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.
Gurugram, Feb 4 (VOICE) As the world observes Cancer Day on February 4, doctors at a Gurugram hospital praised the Ayushman Bharat scheme for its transformative impact on cancer care, particularly for economically weaker sections. This initiative, which offers free cancer treatment, is being hailed as a major step in reducing preventable deaths by ensuring timely access to life-saving treatment. Dr Dheeraj Gautam, speaking to VOICE, explained the significant impact Ayushman Bharat has had on early cancer detection. "Before, many patients couldn't afford the investigations needed for early detection, which delayed treatment and increased costs. Now, Ayushman Bharat makes these crucial tests affordable, allowing us to start treatment early. Early detection significantly reduces treatment costs and improves survival rates, making this scheme a true game changer," he said. Dr Nitin Sood, a haematologist specialising in blood cancers, echoed the same sentiment, emphasising the importance of early diagnosis. "The sooner cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome," he said. "A recent study in 'The Lancet' showed that patients eligible for the PM-JAY scheme under Ayushman Bharat are more likely to recover due to early diagnosis and treatment, thanks to the financial support this scheme provides. By eliminating the financial barrier, we're ensuring more people get diagnosed and treated sooner, which is crucial for better outcomes in cancer care." Launched in alignment with India's National Health Policy 2017, Ayushman Bharat aims to provide Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to all citizens, focusing on inclusivity and accessibility, especially for marginalised communities. By addressing both preventive and specialised care, the scheme has the potential to revolutionise the healthcare system. Ayushman Bharat comprises two major components: Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) for primary care and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), which provides financial coverage for tertiary treatments like cancer care. With this approach, the scheme is breaking down the barriers to healthcare, making it affordable, accessible, and equitable for everyone.
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 >
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): In a milestone for cancer care in India, President Droupadi Murmu, formally inaugurated the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) Cancer Care Centre and interacted with cancer patients on Thursday. According to an official release, the Sri Ganga Ram Hospital is a cutting-edge facility dedicated to providing comprehensive care to cancer patients. The President ceremonially visited the premises, acknowledging the hospital's pivotal role in delivering ethical and affordable healthcare, marking a presence of pride and recognition for the institution's seven-decade-long ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) No COVID-19 case was reported in Mumbai on Friday, the feat achieved for the first time in about two months, the metropolis' civic body said. In a release, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also said no new or concerning variant of the virus has been detected in the city as per the Whole Genome Sequencing Report. Mumbai recorded six COVID-19 cases between January and April this year, before a surge in May saw the detection of 435 cases, while the figure for June stood at 539, the release informed. As on Friday, there are 62 active COVID-19 cases in the city, though ...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: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Haryana, to suspend Ayushman Bharat scheme services across the state from February 3, citing pending government reimbursements amounting to Rs 400 crore. "We have been again approached by all empanelled hospitals of Haryana to act on their behalf and inform you that if following demands are not met soon, they will be forced to suspend Ayushman services from 3rd February 2025," a statement released by the association read. Approximately 1,300 hospitals in Haryana, including 600 private facilities, are empaneled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 6 (PTI) The Delhi government on Sunday appointed over 1,300 new nursing officers and launched Ayushman Bharat registration vans to strengthen the healthcare system in the national capital. The event was attended by BJP president J P Nadda, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Health Minister Pankaj Singh, and other senior ministers. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Gupta sharply criticised the previous government, alleging that it had allowed the capital's health infrastructure to deteriorate significantly. "In the past, Delhi's healthcare was in such a poor state that t ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday urged all stakeholders to work dedicatedly towards implementing PM-ABHIM (Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) in Delhi, and fulfil the target of opening 1,100 Ayushman Arogya mandirs by March 31, 2026, with an outlay of Rs 1,700 crore. The minister distributed appointment letters to Delhi nursing officers and paramedical staff and flagged off Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans, in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at Vigyan Bhawan here. "This is a momentous occasion as today, after 15 years, our nursing ...Read More >
Cancer NEXT 2024, co-hosted by Bharath Advanced Therapeutics and the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations, is set for 30th November 2024 in Hyderabad. The conference will highlight cutting-edge oncology advancements, featuring breakthrough therapies in AML and CML, sentinel research presentations, and awards celebrating impactful contributions to cancer research. Cancer NEXT 2024, a significant oncology research conference, will take place on 30th November 2024 at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad. Organized by Bharath Advanced Therapeutics (BAT) and the Federation of Asian ...Read More >
Mumbai: Dr Reddy's Laboratories has entered into a collaboration with Reykjavik, Ireland-based biotech company Alvotech to co-develop, manufacture and commercialise a biosimilar version of blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda for the global markets. Keytruda (generic name is pembrolizumab), manufactured and marketed by Merck & Co, is the most successful medicine, recording worldwide sales of $29.5 billion in 2024. It is used to treat multiple forms of cancer. Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will be jointly responsible for developing and manufacturing the biosimilar candidate and ...Read More >
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cancer Conclave 2025, organised by the Association of Medical and Pediatric Oncologists of Kerala (AMPOK), concluded in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The two-day event brought together over 200 experts from India and abroad for a series of high-impact discussions on pressing issues in oncology. The conclave featured eight key sessions addressing the growing cancer burden in the state, with a focus on emerging trends, future strategies, and barriers to optimal care. Topics included the role and misuse of media in cancer control, challenges in access and afforda ...Read More >
India will observe National Doctor's Day on July 1. The day acknowledges doctors' dedication. The 2025 theme is 'Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?'. It highlights the mental health of doctors. The day commemorates Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. He was a physician and former Chief Minister of West Bengal. Events will include ceremonies and campaigns. India marks National Doctor's Day on July 1 every year to recognise the tireless service, dedication, and compassion of the country's medical profess ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 6 (ANI): As Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta distributed appointment letters to 1400 nurses on Sunday, CM Gupta said that the government is making efforts to tackle the shortage of medical staff and medicines. Rekha Gupta told the reporters, 'It is a matter of great joy that, after many years in the history of the Delhi government, appointment letters for permanent nursing staff have been distributed by the government. For years, due to a shortage of staff, Delhi's hospitals have been running in a disorganised manner. The government h ...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 >
New Delhi [India], July 6 (ANI): Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off Ayushman Bharat registration vans in Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday. Addressing the event, the BJP chief slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for not using Rs 1700 crore under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme for public welfare. Also Read | DA Hike July 2025: Central Govt Employees Likely To Get 4% Increase; 8th Pay Commission Implementation May Be Delayed Until 2027. He said, "Under PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, we had given Rs 1700 crore t ...Read More >
The Delhi government on Sunday (July 6, 2025) handed appointment letters to 1,388 nursing officers and 41 paramedical staff, and flagged off Ayushman Bharat registration vans to help eligible residents, especially from the weaker sections, to enrol for the Ayushman Bharat and Vaya Vandana Yojana schemes. At a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda called the appointments a "historic initiative" that bridges a 15-year gap in Delhi's healthcare recruitment. "This is not j ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Speaker A N Shamseer will inaugurate a two-day Kerala Cancer Conclave 2025, aimed at exploring new challenges and possibilities in cancer treatment, on Saturday in the state capital.Dr Suresh H Advani, widely regarded as the father of cancer treatment in India, will be the chief guest on the occasion. Organised under the leadership of the Association of Medical and Pediatric Oncologists of Kerala, the conclave will see participation from over 200 cancer treatment experts from within and outside the country.The event will feature discussions across seven key sessions on crit ...Read More >
POONCH, June 29: To strengthen their campaign to aware the common populace about the ill effects of cardiovascular diseases, Head Department of Cardiology GMCH Jammu in collaboration with management of Gurudwara Sant Bhai Bahadur Singh Ji held a day long cardiac awareness cum health checkup camp at Dharamsal Khari Poonch. The camp was inaugurated by SSP Poonch Shafket Hussain, Dr Sushil Sharma along with ADC Tahir Mustafa, Harcharan Singh, Hardev Singh, Sunil Sharma (president Bar Association Poonch ) , Naresh Chander Raj (Ex Councillor MC), Mohinder Singh (Ex Councillor MC) and others promin ...Read More >
India's medical education is set for a big change. The National Medical Council has new rules. These rules allow more experienced doctors to become professors. Government hospitals with 220 beds can now be teaching centers. The goal is to increase the number of medical seats. This will help India get more doctors and improve healthcare.Non-teaching specialists or consultants with 10 years of experience at government hospitals can now be appointed as associate professors, while those with two year ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the government at the Centre has strengthened the spirit of the Constitution over the last 10 years. Addressing the Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, PM Modi highlighted that in the last 10 years, more than 53 crore bank accounts were opened, more than 4 crore pukka houses were given and more than 10 crore free gas connections were given. "In the last 5-6 years, by providing tap water facilities in more than 12 crore houses, the government made the lives of citizens easy, particularly of women," he sai ...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 >
Health Minister Dr. Shane Reti announced encouraging progress in Health New Zealand's (Health NZ) financial recovery, highlighting a significant reduction in its projected deficit for 2024/25. The improvement follows extensive efforts to address what Dr. Reti describes as a financial crisis inherited from the previous Labour-led government. Health NZ's revised budget for 2024/25 now forecasts a deficit of $1.1 billion, a significant reduction from the projected $1.76 billion deficit before the Government's intervention. "This progress reflects our commitment to restoring financial discipline ...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 >
Nagpur: Eminent neurologists from the city joined experts from across the globe on World Brain Tumour Day to raise awareness about the disease.At an event held at the Indian Medical Association (IMA) headquarters in Nagpur, specialists emphasised the importance of early diagnosis, discussed symptoms and treatment options, and highlighted the multifaceted challenges faced by patients and their families.Renowned neurologist and Padma Shri Dr Chandrashekhar Meshram stressed the need for timely detection and comprehensive care. He said awareness about the type of brain tumour and its symptoms is c ...Read More >
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) projects that by 2030, every year cancer will affect 45,813 women and 43,930 men in Kerala. This forecast, shared at the Kerala Cancer Conclave organised by the Association of Medical and Pediatric Oncologists of Kerala (AMPOK), reflects growing concerns among medical experts regarding the increasing cancer burden in the state. In 2024, 43,110 men and 45,008 women were diagnosed with cancer, making the projected rise seem relatively modest. However, Dr. Prashant Mathur, Director of ICMR-NCDIR, which oversees ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 3 (PTI) The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Thursday with the first batches of pilgrims setting off from the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan towards the 3880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which houses a naturally formed ice-lingam, officials said. The yatra started early morning from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the 14-km Baltal route. The batches of pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, left from the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir's Anantnag, and Baltal base camp in Sonamarg area of central ...Read More >
Reflecting growing cross-border tensions, ILS Super Specialty Hospital in Agartala has announced its decision to stop treating Bangladeshi nationals. Reflecting growing cross-border tensions, ILS Super Specialty Hospital in Agartala has announced its decision to stop treating Bangladeshi nationals. The hospital's executive committee finalised this move in response to mounting protests by nationalist groups in Tripura, which have opposed the continued influx of Bangladeshi patients amid escalating communal violence across the border. For years, ILS Hospital has served as a destination for Ba ...Read More >
Hyderabad: A brain tumour diagnosis often triggers fear -- not just from the disease but from the invasive treatments that follow. Surgery, radiation, long hospital stays and uncertain outcomes overwhelm patients and families. But this World Brain Tumour Day on Sunday brings new hope, as doctors highlight emerging non-invasive therapies that could transform care. Advances in medical technology are introducing targeted, non-surgical treatments that promise better outcomes with fewer side effects and faster recovery. One such breakthrough is Focused Ultrasound Therapy. "It uses sound energy, l ...Read More >
Jamshedpur, June 26: Six Rotary Clubs of Jamshedpur jointly held a press conference on Thursday at a hotel in Bistupur to share details of their ongoing and upcoming projects, marking the beginning of the new Rotary year on July 1. The event was attended by Zone 5 Assistant Governor Kusum Thakur, along with Rotary Club presidents and representatives: Suchismita (Dalma), Animesh Chhapolia (Next Gen), Ashok Jha (West), Ananna Dutta (Green), and Jitesh Chaudhary (Secretary, Steel City). President Animesh Chhapolia of Rotary Next Gen highlighted their "Water on Wheels" initiative aimed at supply ...Read More >
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that nearly 95 crore people in India are currently benefiting from one social security scheme or another, a significant rise from the less than 25 crore who were covered by such schemes before 2015. Speaking during his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address, Modi referred to a recent International Labour Organisation (ILO) report, which highlighted that more than 64% of India's population is now receiving some form of social protection. "Presently, most o ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 : At the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi on Friday, the ... New Delhi [India], June 6 : At the 4th India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi on Friday, the foreign ministers of India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan reiterated their commitment to collaborative approaches to global public health, sustainable development, and climate resilience. The meeting underscored shared priorities, including India's One Earth, One Health vision, the DAKSHIN initiative for South-South cooperation, glacier preservation, a ...Read More >