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, 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 percentage point increase from the previous year and a strong indicator of post-pandemic recovery. "This is a proud moment for the region," said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. "More children are protected today than ever before, thanks to tireless frontline health workers, strong government leadership, the support of donors and partners, and the unwavering trust of families." The proportion of children receiving their first dose of the DTP vaccine in South Asia rose from 93% in 2023 to 95% in 2024. The number of zero-dose children across the region declined by 27%, from 2.5 million to 1.8 million. Nepal reported a 52% reduction in zero-dose children, bringing its numbers down from 23,000 to 11,000. Pakistan achieved its highest-ever DTP3 coverage at 87%. However, Afghanistan saw a one percentage point decline in coverage and continues to have the lowest immunisation rates in the region. In measles immunisation, 93% of infants across South Asia received the first dose, and 88% received the second dose in 2024 -- up from 90% and 87%, respectively, in 2023. Consequently, measles cases dropped sharply by 39%, from over 90,000 cases in 2023 to around 55,000 this year, as per the agencies. Despite these gains, vaccine coverage remains below the 95% threshold required to prevent outbreaks. Dr. Thaksaphon Thamarangsi, Director of Programme Management at WHO South-East Asia Region, welcomed the progress but urged governments to sustain momentum. "It is heartening to see the region reach its highest ever immunisation rates, surpassing even pre-pandemic levels. We must build on this progress and reach every child with life-saving vaccines," he said. India has attributed success of its Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), which provides free vaccination services annually to 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore infants (0-1 year) to healthcare workers ASHAs and ANMs. While the gains are notable, more than 2.9 million children in South Asia continue to remain under- or unvaccinated, the report noted, underscoring the need for continued investment in immunisation services, especially amid global concerns around vaccine hesitancy and health service disruptions in conflict-affected areas. UNI AJ ARN
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 >
Air India launched a Black Friday Sale with discounts up to 20% on domestic flights and up to 12% on international flights to various destinations. The sale is available through the airline's website and mobile apps. Additional savings are possible with waived convenience fees and specific payment methods. The airline continues offering student and senior citizen discounts.Air India on Friday launched a limited-time Black Friday Sale offering discounts of up to 20 per cent off base fares for domestic flights within India. The Tata-owned airlines will also offer up to 12 per cent off base fares ...Read More >
Air India is also offering additional discounts through various payment offers, so you can enjoy even more savings. Air India has launched its limited-time Black Friday Sale, offering up to 20 percent off base fares for domestic flights and up to 12 percent off on international flights to destinations like the United States, Europe (including the UK), Australia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The sale is available exclusively on Air India's official website and mobile apps for iOS and Android. The sale runs from 00:01 IST on 29 November 2024 to 23:59 IST on 2 December 2024. The travel peri ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 11 (ANI): A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation, led by senior leaders, met Himachal Pradesh Governor Pratap Shukla recently to submit a comprehensive 106-page memorandum titled "Kachcha Chittha". The document, which alleges rampant corruption and administrative failures in the two years of Congress rule under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, aims to hold the state government accountable for what the BJP describes as a period of "unprecedented mismanagement and destruction." Speaking to the media after meeting the Governor, Himachal Prade ...Read More >
CHITTOOR (Andhra Pradesh): The Apollo University, Apollo Hospitals and University of Leicester, United Kingdom, have partnered to establish the Centre for Digital Health and Precision Medicine (CDHPM) at The Apollo University campus in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. The advanced research center will bring together the expertise and resources of both institutions to create a global hub for digital health and precision medicine. The CDHPM will be the hub in Chittoor, India. The hub at the University of Leicester will be based at the BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester ...Read More >
Guwahati, Feb. 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday spoke about the state undergoing a major transformation in public education with more than 500 higher and higher secondary schools being upgraded. Taking to a microblogging website, the Chief Minister shared on Friday that the schools are being upgraded at ₹7-10 crore each. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of a new block for the upgradation of the Palashbari Anchalik High School into a National Model School of Excellence under the PM SHRI scheme at Agchia, Majirgaon, Palashbari. Addressing the press on Fri ...Read More >
Mumbai: The birth of three penguin chicks at Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo has sparked an unexpected row not over their care, but their names. BJP functionary Nitin Bankar from the Byculla Assembly constituency has objected to the chicks being given English names, insisting they be named in Marathi instead. The BMC is expected to respond by June 10, after which Bankar will decide his next move. Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Bankar said, "When penguins were brought from abroad, we accepted that their names would be in English. But these chicks were born on the soil of M ...Read More >
Guwahati: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a massive healthcare infrastructure overhaul for Assam, while inaugurating the Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Childcare Centre (NBWCC) in Guwahati here on Thursday.During the event, the Assam CM revealed plans to invest Rs 4000 crore in expanding the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) into a 5000-bed facility.He also praised the newly-inaugurated NBWC centre saying that he was happy that the group had invested in Assam " I am sure that the people of Assam, along with other northeastern states, will immensely benefit from this venture o ...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 >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...Read More >
Renowned writer Sarayu Ahuja was bitten by a langur at the Otters Club in Bandra West while enjoying coffee with friends on Wednesday. The monkey, which was familiar to club members, had been seen at the club before, even sitting at a breakfast table days earlier. After the incident, the club contacted the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). Experts advise keeping areas clean, managing garbage, and avoiding feeding monkeys to prevent such incidents. If a monkey attacks, it’s essential to stay calm, secure loved ones, and seek immediate medical care, including tetanus and anti-rabi ...Read More >
Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI) Standalone health insurance company Star Health Insurance has targeted doubling its business in Tamil Nadu over the next four years, a top official said. As part of its growth strategy, the company plans to add 12,000 new agents across Tamil Nadu and expand its footprint with 25 new offices in both rural and urban areas in FY2025. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News: Narendra Modi Government Likely To Hike DA for Employees by 3% in January 2025, Check Details. Star ...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 >
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday termed the inauguration of the Chenab and Anji rail bridges by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "historic moment" in the region's development journey."What a momentous day! June 6, 2025, will go down in history. Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji inaugurated the Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, and the Anji Bridge, India's first cable-stayed rail bridge -- making the dream of connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari a reality," Sinha said in a post on X. Sinha declared that the long-held vision of connecting Ka ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...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 >
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 >
Mumbai: Noting that a person running an elevator company would surely be "rolling in money", a sessions court increased the compensation for a domestic violence survivor from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 crore. The judge said a substantial enhancement was needed to compensate for the 20 years of torture, humiliation and economic abuse the 41-year-old woman suffered at the hands of her 44-year-old husband. The monthly maintenance was also hiked from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh for the woman and their minor daughter.The domestic violence survivor had moved a Mumbai sessions court in 2021 after the magistrate' ...Read More >
Berhampur/Bhubaneswar: A state-of-the-art medical college and hospital was inaugurated by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Kandhamal district on Saturday, fulfilling a long-standing demand of locals. The 100-seat medical college and 650-bed hospital, built at a cost of over Rs 600 crore, is located at Tilakpada near Phulbani.Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, CM Majhi emphasised that the facility would provide quality healthcare services to residents of Kandhamal and neighbouring districts like Boudh, Nayagarh and Kalahandi.A govt officer said the medical college hopes to start admissi ...Read More >
SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the iconic Chenab Bridge, Anji rail bridge and Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project and flagged off Vande Bharat Trains, connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Speaking on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha called it a momentous occasion that will go down in history. In his address, the Lieutenant Governor expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dedicating the historic railway projects to the people of Jammu Kashmir and the nation. "Kashmir to Kanyakumari is no longer a ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 8: HDFC Bank has strongly denied allegations made by Lilavati Kirtilal Mehta Medical Trust (LKMM Trust) which called for the suspension and prosecution of bank's Managing Director and CEO, Sashidhar Jagdishan, in an alleged financial fraud, which the bank termed as "baseless and malicious". HDFC Bank said it has obtained "comprehensive legal advice and representation in this regard" and will defend its MD and CEO's reputation. "The allegations made by Lilavati Trust, its Trustees and Officials against the Bank's MD and CEO are baseless and malicious. The outrageous and prepostero ...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], December 15 (ANI): A friendly cricket match between Parliamentarians under Rajya Sabha Chairman XI and Lok Sabha Speaker XI is being played at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday. BJP MP Anurag Thakur captained Lok Sabha Speaker XI while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju led Rajya Sabha Chairman XI. The friendly affair has been named 'TB Mukt Bharat awareness cricket match'. Speaking to ANI, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju says, "Several of our MP colleagues have come here. With the mantra of fitness...this event has been scheduled to fill people with vigour through sports. ...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 >
J&K lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Friday called inauguration of Kashmir rail project "a momentous occasion that will go down in history". In his address, Sinha expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dedicating the historic railway projects to the people of Jammu Kashmir and the nation. "Kashmir to Kanyakumari is no longer just a slogan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned this decade-long dream into reality. He has connected the hearts of millions of Indians, forging an unbreakable bond from north to south. With Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Ra ...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 >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
GUNTUR: In a significant push to urban infrastructure, the Andhra Pradesh government has sanctioned an additional Rs 111.5 crore to strengthen the drinking water supply system in the Mangalagiri-Tadepalli Municipal Corporation (MTMC), represented by Minister Nara Lokesh. Administrative approval was issued by Special Chief Secretary S Suresh Kumar of the Urban Development Department. The new funding is part of a comprehensive project to ensure safe and uninterrupted drinking water supply. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) worth Rs 450.24 crore was earlier prepared to serve 21 villages. Of this, ...Read More >