Anita Medhekar

Branding spiritual tourism as an innovation for peace between India and Pakistan

The purpose of this paper is to present the innovation of spiritual tourism as a peace brand to be marketed between India and Pakistan facing non-friendly relations. This study presents an opportunity to improve social, economic and political relations between India and Pakistan. Data was collected by conducting interviews with spiritual tourists in both countries by both authors. Cross-case content analysis of all interview transcripts was conducted separately and results were triangulated. Themes that emerged from the data analysis supporting peace as a branding strategy to market spiritual tourism were: shared history, culture, food and language connections, similar appreciation for aesthetics and teachings of peace embedded in all local religious traditions. Samples in both countries were not representative of the population that highlighted a major limitation. This research can be replicated to apply innovation to market spiritual tourism by branding the product as peace among countries with sensitive relationships.

Is Spiritual Tourism an Innovation in Tourism for India and Pakistan

This conceptual paper attempts to build on the argument that innovation in tourism is a less focused topic in business and academic research. The growing interest in the practice and business of spiritual tourism cannot be ignored. This interest motivates the research aiming to present spiritual tourism as an innovation in tourism, specifically in India and Pakistan. In this unique study, the innovation in tourism is appreciated and analyzed from dimensions of product, process, and people, falling under the umbrella of architectural and revolutionary innovation. Hence the three elements of the tourism product: people, places, and events are adapted to align with the spiritual tourism as a tourism innovation. India and Pakistan are selected as the two countries since both carry the status of multifaith-purpose spiritual tourism destinations. This original research emphasizes on recognizing spiritual tourism as an innovation in tourism based on its products and services illustrating architectural and revolutionary innovation. The paper concludes with a matrix mapping elements of spiritual tourism with the dimensions of tourism innovation, hence filling a gap in the literature on tourism innovation and spiritual tourism. A relevant empirical study of travelers visiting India and Pakistan for spiritual tourism is a palpable future study.

Challenges and opportunities for promoting Dubai as a medical tourism hub

Background: Although a large body of evidence exists on the effect of long-term exercise training program on pulmonary function, much less attention has been dedicated to investigating the acute effect of short-term exercise program on improving the ventilatory function. Objective: The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of short term high intensity aerobic exercise on lung function in adults to start first step in establishing an evidence based exercise program designed for chest patients who can only be supervised in short term hospitalization phase. Methods: A pre-post test study design was carried out on thirty healthy men students with their mean age 21.7 ± 1.26 who were enrolled in this study. Every student performed a 20-minute high-intensity monitored stationary arm Ergometer exercise and ventilatory function tests was performed in order to measure forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at the end of the first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio and peak expiratory flow rate PEFR before and after the exercise. Results: The result showed significant increase in the mean value of FEV1, and a non-significant difference in the mean values of (FVC), FEV1/FVC and PEFR. Conclusion: A single high intensity arm Ergometer exercise sitting has a significant effect on improving forced expiratory volume in the normal adult.3 Abstract: Immunological techniques have been developed over years using different Fasciola antigens for diagnosis of fascioliasis and as to replace the parasitological techniques which are time consuming and usually lack sensitivity and reproducibility. In this study, Fasciola gigantica purified metacercarial antigen was early detected in sera of infected sheep using both sandwich and Dot-ELISA in order to evaluate the efficacy of purified metacercarial antigen performance in diagnosing early fascioliasis. This work was conducted on 150 sheep blood samples which were classified according to their parasitological manifestation into 110 sera infected with fascioliasis, 20 infected with other different parasites and 20 healthy control sera. The sensitivity and specificity of sandwich ELISA compared to those of the Dot-ELISA were 92.7% and 93.7% versus 95.5% and 97.5%, respectively. On the other hand, the parasitological examination recorded 68.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The purified F. gigantica metaceraial antigens have shown a powerful antigencity for early immune-diagnosis of fascioliasis in both ELISA techniques, however, Dot- ELISA was trouble-free, more sensitive, greater specific and affordable as well as feasible test; the features recommended for any technique to be used in detecting the light infection, particularly, at the early stages that precede the onset of parasite eggs.Several factors may contribute to the rising of water-pipe smoking. Objectives: Several factors may contribute to the rising of water pipe smoking. The objectives of our study were to determine the prevalence, individual and social factors of water pipe smoking among undergraduate medical students of King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive/analytical study was done among a representative sample of 408 male and female undergraduate medical students. A simple random sampling method was used to select the participants. Aself-administered questionnaire was constructed based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey in the United States. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of water-pipe smoking among medical students was 11.8% for males and 2% for females. Factors associated with water pipe smoking were water pipe smoking among siblings (OR=6.6; 95% CI = 2.3 – 18.2),parents (OR=4.6; 95% CI = 1.7 – 12.0), and closefriend (OR=65.7; 95% CI = 8.8 – 490.0). The odds of water pipe smoking among the 5th year students were five times higher (OR = 5.5; 95% CI = 1.4 – 24.6) compared to other years. Students whose parents were widowed had 4.2-fold (95% CI = 1.213.7) odds of water pipe smoking compared to students with full families. Conclusion: Social determinants, such as water pipe smoking among siblings, parents and close friends, as well as individual factors such as years of a study and parental marital status were associated with water pipe smoking among undergraduate medical students. Our finding can potentially improve tobacco control programs in Saudi Arabia and decrease the prevalence of water pipe smoking among students.M tourism has transformed from a cottage industry to a sector experiencing tremendous growth and becoming a focus area for governments regionally.As the coming rise in domestic demand brings strong growth and stability to the health care industry, further expansion into the world market through medical tourism represents an untapped resource that could take the sector to a new level. However, medical tourism is a highly competitive market and the emirate is working to establish itself within a crowded field – namely from South East Asia cities, who are accelerating their push into solidify their position as hubs for medical tourism.The key to entering and establishing a foothold will be from promoting existing strengths and reaching patients across different mediums, on both a continuous basis and during the time of decision making.”Objectives: to assess the Prevalence of anxiety and depression among secondary school students and to compare male and female group Methods: This is an observational cross section study using The sampling technique followed stratified convenient sampling and data was collected using self-administered questionnaires (Arabic version of the symptom revised SCL 90- R). Data was collected from 331 secondary school students between 15 and 18 years old from both genders after raking an informed consent Results: Results show 25.7% of the students had anxiety, On comparing boys and girls,23 boys (10.1%) had anxiety, while 62 (59.6%) of the girls had anxiety. In depression 28.4% is the Prevalence of depression in both genders, on comparing boys and girls, 34 male students (14.9%), while 60 female students (57.7%) had depressive symptoms with strong significance when comparing boys to girls Conclusion: This study analyzed the importance of mental health assessment and follow-up in secondary school students, especially girls. However, further assessment for other co – factors such as socioeconomic differences should be considered.Methods: Using a previously validated questionnaire that comprises 38 questions to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practices towards blood donation, 469 Saudi adults who attended different shopping malls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were interviewed. Based on calculated scores, level of knowledge and attitude of our study cohort were categorized into different groups. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify significant predictors of blood donation.Procedure: A sample of 250 postmenopausal women ranging in age between 45 to 80 years was selected by purposive sampling from various parts of north India (Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh). Anthropometric parameters (height, weight), physiological variables (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate), hypertension (as per JNC VII criteria) and bone mineral density (using dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry at lumbar spine L1-L4) of all the participants were recorded. Findings indicated that 40.4% women were identified with hypertension, out of which 12.8% had normal bone mineral density, 16.4% and 11.2% were osteopenic and osteoporotic respectively.

A poor country clothing the rich countries: case of garment trade in Bangladesh

The ready-made garment industry of Bangladesh is one of the largest formal manufacturing sectors. It has played a key role in the country’s process of industrialisation, empowerment of women, export oriented development and growth. Workers from poor socio-economic backgrounds are working in the garment industry. Their health, safety and working conditions are very poor and not protected. There is a lack of regular inspection and compliance with local law in buildings and factories. This led to the collapse of the eight story Rana Plaza building in the capital Dhaka on the 24th of April 2013, “killing 1,100 workers and 2,500 injured”2. The main aim of the study is to assess the impact of Rana Plaza Tragedy, where RMG workers make garments for multinational brands of Australia, Europe and USA, and the advantage which took these companies of the absence of labour laws, workplace health and safety standards, building standards, long working hours and low wages in Bangladesh. The study used both primary and secondary data including related case studies. The practical application of the study is to develop formal ethical, labour-law, health and safety standards for a factory worker; construction; institutions and courts for monitoring the supplier’s behaviour onshore and large multinational firms offshore. The study recommends to protect the rights of women workers who are sowing garments for the fashion conscious consumers from the developed countries. Future research will explore inclusive growth for workers and how to stimulate inclusive sustainable business for export led garment industry. these garments from developed countries should start a campaign of ethical purchase of RMG from those countries who provide health, safety measures, do not exploit women and children and follow the international labour law and construction standards, similar to the campaigns where carpets woven by children are banned for export market and likewise coffee and tea which is grown and picked by exploiting children and women labourers. Stiglitz pointed out that globalization has enhanced the opportunities for success, but it has also posed new risks for developing countries. The rules of the game have been designed for the most part by the advanced industrial countries, or more accurately, by special interests in those countries, for their own interests, and often do not serve well the interests of the developing world, and especially the poor [20]. Further, the Bangladesh Government needs to work in cooperation with the local factory owners and key stake holders in Bangladesh, multinational garment sector, International Labour Organisation, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and the European Union to develop and implement the new amendments to the labour laws, collective bargaining, workplace health and safety training, on the spot inspections, building construction standards to ensure safe and secure work environment in order to prevent future tragedies in the RMG industry and protect the garment workers rights particularly women. Because, they are not only the wage/ bread earners to provide finance, food, clothing and shelter to their families and the key foreign exchange earner for the owners of the garment factory and the economy, but also on whom the multinational companies depend to produce /sew RMG under pressure, in a timely manner, to international market standards to meet the demands of the ever growing fashion industry in the developed world. these garments from developed countries should start a campaign of ethical purchase of RMG from those countries who provide health, safety measures, do not exploit women and children and follow the international labour law and construction standards, similar to the campaigns where carpets woven by children are banned for export market and likewise coffee and tea which is grown and picked by exploiting children and women labourers. Stiglitz pointed out that globalization has enhanced the opportunities for success, but it has also posed new risks for developing countries. The rules of the game have been designed for the most part by the advanced industrial countries, or more accurately, by special interests in those countries, for their own interests, and often do not serve well the interests of the developing world, and especially the poor [20]. Further, the Bangladesh Government needs to work in cooperation with the local factory owners and key stake holders in Bangladesh, multinational garment sector, International Labour Organisation, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and the European Union to develop and implement the new amendments to the labour laws, collective bargaining, workplace health and safety training, on the spot inspections, building construction standards to ensure safe and secure work environment in order to prevent future tragedies in the RMG industry and protect the garment workers rights particularly women. Because, they are not only the wage/ bread earners to provide finance, food, clothing and shelter to their families and the key foreign exchange earner for the owners of the garment factory and the economy, but also on whom the multinational companies depend to produce /sew RMG under pressure, in a timely manner, to international market standards to meet the demands of the ever growing fashion industry in the developed world.