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.
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: Aurangabad Railway Station Renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 3 Years After City's Name Changed Led by Director of Health Services Dr Dinesh Kumar, the team examined the blood bank at Sadar Hospital and the pediatric ICU, gathering information from children under treatment. "Initial investigation indicates that contaminated blood was transfused to a thalassemia patient. Some discrepancies were detected in the blood bank during the probe, and the officials concerned have been directed to resolve them," Kumar said. West Singhbhum currently reports 515 HIV-positive cases and 56 thalassemia patients. The investigation team includes Dr Shipra Das, Dr S.S. Paswan, Dr Bhagat, Dr Sushanto Majhee, Dr Shivcharan Hansda, and Dr Minu Kumari. What is Thalassemia? Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder in which the body is unable to produce enough hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. As a result, red blood cells become weak, break down faster, and their numbers decrease in the bloodstream.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak announced the examination of the Jhansi Medical College fire report after a tragic incident claimed 10 infants' lives. Investigations point to a short circuit as the cause. Amid electoral criticism, Congress calls for reverting to ballot papers following a recent election loss. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak confirmed on Wednesday that the report regarding the devastating fire at Jhansi Medical College has been received. An investigation into the details of the report will be conducted to determine the causes of the tragic incident. ...Read More >
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar and West Bengal on August 22. He will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth around Rs 13,000 crore at Gaya in Bihar at around 11 am. He will also flag off two trains and address the gathering. Thereafter, he will visit and inaugurate the Aunta-Simaria bridge project on the River Ganga. PM Modi will also flag off metro train services on the newly constructed sections in Kolkata at around 4:15 pm and undertake a metro ride from Jessore Road Metro Station to Jai Hind Bimanbandar and back. Further, he ...Read More >
The Mumbai AIDS Control Society, in association with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), organized the 'Red Run Marathon 2025' on Sunday. The marathon aimed to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, encourage open communication, education, and support among patients living with the virus. This year's theme was 'Run to End AIDS', and the event was flagged off by Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Health) Sharad Ughade. Race Details and Participation The marathon featured a 4-kilometer race for co ...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 >
Chaibasa, October 26: At least five thalassemia-affected children in West Singhbhum district have reportedly tested HIV positive following routine blood transfusions at Sadar Hospital, prompting a high-level investigation by the Jharkhand Health Department. The first case came to light when a child who received a transfusion on September 13 tested HIV positive during a follow-up on October 18. The child's father subsequently filed a complaint alleging negligence by a blood bank technician. Following media coverage, the Jharkhand High Court took suo motu cognizance, and a team from the Jharkha ...Read More >
Satna, Madhya Pradesh: In a disturbing case of medical negligence, four children suffering from thalassaemia were allegedly transfused with HIV-positive blood at a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district. A routine, life-saving procedure turned into a nightmare for four families after the children, aged between eight and 11, battling thalassaemia, were found to be HIV-positive after receiving blood transfusions. The serious lapse has compounded the woes of the children who depend on regular transfusions to stay alive. The transfusions in question took place nearly four months ...Read More >
Four children, suffering from thalassemia, have tested HIV positive after receiving blood transfusions at the District Hospital blood bank in Madhya Pradesh's Satna. The incident reportedly took place around four months ago but came to light recently, triggering panic among families and raising serious questions over blood safety protocols. Children suffering from thalassemia require regular and life-long blood transfusions to survive. The affected children received blood transfusions on multipl ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 14 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the state's health services must be made future-ready to keep pace with global advancements and effectively respond to emerging challenges. He was speaking at the foundation stone laying and inauguration ceremony of various health projects worth Rs 1,000 crore at King George's Medical University (KGMU) here. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the Health portfolio, and Medical Education Minister Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh were present on the occasion. The chief minister said institutions like K ...Read More >
New Delhi, August 25: In a major step forward for veterinary healthcare, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on Monday released India's first comprehensive national guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for blood transfusion and blood banks for animals. Blood transfusion is widely recognised as a life-saving intervention for managing trauma, severe anaemia, surgical blood loss, infectious diseases, and coagulation disorders in animals. However, until now, India did not have a structured national fr ...Read More >
Bilaspur (HP), Oct 3 (PTI) Union health Minister JP Nadda on Friday said that AIIMS Bilaspur has achieved remarkable milestones in a very short time and a regional-level viral research laboratory has also been established here. Speaking at the medical institute's third foundation day celebrations here, he said currently, 23 AIIMS operate in the country of which 13 were established during his tenure, according to an statement. Nadda said that the construction of AIIMS Bilaspur was completed in a record time of just three years and till date more than 20,000 patients have been treated free of ...Read More >
Jaipur: Agra's 54-year-old Sarvesh Devi and Sawai Madhopur's 37-year-old Digambar Raigar were among the eight critically ill patients who died in SMS hospital on Oct 5 when a short circuit triggered a fire in one of the neurosurgery ICUs. Both deaths, however, have not been acknowledged by SMS Hospital management. Now, their families have reached Jaipur to demand that govt compensate them for the loss of their family member.Devi, admitted to ICU-II, underwent surgery on the morning of Oct 5. In Raigar's case, doctors were planning to perform surgery just half an hour before fire broke out. Bot ...Read More >
Ranchi, Oct 26 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday ordered the suspension of the West Singhbhum Civil Surgeon and other officials concerned after five children suffering from thalassemia tested HIV-positive following blood transfusions. The action came after the family of a seven-year-old thalassemia patient alleged that the local blood bank in Chaibasa, the district headquarters of West Singhbhum, had transfused HIV-contaminated blood to their child. During an inquiry by a five-member medical team from Ranchi on Saturday, four more children were found to be HIV-positive. ...Read More >
Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], October 27 (ANI): Ajoy Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health, Jharkhand on Sunday highlighted that HIV tests can miss recent infections (window period: up to one month) and new tests can shorten this window to one week. Speaking with ANI, Singh said the government plans to procure machines to shorten HIV detection windows and health officials are reviewing and tightening blood transfusion protocols. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: UPSC Aspirant Murdered in Gandhi Vihar; Woman Among 3 Arrested As Police Unravel Chilling Plot. The Jharkhand Healt ...Read More >
Chaibasa: (Jharkhand): Preliminary Inquiry into the HIV infection of five thalassemia-affected children, who underwent blood transfusions in Jharkhand's Chaibasa Sadar hospital in West Singhbhum district, has revealed glaring lapses at the blood bank run by the government hospital. Initial reports suggest that the hospital's blood bank had been operating without a valid license since 2008, or for 17 years. The revelation has shaken the health department and state health administration. According to the rules, it is mandatory for any blood bank to obtain necessary approval from the State Healt ...Read More >
Navi Mumbai, Dec 01: A major Thalassemia Awareness and Screening initiative was carried out across Navi Mumbai from 13 to 29 November, led by the Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai - Joy of Giving, in collaboration with several Rotary clubs, civic departments, and youth groups. Campaign Educates Youth on Genetic Disorder The campaign aimed to educate young citizens about Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder that manifests in children only when both parents carry the trait -- an aspect often unknown to many families. Over 1,200 Individuals Tested, 1,577 Sensitised According to organisers, the driv ...Read More >
Mumbai: Maharashtra will soon frame rules to make testing of thalassaemia mandatory for people before marriage as part of a broader initiative to eradicate the disease, minister Meghana Bordikar said in the assembly on Thursday.Responding to a question raised by MLA Vikas Thakre during the Question Hour, the minister of state for public health said there are currently around 12,860 thalassaemia patients in Maharashtra.Thalassaemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the body's ability to produce haemoglobin and healthy red blood cells.On Thakre's demand that thalassaemia testing may be ma ...Read More >
Bhopal: Police busted a gang involved in the theft of Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) from the blood bank of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, by arresting its six members, a senior police officer said on Thursday. According to the police, six accused in the theft case were arrested and 1,123 units of FFP, stolen from the AIIMS, Bhopal, were recovered from them. The FFP is used in manufacturing of biomedical medicines. Police investigation suggested that the gang has so far stolen 1,150 units of FFP from the blood bank of AIIMS, Bhopal, and sold them to two labs in Nashik a ...Read More >
ITANAGAR, 25 Oct: The Nirjuli police have issued a lookout notice against former Itanagar Capital Region deputy commissioner Talo Potom in connection with Nirjuli Police Station Case No 92/2025, U/S 108/271/272/3(5) of the BNS, 2023, dated 25-10-2025. Potom is reportedly at large after an FIR was registered against him in connection with the suicide of 19-year-old youth Gomchu Yekar. Potom, currently posted as special secretary (PWD) under the Delhi government, remains untraceable. A manhunt is underway. The police have constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the sensational ...Read More >
Satna/Bhopal, Dec 16 (PTI) Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday. The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said. Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children. MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report. "It is also being investigated whether the blood tr ...Read More >
NewsVoirBengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 12: DKMS Foundation India, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and other blood disorders such as thalassemia and aplastic anemia, celebrates siblinghood this marks Raksha Bandhan, with two unique brother-sister pair.Two young children, Ayan Khan and Papali Gaan were battling with a blood disorder called thalassemia major, but their siblings saved them by donating their blood stem cells.India faces a pressing healthcar ...Read More >
Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Oct 30 (PTI) Three donors of Chaibasa blood bank in West Singhbhum district were detected to be HIV-positive, Jharkhand Health minister Irfan Ansari said on Thursday. Altogether 259 people had donated blood in Chaibas blood bank between 2023 and 2025, and the administration is trying to contact each donor over the phone, the minister said, after inspecting the blood bank following the detection of five minor thalassemia patients with HIV-positive last week. Family members of one of the thalassemia patient had accused the blood bank of transfusing HIV-infected blood to h ...Read More >
Satna: An incident of four children suffering from thalassemia testing positive for HIV after blood transfusions has come to light at the Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh, causing a stir across the state. With officials making evasive answers, an investigation into the blood donors has been initiated. The bizarre case, which took place four months back, came to light on Monday, prompting Satna collector Satish Kumar S to hold a meeting with the officials responsible and harshly reprimanding them for negligence. "The case of the four children who tested HIV positive is being investiga ...Read More >
In a clear case of medical negligence, a 34-year-old woman died after doctors transferred the wrong blood type at Kakinada Government General Hospital, Andhra Pradesh. On Tuesday, November 26, the deceased, Bhavana Sirisha, was given AB+ blood group instead of O+. A house surgeon mistakenly transferred the wrong blood type. Sirisha, a resident of Palakollu in West Godavari district, was suffering from kidney ailments for the last four years and was admitted to the hospital for treatment. Doctors had advised a blood transfusion with 'O positive' group blood due to low hemoglobin levels. The ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) A team of Israeli and US researchers have developed a simple blood test that can detect a person's risk of developing leukaemia -- a deadly blood cancer. In the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, the researchers suggested that this test may replace the current more invasive method of bone marrow sampling used to diagnose certain blood cancers, Xinhua news agency reported. The team led by researchers from Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel focused on myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) -- an age-related condition in which blood-forming stem ce ...Read More >
Chaibasa: Days after a few children suffering from Thalassemia were tested HIV-positive due to blood transfusion at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital in West Singhbhum district, the Jharkhand Government formed a six-member high-level investigation committee to probe the case. After the incident, Bharti Goreti Minj has been given addistional charge of civil surgeon of the district in place of Additional Chief Medical Officer Sushanto Kumar Majhi who was suspended by the Health department. Special Secretary of Health Department Dr Neha Arora has been appointed the chairman of the committee which will in ...Read More >
Itanagar, October 27 (IANS) The Arunachal Pradesh Police on Monday arrested former Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom, currently posted as Special Secretary (PWD) with the Delhi government, after he surrendered before the police in connection with the sensational twin suicide cases involving allegations of sexual abuse, intimidation and corruption, officials said. A police officer said that Potom, an IAS officer, surrendered at the Nirjuli police station in Itanagar on Monday and was then arrested under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, inc ...Read More >
Lucknow: It was a providential escape for 22 patients after a major fire broke out early Monday at the Northern Railway Divisional Hospital in Lucknow's Alambagh, triggering panic among patients and staff. The blaze, suspected to have started from a short circuit in the CCTV server room on the ground floor around 5:15 am, quickly spread through electrical wiring, filling the three-storey building with thick black smoke.The Critical Care Unit (CCU) on the first floor was soon engulfed, prompting a ...Read More >
The number of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases continues to rise, with five new cases reported on Monday, bringing the ... The number of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases continues to rise, with five new cases reported on Monday, bringing the total number of suspected cases in Pune to 163. Among these, 47 patients have been discharged, 47 are in the ICU, and 21 are on ventilators. Of the infected, 32 are from the Pune Municipal Corporation area, 86 from surrounding villages, including 18 from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 19 from rural areas, and eight from other districts. The ...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 >
Bengaluru: A 38-year-old woman from Kolar district in Karnataka has been identified with a previously unknown blood group, now officially recognised and named CRIB by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT). CRIB stands for Cromer India Bengaluru. "Cromer" refers to the blood group system under which the antigen has been classified. "India" indicates the country of discovery and "Bengaluru" marks the city where the blood sample was studied. The discovery was made during routine testing before the woman was scheduled for cardiac surgery. Doctors at RL Jalappa Hospital in Kolar f ...Read More >