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.
VMPL New Delhi [India], July 18: Myopia, or near-sightedness, is a condition where nearby objects appear clear, but distant objects look blurry. It is the most common refractive error, typically affecting the younger population worldwide. With its rising prevalence, it is estimated that by 2050, half of the global population will be Myopic. Dr Sanchit Gupta Eye Surgeon, MS (Gold Medallist), FNIE,FMR Netra Drishti Eye Carer, Gandhinagar, Agra Quote: Myopia, or near-sightedness, is rapidly increasing among children, Today's children are spending less time outdoors and more time on screens, and these lifestyle factors, along with genetics, are contributing significantly to the rise in myopia. Once myopia begins it often worsens with age and can lead to serious eye problems like retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma later in life. The good news is that research shows spending at least 90 minutes outdoors daily can help prevent the onset of myopia in children. If a child is already myopic, early treatment can slow its progression. Today, we have effective options like: - Myopia control glasses (peripheral defocus lenses) - Low-dose atropine eye drops - Orthokeratology lenses (Ortho-K) worn overnight. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to protecting your child's long-term vision. During Myopia Awareness Week, let's commit to regular eye check-ups, more outdoor play, and timely intervention. Clear vision today means a brighter tomorrow. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of Myopia. [2] It often begins during childhood and adolescence. Older children may articulate the difficulties they experience with their vision, but younger children might not express their vision problems. Dr Manjula Jayakumar, MBBS, DO, DNB, FICO (UK) Senior Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmology Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital , Chennai. Quote: Myopia (short-sightedness unless corrected by minus glasses) is the bane of the current century. Every 3 out of 10 urban children wear glasses. This is definitely a concern as not only the prevalence of myopia but also the prevalence of high myopia is on the rise. High myopia is glasses over minus 5 Dioptre sphere. What does myopia mean to the child? First of all, it makes a child spectacle dependent. A child will not be able to do daily activities without the help of glasses. Secondly it makes the child vulnerable to the complications of myopia as he grows into an adult. This is both an economic and social burden. So we need to address this issue on a war footing! Children should reduce gadget use and screen time. Children should also spend less time on near activities like reading, art and craft work. They should be like a free bird. Go out and soak in the sunshine and indulge themselves in play and physical activities. Eat healthy balanced food not saturated in carbohydrates and fat that have an indirect link to myopia onset and progression. Develop good habits like reading in good illumination and avoiding dim ambient lighting. If parents are myopic then the likelihood of their children becoming myopes is higher. These children need to be screened for glasses at 3.5 years of age. Though myopia is an epigenetic disorder, which means both genetic and environment have an influence in the onset and progression of the disease, the environmental influences can be totally modified by our behaviour and lifestyle. So do not ignore myopia. Keep a check on its progression. Visit your eye care practitioner twice in a year. Follow their advice with discipline, practice a healthy life style and combat myopia as a disorder.Common signs of Myopia 1. Proximity to screens: One of the most noticeable signs is when a child sits very close to the television or laptop screen. This behavior is also observed in school, where the child may sit close to the board or screen or prefer the front row to see clearly. 2. Blurred vision and headaches: Some children may complain of blurred vision or intermittent headaches. 3. Eye strain: Eye strain is a common complaint among children developing Myopia. [3] 4. Reading and writing habits: Children may hold books close to their faces while reading or bend down excessively while writing or drawing. Very young children might hold objects very close to their faces while playing. 5. Persistent squinting and eye rubbing: Frequent squinting, blinking, or rubbing eyes excessively Behavioural Changes Dr Lav Kochgaway Paediatric Ophthalmologist Netralayam, Kolkata Quote: Children with minus power should limit their use of small digital devices and play outdoors in sunlight. Despite this, if the power still increases, eye drops and spectacles designed to limit myopia progression can be considered. The cooperation of parents is necessary to tackle it. Certain behavioural changes in children, such as avoiding outdoor play or sports, losing interest in classroom activities, or displaying irritability, may signal vision issues like myopia. These signs often stem from difficulty seeing distant objects clearly. Ignoring them can delay diagnosis and impact a child's academic performance and emotional well-being. Early eye checkups are essential for timely intervention. Dr Ashwin Sainan paediatric Ophthalmologist Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai Quote: Reducing indoor activities, spending an hour and a half outdoors daily, using low-dose atropine eye drops, and myopia control glasses can help slow myopia progression. Early detection for kids at risk of developing myopia and slowing the condition among those who already have it, with regular eye screenings is vital.Importance of early detectionEarly detection of myopia (nearsightedness) in children is critical for preventing long-term vision issues and ensuring healthy eye development. Myopia often develops gradually, and children may not realize or communicate that their vision is impaired. However, certain warning signs--such as squinting, sitting too close to screens or the blackboard, frequent eye rubbing, or complaints of headaches and eye strain--can signal the onset of vision problems. Dr Aloka Hedau Pediatric Ophthalmologist and Squint Surgeon Dr. Aloka's Eye Care, Hyderabad Quote: Two hours of outdoor play in natural sunlight each day can play a vital role in controlling the rising incidence of myopia in children. Exposure to natural light helps regulate dopamine levels in the retina, which in turn helps control the axial elongation of the eyeball--the main cause of myopia. Sunlight also enhances Vitamin D synthesis and provides high-intensity light and visual contrast, both of which support healthier and more stable eye development. In contrast, extended use of handheld digital devices leads to constant near focusing, increasing the eye's accommodation demand and speeding up axial growth. This digital strain worsens myopia over time. Encourage outdoor activities and limit screen time--making the sun your child's daily companion is one of the simplest ways to safeguard their long-term vision. Parents, caregivers, and teachers play a key role in noticing these behavioural changes. If any such symptoms or a sudden shift in a child's visual behavior are observed, it is crucial to consult a qualified ophthalmologist without delay. Timely intervention can help manage the condition effectively through corrective lenses, lifestyle changes, or treatment options that slow the progression of myopia. By catching it early, we can protect children's vision, support their academic performance, and contribute to their overall well-being. 1. World Health Organisation (WHO). The Impact of Myopia and High Myopia: Report of the Joint World Health Organisation-Brien Holden Vision Institute Global Scientific Meeting on Myopia, 2015. 2. Holden BA et al. (2016). Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology, 123(5):1036-1042. 3. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology (2023). Prevalence and Risk Factors of Myopia in Indian Schoolchildren: A Multicity Cross-sectional Study. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
VMPL New Delhi [India], July 18: In recent times, many of us have encountered the term 'Progressive Myopia'. But what exactly is it? Progressive Myopia is a form of near-sightedness where the correction needed to clear vision increases by more than -0.5 dioptre within a year. This condition predominantly affects children and teenagers. The earlier Myopia develops, the faster it progresses. Consequently, children who develop Myopia early in life are more susceptible to progressive myopia and eventually high myopia. Dr Padma Priya G K, MBBS, DO, DNB, FPOS, FAICO Consultant Paediatric Ophthal ...Read More >
Chaibasa: Five children suffering from thalassaemia have tested HIV-positive in Jharkhand's Chaibasa town, leading to allegations of medical negligence at a government hospital. Families of the affected children claim that contaminated blood supplied by the local blood bank at Sadar Hospital may have caused the infection. Probe Ordered, Discrepancies Found in Blood Bank Following the allegations, the Jharkhand government has set up a five-member medical team from Ranchi to investigate the case. The team, led by Director of Health Services Dr Dinesh Kumar, inspected the Sadar Hospital blood ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) A wireless retinal implant showed potential to restore central vision in patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to clinical trial results published on Monday. Advanced atrophic AMD, also known as geographic atrophy (GA), is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in older adults, affecting more than 5 million people worldwide. The study, led by researchers from the University College London, University of Pittsburgh, and Stanford Medicine revealed that 27 out of 32 participants had regained the ability to read a year af ...Read More >
Jharkhand: At least five children with thalassemia in Chaibasa tested HIV-positive on Saturday, following an investigation by a five-member medical team from Ranchi. The probe was launched after a family alleged that a local blood bank had transfused HIV-infected blood to their seven-year-old child. Officials said the child had received around 25 blood transfusions from the blood bank. District Civil Surgeon Dr. Sushanto Majhee stated the child had tested HIV-positive over a week ago and noted that HIV infection could also occur from other sources, such as contaminated needles. ALSO READ: Au ...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 >
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said authorities cannot go against demolition orders issued by courts and stressed that displaced residents have been provided accommodation.Her words came in the wake of the recent Madrasi Camp demolition for which the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticised her. AAP has targeted Gupta, and alleged that the displaced Madrasi Camp residents were provided homes in faraway Narela, and those lack basic amenities.Attending an event to mark the construction of a Jan Sewa camp at a slum cluster in the Haiderpur area, Gupta told reporters: "In t ...Read More >
New Delhi: Chronic pain is no longer just a personal struggle it's a silent epidemic. According to a landmark study published in BMC Geriatrics, nearly 47% of Indians aged 45 and above report joint pain, and over 31% live with persistent back pain. Despite these alarming figures, the majority of patients delay seeking medical attention relying on over-the-counter painkillers, home remedies, or simply "learning to live with it." Experts warn that this neglect can lead to irreversible damage, disability, and serious health complications. The study, which analyzed responses from over 58,000 indi ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 18: Myopia, or near-sightedness, is a condition where nearby objects appear clear, but distant objects look blurry. It is the most common refractive error, typically affecting the younger population worldwide. With its rising prevalence, it is estimated that by 2050, half of the global population will be Myopic. Quote: Myopia, or near-sightedness, is rapidly increasing among children, Today children are spending less time outdoors and more time on screens, and these lifestyle factors, along with genetics, are contributing significantly to the rise in myopia. Once myopi ...Read More >
LUCKNOW: Hours after the abduction and rape of a three-year-old girl sleeping with her mother under a bridge near Alambagh metro station, the accused was killed in an encounter with Lucknow police early Friday.The accused, identified as Deepak Verma, a habitual offender with multiple criminal cases lodged across city police stations, was traced through CCTV footage that captured him fleeing with the child on a white scooter around 3.30 am on Thursday.Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Ashish Srivastava said multiple police teams were formed immediately after the incident, and a rewar ...Read More >
Ahmedabad: Indian Institute of Public Health in Gandhinagar (IIPH-G) in collaboration with state-based endocrinologists will map the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in Gujarat in a longitudinal study. The project, announced on Monday, will be a ten-year long study and will be one of the biggest to explore various aspects of the condition including comorbidities, mortality, and rural vs urban divide, among others.Dr Komal Shah, lead, NCD Advocacy and Research Collaboration (NCDArc) Centre at IIPH-G, said that a stakeholders' meeting was held on Monday with participation from state education and s ...Read More >
The wife, Kruthika M Reddy, reportedly fell ill and was rushed to the nearby hospital in Ayyappa Layout, Munnekolalu. The doctors examined her and confirmed that she was brought dead. Six months after the death of a 29-year-old dermatologist from Bengaluru, Marathahalli Police have arrested the victim's husband, a fellow doctor, for allegedly murdering his wife by injecting anaesthetic drugs, police said on Wednesday. According to the police, the husband, Dr Mahendra Reddy, allegedly overdosed ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 31: Rusan Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., the marketing and distribution arm of Rusan Pharma Limited, an integrated global pharmaceutical company, has announced the launch of the multi-dose delivery pen device - APOSAN® 3ml Pen (Apomorphine Hydrochloride solution for injection in cartridge)(10mg/ml)(3ml pre-filled cartridges) for treatment of motor fluctuations commonly known as 'ON-OFF' episodes in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD). Also Read | Ashok Kharat Case: 150 Women Exploited via Spiked Drinks and Hypnosis; Congress Makes Wife-Swapping Allegati ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Biocon Ltd on Friday said its arm Biocon Biologics has been granted a notice of compliance by Health Canada for its biosimilar Yesafili injection used to treat various ailments of the eye. "Health Canada has granted a Notice of Compliance (NOC) for Yesafili(aflibercept), a biosimilar to Eylea injection, in vial and prefilled syringe presentations, 2 mg/0.05 mL on June 26, 2025," a regulatory filing by Biocon said. This approval paves the way for the launch of Yesafili in Canada, scheduled for July 4, 2025, it said, adding Yesafili is the first biosimilar to Eylea to b ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 8 (PTI) Just in 2024 alone, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) claimed 2,360 lives of children in hospitals notified in Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai, said Dr Vasant M Khalatkar, National President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) on Tuesday. Yet, RSV, often mistaken for a mild seasonal cold, is an under-discussed cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under five, he added. Also Read | Bodoland Lottery Result Today, July 08, 2025: Assam State Lottery Sambad Tuesday Lucky Draw Results Declared, Check Winners List With Ticket Numbers. Accord ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Firecracker-related eye injuries continued on the second day of Deepavali. Between Sunday and Tuesday, the total number of eye injuries treated in the city's eye hospitals touched 96, including 48 children. Most of the cases were minor injuries.On Tuesday, there were four cases, including one child, at Minto Hospital. Two were grievous injuries, while the other two were simple injuries caused by crackers such as bijli roll, atom bomb, flowerpot, Lakshmi bomb, and rockets. In the past t ...Read More >
Mumbai : As India continues to grapple with gaps in access to timely and affordable pediatric cardiac care, the Kasauli Rhythm & Blues Festival (KRBF) returns on 3rd and 4th April at Baikunth Resort, Kasauli. Organised by Genesis Foundation, the festival marks its 10th edition while also celebrating 25 years of the Foundation's sustained efforts in supporting life-saving treatment for critically ill, underprivileged children suffering from Congenital Heart Defects (CHD). Since its inception in 2012, KRBF has evolved into a purpose-led platform that brings together communities, artists and part ...Read More >
Lucknow: A three-year-old girl, sleeping with her mother under a bridge near Alambagh metro station, was abducted, raped and dumped in a nearby thickets in the city on Wednesday/Thursday night.The victim suffered deep wounds in her private parts and is recuperating at a hospital.Police teams have been formed to track down the miscreant, said DCP Central Ashish Srivastava.A case under the charges of rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act), 2012, was registered against the unidentified miscreant.The police teams were scanning CCTV footage to reach the rapist."Off ...Read More >
Jamshedpur: Six children suffering from thalassemia have contracted HIV after they were allegedly administered infected blood during transfusions at a hospital in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, prompting the state government to order a high-level investigation and suspend the civil surgeon and other officials concerned, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday. The Jharkhand high court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and sought a detailed report from the health secretary. The development comes days after a seven-year-old thalassemia patient, who had received a blood tr ...Read More >
New Delhi: Heart disease risk calculators used across hospitals may not accurately identify Indians, who face imminent danger, states a new research involving nearly 5,000 patients. The study found that close to 80 per cent of individuals who eventually suffered a first heart attack had not been labelled 'high-risk' by widely accepted global scoring systems. These findings raise serious concerns about preventive cardiology practices in India, where heart disease often strikes earlier and progresses differently compared to Western populations. Researchers say physiological patterns, diabetes b ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: A government doctor at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO) in Thiruvananthapuram has been suspended following a shocking case of medical negligence involving a 59-year-old woman. The patient, Asoor Beevi from Beemapally, had visited the hospital for an eye injection as part of ongoing treatment for vision problems linked to high blood pressure. However, Assistant Professor Dr. S.S. Sujesh mistakenly administered the injection to the wrong eye, says reports. The error came to the forefront when Beevi's relatives noticed the mistake after the procedure. Hospital a ...Read More >
CHENNAI: With Deepavali approaching, doctors have urged the public to take extra precaution while handling fireworks to avoid eye injuries. Experts say improper handling often leads to accidents, with eyes being one of the most affected areas. According to Dr S Soundari, regional head of clinical services, Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital, Chennai, most injuries reported during the festive season have a direct impact on the eyes. "Eyes are the second most affected area after hands and fingers. Many ocular injuries occur due to sparklers, bombs and 'chakra' crackers," she said. She added that more ...Read More >
Indore administration has banned dangerous carbide toy guns after 31 individuals, mostly children, suffered serious eye injuries during Diwali. The district magistrate prohibited their manufacture, storage, sale, and use, citing public health and environmental concerns. Police also banned social media content featuring these guns, with violations punishable by law. The Indore district administration on Friday banned the dangerous carbide toy guns after their use during Diwali led to at least 31 ...Read More >
Mumbai: Three children aged 12 to 16 died of disseminated tuberculosis (TB) at one of the major public hospitals in the city over the last month not due to lack of treatment but because private general practitioners failed to diagnose the disease early.Disseminated TB refers to the spread of the disease from the lungs to other organs. Sometimes, even chest physicians miss its signs in paediatric patients. For instance, a 15-year-old girl was sent to the hospital as a drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) patient without further evaluation. "All we were told was that she had a headache. As soon as she arri ...Read More >
Maharashtra Assembly Monsoon Session: Nana Patole and other MVA legislators protested against alleged derogatory remarks by Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar about farmers. Congress MLA Nana Patole was suspended for a day from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Tuesday after he climbed Speaker Rahul Narwekar's podium amid aggressive protests by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi MLAs. On the second day of the Monsoon Session, MVA legislators staged a protest against alleged derogatory remarks made by Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate and BJP MLA and former ...Read More >
"For the Nuh district, higher remuneration has been approved to attract specialists. Doctors with MBBS and diploma qualifications will be paid Rs 1.5 lakh per month, while those with MBBS and MD/MS/DNB qualifications will receive Rs 2 lakh per month," she said, according to an official statement. The health minister said the government aims to ensure better and timely healthcare services for all citizens of the state. Appointment of specialist doctors in government hospitals will not only impro ...Read More >
Dibrugarh: Three YouTubers were arrested in Dhemaji on Thursday for the brutal killing of wild birds and uploading graphic footage of their acts on their YouTube channel 'Jakrub'. The accused have been identified as Munindra Mushahary, Maheshwar Swargiary and Shiviram Swargiary.The trio reportedly hunted birds and destroyed nests at the Pitoni region of Hastinapur and Kardoiguri villages, an ecologically sensitive area. They used slingshots to kill birds and collected hundreds of eggs from their nesting grounds. The videos, which showed the destruction of habitats and killing of birds, sparked ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jul 8 (PTI) Just in 2024 alone, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) claimed 2,360 lives of children in hospitals notified in Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai, said Dr Vasant M Khalatkar, National President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) on Tuesday. Yet, RSV, often mistaken for a mild seasonal cold, is an under-discussed cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under five, he added. According to Dr Khalatkar, the 2024 data is just the tip of the ice-berg: although it has been a notifiable infection for almost five decades, people do not test for it. ...Read More >
COIMBATORE: In the past six months alone, 7,845 babies have received donated human milk from 1,635 mothers at the Comprehensive Lactation Management Centre (CLMC), the breast milk bank at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Since its inception in 2015, the centre has collected 16,717.8 litres of donated milk from 24,654 mothers, benefiting 55,056 babies, many of whom are abandoned, preterm, or critically ill. In 2024 alone, the CLMC collected 10,104.65 litres of milk. Between January and June this year, 1,358.94 litres were collected from 1,635 donors. Dr N Senthilkumar, professor in the ho ...Read More >
Jharkhand government has formed a medical team to find out how the child received contaminated blood. Four more children suffering from thalassemia were detected HIV-positive in Jharkhand's Chaibasa town on Saturday during an investigation by a five-member medical team from Ranchi, taking the total number of affected minors to five. The development comes a day after the family of a seven-year-old thalassemia patient alleged that the local blood bank in Chaibasa had transfused HIV-infected blood ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Dr T. Krishna Murthy, brain and spine surgeon, said that children with autism often have different sensory processing abilities, which influence their behaviour and interaction with the environment. He highlighted the critical role of parents in early identification by observing key developmental indicators such as eye contact, responsiveness, and interaction levels in infants.He was speaking at a seminar, 'Early Identification and Intervention in Autism: Changing Life Trajectories' organised to mark World Autism Awareness Day by the Manasa Institute of Child Health and Disability S ...Read More >