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.
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 confirmation of the infection will be made only after the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, publishes the final test results. The man passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Malappuram. Health dept to release route map The health department has ramped up efforts to trace the contacts of the deceased. Field-level surveillance will be launched in the area soon, said the health department. So far, health officials have listed 46 people who came into contact with the patient. CCTV footage and mobile tower location data have been used to help identify individuals for the contact list. A detailed route map of the patient's recent movements has been prepared, along with a family tree to trace close contacts. Health teams are currently conducting fever surveillance in the region to detect any possible symptoms in others. "Field teams have been strengthened, and all available data is being used to monitor the situation. Further steps will be taken once confirmation is received from the National Institute of Virology in Pune," said Health Minister Veena George. If the NIV confirms the infection, this would be the second Nipah-related death reported in Kerala in recent days. A few days ago, a woman from Malappuram also died from the infection, while another patient from Palakkad remains hospitalised. The minister has also instructed officials to strengthen the response team, considering the seriousness of the situation. In Palakkad and Malappuram, district authorities have urged people to avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, especially under the current circumstances. Visits to friends or relatives receiving treatment should be strictly limited, officials said. Only one person is allowed to accompany a patient as a bystander. Both healthcare workers and those visiting the hospital -- including patients and their companions -- are required to wear masks at all times, according to an official release. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or direct human-to-human contact. The Nipah virus contact list now includes a total of 543 individuals, of whom 46 are linked to the newly suspected case.
The Cure SMA Foundation of India has praised the government’s recent efforts to address rare diseases, including Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), with over Rs 900 crore allocated for treatment procurement. The foundation urges swift action to implement the procurement process within 45 days, following the Delhi High Court’s directive. SMA, a life-threatening genetic disease, has limited treatment access in India. While the drug Risdiplam has brought hope, collaborative efforts are needed to ensure wider availability. Experts stress the importance of a holistic approach to SMA care, citing Kerala ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J.P. Nadda, on Sunday emphasised the role of key government initiatives in transforming the lives of women across India, marking "11 years of Sashakt Nari" -- a sustained efforts toward women's empowerment under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Initiatives such as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, PM Ujjwala Yojana, Drone Didi, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan with its focus on toilet construction, Mahila Shakti Kendras, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao have empowered our sisters and opened countless new oppor ...Read More >
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 [India], December 3 (ANI): On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region has called for amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities to foster an inclusive and sustainable future. WHO's Regional Director, Saima Wazed, stressed that empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring their active participation in all sectors is essential to addressing the barriers they face, particularly in healthcare and during humanitarian crises. Also Read | South Korea Unrest: Martial Law Troops Enter Nat ...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 >
New Delhi, June 29 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today highlighted a series of public health achievements, with a special emphasis on the eradication of eye disease trachoma, promotion of traditional wellness practices such as yoga, and women-led health initiatives at the grassroot levels. Addressing the nation in the 123rd edition of his radio talk show Mann Ki Baat, the PM lauded India's successful elimination of Trachoma, a bacterial eye infection, which has now been declared eradicated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). "I am very happy to share with you that WHO has declared I ...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 >
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 >
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 >
New Delhi: Delhi govt has imposed a strict ban on direct purchases and cart-based procurement through the Government e-Market (GeM) portal for hospitals. The administration clarified that no healthcare facility or institution has the authority to make cart purchases or initiate bidding independently.The order emphasised that any non-compliance with these guidelines will face serious consequences, potentially leading to disciplinary or legal proceedings as determined by the relevant authority.The GeM portal, which commenced operations on Aug 9, 2016, functions as an online marketplace for centr ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) The 10 years of digital India have made sectors from healthcare to education to business and commerce inclusive and innovative, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. The Digital India mission, launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed to democratise access, build an inclusive digital infrastructure, and provide opportunities for all. "The Digital India initiative has democratised technology, transforming India into a global digital powerhouse. From healthcare and education to business and commerce, it has made every sector more inclus ...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 >
New Delhi, Jun 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded two major national achievements in public health and social security during his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat, calling them milestones that "will fill every Indian with pride." Citing praise from global organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Prime Minister said India has been declared Trachoma-free by WHO, marking a major public health victory, and that over 64% of the Indian population now benefits from some form of social protection, as recognised in a ...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 >
New Delhi, July 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday greeted all the doctors on the occasion of National Doctor's Day. PM Modi said the contribution of the doctors in strengthening the country's healthcare infrastructure was exceptional. In a post on X, the Prime Minister extended best wishes to the medical fraternity and said the doctors have made a mark with their dexterity and diligence. "Best wishes to all hardworking doctors on #DoctorsDay. Our doctors have made a mark for their dexterity and diligence. Equally notable is their spirit of compassion. They are truly protectors of hea ...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 >
Biocon Biologics, in collaboration with Diabetes Africa and St Paul’s Hospital in Ethiopia, has launched the Embedding Specialist Nurses in Diabetes Care project. The initiative focuses on training nurses to become diabetes specialists to address the country’s growing diabetes crisis. With Ethiopia ranking among the top countries in sub-Saharan Africa for diabetes prevalence, this project aims to integrate diabetes care into primary healthcare, enhancing accessibility and care quality. By upskilling nurses and establishing a structured pathway for them, the program seeks to improve diabetes ma ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): Emphasising the need for stringent regulation of food quality, Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, Karnataka Minister for Medical Education, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood urged both state and central food and drug authorities to closely monitor and regulate the standards of street and hotel food. Speaking at the World Food Safety Day programme organised by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at NIMHANS on Saturday, Dr Patil highlighted the serious health risks posed by unhygienic and adulterated food. 'Children and the elderly ...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 >