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.
Bangalore : In a remarkable story of resilience, advanced medical care, and the generosity of organ donation, doctors successfully performed a life-saving heart transplant on a 63-year-old man from Madanapalle who was battling end-stage heart failure. Once active and healthy, the patient's life took a dramatic turn after a massive heart attack severely damaged his heart. He became hospital-bound with repeated episodes of heart failure, ultimately requiring continuous IV inotropic therapy (milrinone) at home to keep his weakened heart functioning. Despite this, his condition was critical, and his chances of surviving beyond a year without a transplant were slim. Placed on the heart transplant waiting list, destiny intervened when a matching donor heart became available -- remarkably, from a donor hailing from the same hometown of Madanapalle. The donor, who had been admitted with a severe headache and later declared brain dead due to an intracranial bleed, gave the gift of life through organ donation. The transplant surgery required meticulous coordination. Two operating theatres were mobilized simultaneously -- one to harvest the donor heart and the other to prepare the recipient. The donor heart was preserved in ice, transferred quickly, and implanted after the recipient's diseased heart was removed. Cold Ischemia Time was minimal since both donor and recipient were in-house. Post-operative challenges included preventing rejection of the new heart and safeguarding against infections due to immunosuppressant use. The first 48 hours to five days were critical, with close monitoring of hemodynamics, kidney and liver function, and pulmonary pressures. With multidisciplinary teamwork -- from cardiologists and cardiac surgeons to intensivists, anesthesiologists, infection-control nurses, and physiotherapists- the patient made a steady recovery. Initial rejection episodes were promptly managed, and subsequent biopsies confirmed good acceptance of the new heart. At discharge, the patient was walking independently and ready to begin a new chapter of life. "This transplant was unique, not only because of the medical complexity but also because of the extraordinary coincidence of both donor and recipient being from the same hometown. It is a powerful reminder of how organ donation can transform lives," said Dr Naveen Chandra G S, HOD and Lead Consultant - Department of Interventional Cardiology, Aster Whitefield. "This case is an example of how careful planning, advanced technology, and teamwork can turn a high-risk surgery into a success story. It also underlines the importance of timely referrals to transplant programs, which can make the difference between life and death for patients with advanced heart failure," added Dr. Chirag, Consultant - Interventional Cardiology, Aster Whitefield. Doctors emphasized preventive measures to avoid advanced heart disease, including managing hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol, and early recognition of symptoms like breathlessness and swelling. They also highlighted the growing expertise of India's transplant programs, now on par with global standards, and the promising role of advanced technologies such as AI, robotics, and virtual monitoring in improving transplant outcomes. The patient's journey stands as a testament to medical excellence, the importance of early detection, and the life-giving impact of organ donation.
Jaipur: The 23-year-old patient who received the heart, kidney and lungs of a brain-dead patient -- that were airlifted in the first such instance of organ transport in Rajasthan -- died on Tuesday late night at the SMS Hospital here. The hospital's senior doctor and spokesperson Dr Manish Agarwal said the complicated surgery was successful. Doctors tried hard to save the woman, but could not succeed, after which the patient died. The organs were airlifted for the first time in Rajasthan. The heart, kidney and lungs of Vishnu Prasad, a brain-dead youth in Jhalawar, were transported to Jaipur ...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 >
Finding a suitable kidney donor is still the biggest obstacle, even though Prabhas' support has given the family hope. Telugu actor Prabhas has come forward to show support for veteran comedian Fish Venkat, who is receiving treatment in the intensive care unit and is in critical condition. The well-known philanthropist actor has promised to pay for Venkat's urgent kidney transplant. Sravanthi, Venkat's daughter, confirmed in an interview with One India that Prabhas' team has committed to paying ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury on Sunday expressed concern over the government inaction in bringing to justice the terrorists behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali citizen. As the Parliament Monsoon session begins, Chowdhury stated that the INDIA bloc will raise this issue, demanding answers from the government. Speaking to ANI, Chowdhury said, The Parliament session is starting, so we have reached Delhi. We have not been able to see those who killed our countrymen in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam arrested yet. T ...Read More >
Stempeutics will have to meet certain regulatory milestones, he said, as the product would be made in India and sent to Japan In a first of sorts in stem cell therapy, India's Stempeutics has inked an "option licence agreement" with Japan's Medinet, a listed company focussed on regenerative medicine - to take the former's product used in treating chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI), to Japan. Japan is a tough regulatory market, BN Manohar, Stempeutics Chief Executive Officer told businessl ...Read More >
Heart transplant patients in the United States typically spend months waiting for a donated organ. But Kayoko Hira was not a typical patient. Mrs. Hira, the wife of a hotel magnate in Japan, flew to the United States in September 2021, went to the University of Chicago Medical Center and, within days, got a new heart from an American teenager who had died. Soon after, The New York Times found, a charity run by her husband made a donation to a nonprofit group led by the heart surgeon's wife. It ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government is planning to increase the budget for organ transplants under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar announced on Wednesday, pledging wider financial support for patients in need. The commitment came during a moving ceremony at Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children to mark World Organ Donation Day, where donor families were honoured for their life-saving contributions. Wadia Hospital Secures Pediatric Heart Transplant License The event, filled with emotion and gratitude, featured a soulful prayer dance by Riddhi-Sidd ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has suggested prioritising women in allocation of deceased donor organs.In a letter to the states/UTs, the apex authority for regulating organ donations and transplants in the country, has said a provision should be made to mark additional points for women recipients of donor organs, to address gender disparity. Studies have shown that while women make up a large percentage of donors, they receive fewer organs than men. "Women are equally vulnerable when it comes to end-stage organ failure due to illness, and it is import ...Read More >
Kolkata : To commemorate Indian Organ Donation Day -- observed annually on August 3rd to mark the anniversary of India's first successful deceased donor heart transplant -- Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass, organized a Patient Education Programme aimed at spreading awareness about the importance of organ donation and transplantation. The session was graced by (Prof.) Dr. Dilip Kumar Pahari, Senior Consultant and Head of Nephrology, Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass and (Prof.) Dr. Arpita Ray Chowdhury (Lahiri), Senior Consultant - Nephrology and Transplant President of the Indian Society of Organ Transpl ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): After US President Donald Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), Dr Abhishek Bansal, Senior Consultant and Chief of Interventional Radiology at Aakash Healthcare, warned that even mild symptoms, like Trump's ankle swelling, should not be ignored, as they could signal underlying vascular issues. 'The body often sends out early distress signals, and ignoring them could delay crucial diagnoses. Symptoms like swollen ankles, unexplained bruises, or a persistent limp may appear minor, but they could be the body's way of signalling something m ...Read More >
Mumbai, Aug 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a bid to increase organ donation in Maharashtra and give new life to patients awaiting transplants, the state government has launched the Organ Donation Fortnight with a range of awareness initiatives. Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar took the lead by personally filling out the organ donation form and taking a pledge, thus formally inaugurating the campaign. He urged citizens across the state to join the campaign and pledge to donate organs. The Angdaan Jeevandaan Sanjeevani Abhiyan (Organ Donation - A Gift of Life Campaign) is being ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: State govt on Wednesday conferred 'Suraj Samman' on 24 organ donors posthumously on the occasion of Organ Donation Day. A cash reward of Rs 5 lakh each was received by family members of the awardees.Health minister Mukesh Mahaling presented the awards after paying homage to the organ donors and their immediate family members. "Enlivening others in the aftermath of one's death through organ donation is a higher order of noble acts," he added.Mahaling said that because of the noble acts of the family of the donors, Odisha was honoured at the national level as an emerging state in or ...Read More >
New Delhi: Protest at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against a recently announced fee hike, the long-standing suspension of students' union elections and calls for administrative accountability have entered their sixth day, with students boycotting classes and staging sit-ins at the Bab-e-Syed gate (the iconic entrance of the varsity). The fee structure for different courses has witnessed a sharp revision. Students say the hike ranges from 25% to over 60% across various programmes. Many claim they first learned of the revised fees only while trying to pay through the university's online ...Read More >
Mumbai, May 29 (UNI) The police on Thursday arrested Dr Ajay Taware, the former medical superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital, in an alleged kidney transplant racket at a prominent private hospital in Pune. Dr Taware, who is already in custody at Yerwada Central Jail in a separate case involving alleged tampering of blood samples in the high-profile Pune Porsche crash, was taken into custody by the city crime branch for his suspected role in the 2022 kidney transplant scam at Ruby Hall Clinic. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingale, Dr Taware will be produced ...Read More >
New Delhi: Traffic in central Delhi will be affected on Thursday as the traffic police has issued an advisory due to the Janmashtami and Tazia processions.According to police, the traffic movement in Paharganj is likely to be affected from 1.30pm in view of the shobha yatra for Janmashtami and the Tazia procession.The Janmashtami procession will start from Mandir Shri Banke Bihari Ji in Paharganj's Sangatrasan Bazar and pass through Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Chuna Mandi, Main Bazar, Munja Chowk and Arakashan Road. The Tazia procession will start from Ajmeri Gate and proceed through Pul Paharganj ...Read More >
KOCHI: Biljith Biju and Isaac George, two youngsters who were declared brain dead last week, have, through organ donation, served a purpose beyond saving lives -- raising awareness of the importance of their life-affirming acts of eternal kindness. And, this has reflected in the number of organ-donation pledges made in the state on Friday and Saturday. On September 13, 191 people pledged to donate organs after their death. The number was 193 on September 12. "Factors like acceptance and the honour donors and their families receive, and the improved quality of life of recipients have motivate ...Read More >
Chennai: A ground-breaking study published in The Lancet, one of the world's most prestigious medical journals, has revealed a shocking and direct link between prolonged sun exposure and a high prevalence of kidney disease among farmers in Tamil Nadu. The research indicates that working directly under the sun, leading to chronic dehydration, is a primary cause of kidney damage, independent of traditional risk factors like diabetes or hypertension. The study, which has sent ripples through the agricultural and medical communities, found that 5.13 percent of the surveyed farmers in the state ha ...Read More >
Srinagar, July 09: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that Jammu & Kashmir's tourism sector is witnessing a strong revival, with a steady rise in the number of tourists visiting the Union Territory each day.Abdullah, while addressing reporters in West Bengal ahead of the Kolkata Tourism Fair, said, "Tourists are coming back to Kashmir in good numbers. The ongoingAmarnathYatra is proceeding smoothly with heavy footfall on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes, he said."I spoke to several pilgrims, and they are all happy and satisfied with the arrangements. I have come to Kolkata to ta ...Read More >
Kolkata, Jul 15 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hailed the safe return of Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from space, calling it a matter of national pride. Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force officer and test pilot, on Tuesday returned to the Earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station. Also Read | Will Samosa and Jalebi Display Cigarette-Style Health Warnings? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake News, Says Health Ministry's Advisory Doesn't Mention Warning Labels on Indian Food Products. "Welcome home, Shubhanshu Shukla! We are r ...Read More >
Vijayawada: The NSS Unit of Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University), here organised an organ donation awareness programme in collaboration with Manipal Hospital and Red FM on the occasion of Organ Donation Day on Wednesday. The programme was aimed to sensitise students, faculty, and staff about the vital role of organ donation in saving lives. Registrar Dr M Ravichand appreciated the noble cause of organ donation, noting that by pledging their organs, individuals can offer hope and grant a new lease of life to those in need. Dean of Admissions Dr GSN Swami highlighte ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Despite India making progress in organ transplantation, and being a sought-after transplant tourism destination for patients from abroad, the country still faces challenges in achieving equitable access for all its citizens, especially those living in remote areas, said a latest Lancet study. The study stressed that India needs stronger government investment, better data collection, improved public sector capacity, and policies to reduce financial and geographic barriers. India, placed in Category 4 along with South Africa, witnesses most transplants in private hospitals concentrat ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a major medical breakthrough, a city hospital has successfully performed the living donor liver transplant in combination with double heart valve surgery. The rare and high-risk procedure was conducted on a 55-year-old woman from Kyrgyzstan suffering from end-stage autoimmune liver disease and severe dysfunction in both the mitral and tricuspid heart valves. The patient, Anara M, sought treatment at Paras Health, Gurugram, on February 25, after years of hospitalisation. The pre-su ...Read More >
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Monday that his administration will establish a fund to finance organ transplants and other medical treatments exceeding Rs 5 lakh. Fadnavis mentioned at a meeting of the governing council of the State Health Assurance Society that the program will broaden the coverage of health insurance schemes. He instructed the state medical education and drugs department to develop a detailed policy for offering inclusive cancer treatment services throughout the state. Fadnavis led a meeting in which he emphasized the necessity of creating ...Read More >
VMPL Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 17: Cytecare Hospitals, a leading cancer and multi-speciality hospital known for its patient-centric and evidence-based care, has received the official license to perform kidney transplants. This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening the hospital's comprehensive organ care program and providing life-saving treatment options to patients with end-stage kidney disease. With this development, patients can now benefit from a multidisciplinary transplant team comprising experienced nephrologists, urologists, transplant surgeons, anesthesiol ...Read More >
New Delhi: Baek Se-hee, the acclaimed South Korean author behind the bestselling memoir I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, has died at the age of 35, according to a report by the BBC. Her death has left fans and readers across the globe mourning the loss of a powerful voice in mental health literature. Baek rose to prominence with her 2018 memoir, a deeply personal account structured around therapy sessions with her psychiatrist. The book resonated with a wide audience for its raw, relatable exploration of depression and anxiety. Originally published in Korean, it gained internationa ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): In a major crackdown, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Delhi Police has busted an interstate drug syndicate and seized 348.176 kilograms of Ganja, officials said. According to Apoorva Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of Police, ANTF, Crime Branch, Delhi, the seized contraband is valued at approximately Rs 1.75 crore in the international market. Also Read | Eknath Shinde Comes to the Rescue of Woman in Need of Kidney Transplant, Drops Her From Jalgaon to Mumbai in His Chartered Plane After She Misses Flight (See Pics). The drug was being smuggled from An ...Read More >
New Delhi: A study conducted by the AIIMS-Delhi in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has claimed that there was no link between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden heart attacks among young individuals. A panel of doctors at a press conference in AIIMS said that the ongoing study has so far examined 300 cases of sudden death, particularly among people under the age of 40. Though all of them had received COVID-19 vaccine doses, preliminary findings suggest other health and lifestyle-related causes were more prominent reasons behind the attack. Dr S Narang, a cardiol ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The tech capital witnessed a medical marathon like no other when doctors from four hospitals, aided by the city's traffic police, pulled off three heart transplants in under 12 hours. The mission: Saving three patients in their 30s, who were running out of time as their lung pressure edged towards the point of no return.All three donor hearts -- which were retrieved from Sparsh Hospital in Yelahanka, Aster CMI Hospital in Hebbal and Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road -- were raced through the city on green corridors organised by Bengaluru traffic police. The hearts were to reach N ...Read More >
"Ambulance in Delhi should reach before pizza" -- with this message, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday flagged off 11 Centralised Accident and... "Ambulance in Delhi should reach before pizza" -- with this message, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday flagged off 11 Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances in the national capital, officials said. The chief minister also said that hundreds more are in the pipeline, with the fleet expected to touch 53 by October and then eventually scale up to 1,000. Gupta on Thursday also unveiled some key healthcare initiatives, inc ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 28: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level meeting with members of civil society organisations, religious leaders, elected representatives, and representatives from the trade and business communities to review arrangements for the upcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. Among those present were Chief Minister Omar Abdullah; Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Special Director General (Coordination) S.J.M. Gillani; Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor and CEO of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Bidhuri; ...Read More >