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.
Coimbatore: The steady flow of burn victims requiring skin grafting has now prompted the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital to consider setting up a skin bank on its premises. A Nirmala, dean, CMCH, said the experts at the hospital's department of plastic and reconstructive surgery had been asked to prepare a proposal to set up the skin bank. "The proposal will be sent to the state govt soon. It will help people easily undergo treatment for deep burn injuries at the hospital in the future."The CMCH on an average receives at least five patients with burn injuries a day. "Thermal burn is the most common type of burn injury, and it accounts for 86% of the burn cases that require hospitalization," said a doctor at the CMCH. Skin grafting is required to treat the deep burn injury cases. As per the data available with the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu, 77 skin grafting procedures were done at the hospitals in the state in 2024 against 23 in 2023. Pointing out that severe infection was the major cause of the death of patients with more than 30% skin loss due to burns and other trauma, Dr S Raja Sabapathy, director of Ganga Hospital, said skin grafting would prevent nutrient loss and minimize the infection risks. Skin grafting plays a crucial role in reducing the mortality rate among the burn victims, he said. "We have a skin bank at our hospital. The demand far exceeds the available skin supply. Only 0.4mm of the skin layer is removed during donation, contrary to the fears about body disfigurement," said Raja Sabapathy, also charman, division of plastic, hand and microsurgery and burns at the hospital. He called on the people coming forward to donate eyes to consider donating skin as well, as both tissues must be harvested within six hours of death. "The transplanted allografts serve as temporary protective shields and naturally deteriorate within three weeks after grafting. Donor skin undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it's free from infections."Dr R Raja Shanmuga Krishnan, consultant cosmetic and plastic surgeon at Ganga Hospital, highlighted the pressing need for skin donation in India. "Unlike countries such as the United Kingdom, which has advanced fire safety systems and manages its skin bank requirements efficiently, India faces frequent major fire accidents, creating a greater demand. Importantly, skin could be donated to any recipient regardless of blood type." Doctors said the awareness on skin donation should be created across the country. "Only then, people will understand its importance."
Bhubaneswar/Balasore: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, has constituted a high-level expert committee to oversee and monitor the treatment of the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College student who attempted self-immolation. The woman student was admitted to the institute following her self-immolation bid before the principal's chamber Saturday over alleged harassment by the Head of Department (HOD). As per the office order issued by the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the expert committee includes Prof. Jayant Mitra - Department of Anaesthesia, Prof. Ma ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Two hospitals in Coimbatore collaboratively performed the country's first inter-hospital swap liver transplant on two patients suffering from end-stage liver disease. The complex procedure was executed between GEM Hospital and Sri Ramakrishna Hospital in Coimbatore. The patients, a 59-year-old man from Salem admitted in GEM and a 53-year-old man from Tirupur in Sri Ramakrishna, were both in need of liver transplants. Their wives were willing to donate, but blood group incompatibility ruled out direct donation. In a rare stroke of opportunity, doctors identified that a 'swap transpla ...Read More >
Most of the patients were aged between 10 and 40 years of age. New Delhi: Hospitals across the national capital reported a surge in burn injuries after Diwali celebrations on Tuesday, with dozens of patients admitted due to firecracker-related accidents. According to data from the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Burns Surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a total of 60 burn cases were recorded between October 19 and October 21, with 33 incidents reported on ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Verbal autopsy is a scientific tool that can significantly aid India in the fight against tuberculosis, as it helps identify the deep reasons for mortality caused by the world's deadliest infection, said Dr Kavita Vasudevan from Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI) in Puducherry. Speaking to IANS, Vasudevan, from the Community Medicine Department at the Medical College explained how a verbal autopsy model can help identify TB treatment delay patterns, and reasons for TB deaths and improve the referral process. "A comprehensive appr ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jul 13 (PTI) The health condition of a 20-year-old college student, who immolated herself over an alleged sexual harassment incident in Odisha's Balasore district, remained critical, with doctors at AIIMS Bhubaneswar starting her dialysis as part of the initiation of renal replacement therapy, a treating medical practitioner said. The second-year student of the integrated B Ed programme at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore had on Saturday set herself on fire, demanding action against a teacher who had allegedly sexually assaulted and mentally harassed her. Dialysis co ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Two liver failure patients in Coimbatore -- a 59-year-old in GEM Hospital and a 53-year-old in Sri Ramakrishna Hospital -- were desperate when doctors told them a transplant would be complicated as their wives' organs were incompatible. However, their doctors found a possibility for a swap transplant, which allows patients to exchange donors with another family in a similar situation.Both hospitals performed the surgeries simultaneously in two different operation theatres located 5 km ap ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Authorities imposed Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar Saturday night and declared the hospital ward area a prohibited zone after tensions escalated over the treatment of a teenage girl who was set on fire in Odisha's Puri district. The Commissionerate Police directed the protestors to vacate the hospital premises, and three platoons of police forces were deployed to maintain law and order. The move came amid a brawl between BJP and BJD workers over the incident. Earlier in the day, the hospital's medical superintendent had urged the pu ...Read More >
New Delhi, August 25: In a major step forward for veterinary healthcare, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on Monday released India's first comprehensive national guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for blood transfusion and blood banks for animals. Blood transfusion is widely recognised as a life-saving intervention for managing trauma, severe anaemia, surgical blood loss, infectious diseases, and coagulation disorders in animals. However, until now, India did not have a structured national fr ...Read More >
VMPLNew Delhi [India], October 17: Looking for the perfect Diwali gift? Whether you want something luxurious, meaningful, or budget-friendly, here's a curated list of the best Diwali gifting ideas in India for 2025 -- from skincare and jewellery to fragrances and home decor.Sam & Marshall's COSMICTRACE: The Perfect Diwali GiftThis Diwali, gift something truly stellar with Sam & Marshall's latest eyewear collection: COSMICTRACE. Marking six years of the brand's journey, each pair features 6 stars ...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 >
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 >
CHENNAI: GEM Hospital and Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, located five-kilometre apart in Coimbatore, have pulled off simultaneous liver transplants for two men in their fifties, involving an inter-hospital swap of organs from donors, who were each other's wives. Addressing the media here on Friday, the hospitals claimed that this was the first time in India that such liver transplants involving inter-hospital swap were done. The patients, aged 59 from Salem and 53 from Tiruppur respectively admitted in GEM and Ramakrishna hospitals, were in dire need of liver transplants. Although their respective ...Read More >
Medak: Telangana State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao on Friday appealed to the people to give the committed party an opportunity to meet the aspirations of the poor and downtrodden. Addressing a large gathering of party workers in Medak, the BJP chief remarked that citizens have experienced the rule of the BRS and the Congress party and have had bitter experiences with the deceitful practices of both. He urged people to support the BJP wholeheartedly in the upcoming local body elections as a way to teach the ruling Congress party a lesson for its unfulfilled promises. Rao emphasized that t ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The incidence of cancer in India has gone up by 26%, from 84.8 per 1 lakh population in 1990 to 107.2 in 2023, according to a new study. Published in The Lancet, it shows deaths due to cancer increased by 21% during this period, despite advances in treatment. In comparison, both incidence and mortality have declined significantly in US and China over the 33-year period. The reason behind this is strong tobacco control, universal vaccination and organised screening in these two countries, Dr Abhishek Shankar, radiation-oncologist at AIIMS Delhi, said. India, he added, continues to fa ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) In view of pediatrician's arrest following deaths of children due to the consumption of a "contaminated" cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday sought Union Health Minister JP Nadda's intervention into the matter and immediate withdrawal of the case against the bona fide medical practitioner. Condemning the action taken against the Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP), IMA said the root cause of this tragedy is the failure of quality control at the level of the manufacturer, and the subsequent failure of the regulatory system r ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Ashoknagar police have arrested a doctor on serious charges of sexually harassing a young woman suffering from a skin infection, and the court has remanded him to judicial custody. Based on a complaint filed by a 21-year-old woman, a case has been registered under various sections, including sexual harassment under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the accused has been arrested, police said. Touched Inappropriately "On October 18, I went to a private clinic run by a doctor to get treatment for a skin infection. While treating me, the doctor physically and sexua ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) A genetic study has traced a 2023 outbreak of a neurological infection in Tamil Nadu to contaminated saline water used at a dental clinic, findings of which were published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal. Twenty-one probable cases of neuromelioidosis -- a neurological infection caused by bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei -- between July 2022 and April 2023 were identified across four districts in the northern part of the state. Seventeen of the 21 cases came from a single district, of which 10 reported undertaking treatment at a dental clinic. T ...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 >
Mumbai, Jul 11 (PTI) Mumbai Customs has seized 33.35 kilograms of hydroponic weed valued at Rs 33.35 crore over three days, leading to the arrest of eight persons in six cases, officials have said. Hydroponic cultivation is the method of growing plants with mineral nutrient solutions in a water-based solvent rather than soil. Those arrested comprise seven passengers and a receiver responsible for collecting the contraband in one case, they said on Thursday. Since July 8, the Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs has launched a special operation to crack down on drug trafficking by passe ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 15: Over a decade since the devastating floods of 2014 rendered a major part of the Bone and Joint Hospital here 'unsafe', the new building funded by World Bank as part of Jhelum-Tawi Flood Recovery Project was inaugurated today by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The new hospital building is expected to alleviate the inconveniences faced by patients and doctors at the congested, dilapidated existing structures. The new state-of-art building is a G+5 structure with modular operation theatres that was set to be completed in 2020, however, it suffered multiple deadline lapses. T ...Read More >
New Delhi: Protest at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against a recently announced fee hike, the long-standing suspension of students' union elections and calls for administrative accountability have entered their sixth day, with students boycotting classes and staging sit-ins at the Bab-e-Syed gate (the iconic entrance of the varsity). The fee structure for different courses has witnessed a sharp revision. Students say the hike ranges from 25% to over 60% across various programmes. Many claim they first learned of the revised fees only while trying to pay through the university's online ...Read More >
Mumbai, May 29 (UNI) The police on Thursday arrested Dr Ajay Taware, the former medical superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital, in an alleged kidney transplant racket at a prominent private hospital in Pune. Dr Taware, who is already in custody at Yerwada Central Jail in a separate case involving alleged tampering of blood samples in the high-profile Pune Porsche crash, was taken into custody by the city crime branch for his suspected role in the 2022 kidney transplant scam at Ruby Hall Clinic. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingale, Dr Taware will be produced ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
Morama oil is derived from the seeds of the morama bean, and it holds a special place in African communities for its skin and hair beautifying properties. Bursting with antioxidants and essential fatty acids, it delivers intense hydration and promotes a healthy skin glow. Its unique composition combats dryness, increases elasticity, and imparts a youthful radiance, establishing it as a highly coveted natural ingredient for beauty care. Morama oil has a high nutritional content, containing significant amounts of oleic acid (up to 80%), linoleic acid (up to 20%), and vitamin E. These elements a ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...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, Jul 7 (PTI) Over 15 million people in the world born between 2008 and 2017 might develop gastric cancer at some point in life, with India contributing the second highest number among these cases, after China, a study has projected. Two-thirds of the more than 15 million projected cases could be concentrated in Asia, followed by the Americas and Africa. Researchers, including those from the International Agency for Research on Cancer -- the World Health Organisation's cancer agency -- analysed data on the incidence of gastric cancer across 185 countries using the GLOBOCAN 2022 data ...Read More >
Jammu, Jul 18 (PTI) Senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir government reviewed the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 13-day-long Budha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district that will begin on July 28. Deputy Inspector General of Police Tejinder Singh reviewed security in Poonch and stressed ensuring the safety of the devotees. "The first batch will depart from the Bhagwati Nagar basecamp in Jammu on July 28, moving towards the Mandi tehsil in Poonch in a regulated convoy amid full security arrangements," a spokesperson said. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspec ...Read More >
Kerala has reported 104 cases of amoebic encephalitis, with 23 deaths, primarily in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. The state health minister highlighted that early detection and treatment have significantly reduced the global fatality rate of this rare brain infection. An action plan based on the One Health approach is being implemented to prevent further cases. A total of 104 cases of amoebic encephalitis (brain fever) have been reported so far in Kerala, of which 23 patients have die ...Read More >
Hyderabad: A brain tumour diagnosis often triggers fear -- not just from the disease but from the invasive treatments that follow. Surgery, radiation, long hospital stays and uncertain outcomes overwhelm patients and families. But this World Brain Tumour Day on Sunday brings new hope, as doctors highlight emerging non-invasive therapies that could transform care. Advances in medical technology are introducing targeted, non-surgical treatments that promise better outcomes with fewer side effects and faster recovery. One such breakthrough is Focused Ultrasound Therapy. "It uses sound energy, l ...Read More >