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.
Palakkad: Health Minister Veena George here on Monday announced that the health department has identified 173 people in the contact list of the Nipah patient from Palakkad. Addressing the media, the minister noted that the two doses of monoclonal antibody are being administered to the patient who is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. The 38-year-old woman from Palakkad's Thachanattukkara was tested positive for the virus on July 4. It is learnt that she still remains in critical condition at the medical college. " Monoclonal antibody is used as a potential treatment for Nipah infection. The doctors are also providing necessary medical care to reduce the infection on the patient's body. Among 173 people in the patient's contact, 100 are in primary contact. Out of this 100, 52 are named in high-risk contact list," said the minister. She added that samples of five people who developed symptoms tested negative for the virus infection. Samples of another four people were sent to Manjeri Government Medical College Hospital for the test. At present, 12 people are placed under isolation in Palakkad. The patient's son who accompanied her to the private hospital in Palakkad is also quarantined in Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. Talking about the spread of the virus from the infected person, the minister pointed out that people who came into contact with the person after July 1 will be placed under observation. "Usually, the virus transmits from an infected person when the symptoms become more severe. So, the health department is planning to contain the spread after observing the people in the contact list. Currently, the health department has started field surveillance to trace fever cases in the containment zones. Unnatural deaths and cases of fever and encephalitis in the area are also under investigation," said the minister. Meanwhile, the animal husbandry department has also started inspections to identify whether any animals are infected with the virus. The department will seek the central government's help to collect samples of bats in the region. Apart from the Palakkad woman, the health department confirmed one more Nipah case in the state. On July 4, the department confirmed that an 18-year-old girl from Malappuram district died of Nipah infection. Following this, Malappuram, Palakkad and Kozhikode districts were placed on high alert. Nipah is a zoonotic, animal-borne, virus. It spreads to humans from food contaminated with infected bats' bodily fluids. It also spreads from human to human.
KOTTAYAM: A 52-year-old woman died and two others were injured when a portion of a decades-old and dilapidated building at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, collapsed on Thursday. The death of D Bindu, who was trapped under the debris for more than two hours, has sparked allegations of delay in rescue operations. The incident has triggered widespread outrage, with Opposition parties alleging negligence on the part of Health Minister Veena George and Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan -- who arrived at the hospital shortly after the incident -- as well as the hospital authoritie ...Read More >
By Jaikrishnan PKOTTAYAM: One woman was killed and two were injured after a part of a building in the govt medical college hospital collapsed here on Thursday. The woman got stuck in the debris of the collapsed building. It was the rescue team that found the dead body of the woman amongst the debris. The husband of the deceased complained that his wife was missing after the building collapsed. According to him, the woman went to take a bath in the washroom in the collapsed part of the building. T ...Read More >
Palakkad: A 10-year-old boy, a close relative of the woman who tested positive for Nipah virus in Palakkad, Kerala, has been admitted to Manjeri Medical College Hospital after developing a high fever on Friday night, officials said. The boy's mother and a four-month-old infant have also been hospitalised as a precautionary measure. All three individuals are listed as primary contacts of the confirmed Nipah case. The National Institute of Virology in Pune on Friday officially confirmed Nipah infection for the 38-year-old woman who was under treatment at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna fo ...Read More >
New Delhi/Bhopal/Raipur, July 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a sweeping action exposing deep-rooted corruption in medical college regulation and accreditation, the CBI arrested six people, including three doctors, and busted a racket involving self-styled godman Rawatpura Sarkar, former UGC Chairman D.P. Singh and a network of officials and middlemen, an official said on Saturday. The muli-state corruption racket forced the CBI to raided more than 40 locations in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named 34 and one ...Read More >
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The museum police have arrested three caretakers of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for allegedly injuring a two-and-a-half-year-old child. The accused -- Ajitha, Maheswari, and Sindhu were taken into custody on Tuesday under the POCSO Act and relevant sections of the BNS. The incident reportedly happened when the child was hurt in the genital area as a punishment for urinating on the bed. The injury came to light when the child was being bathed. On noticing it, CWC General ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 8 (UNI) Active Covid-19 cases in India have crossed the 6,000 mark following a surge of nearly 400 new infections reported in the past 24 hours. The country also recorded six Covid-related deaths during this period, with three fatalities reported from Kerala, as per the data available from the Union Health Ministry. As of now, India has 6,133 active cases and a cumulative death toll of 65. Kerala continues to report the highest number of active infections, nearing the 2,000 mark, making it the state with the largest current caseload. In the last 24 hours, 378 new cases were r ...Read More >
PALAKKAD/ KOZHIKODE : Triggering fresh concerns, the deadly Nipah virus has resurfaced in Kerala, claiming the life of an 18-year-old girl from Malappuram. Another person, a 39-year-old woman from Palakkad, is in a critical condition after having contracted the virus. The samples of the two tested positive at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, on Friday. The teenager had died at a private hospital in Kozhikode on July 1, while the woman is under treatment at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram. The fresh Nipah cases have prompted heightened vigil in Kozhikode, Mala ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
India will observe National Doctor's Day on July 1. The day acknowledges doctors' dedication. The 2025 theme is 'Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?'. It highlights the mental health of doctors. The day commemorates Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. He was a physician and former Chief Minister of West Bengal. Events will include ceremonies and campaigns. India marks National Doctor's Day on July 1 every year to recognise the tireless service, dedication, and compassion of the country's medical profess ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Jul 3 (PTI) Kerala Health Minister Veena George is facing mounting pressure to resign after a woman died when part of a building collapsed at Kottayam Medical College Hospital on Thursday. While opposition Congress-led UDF demanded her resignation, citing serious lapses in rescue operations and broader failures in the state's public health system, the BJP said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan "is no longer fit to remain in his position even for a moment" and must resign. Bindu, the mother of a patient, was found dead under the debris two and a half hours after a sectio ...Read More >
Guwahati: State is witnessing a concerning surge in Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases, with Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) reporting 47 confirmed infections so far. The mosquito-borne viral disease has already claimed 13 lives across the state. Data provided by GMCH authorities shows that JE cases began emerging in April, with the first fatalities reported in June. While six patients have recovered and been discharged, three left the hospital against medical advice and several others are still undergoing treatment. The infection has been detected across several districts -- Kamrup ...Read More >
Kolkata, July 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) The West Bengal unit of BJP, under the leadership of its new State party President Samik Bhattacharya is making all efforts to ensure a political rally in the state, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing it, before Trinamool Congress's annual Martyrs' day rally in Kolkata on July 21. An insider from the state committee of BJP said that the week before July 21, the Prime Minister is scheduled to go for an election campaign in Bihar where the Assembly polls are scheduled later this year. "We are trying hard so that the Prime Minister can spare some time ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 5 (ANI): A group of Youth Congress workers staged a protest march outside the official residence of Kerala Health Minister Veena George in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, demanding her resignation over the building collapse at the Kottayam Medical College. Police used water cannons to disperse the workers of the Youth Congress and detained them. This comes after a building block collapsed at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam, claiming an individual's life and injuring two others on July 3. Earlier on Friday, a group of Indian Union ...Read More >
Mumbai: Maharashtra recorded 12 new COVID-19 cases and one death in the past 24 hours, the state's Public Health Department said on Saturday. A 76-year-old woman from Kolhapur district, who had underlying health conditions, succumbed to the infection after reporting fever and shortness of breath. This takes the state's COVID-19 death toll for 2025 to 41. According to the health department, the fresh cases reported on July 5 include four from Pune, two from Mumbai, and one each from Thane, Navi Mumbai, Gadchiroli and Kolhapur, along with two from Nagpur. Mumbai's COVID-19 tally now stands at ...Read More >
RAIPUR: A furious sloth bear attack left a father-son duo dead and injured two others, including a deputy forest ranger, in Korar forest range of Kanker Forest Division in Chhattisgarh. The disturbing live video of the attack, which was captured by some journalists/villagers present at the site during the sloth bear's second attack went viral on social media. The sloth bear, believed to be infected by rabies, made the first attack on 45-year-old Sukhlal Darro around 11 am on January 18, said Divisional Forest Officer, Kanker, Alok Bajpai. Darro and another person identified as Ajju Kureti, ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
Kottayam, July 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) Protests broke out across Kerala on Thursday with the Congress and the BJP party workers taking to the streets demanding the resignation of state Health Minister Veena George. The protesters pointed out had the two Ministers (George and State Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan) acted diligently, the precious life of a 56-year-old home maker Bindhu -- who was trapped under the debris following a three storied building at the Kottayam Medical College hospital collapsed earlier on Thursday -- could have been saved. Both the Ministers who reached the spot after h ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, July 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) Kerala has sounded an alert in three districts after test results of an 18-year-old, who died in Malappuram district on July 1, confirmed that she was Nipah positive, while there are two more cases. Health alerts have been issued in the districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Palakkad. At present, two patients have tested positive for Nipah from the tests conducted in Kerala and for final confirmation, the two samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, state Health Minister Veena George said. "26 committees have been set u ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 4 (ANI): A group of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) youth wing workers staged a protest march outside the official residence of Kerala Health Minister Veena George in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, demanding her resignation over the collapse of a building block at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam. The incident claimed the life of one person, while two others were injured. Also Read | 'Seeking Clarity Is Not Misinformation': CM Siddaramaiah Responds to Biocon Chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw on COVID-19 Vaccine Row. Visuals from the scen ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, May 22 (UNI) An elderly person with comorbidities who recently returned from New Delhi has tested positive for COVID-19, an official source said on Thursday. The 75-year-old patient has been admitted to a private hospital in the state capital. His family members have been instructed to remain in quarantine as a preventive measure. According to Health Department sources, the patient's blood sample will be sent to the Institute of Life Sciences for genome sequencing to determine the COVID-19 variant. Odisha Health Secretary S. Aswathy informed the media that the situation is bein ...Read More >
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 7 (ANI): Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel on Saturday noted that the state is fully prepared for COVID-19, with all arrangements including beds, ventilators, and ICU facilities in place, adding that the current Omicron variant is not very serious and does not seem to cause significant harm or death. Speaking to reporters, Minister Rushikesh Patel said, 'This Omicron virus is a virus of the Covid family, but it is not so serious. Varieties of this virus do not seem to cause any harm or death. But we have made all our arrangements, all beds, ventilators, ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Surgeries under Urology Unit I at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College, led by the Head of the Department Dr Haris Chirakkal, is all set to resume following an intervention by Health Minister Veena George. The procedure had been halted after the probe used in the EMS lithoclast device malfunctioned last week. Following this, the Health Minister directed officials to ensure that a replacement probe was provided without delay. However, similar surgeries were carried out by another urology unit in the hospital the very next day, despite allegations that the surgic ...Read More >
Kollam: Health Minister Veena George complained of uneasiness and was admitted to Kottarakkara Government Taluk Hospital on Thursday evening. According to reports, the minister developed health issues due to high blood pressure. She experienced discomfort while travelling to Thiruvananthapuram from Kottayam. She was soon taken to the Taluk Hospital, where doctors administered an intravenous (IV) drip. The minister is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon. The minister was hospitalised at a time when opposition parties are calling for her resignation over the Kottayam tragedy. A wo ...Read More >
New Delhi: India registered 8.6 million deaths in 2022, the least deadly year of the Covid-19 pandemic. This represents a 15% decline from 2021, the deadliest pandemic year, with the death rate likely returning to pre-pandemic levels. This suggests mortality was normalising as Covid-19 infections became less severe and vaccines were deployed. However, signs of health system stress persisted due to the virus. Excess deaths, or the surplus over the number of deaths that would have happened at the death rate seen in 2019, were higher than the Covid-19 tally issued by states in 2022. This suggest ...Read More >
New Delhi: India's active Covid-19 cases have seen another surge, with the number nearing the 6000 mark. According to the Union Health Ministry's data, the country has reported 391 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total active cases to 5755 now. As per the Health Ministry's data, four people have died due to Covid-related infection in the past 24 hours. Among the deceased was a 45-year-old pregnant woman in Maharashtra, who was hospitalised and later tested positive for Covid-19. In Kerala, a 59-year-old man with lung cancer succumbed to the virus-related issue. The other t ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Jul 3 (PTI) A woman died and at least two others, including a child, were injured after a part of the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam collapsed on Thursday, police said here. The injured -- an 11-year-old girl and a hospital staff member --were admitted to the casualty department shortly after the incident. The woman was pulled out from the debris more than two hours later and was declared dead. Her identity was later confirmed as Bindu, a resident of Thalayolaparambu. She was at the hospital as a bystander for her daughter, who is being treated there. Th ...Read More >
Kottayam: As the Congress-led opposition called for the resignation of Health Minister Veena George over the death of a woman in the collapse of a building at Kottayam Medical College Hospital on Thursday, the Youth Congress and Youth League intensified protests across the state. Bindu, a native of Thalayolaparambu, died after being trapped under the rubble of a 68-year-old building that collapsed on Thursday morning. She had come to the hospital as a bystander for her daughter, who was undergoing treatment at the trauma care unit. Her funeral will be held at her residence on Friday at 11 am. ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 4 (ANI): A group of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) youth wing workers staged a protest march outside the official residence of Kerala Health Minister Veena George in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, demanding her resignation over the collapse of a building block at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam. The incident claimed the life of one person, while two others were injured. Visuals from the scene showed IUML workers trying to breach police barricades, prompting the police to use water cannons to disperse them. Earlier in the day, B ...Read More >