODISHA

A vast country like India cannot afford to ignore ever increasing role of PAES carried out by many individuals and agencies like Agricultural consultants, group of progressive farmers, mass media like newspapers, TV, agricultural magazines, non-government organizations, private sector banks etc. Today the challenge is not the same. Finding better market for surplus produced decides Indian agriculture. Limited rescores in extension compel to look for the support of other extension system, thus opened thinking on private extension. The present extension system has ultimatum for reshaping and strengthening the structural design for the delivery of agricultural technology and services as needed by the farming community. The study was conducted in Ganjam District of Odisha purposively for investigating socio-economic status and the association of independent variables with farmers’ knowledge towards Privatization of Agricultural Extension Services. Descriptive research design was used for the present study. A total of 120 respondents were selected purposively as a sample for the present investigation. The data was collected by using pre-tested schedule and analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. Karl Pearson’s Co-efficient of Correlation test was applied to find out the association between farmers knowledge with independent variables. The major findings of the study were the socio-economic status of the respondents was found to be of medium level, the knowledge of the respondents towards PAES had significant association with the Age, Annual income, Education, Land holding Mass Media Exposure, Extension contact, Risk orientation, and scientific orientation. From the study, it is clear that PAES has become essential in our country to increase the competitiveness in the world and give justice to our farmers. At the same time, it requires great caution about problems and constraints emerged in PAES. Keeping this points stated above the present study was undertaken in Ganjam district of Odisha with the following objectives: « To determine the socio-economic status of the respondents. « To ascertain the association between independent variables and knowledge of farmers towards Privatization of Agricultural Extension Service (PAES).

Spirituality and Conflict in Healthcare: The History of the Canadian Baptists and Medical Mission in Orissa, 1900–1970

It was from the middle of the eighteenth century that discussions regarding the strategies taken up by the Protestant missionaries to propagate the Gospel generated the issue of healthcare and medical facilities among people in India. Medical mission, which hitherto was not considered, started to gain importance and reaped positive results in terms of curing individuals and its trustworthiness among tribes residing in the frontier regions. However, this developed a separatist religious identity among the population, which apparently did not appear lethal, but later culminated in the fragmentation and impeachment of solidarity among the adivais (tribal) and vengeance from the Hindu population. This article will show how the Canadian Baptist Mission, with its primary aim of spreading the Kingdom of God among the tribal Savaras in the Ganjam district of Orissa, undertook measures for serving health issues and provided medical facilities to both the caste Oriyas and the tribal Savaras. Although medical activities oriented towards philanthropy and physical well-being, medical mission was not limited to healing illness and caring for all, but also extended to spreading the word of God and influencing the people to embrace Christianity as well, which invited political troubles into the region.

THE SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION IN HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURE: A CASE STUDY OF KHALLIKOTE BLOCK, GANJAM DISTRICT, ODISHA

This objective carries the primary data collected through a questionnaire from my study area and analyses of the impact of health care on the socio-economic development and the level of living of the social class families compared to other families. This also focuses on the problems and preferences of the health care expenditure burden of social class families. This present study was undertaken to investigate the existing health problems and healthcare practice of the social class (SC, ST, and OBC) communities of Khallikote Block in Ganjam District based on the present scenario, which exists between the SC, ST, and OBC groups. The findings of the study indicated that the demographic profile, socioeconomic status, general health status, but still lack of knowledge as well as poor availability of medical institution people intended to use traditional herbal medicine. The housing status of the social class community households needs to be improved through the help of village Panchayat should be oriented by Indira Awas yojana, and help of the people of construct good houses. It is necessary to provide orientation to village Panchayat about healthy housing and sanitation in the tribal communities. The village must be connected with the provision of “Rural Drinking Water” facilities in the social class village area, and villages to have safe drinking water in the villages as well in the community. The study has the following limitations: The study has depicted the current situation of the Khallikote Block in Odisha; the result may not be relevant to other class of people. The study is limited to a cross-section sample of 348 households of the selected sample villages in Langaleswar and Khojapalli Panchayat. It has been assumed that the respondents are true and honest while filling the questionnaire and there is no bias. Due to time and resource limitations, a full-length survey is not possible with a wider representation of data. Insurgency problem in the state created a problem for data collection from interior parts of the state. Despite these limitations, an attempt has been made to make the study more scientific and reliable by testing the reliability of the primary data. KEYWORDS: Health care expenditure, Income, cross-section sample, Regression, demographic profile.

Molecular Epidemiology of First Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreak in Odisha, India

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is the causative agent of lumpy skin disease (LSD) which is a member of Capripoxvirus. It is an economically critical transboundary disease affecting cattle. This study records the first LSD incidence in cattle of Ganjam district and analyses data from LSD outbreak in August 2020 on epidemiological and genetic characterization. Out of 452 animals clinically examined (59 farms), 63 animals were clinically affected with LSD, with a total morbidity rate of 13.93%. The morbidity rates in the villages (ten villages) varied from 5.55 to 21.62%. The multivariable logistic regression showed that grazing of animals (P=0.023; OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.09-3.32), and lactation and pregnancy status of animals (P=0.007; OR: 2.86; 95% CI: 1.32-6.17) were the potential risk factors for the occurrence of lumpy skin disease. Out of 53 clinically suspected animals collected from Ganjam district of Odisha, 18 samples (33.96%) were found positive by PCR for both P32 and F genes of capripox virus. Phylogenetic analysis of P32 gene of LSD (MW147486) showed 100% similarity with other isolates from India, Bangladesh, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of F gene of LSD (MW147485) revealed a similarity of 97.99 %, 97.36%, and 96.60% with, Odisha India (MT074110), Beni Suif Egypt (MN694826) and Marsa Matrouh Egypt (MN699855), respectively.

Community Perception Regarding Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Some Selected Areas of Ganjam District of Odisha State, India

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health concern. Because of absence of effective therapy and vaccination to treat and prevent such vector-borne diseases, these initial cases have triggered strong concerns within medical communities, turning a bad dream into reality. To date, reducing the mosquito vector population remains the main strategy to control the transmission of mosquito borne diseases. In this connection, community-based perception recognized as an essential tool for long-term vector control management. In this study, a community perception survey was carried out in six selected study areas of Ganjam district of Odisha. A total of 3257 inhabitants from randomly chosen 600 no. of houses from 06 selected study areas were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire about various mosquito vector-borne diseases. As an outcome, we found that only 36% of people have basic knowledge and idea about vector-borne diseases, out of which only 14% know Anopheles as a causative agent whereas Aedes and Culex were very least concern. Regarding the source of knowledge, electronic media was the principal source of information, while the involvements of health personnel were least mentioned. Results of the current study indicates the necessity to plan health education program to bring important perceptions regarding vector-borne diseases at school and college level because the infrequent source of knowledge is the main cause of an increase in the disease incidence.

Prospective Study on Prevalence of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Ganjam District

BACKGROUND Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) also known as retrolental fibroplasia is a vasoproliferative retinopathy which affects the retinal blood vessels in developing state. ROP is one of the major causes of preventable blindness in children. It usually occurs in very low birth weight premature infants. Its presentation varies from complete regression in some, to leaving long term sequelae in others. Our aim was to find the prevalence of ROP in Ganjam district, Odisha. METHODS A prospective study was undertaken in M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital along with Christian Hospital and City Hospital, Berhampur, from 01/10/2016 to 30/09/2018. Babies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were screened after 3rd week of life or post-conceptional age of 31 - 33 weeks whichever was at a later date, and followed till 45 weeks of gestation according to stage. The babies were screened by indirect ophthalmoscopy and 28 D lens with the help of infant speculum and scleral depressor after instilling topical anaesthetic 2 % proparacaine. The pupil was dilated with 0.4 % tropicamide and 2.5 % phenylephrine. Analysis of qualitative data was done by chi-square test. RESULTS Out of 123 babies examined, 26 were lost to follow up and 19 out of 97 babies (19.58 %) developed ROP (inclusive of all stages). Low birth weight, low gestational age, duration of oxygen exposure > 2 days, exchange transfusion, septicaemia with positive CRP value were found to be significant risk factors in development of ROP. Hyperbilirubinemia, gender and multiple gestation were found to be insignificant in the development of ROP. CONCLUSIONS Timely screening, regular follow-up, early detection and intervention are the best ways to reduce the prevalence of ROP. Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) should follow strict guidelines for screening of new-borns. Proper counselling and motivation of parents for regular screening of at-risk infants are the need of the hour. KEYWORDS Retinopathy of Prematurity, Low Birth Weight, Low Gestational Age, Oxygen Exposure, Exchange Transfusion