Is India Winning the War Against Rising Non-Communicable Diseases? The latest health statistics paint a concerning picture: diabetes, heart disease, and cancer rates are climbing, impacting millions across the country. From rural healthcare access to the burgeoning urban health crisis, challenges remain significant. This week, we delve into the crucial initiatives underway – government policies, technological advancements in telemedicine, and the rising role of preventative healthcare – that aim to address this national health emergency. Experts weigh in on the effectiveness of current strategies and the critical need for increased public awareness campaigns targeting lifestyle diseases. Are these efforts enough? Explore Abtak.com's in-depth coverage on healthcare in India and discover the vital information you need to protect your well-being and the future of public health. Stay informed; stay healthy.
12 Nagpur: "HPV vaccines are not only for girls. boys from 9 to 26 years of age should also take them. HPV isn't just about cervical cancer -- it can cause many other cancers in both men and women," said Dr Sanjay Marathe, leading paediatrician and vaccination expert. He shared his views exclusively with TOI on the sidelines of the 'Conquer HPV & Cancer Conclave 2025'. Dr Marathe explained that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can cause five types of cancers in women -- cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, and throat (oropharynx). In men, it's linked to three types of cancers -- penis, anus, and throat. "The good news is that HPV vaccines, once given properly, provide almost 100% protection against these cancers," Dr Marathe said.He pointed out that many organisations and NGOs are giving one dose of the HPV vaccine under CSR (corporate social responsibility) drives, especially in rural areas. "But people should remember that the second dose is equally important. It can be taken any time after six months of the first dose," he added.Currently, experts believe one dose might be enough in future if mass vaccination starts across India. "But till then, people should consult their doctors and complete both doses. Govt support is crucial for large-scale HPV vaccination," Dr Marathe said.Parag Deshmukh, executive director of Serum Institute of India, said the HPV vaccine available in India is "one of the best and most affordable in the world." He added, "It's made right here in India, making it accessible for our people."Highlighting women's health concerns, gynaecologist Dr Sangeeta Tajpuriya said, "Cervical cancer is the second leading cancer among women in India. Early vaccination can save thousands of lives." Dr Charu Baheti stressed the need for awareness among parents. "Parents must understand that HPV vaccines are safe and effective for boys and girls. Early vaccination before sexual exposure offers the best protection," she said.The conclave, organised by the Serum Institute of India, is part of a nationwide drive to spread awareness about HPV-related cancers and the benefits of vaccination. The campaign will continue in other cities in the coming months.HPV VACCINE IS GENDER NEUTRAL* Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd leading cause of female cancer in India* Women at risk of cervical cancer (aged over 15 yrs) is 5.14 crore * New cervical cancer cases annually: 1,23,907 * Annual cervical cancer deaths: 77,348 Chaitanya Deshpande is Principal Correspondent at The Times of India, Nagpur. He has a PG degree in English literature and Mass communication. Chaitanya covers public health, medical issues, medical education, research in the fields of medicine, microbiology, biotechnology. He also covers culture, fine arts, theatre, folk arts, literature, and life. Proficient in Marathi and Hindi along with English, Chaitanya loves music, theatre and literature of all three languages.
Nagpur: Forced or allured conversion is violence, and bringing tribal brethren back to their original fold is correction, said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat during the valedictory function of RSS' Karyakarta Vikas Varg-II at Hedgewar Smruti Mandir premises in Reshimbagh on Thursday.Bhagwat was responding to concerns raised by the chief guest, former Congressman and minister in Indira Gandhi's govt, Arvind Netam, who warned the gathering of swayamsevaks that widespread conversions threaten the identity and existence of India's tribal communities. "If this contin ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): In a milestone for cancer care in India, President Droupadi Murmu, formally inaugurated the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) Cancer Care Centre and interacted with cancer patients on Thursday. According to an official release, the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital is a cutting-edge facility dedicated to providing comprehensive care to cancer patients. The President ceremonially visited the premises, acknowledging the hospital's pivotal role in delivering ethical and affordable healthcare, marking a presence of pride and recognition for the institution's seven-decade-long ...Read More >
Mumbai: NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar on Friday threw his weight behind Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray in their protest against the Maharashtra government's controversial move to make Hindi a compulsory third language for students in Classes 1 to 5. Pawar said the people of Maharashtra are not anti-Hindi, but stated that forcing the language on young children is inappropriate and undermines the importance of the mother tongue. Speaking to reporters, Pawar said, "At the primary level, the mother tongue is critical for a child's development. Making Hindi mandatory from Cl ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 28 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has alleged that a controversy over the 'imposition' of Hindi language in Maharashtra was being created to divert people's attention from core issues and underlined the need to improve the quality of education. Claiming a drastic cut in the budgetary allocation for education, the former Maharashtra chief minister said the focus should be on providing quality education to students and strengthening infrastructure in the educational sector. "The budgetary allocation on education should be increased. The controversies over English an ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Mysuru Dasara is set to run for 11 days this year -- a rare extension driven by celestial alignment and cultural planning -- with the inaugural ceremony on Sept 22 and the grand Jamboo Savari taking place on Oct 2, coinciding with Vijayadashami and Gandhi Jayanti.Chairing a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha Friday, chief minister Siddaramaiah said, "Mysuru Dasara in 2025 will be celebrated for 11 days, due to a unique astronomical occurrence -- the Panchami tithi (fifth lunar day) will appear on two consecutive days, Sept 26 and 27, a rare alignment that hasn't occurred in nearly ...Read More >
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged five individuals, including goldy Brar, in relation to the 2024 Gurugram club bombing plot, as revealed in a recently filed chargesheet. This case involves a conspiracy to bomb two clubs, aiming to disrupt communal harmony in Haryana, with the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) implicated. The NIA's investigation highlights the severity of the plot. Those charged include satinderjit Singh (Goldy Brar), Sachin Talian, Ankit, Bhavish, and Randeep Singh. News Directory 3 provides crucial updates on sensitive cases such ...Read More >
MUMBAI: The differences surfaced in Mahayuti alliance partners over introducing Hindi as a third language in primary schools in Maharashtra. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar taking a different stand against his own Mahayuti government, Mr Pawar said that there is no need to introduce Hindi from primary school. He said the school education department should focus on teaching Marathi as the first language from standard - I, while Hindi should be introduced from class V only. "In the tender age, we should not put an additional burden on the students with Hindi as a third language to learn. Stud ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) Estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will unite for the cause of the Marathi language, in a joint morcha in Mumbai on July 5 against the "imposition" of Hindi and the state government's three-language formula for Classes 1 to 5. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) on Friday said it will support the protest march, with Pawar asserting that the people of Maharashtra are not anti-Hindi, but it is not right to impose the language on young students. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray will be seen together at the ...Read More >
Pune: Amid the call for a joint protest march by the Thackeray cousins on July 5 against the state govt over the alleged "imposition" of the Hindi language from Class 1, Mahayuti partner, deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that he is also not in favour of making Hindi compulsory from Class 1.Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS workers have started a campaign to gather crowds for the rally. Along with social media posts, the parties are also putting up posters of the march, and in one of the ...Read More >
Mumbai: Dr Reddy's Laboratories has entered into a collaboration with Reykjavik, Ireland-based biotech company Alvotech to co-develop, manufacture and commercialise a biosimilar version of blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda for the global markets. Keytruda (generic name is pembrolizumab), manufactured and marketed by Merck & Co, is the most successful medicine, recording worldwide sales of $29.5 billion in 2024. It is used to treat multiple forms of cancer. Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will be jointly responsible for developing and manufacturing the biosimilar candidate and ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 8 (UNI) A 'pucca Mumbaikar' Sunit Prakash and his Gujarat-rooted wife Lalita Kasanji - both dual New Zealand-Australia citizens - have been selected for the 'Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit' honour for services to the Information Technology industry and the Indian diaspora there. The Royal honours -- similar to India's top Padma national awards -- will soon be conferred on the Indian-origin couple by New Zealand Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, the representative of King Charles III of the United Kingdom. New Zealand recognises the British monarch as its head of state. ...Read More >
Kolhapur, June 27: NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Friday said that the people of Maharashtra are not anti-Hindi, but it is not right to impose the language on young students in Class 1-4. Speaking to reporters here, he said 55 per cent of the country's population speaks Hindi, and one cannot ignore it. A language row erupted in Maharashtra after the state government last week issued an amended order stating Hindi will "generally" be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. Three-Language Policy Debate: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadna ...Read More >
Ahmedabad: More than half of the total Covid-positive cases in Gujarat -- over 700 identified so far -- were recorded in the 25 to 50 years age group, or the 'working age group', state health department officials have said. About 10% of the cases were among infants under one year of age, according to govt data. Officials also said that the number of senior citizens in recent cases is relatively very low. Health experts pointed out that three patients who died of Covid -- all from Ahmedabad -- were women aged 18, 20 and 47 years. "No definite pattern is emerging yet, as cases are under control ...Read More >
LUCKNOW: Hours after the abduction and rape of a three-year-old girl sleeping with her mother under a bridge near Alambagh metro station, the accused was killed in an encounter with Lucknow police early Friday.The accused, identified as Deepak Verma, a habitual offender with multiple criminal cases lodged across city police stations, was traced through CCTV footage that captured him fleeing with the child on a white scooter around 3.30 am on Thursday.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Ashish Srivastava said multiple police teams were formed immediately after the incident, and a rewar ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
MUMBAI: The BJP-led State government's decision to introduce Hindi as the third language in primary schools may bring the estranged Thackeray cousins, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray together in defence of Marathi and the interests of the 'Marathi manoos'. After meeting Maharashtra Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray categorically rejected the government's rationale behind the move. He asserted that if the State government were genuinely committed to fulfilling the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP), it should instead consider intro ...Read More >
MNS chief Raj Thackeray has called for a significant protest march on July 5 at Girgaon Chowpatty in Mumbai against the "imposition of Hindi." Thackeray emphasized that the march will showcase Marathi unity, cultural pride, and will exclude political flags, focusing solely on the Marathi agenda. The protest comes amid debates over making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra schools.Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has called for a large-scale protest march on July 5 at Girgaon Chow ...Read More >
Mumbai: Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will hold a joint protest march of their parties in the city on July 5 against what they allege is imposition of Hindi in the state's schools from Class 1 through the new three-language policy. This will be the first time they will come together on a political platform after Raj Thackeray's decision to quit Shiv Sena to form MNS nearly two decades ago.There has been speculation of a reunion of the estranged cousins for the coming civic polls, and the protest march is being seen as the first step in that direction, reports Chaitanya Marpakwar.Uddhav and Raj had ...Read More >
Digha: A day after Rath Yatra, the festive fervour continues in Digha as the seaside town is now gearing up to host Ulta Rath or the return journey of the deities from the 'Masir Bari' or the old Jagannath temple. On July 5 -- the Ulta Rath day -- hotels are hoping for fresh tourist influx. Though the deities are currently in Masir Bari, a large queue of devotees visited the newly-constructed Jagannath temple on Saturday. They offered prayers to the stone idol permanently installed there. It is the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra that have taken the chairot rides. Bipradash Cha ...Read More >
New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday announced a significant update in its approach to conducting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students for the year 2025. The UGC has invited public feedback on the revised methodology aiming to refine the examination process for a better and more efficient testing environment for candidates. Since its inception in 1956 under the UGC Act, UGC has been pivotal in setting and maintaining the standards for higher education, coordinating with universities, and providing fina ...Read More >
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will jointly organize a protest march on July 5 against the state government's reported move to make Hindi compulsory up to Class 4 under the 'Three Language Policy'. The announcement was made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Sanjay Raut at a press conference on Friday. Raut said, "We are not against any language. We have always respected Hindi. People like us have always valued it. Our party uses Hindi in many ways. But the recent decision to make Hindi compulsory as the third language up to Class 4 under the 'Three Language P ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed that the Mahayuti government has "imposed" Hindi as a third language in Marathi and English schools for classes 1 to 5 due to the pressure from the Centre and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Raut stepped up attacks against the Centre and the Mahayuti government for "forcing" Hindi as the third language in the state curriculum. At the same time, he reminded that veteran RSS leader Bhayyaji Joshi had recently said that Marathi is not the language of Mumbai. "There was pressure from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Raging controversy over the introduction of Hindi in Marathi and English schools from classes 1 to 5, the protests against the land acquisition for the Rs 86,300 crore Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, tabling of Public Security Act following the scrutiny of the joint select committee, damage caused to agriculture due to unseasonal rains and demand for from loan waiver are among the several issues which are going to be discussed during the three week monsoon session of Maharashtra Legislature starting from June 30 in Mumbai. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
Nagpur: Eminent neurologists from the city joined experts from across the globe on World Brain Tumour Day to raise awareness about the disease.At an event held at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) headquarters in Nagpur, specialists emphasised the importance of early diagnosis, discussed symptoms and treatment options, and highlighted the multifaceted challenges faced by patients and their families.Renowned neurologist and Padma Shri Dr Chandrashekhar Meshram stressed the need for timely detection and comprehensive care. He said awareness about the type of brain tumour and its symptoms is c ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 27 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will jointly organize a protest march on July 5 against the state government's reported move to make Hindi compulsory up to Class 4 under the 'Three Language Policy'. The announcement was made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MP Sanjay Raut at a press conference on Friday. Also Read | Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray to Unite Against Hindi 'Imposition' in Maharashtra Schools, Says Sanjay Raut. Raut said, "We are not against any language. We have always respected Hindi. People like us have alway ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) As estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray unite in opposing what they call the "imposition" of Hindi in Maharashtra's school curriculum, the Shiv Sena and BJP on Friday hit back, accusing them of indulging in political theatrics ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. Speaking to IANS, Shiv Sena leader Yogesh Kadam dismissed the opposition as mere political posturing. "This is just politics. Marathi is and should be known to everyone in Maharashtra. We have made Marathi compulsory in all schools, but we have not ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India's new approach to treat any act of terror as an act of war has added a new dimension to the Navy's operational outlook after the conduct of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said Friday."We must be prepared for this new normal," the Navy chief said at an investiture ceremony here. Over 35 Indian warships and submarines led by aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, with its MiG-29K fighters, were forward deployed in a dissuasive deterrent posture against Pakistan in the northern Arabian Sea last month."Our ships, submarines and aircraft were operationally rea ...Read More >