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.
Ranchi: There has been a rise in vector-borne cases in the state, as per the state health department's figures complied till June this year. From January till June, Jharkhand witnessed a total of 14,771 malaria cases, marking a sharp rise as compared to May. Cumulative malaria cases stood at 11,271 in May, which rose by 3,500 in June taking the total tally to 14,771.Among the districts, West Singhbhum remains the worst affected with a total of 5,260 cases reported till June compared to 4,199 in May. It is followed closely by East Singhbhum, which recorded 4,557 cases till June, compared to 3,362 in May. Seraikela-Kharsawan jumped to 698 cases in June vis-a-vis 431 till May while Sahibganj rose from 578 till May to 652 cases by June. Khunti witnessed 572 cases till June as compared to 380 cases till May.Meanwhile, cases in Dhanbad remained low with 12 malaria cases reported in both May and June combined, showing no rise. Jamtara, too, reported only six cases consistently across both months. Deoghar recorded a minor increase from four cases in May to eight cases in June, while Ramgarh saw a slight rise from 18 to 20 cases between May and June. Chatra reported a steady figure of 14 cases in both May and June, showing no escalation. So far, 37 dengue, 12 chikungunya, and 28 brain malaria cases were confirmed in Ranchi district. Localities like Hindpiri, Kantatoli, Doranda, Kokar, Ratu Road, Madhukam, and Piska Mode are the most affected. Health officials attributed the rise in cases to increased mosquito breeding due to pre-monsoon and early monsoon rainfall, along with vector control challenges in rural and hilly areas. Dr Birendra Kumar Singh, state programme officer of vector born diseases, said, "The state health department has intensified active surveillance, distribution of insecticide-treated nets, and awareness drives in high-burden districts, especially in West Singhbhum and East Singhbhum. Efforts are on to track and treat plasmodium cases more aggressively, given their severity."
Belagavi: With monsoon rainfall intensifying, the health department in Belagavi district has ramped up preventive efforts to control the spread of dengue, particularly in the critical month of July, when water saturation increases the risk of mosquito breeding.While the number of dengue cases remained under control in June, health officials are on alert for a potential surge. According to district health officer (DHO) Dr SS Gadad, the department identified around 1,300 suspected cases of dengue-related symptoms in June. Of these, 620 samples were collected for testing, with only 21 confirmed p ...Read More >
Navi Mumbai: In a major public health initiative, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has intensified its efforts to curb mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue by organizing a series of public awareness and prevention camps. A total of 286 camps were conducted across the NMMC jurisdiction, drawing the participation of 1,12,887 citizens, with 6,666 blood samples collected for testing. On July 10, the latest round of camps saw 11,312 residents attend, where they were given practical demonstrations of mosquito larvae and shown how breeding typically occurs in stagnant clea ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) Mumbai has recorded an increase in malaria and chikungunya cases between January and July 2025 (till July 14) as compared to the same period of the previous year, the city civic body said on Tuesday. However, a decline was noticed in cases of leptospirosis and other water-borne diseases, including gastroenteritis and hepatitis, during the period under review, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in its report - Monsoon-Related Diseases. "The early onset of monsoon (in May) this year created a favourable environment for vector-borne diseases, leading to an ob ...Read More >
Dimapur, Jul 18 (PTI) Two persons have died of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Nagaland, a health department official said on Friday. Chief Medical Officer, Dimapur, Dr Yartenla Jamir, said that of the seven JE cases detected in Dimapur, Chumoukedima, and Niuland districts, two persons have died so far. Also Read | Chhattisgarh: 6 Bodies of Naxals Recovered in Ongoing Encounter With Security Forces in Narayanpur. She expressed concern over the rise in Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases in the three districts, especially during the monsoon season, which increases the risk of transmission. The H ...Read More >
Jamshedpur: With five dengue cases detected on Thursday, the East Singhbhum district administration has gone on alert mode. On Friday, it issued detailed advisory asking residents to follow dos and donts. The district civil surgeon Dr Sahir Pall said that all the five cases reported are from the urban circle and measures have been taken to control the spread of the disease. Four cases have been reported from Chhota Govindpur and one case has been reported from Birsanagar. All five infected persons are undergoing treatment at two different private hospitals in the city and are under the observa ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 6 (PTI) Conditions such as housing quality, mosquito numbers and response of a community could help in predicting severity of a chikungunya outbreak in a locality, a new analysis of 86 past outbreaks including those in India have found. The findings published in the journal Science Advances also show that climate conditions -- temperature and rainfall -- are not the most important factor when trying to predict the severity of the infectious disease outbreak, caused by spread of the chikungunya virus through mosquito bites. Researchers, including those at the University of Notr ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Bengaluru has witnessed a marked decline in dengue cases this year, with infections falling to less than half of those recorded during the same period in 2024. Health officials attribute the encouraging trend to intensified mosquito control efforts, increased community engagement, and heightened awareness campaigns. Data from the health division of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) reveals that between January 1 and June 4 2025, the city logged 824 dengue cases, a 48.1 per cent drop from the 1,712 infections reported during the same period last year. The decline has be ...Read More >
Udupi: In a bid to reduce the number of dengue and malaria cases, the Udupi district administration has decided to carry out prevention activities across the district in June and July. Deputy commissioner Vidya Kumari said awareness should be created among people on measures to prevent dengue and malaria in the district. Further, the district also needs to implement preventive measures effectively to make Karnataka free from malaria in 2025.The district carried out drives as part of World Malaria Day to prevent the spread of the disease with the slogan 'Malaria ends with us: reinvest, reimagin ...Read More >
Panaji: With extensive source reduction drives, house-to-house visits and tracking of fever cases, Goa has seen only 10 confirmed cases of dengue in June this year as against 60 confirmed cases in the same month of last year. "All 10 cases have been reported in North Goa, while not a single case has been reported in South Goa," said Dr Kalpana Mahatme, state programme officer and deputy director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme. Of the 10 cases, six cases are in Mapusa, while one each is in Candolim, Aldona, Siolim and Porvorim. "The cases reported in Mapusa are mainly ...Read More >
New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi's public health department has launched an intensive drive to check mosquito breeding at historical sites and tourist places in the city. At least 55 such places were checked in the past few days and mosquito breeding was found at 16 sites, which were destroyed on the spot, MCD stated. The department claimed to have visited Humayun's Tomb, Delhi zoo, Qutub Minar complex, Lotus Pond, Sunder Nagar Nursery, etc. While 16 violators were served notices, prosecution was launched against six of them, MCD stated. Such places have vast green areas, which increa ...Read More >
Mumbai, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actor Harshvardhan Rane, who was last seen in 'The Miranda Brothers', is heaping praise on the recently released film 'Saiyaara', and its team. On Saturday, the actor took to the Stories section of his Instagram, and penned a special note for the film and its makers after it witnessed a stellar opening day. He wrote, "Another melodious example of a love story shattering all myths and formulas of the industry. Honest heart wrenching love story wins again in 2025! #Saiyaara". 'Saiyaara', which stars Aneet Padda, and marks the debut of Ahaan Panday, is helmed b ...Read More >
Ranchi: The ongoing monsoon, marked by above average downpour this year so far, is giving tough time to idol makers in the state capital ahead of the upcoming Ganesh puja later this month. With few days left for the festival, idol makers are running against time to ensure their creations take shape to meet the deadline.With moisture refusing to let the clay or paint settle, artisans have now resorted to an unusual but effective solution: fire sprays to dry their creations."For the eight-foot heavy idols, a full gas cylinder is consumed just in the drying process. The time varies depending on t ...Read More >
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has reported a surge in dengue cases this year, with nearly 2,200 infections recorded so far, health officials said on Monday. They urged people to take preventive steps to stop further spread of the mosquito-borne disease. According to official data accessed by the news agency -- Kashmir News Observer (KNO), 2,168 dengue cases have been confirmed across the Union Territory till date. Among these, Jammu district reported the highest number of cases (960), followed by Kathua (579), Samba (139), and Udhampur (257). Other districts with reported infections include Re ...Read More >
Jharkhand Weather Alert: IMD Predicts Heavy Rain Till July 1, Ranchi Sees 207% SurplusSource : તસવીર સોશિયલ મીડિયા Ranchi, Jun 29 (PTI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an 'orange' alert, predicting heavy rain in parts of Jharkhand, including the state capital Ranchi, till July 1, an official said. Ranchi has been experiencing light to moderate rainfall since Sunday morning, and its intensity is likely to increase as the day progresses, the IMD official added. The 'orange' alert (be prepared) for heavy rainfall was issued for Khunti, Ranchi, Saraikela-Kharswan, East and West ...Read More >
Ranchi, Jun 29 (PTI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a 'red' alert, predicting extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Jharkhand till July 1, an official said. Jharkhand's capital Ranchi, which has been experiencing light to moderate rainfall since Sunday morning, is likely to receive heavy rainfall till the morning of July 2, the IMD official added. The 'red' alert (take action), predicting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, was issued for Gumla, Simdega, Khunti, Saraikela-Kharswan, East and West Singhbhum districts till 8.30 am on June 30, according to the weather b ...Read More >
Gurgaon: The state health department has recorded 62 confirmed cases of dengue till June end. However, Gurgaon hasn't recorded any cases so far even as dengue hotspots have been mapped out. Rewari has emerged as the most affected district with 14 cases, followed by Karnal with eight, Panchkula with seven and Kaithal and Faridabad with four each. While the state numbers are lower than in previous years, authorities remain vigilant to prevent a post-monsoon surge. Thirty-one cases of malaria and 10 cases of chikungunya were also recorded during the same period.In Gurgaon, the health department h ...Read More >
Patna: While the monsoon brings respite from the heat, the threat of vector-borne diseases also increases during this time of the year.According to official data, so far 62 dengue cases have been registered in Patna district, along with seven chikungunya. Health experts have warned people to remain cautious as the peak season is just ahead.Officials said of the total 62 dengue cases, the majority were from the capital. When asked about the steps being taken by the department as cases are expected to increase with each passing day, Patna civil surgeon Dr Avinash Kumar Singh said they were on al ...Read More >
Jamshedpur: The monsoon has taken a firm hold over Jharkhand, delivering widespread and robust rainfall across the state, with East Singhbhum emerging as the wettest district so far. According to the latest data from the Ranchi Meteorological Centre, Jharkhand has received an actual rainfall of 611.5 mm till date -- marking a 70% surplus over the normal average of 359.8 mm for this period. Topping the list is East Singhbhum, which has recorded an impressive 1014.5 mm of rainfall -- 155% above normal. The abundant rains have not only rejuvenated agricultural prospects in the district but have ...Read More >
Hyderabad, July 7 (Maxim News): In light of the increasing risk of dengue and seasonal diseases, the Telangana Health Department has urged citizens across the state to observe 'Friday Dry Day' -- a weekly initiative to eliminate stagnant water in and around homes, offices, and public spaces. With the arrival of monsoon, conditions are now ideal for the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes, the primary vector of dengue. The health authorities have called on the public to proactively prevent mosquito breeding by ensuring there is no water accumulation in containers, flower pots, air coolers, or any ope ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
Ludhiana: As part of efforts to counter the risk of dengue, the health department conducted a house-to-house dengue awareness and breeding check drive at Chand Colony, under the guidance of civil surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur.The civil surgeon urged residents to actively participate in dengue prevention efforts. "We are working tirelessly to prevent dengue outbreaks, but our efforts can only be effective with the full support of the community. Every household must ensure that water is not allowed to stagnate, as it serves as a breeding ground for dengue-carrying mosquitoes," she said. She also urg ...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 >
Ranchi: The Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in four districts on Monday. Ranchi-IMD scientist Abhishek Anand said, "There is a strong possibility of heavy rainfall in Gumla, Simdega, Khunti, and West Singhbhum districts on Monday due to the combined effect of unseasonal weather systems. This likelihood is arising due to the impact of a low-pressure area and the active condition of the monsoon trough.""Thunderstorms and strong winds, speeding up to 30-40 km/hr, are also likely to take place at isolated places over the ...Read More >
Kurukshetra: Haryana health minister Arti Singh Rao on Friday said there would be no shortage of medics in the state-run hospitals and the govt would soon recruit 500 doctors for these facilities.The proposal for recruitment has already been prepared, and the hiring process will begin soon, the minister said while interacting with the mediaperson after conducting a surprise inspection of the LNJP Civil Hospital here.Earlier, Arti Singh checked the pharmacy, toilets, and cleanliness arrangements i ...Read More >
PTC Web Desk: Ludhiana district continues to witness a steady rise in dengue cases, with the total count reaching 361. As per the latest report issued by the office of the Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, 15 new cases were recorded on Thursday. Currently, 35 cases remain active, while no dengue-related deaths have been reported so far. On the other hand, only one case of chikungunya has been reported in the district, with no new infections detected in the latest update. The health authorities have identified 29 dengue hotspot areas in Ludhiana. These are Gurdev Nagar, Model Town, SBS Nagar, Phase 2 ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Thousands of people who gathered at ashoorkhana in Dabeerpura on the 10th day of Muharram (Youm-e-Ashura) took part in the Bibi-ka-Alam procession. The procession commenced from Dabeerpura on an elephant and concluded at Chaderghat. The Shia mourners took out the procession to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Mohammad's grandson, Imam Hussain, on the 10th day of Muharram. Members of the Shia sect performed matam and participated in processions. The 10th Muharram is the day on which Imam Hussain was martyred in the battle of Karbala by Yazid and his army. The relic made of ...Read More >
New Delhi: Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday urged states to reassess their preparedness to fight dengue, particularly in light of the prolonged rainy season and waterlogging in certain areas. Nadda had held a similar meeting over dengue and malaria in the national capital last week. States have also been advised to intensify vector control, strengthen surveillance and rapid response in Delhi and NCR. During 2024, a total of 2,33,519 dengue cases and 297 deaths were reported from the country. In 2025 (till August 31) 49,573 cases and 42 deaths have been reported. Nadda chaired a high- ...Read More >
Ranchi: The IMD Ranchi office on Thursday issued a yellow alert for the state, warning of potential thunderstorms and lightning in isolated parts till July 21."Light to moderate rain and thunderstorms are most likely to occur at many places over the state till July 21, due to the presence of the monsoon trough. Isolated places across the state are also likely to experience thunderstorms and lightning activities till July 21. In the next two days, the maximum is likely to rise by two to three degrees," said Baburaj P P, a scientist at Ranchi IMD.Heavy rain lashed several districts starting Wedn ...Read More >
Patna: Non-vegetarian dishes have made Bihar's politics spicier on several occasions, and so union minister and senior JD (U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh' recent mutton party for party workers and supporters under his Munger constituency was no exception. Lalan Singh listened to problems of common people at Suryagarha in Lakhisarai district of Bihar (part of Munger constituency) to sort them out with local authorities and also threw a mutton party for them, creating a controversy as the feast was organised in the month of saawan. Although Lalan Singh made separate arrangements ...Read More >
Dimapur, Jul 18 (PTI) Two persons have died of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in Nagaland, a health department official said on Friday. Chief Medical Officer, Dimapur, Dr Yartenla Jamir, said that of the seven JE cases detected in Dimapur, Chumoukedima, and Niuland districts, two persons have died so far. She expressed concern over the rise in Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases in the three districts, especially during the monsoon season, which increases the risk of transmission. The Health department has urged district administrations to issue a public advisory on JE prevention measures and to i ...Read More >