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.
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 life-saving impacts and economic benefits of nearly USD 32 billion due to outbreak response immunisation programmes aimed at containing vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. "For diseases with routine vaccination programs, maintaining high levels of population immunity is vital for preventing large outbreaks," lead author Dominic Delport, a PhD candidate at Burnet Institute, an Australian-based medical research institute and NGO said. Also Read | MHADA Lottery 2025: MHADA Announces Konkan Housing Lottery for 5,285 Flats and 77 Residential Plots, Registration Begins Today at housing.mhada.gov.in; Know Important Dates and How To Apply. "But when outbreaks do occur, a rapid vaccine response typically provides the greatest protective impact for the population at risk -- and the faster the response, the greater the impact," Delport said. The researchers added that with routine vaccination declining and also impacted by cuts to the US' foreign aid, the study highlights the ongoing need for an insurance policy against major outbreaks of diseases like cholera, Ebola and measles. The study analysed 210 outbreaks across 49 low- and middle-income countries that occurred between 2000-2023 for five diseases -- cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever. Globally, routine vaccine coverage has been shown to falter, with a recent study published in The Lancet journal attributing this to persistent inequalities, challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy -- factors which increase the risk of vaccine-preventable outbreaks, it said. Low- and middle-income countries have been studied to bear the major brunt of these outbreaks. Senior author Nick Scott, associate professor and head of modelling and biostatistics, Burnet Institute, said the global decline in routine vaccine coverage highlights the value of vaccine stockpiles as insurance against major outbreaks. "Routine vaccine coverage is declining due to many factors including vaccine hesitancy and funding cuts for organisations like USAID and Gavi, and in many places gaps in coverage due to COVID-19 disruptions haven't been filled yet," Scott said. "And as routine coverage declines, the prospect of more major outbreaks means there's a growing need for global vaccine stockpiles," the senior author said. The authors wrote, "Across 210 outbreaks, ORI (outbreak response immunisation) programmes are estimated to have averted 5.81 million cases 327,000 deaths." The team also looked at the impact of outbreak response immunisation programmes in helping control large outbreaks in low- and middle before they became overly disruptive. Larger outbreaks are linked with worse health and economic outcomes, often requiring more disruptive public health measures that involve travel interruptions and school and business closures. "We found here that the presence of the (outbreak response immunisation) consistently resulted in smaller outbreaks (eg, reducing the percentage of measles outbreaks with more than 100,000 cases from 41 per cent to eight per cent)," the authors wrote. "(Outbreak response immunisation) programmes are critical for reducing the health and economic impacts of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases," they wrote.
Berhampur (Odisha), Jun 6 (PTI) Environmental activist Medha Patkar on Saturday appealed to the people of Odisha for protection of Rushikulya river. The government planned to construct a dam in the river Pipalapnaka under Sorada block in the district. While participating in the Save Rushikulya river movement in Ganjam district, she said, "Rivers may be small or big, but they are our mother. We have to protect the rivers from attacks." She attended a meeting were organised by the Rushikulya Banchao Kriyaanusthan Committee (RBKC) and the Centre for Climate Justice, spearheading the agitation a ...Read More >
Mark Carney declined to answer if he believed Indian PM had a role in murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar Canada's prime minister Mark Carney has defended his decision to invite India's prime minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, despite Canada's federal police's conclusion that the murder of a prominent Sikh activist in British Columbia was orchestrated by the "highest levels" of the Indian government. Carney declined to answer reporters' questions over whether ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) No COVID-19 case was reported in Mumbai on Friday, the feat achieved for the first time in about two months, the metropolis' civic body said. In a release, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also said no new or concerning variant of the virus has been detected in the city as per the Whole Genome Sequencing Report. Mumbai recorded six COVID-19 cases between January and April this year, before a surge in May saw the detection of 435 cases, while the figure for June stood at 539, the release informed. As on Friday, there are 62 active COVID-19 cases in the city, though ...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 >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 3 (ANI): Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, the Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited, refuted the allegation of the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in which he attributed more than twenty deaths due to heart attacks in the past one month in district of Hassan to COVID vaccines. She said that it was factually incorrect to suggest that COVID vaccines were hastily approved. Also Read | Heart Attacks Being Linked to COVID-19 Vaccines After 4 Years of Being Vaccinated Does Not Stack Up, Says Biocon Chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. In a post on X, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw sai ...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 >
India has pledged USD 20 billion towards infrastructure development, prioritizing multimodal logistics, port connectivity, and trade facilitation, according to Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. He emphasized India's growing maritime capabilities and called for greater partnerships in seafarer recruitment. Strategic corridors like IMEEC, EMC, and INSTC are strengthening maritime connectivity and supply chains.India has committed USD 20 billion for infrastructure development, with a focus on enhan ...Read More >
ess than 24 hours after he asserted in Nigeria's Abuja that stepping out of the comfort zone, innovating and creating new paths has now become the very essence of today's India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told the gathering of world's most influential leaders converged in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 Summit that the main reason for India's success lies in his government's 'back to basics' and 'march to the future' approach. Addressing the G20 session on 'Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty' at the bayside museum of modern art during the two-day 19th G20 Summit, ...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 >
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) Non-teaching specialists or consultants with 10 years of experience at government hospitals can now be appointed as associate professors, while those with two years can serve as assistant professors without the mandatory senior residency, in a move to widen the pool of eligible faculty. The new regulations by the National Medical Council (NMC) also stipulate that non-teaching government hospitals with over 220 beds can now be designated as teaching institutions, The previous 2022 regulations allowed non-teaching doctors to become assistant professors after two years in ...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 >
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 >
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 >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) India's extreme poverty rate declined sharply to 5.3 per cent over a decade from 27.1 per cent in 2011-12 even as the World Bank revised upwards its threshold poverty line to USD 3 per day. Given India's inflation rate between 2017 and 2021, a revised extreme poverty line of USD 3 would constitute a 15 per cent higher threshold than USD 2.15 expressed in 2021 prices and result in a 5.3 per cent poverty rate in 2022-23, the World Bank said in a report. In India, the report said, 54,695,832 people lived on less than USD 3 per day in 2024. Thus, the poverty rate at USD 3 ...Read More >
NEW DELHI -- President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the Russian people were "united as never before," as he sought to project confidence in the wake of a short-lived revolt, at a meeting of a rare international organization where he can find a sympathetic audience. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting, hosted via videoconference by India, was Putin's first multilateral summit since an armed rebellion rattled Russia and comes as he is eager to show that the West has failed to isolate Moscow over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Asian security grouping, founded by Russia and Chin ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 03: The sudden demise of 42-year-old Shefali Jariwala, best known for her iconic appearance in the Kaanta Laga music video, has triggered a storm of speculation online, with several posts linking her death to the COVID-19 vaccine. Public interest in the death of 42-year-old Shefali Jariwala is fueled by growing concerns over rising heart attacks among middle-aged individuals, including several well-known celebrities. However, official findings and expert statements contradict these claims. According to her doctor, Shefali had been undergoing anti-ageing treatment for the past ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance on Thursday asserted that COVID-19 vaccines have been well-documented and rigorously tested according to regulatory standards, playing a crucial role in combating the pandemic. Without naming Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who linked COVID-19 vaccines with a spate of heart attack deaths in the state's Hassan district, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) said, "Misinformation and distortion of facts endanger public health and undermine the trust built on science and patient care globally". "During the COVID pandemic, vaccines play ...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 >
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 >
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned educational institutions that cases would be booked against them if drugs were found in their premises. The CM announced that the state's Anti-Narcotics Bureau would henceforth be known as Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and was tasked with curbing the menace of narcotics in the state. Speaking at an event marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025 at Shilpakala Vedika here, Reddy placed an onus on educational institutions to ensure their campuses were free of drugs. "It is the ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 30 (PTI) Torrent Pharmaceuticals expects the Rs 19,500-crore deal to acquire majority stake in Mumbai-based J B Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals to complete over the next 15-18 months. As per the deal, which is the second largest in the domestic pharmaceutical space behind Sun Pharma's 2015 acquisition of Ranbaxy, Torrent will acquire 46.39 per cent stake from promoters Tau Investment Holdings Pte Ltd (a unit of global investment firm) for about Rs 11,917 crore. It would additionally buy another 2.80 per cent from certain employees of JB Chemicals at the same acquisition price of ...Read More >
The United States congressional subcommittee's final report on the Covid-19 pandemic has pointed to the "lab leak" theory, making it the latest US report pinning the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the Wuhan lab in China. "Four years after the onset of the worst pandemic in 100 years, the weight of the evidence increasingly supports the lab leak hypothesis," the 500-plus page report said, adding that since they began their work in February 2023, more senior intelligence officials, politicians, science editors, and scientists had "endorsed the hypothesis that COVID-19 emerged as the result ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI): A new trade agreement between the United States and Vietnam is raising concerns and offering key lessons for India, especially for Indian exporters who see Vietnam as both a competitor and a partner in regional value chains, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). The report highlighted that despite a historic trade agreement signed in 2000 that allowed Vietnamese goods to enter the US at concessional tariffs of 2 to 10 per cent, the new deal imposes a flat 20 per cent tariff on all Vietnamese exports to the U.S. Also Read | Is S ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 3 (PTI) Former celebrity manager Disha Salian committed suicide and no foul play has been found in her death, the Mumbai police have submitted to the Bombay High Court, even as her father Satish Salian reiterated she was gangraped and murdered. Disha Salian had jumped off the window of a flat out of her own volition, and the postmortem report mentions no signs of sexual and/or physical assault on the deceased, the police said in an affidavit filed before the HC last month. Also Read | Heart Attacks Being Linked to COVID-19 Vaccines After 4 Years of Being Vaccinated Does Not Stack ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 3 (PTI) Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Thursday opposed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's remarks linking covid-19 vaccines with a spate of heart attack deaths in the state's Hassan district, saying such claims are "'factually incorrect" and "misleading". Siddaramaiah has suggested that the recent heart attack deaths in Hassan district may be linked to the vaccination drive. He had also claimed the vaccines were 'hastily' approved. In a social media post, Shaw said "covid-19 vaccines developed in India were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, ...Read More >
Bengaluru, July 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, responding to objections raised by Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw over his statement on Covid vaccines causing heart attacks in the state, on Friday, remarked that seeking clarity does not amount to spreading misinformation. Taking to social media site X, Siddaramaiah, defending his statement on linking sudden heart attack deaths in Hassan to a "hasty" Covid vaccine rollout, said: "As Chief Minister, I have a duty to respond to the genuine concerns of people who have lost loved ones unexpectedly. When parents lose the ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Even as the latest Lancet paper marked India among eight countries with a high burden of zero-dose children, those who had never received a routine childhood vaccine, the Union government on Saturday said that the country's large population size, and high vaccination coverage rate must be considered when making such comparisons. The government noted that "India's antigen-wise immunisation coverage surpasses global averages across all antigens". In other words, the vaccination strategy deployed in India is targeted against antigens, which can trigger an imm ...Read More >
New Delhi: After the success of Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir Khan has opened up about his upcoming collaboration with director Rajkumar Hirani for a biopic on the legendary filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke. Following the historic success of 3 Idiots and PK, this marks the third collaboration between Aamir and Hirani. Both previous films were widely praised for their clever humor, emotional storytelling, and strong narratives hallmarks of the Aamir-Hirani combo. In a recent interview, when asked whether humor would also be a part of the Phalke biopic, Aamir said: "I think Raju and Abhijat [Joshi, wri ...Read More >
Jaipur: In a decisive move, the state govt informed the Rajasthan High Court Tuesday it would not cancel the controversial 2021 sub-inspector recruitment examination, despite allegations of paper leaks and use of dummy candidates. After months of protests for and against the demand to cancel the exam as well as the court's directives for administrative clarity in the matter, the state govt finally made its stand clear during the hearing before the single bench of Justice Sameer Jain.Advocate general Rajendra Prasad, representing the state govt, said, "The decision to continue with the recruitm ...Read More >