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.
NEW DELHI: In the wards of AIIMS Delhi, Nisha Mehta trained as a nurse. Today, she stands at the helm of Nepal's healthcare system. An alumna of the institution's College of Nursing (2006-2010), Mehta's appointment as Nepal's health minister is seen as a milestone not just for the facility but for the entire nursing profession.Those who knew her as a student recall a personality that did not seek attention, but stood out nonetheless.Dr Latha Venkatesan, principal of her alma mater, said that Mehta was an active and well-rounded student, balancing academics with co-curricular activities while handling responsibilities with ease. She was organised, dependable and had strong interpersonal skills. Nisha Mehta had a natural ability to coordinate and represent, reflecting leadership qualities even then," Dr Latha Venkatesan, principal of her alma mater, said, though noting that Mehta was not politically active during her student years.Former institute principal Dr Manju Vatsa remembers the student differently -- quieter, reserved, but remarkable."Nisha Mehta was a very serious and highly intelligent student, efficient in her work and studies," she said, adding, "Her discipline and focus stood out."There were no clear signs then that the Nepal health minister had a future in politics. She was not among the outspoken students.Yet, educators say her journey reflects something deeper -- the power of consistency, discipline and professional grounding.Her rise from a nursing graduate to a national policymaker signals a broader shift in how healthcare leadership is evolving in Nepal.Nurses, often at the frontline of patient care, possess an understanding of health systems and their potential to shape policy.For AIIMS, this is a moment of pride. For the nursing community, it is one of validation. And for young students, it is a reminder that leadership does not always begin loudly -- sometimes, it starts quietly, in classrooms and hospital wards, long before the world notices.
By Jaikrishnan PKOTTAYAM: One woman was killed and two were injured after a part of a building in the govt medical college hospital collapsed here on Thursday. The woman got stuck in the debris of the collapsed building. It was the rescue team that found the dead body of the woman amongst the debris. The husband of the deceased complained that his wife was missing after the building collapsed. According to him, the woman went to take a bath in the washroom in the collapsed part of the building. T ...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 >
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said the state govt was consistently working to provide better resources to the doctors and quality healthcare services to the citizens.He mentioned that medical colleges were being established in every district.While there were only six medical colleges in 2014, the number has now increased to 15, and nine new colleges are under construction. As a result, MBBS seats in the state increased from 700 in 2014 to 2,185, at present. The state govt aims to increase the MBBS seats to over 3,400 by 2029, said Saini.The CM was addressing a ...Read More >
Kottayam: A woman died after a portion of a building collapsed at Kottayam Medical College, officials said on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as 54-year-old Bindu, a resident of Thalayolaparamba, they said. Officials said the incident took place at around 10.45 am when Bindu went to use the bathroom on the third floor of the old 14th ward building. "A section of the unused toilet area suddenly collapsed. Bindu and two others, including a five-year-old child, were trapped under the debris," they added. Bindu and her husband Visruthan had come to the medical college on July 1 in co ...Read More >
Shimla, Jul 3 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday directed the Labour and Employment Department to develop a dedicated website and mobile application to empower youths seeking employment opportunities abroad. The digital platform will compile comprehensive data of aspirants, ensuring better transparency, accessibility, and protection while securing overseas jobs, he said and also instructed the department to develop a database of NRIs from the state. He instructed the officials to study the overseas employment models of Kerala and Telangana to draft an ef ...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 >
New Delhi, July 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Verbal autopsy is a scientific tool that can significantly aid India in the fight against tuberculosis, as it helps identify the deep reasons for mortality caused by the world's deadliest infection, said Dr Kavita Vasudevan from Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI) in Puducherry. Speaking to IANS, Vasudevan, from the Community Medicine Department at the Medical College explained how a verbal autopsy model can help identify TB treatment delay patterns, and reasons for TB deaths and improve the referral process. "A comprehensive appr ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 10 (ANI): In a strong message to private nursing colleges, the Karnataka government has announced that there will be no fee hike for nursing courses this academic year, reiterating its commitment to protecting students from economically weaker sections. Karnataka Medical Education and Skill Development Minister Sharanaprakash Patil made this clear during a meeting with the Association of Nursing Colleges held at Vikasa Soudha on Thursday. Also Read | Patna Murder Case: Days After Industrialist Gopal Khemka's Killing, Sand Trader Shot Dead by Unidentified A ...Read More >
Panchkula: The Haryana health department is accelerating efforts to improve the healthcare infrastructure and services, and enhance the workforce across the state. Altogether 720 new doctors have been hired and the dept is actively working to fill the remaining vacancies in hospitals.All such govt plans and more were shared by health and family welfare minister Arti Singh Rao during a press conference held here Tuesday. She said 785 medical facilities across the state -- including PHCs, CHCs, sub ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], August 25: A groundbreaking Smart Mirror system design patented in India presents a revolutionary concept that could redefine global healthcare delivery by transforming ordinary household mirrors into advanced, AI-powered health monitoring platforms. This innovative design framework lays the foundation for future healthcare technology that could significantly impact patient care worldwide. Also Read | WWE RAW Tonight, August 25: Roman Reigns to Kick-Off Show, Rhea Ripley Faces Roxanne Perez and Other Exciting Matches on WWE Monday Night RAW On Netflix. The patented design ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...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 >
Gorakhpur: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that every district in UP will soon have a 100-bed AYUSH Health & Wellness Centre to provide comprehensive healthcare through traditional systems like Panchakarma and Ksharsutra.Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Mahayogi Guru Gorakhnath AYUSH University, Yogi said govt would also establish AYUSH colleges in six divisional headquarters.Yogi highlighted how traditional Indian medical systems received global attention only after 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi created ministry of AYUSH, integrating Ayurveda, Yoga, Un ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 20(ANI): Bhubaneswar Police imposed Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Section 163 outside AIIMS after protests over a 16-year-old girl being set on fire in Puri disrupted hospital services, said an official. According to a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena, half the protesters dispersed, while the rest were detained. Also Read | West Bengal Rape Case: IIM-Calcutta Student, Accused of Sexual Assault, Granted Bail. "Different groups held protests outside the burn unit. The resultant chaos caused numerous issues for the patients admit ...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 >
Srinagar, July 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday inaugurated the state-of-the-art 120 bedded additional block of Bone and Joint Hospital, Barzulla, Srinagar. The Chief Minister inspected the new facility, including operation theatres, ramps, staircases, and wards, and interacted with hospital staff and faculty. Speaking at the event, he said that a fire incident in 2022 had impacted the hospital, significantly reducing its original capacity. He recalled that the hospital had continued to function through the 2014 floods. However, despite the limited space, the doctors continued to ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 15: Over a decade since the devastating floods of 2014 rendered a major part of the Bone and Joint Hospital here 'unsafe', the new building funded by World Bank as part of Jhelum-Tawi Flood Recovery Project was inaugurated today by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The new hospital building is expected to alleviate the inconveniences faced by patients and doctors at the congested, dilapidated existing structures. The new state-of-art building is a G+5 structure with modular operation theatres that was set to be completed in 2020, however, it suffered multiple deadline lapses. T ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jul 20 (PTI) A 15-year-old girl, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after three miscreants set her ablaze in Odisha's Puri district, was airlifted to Delhi on Sunday, officials said. Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena told reporters that a green corridor was set up to take the patient from AIIMS Bhubaneswar to Biju Patnaik International Airport, and one platoon of police force was deployed. Bhubaneswar Traffic DCP Tapan Kumar Mohanty said that the ambulance carrying the patient reached the airport from AIIMS Bhubaneswar within 10 to 12 minutes. She was taken in an adv ...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 >
Jammu, Jul 17 (PTI) Asserting that doctors must never bear the brunt of violence, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that strict action has been directed in the recent case of assault of a female doctor at a government hospital in Jammu. Irate over the death of a patient at the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, his attendants allegedly assaulted a female doctor on Wednesday, triggering protests and a strike by junior doctors. The Doctors Association Jammu (DAJ) ...Read More >
NEW DELHI/BATHINDA: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday conducted searches at 22 de-addiction centres across Punjab, including in Chandigarh, Barnala and Ludhiana, after its investigation revealed illegal sale of drugs by these centres. The agency also searched a premise in Mumbai linked to the accused.Dr Amit Bansal, who runs these 22 centres, is prime accused in the case, sources said. Bansal, against whom Punjab Police has registered multiple FIRs, is alleged to be engaged in illegal sale of drugs from his de-addiction centres.Privately-run drug de-addiction centres in Punjab are ...Read More >
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today virtually inaugurated a state-of-the-art robotic surgery unit at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra district. It is the second hospital in the state after the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital at Chamiyana in Shimla to offer this advanced surgical technology. It would benefit the people of Kangra and its surrounding districts of Chamba, Hamirpur and parts of Mandi and Una districts. It is major upgrade of m ...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 >
Srinagar, July 8: In a significant departure from its traditional investment-linked residency system, the United Arab Emirates has launched a nomination-based Golden Visa scheme, allowing eligible Indian nationals to obtain lifetime residency by paying a one-time fee of AED 100,000 (approximately ₹23.3 lakh). The new model eliminates the need for property or business investments. Previously, Indian citizens could access the UAE's Golden Visa primarily through substantial investments, including a minimum of AED 2 million (around ₹4.66 crore) in real estate. Under the revised framework, applica ...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 >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 10 (ANI): In a strong message to private nursing colleges, the Karnataka government has announced that there will be no fee hike for nursing courses this academic year, reiterating its commitment to protecting students from economically weaker sections. Karnataka Medical Education and Skill Development Minister Sharanaprakash Patil made this clear during a meeting with the Association of Nursing Colleges held at Vikasa Soudha on Thursday. The government will not allow any fee increase. Most nursing students come from rural and economically disadvantaged ba ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19 (ANI): A contingent of 23 athletes supported by Reliance Foundation look to compete at the World University Games across six cities in Germany, with events running until July 27. Representing athletics, archery, and judo, these young talents aim to improve international rankings, achieve personal bests, and bring home laurels. The athletics team forms the backbone of the foundation campaign, with 18 athletes competing in sprints, jumps, throws, hurdles, relay, long jump, decathlon, among other events, beginning July 21, a release said. James Hillier, Di ...Read More >