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.
BENGALURU: With the death of a 22-year-old kabaddi player due to rabies in Uttar Pradesh, the BBMP is now focussing on prevention of the disease through vaccination and awareness camps and by launching a drive to round up suspected rabid dogs in its limits. The palike's dog catching squad isolated 1,107 strays and found 673 of them to be rabid in the past four-and-a-half years. A senior veterinarian from BBMP's animal husbandry department said whenever dog bite complaints are received, the canine is caught and kept under observation and certain tests conducted. "Normally in ten days, the rabid dog dies and its brain samples are sent for tests, while the body is disposed of scientifically. Based on the laboratory report, the palike launches a 'ring vaccination' drive in the locality where the rabid dog died and the canines there will be vaccinated to ensure the infection does not spread," the veterinarian said. "Rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease that can be prevented through vaccination. It spreads through bites, scratches or saliva of the infected animals. Globally, an estimated 59,000 deaths are reported annually due to rabies, with dogs responsible for over 97% of the cases. A death occurs every nine minutes due to rabies, and nearly 40% of the victims are children aged below 15. Hence, it is important to get vaccinated if bitten by a dog," according to BBMP's special commissioner for health Suralkar Vikas Kishor. An oral rabies vaccine is being developed by Bengaluru Veterinary College, according to the palike. As part of its rabies control initiative, the palike launched a campaign on Monday. During the campaign, special vehicles with health staff will visit all wards to educate people about rabies prevention. The palike will intensify its IEC activities related to zoonotic diseases by targeting school and college students. According to the palike, 2,37,803 dogs have been operated under its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, and during its annual mass vaccination campaign since 2020-2021, 4,43,238 dogs have been vaccinated.
KARUR: A two-year-old spotted deer which wandered off from a reserved forest near Vadacheri into Veeranampatti village was chased by stray dogs and took refuge inside a house on Saturday morning. According to sources, the reserved forest is situated close to the village and spotted deer frequently roam near the village border in search of food and water. On Saturday, the deer lost its way while grazing, wandered into Veeranampatti, and was chased by stray dogs. The panicked animal ran into a nearby house, and the owner, Selvakumar, immediately informed forest officials and fire and rescue se ...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 >
BENGALURU: A police case has been registered against a woman staying at Doddanekundi after she was accused of killing one of her pet dogs and keeping its carcass for days that led to foul smell coming out of her flat. Dr KL Rudresh Kumar, the assistant director of the Animal Husbandry (AH) Wing of the KR Puram subdivision of BBMP, filed the police complaint. The 38-year-old woman, Triparna Paik, stays at the flat number J-404 at Akme Ballet Apartment in Doddanekundi. The animal husbandry team arrived at her flat after the apartment residents' association complained to the BBMP over foul smel ...Read More >
Noida: Liquor revenue in the city jumped by 35% in the first quarter of 2025-26 compared to the same period last year. The city recorded Rs 625 crore in liquor revenue from April to June 2025, compared to Rs 462 crore during the same period in 2024-25.According to excise department data, the revenue in the first quarter of 2023-24 was Rs 430 crore, showing a 7% growth between 2023-24 and 2024-25 and a much larger jump this year.The sharp rise is attributed to the new liquor policy in the state, which made significant structural changes to the retail and licensing system.The month-wise revenue ...Read More >
The health department of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has covered 1,000 more dogs under its ambitious dog feeding programme to take care of strays and reduce aggression caused due to hunger. The BBMP had launched this pilot programme in select areas across eight zones in Bengaluru on October 17. Initially, the civic body was feeding 100 dogs. Under the initiative, pourakarmikas, health officials, animal husbandry officers, animal lovers, pet owners, and interested citizens are working together to collect leftover food from hotels and restaurants to feed stray dogs. The prima ...Read More >
MALAPPURAM: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Sunday said that there are 383 people in the contact lists of the two persons infected with the Nipah virus in the state. Of those on the contact list, 12 people are under treatment in Malappuram district with five in the ICU and four are being treated in isolation in Palakkad district, the minister said in a statement after chairing a high-level meeting. The recent death of an 18-year-old girl in Malappuram district was confirmed as Nipah infection, while a 38-year-old woman from Thachanattukara in Palakkad district also tested positive for ...Read More >
Lucknow: In a landmark health initiative aimed at protecting daughters of police personnel from cervical cancer, governor Anandiben Patel on Wednesday inaugurated the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign at Lucknow Commissionerate Police Lines. Under this campaign's first phase, 140 girls, aged 9 to 26 years, from police families received free HPV vaccinations.The initiative, launched under the joint collaboration of Uttar Pradesh Police, King George's Medical University (KGMU), Green Gas Limited, and WAMA Sarathi, marks a significant stride in preventive healthcare for families of ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 15 (PTI) No increase in deaths among cardiac patients or a rise in the number of admissions for cardiac ailments, Karnataka Minister Sharanprakash Patil, said on Tuesday, stating that the findings from Karnataka correspond with those of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. "So, people need not panic. There is no correlation between the COVID vaccine and these deaths," Patil told PTI Videos. Also Read | 'Welcome Back': Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati Hail Shubhanshu Shukla's Return to Earth After Completing Historic Axiom-4 Space Mission. Medical Education ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Two people died and four others were injured after a fire broke out at a house in east Delhi's Old Govindpura area on Tuesday evening, an official said. Police have identified the deceased as Tanveer (28) and Nusrat. A call was received at Jagatpuri police station at 8.46 pm regarding a fire incident at Band Gali, Old Govindpura, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said. When a police team reached the spot, it found that 10 people were trapped inside a residential building that caught fire, the DCP said. With the help of police personnel and fir ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Class 10 student, Samudra Laxmi Bhavani Keerthi, who was bitten by rats 15 times, at the state-run BC Welfare Hostel, in Danavaigudem, Khammam, has been partially paralysed in an arm and a leg after an alleged overdose of rabies vaccine. Keerthi was administered the vaccine every time she was bitten by a rat during March and November. Keerthi's mother, Samudra Bindu said that when the girl was first bitten in February she was taken to the hospital and given the vaccine, without her knowledge. Last week the hostel informed Bindu that Keerthi was unable to walk and had to be carried ...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 >
Bengaluru, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Karnataka Police have filed an FIR against a young woman from West Bengal for allegedly killing her pet dog as part of a black magic ritual, officials said on Saturday. The incident has been reported from the Mahadevapura police station limits in Bengaluru. The FIR has been registered against Triparna Paik and another individual. The complaint was filed by Rudresh Kumar K.L., an Assistant Health Director with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. According to the police, the decomposed body of the dog was recovered from the woman's flat. The dog's ...Read More >
Bengaluru: A woman has been booked on charges of killing her pet dog and keeping the body in her flat at Doddanekkundi, Mahadevapura, for three days. The incident came to light when other occupants of the apartment alerted civic authorities Thursday, saying a foul smell was emanating from the flat.Residents said the occupant, identified as Triparna Paik, wasn't cooperating with them to find the source of the smell and understand what had happened inside the flat. With the help of local police, a BBMP veterinary doctor entered the flat and found the decomposed body of a black male labrador retr ...Read More >
Guwahati, July 6: The outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Assam has taken a worrying turn, with the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) reporting 13 deaths linked to the disease in the past three months. According to hospital authorities, a total of 57 encephalitis patients have been admitted to GMCH during this period. As of Friday, 47 patients are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. In the past 24 hours alone, GMCH admitted 10 new JE cases, indicating a sharp surge in infections. However, there is some relief as 10 patients have successfully recovered and been dis ...Read More >
Surat, Jul 4 (PTI) A no objection certificate (NOC) from at least 10 neighbours will now be required if residents of a housing society want to keep a pet dog at their home in Surat city of Gujarat, civic officials said on Friday. In case of a multi-storey apartment building, the pet owner must submit an NOC issued by the chairperson and secretary of the residential building, said officials of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). In view of some recent incidents, including a toddler's death in Ahmedabad following a pet canine's attack in May, the SMC has started issuing notices to dog owner ...Read More >
Mangaluru: Well-known physician Dr. Srinivas Kakkilaya has urged the government to withdraw the recent report submitted by the expert committee headed by Dr. K.S. Ravindranath of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. The report concerns sudden cardiac deaths and, according to Dr. Kakkilaya, is incomplete and flawed. Speaking to Vartha Bharati, Dr. Kakkilaya said that the report, as claimed by media outlets, states there is no link between COVID-19 vaccination and recent sudden deaths. However, he clarified that no such conclusion exists in the report. He pointed out ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) South Asia has achieved its highest-ever immunization coverage for children, with notable progress in India and Nepal, according to new data released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for 2024. India reduced its number of zero-dose children -- those who have not received a single vaccine -- by 43 per cent, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction, from 23,000 to 11,000, a WHO statement said. Pakistan also recorded its highest-ever DTP3 (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) coverage at 87 per cent. Ho ...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 >
In a remarkable achievement, India has reduced the number of children missing all vaccinations by an impressive 43% within a single year, according to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The updated figures for 2024 reveal that India lowered its zero-dose children count from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Highlighting regional success, UNICEF's South Asia Director Sanjay Wijesekera praised the improvement. Neighboring Nepal and Pakistan also showed prog ...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: The Uttar Pradesh administration has strengthened security arrangements across several districts including Lucknow, Sambhal, and Moradabad to ensure peace and avoid any disruption, as Muharram processions and the Kanwar Yatra are being held at the same time.Large crowds gathered for Muharram processions across different regions, while preparations for the Kanwar Yatra are also underway. Police personnel have been deployed in all sensitive areas, and surveillance is being carried out using drones and CCTV cameras.In SambhalDistrict Magistrate Dr Rajender Pensiya while speaking to ANI ...Read More >
Malappuram: The health department has issued a high alert in six districts of Kerala -- Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Thrissur -- after a suspected Nipah virus-related death was reported on July 12. Hospitals in all these districts have been asked to exercise caution and intensify surveillance to prevent a potential outbreak. The deceased is a 57-year-old man from Mannarkkad in Palakkad, who tested positive for Nipah infection in preliminary examinations conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital in Malappuram. Health Minister Veena George stated that confirm ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) Global stockpiles of vaccines under programmes supported by 'Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance,' helped prevent more than 5.8 million cases and 327,000 deaths from outbreaks in low- and middle-income countries since 2000, according to a new study. The alliance, established in 2000, funds the roll-out and scale-up of new vaccines through routine healthcare systems and preventive campaigns. Also Read | How To Check Lottery Sambad Results: A Comprehensive Guide for Indian Lottery Enthusiasts. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Global Health, highlight ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 15 (UNI) India has made significant strides in childhood immunisation, achieving a 43% reduction in the number of zero-dose children to .9 million in 2024 against 1.6 million the previous year, according to a joint statement by World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF here. This development comes as part of a broader regional success, with South Asia reaching its highest-ever levels of immunisation coverage, said the statement. As per the report, 92% of infants in the region received their third dose of the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP) vaccine in 2024 -- a two p ...Read More >
Kolkata, Jul 15 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hailed the safe return of Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from space, calling it a matter of national pride. Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force officer and test pilot, on Tuesday returned to the Earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station. Also Read | Will Samosa and Jalebi Display Cigarette-Style Health Warnings? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake News, Says Health Ministry's Advisory Doesn't Mention Warning Labels on Indian Food Products. "Welcome home, Shubhanshu Shukla! We are r ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 7 (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday decided to treat sudden deaths as "notifiable disease" and conduct postmortem in such cases. State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said there will be more screening of people above the age of 15 years in the state. The minister's remarks came in the wake of a spate of heart attacks in the state, especially in Hassan district. He also sought to clarify that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement linking Covid vaccine with the spate of heart attacks was not with any malafide intention. "We have decided to announce sudden deaths as ...Read More >
Akola: Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan emphasised that in order to stop cotton imports and initiate exports by 2030, high-density cotton planting techniques will be promoted nationwide. Chauhan highlighted that the Akola pattern of high-density cotton planting, implemented by farmer Dilip Thakre, has received national recognition.Similarly, Dilip Pohane from Wardha, with support from the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), achieved increased productivity through dense cotton planting. As the benefits of these methods become evident, the govt plans to promote these ac ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 15 (PTI) Karnataka Minister for Medical Education Sharanprakash Patil on Tuesday said there has been no rise in cardiac deaths or hospital admissions in the state, vis-a-vis covid-19 vaccination and that the findings align with those of AIIMS, New Delhi. Data shows no such correlation, he said. "So, people need not panic. There is no correlation between the covid vaccine and these deaths," Patil told PTI Videos. Patil along with Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, was addressing a press conference at Vikas Soudha to highlight the findings of reports by the Bengaluru-based Natio ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Local bodies in Kerala will no longer need to wait for individual government orders to carry out the euthanasia of stray dogs suffering from rabies or other serious illnesses. The move follows the Union Government's notification of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Rules, 2023, which permits mercy killing under such circumstances. Responsibility for managing stray dog populations lies with local self-governments, as outlined in the Panchayati Raj and Municipal Acts. They can now act directly on these provisions, provided they follow World Health Organisation (WHO) ...Read More >