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.
BENGALURU: With pregnancies among girls aged 10-18 years associated with increased risks of maternal complications, adverse birth outcomes, school dropouts and social vulnerability, the Karnataka health department on Tuesday ordered a mandatory audit for adolescent pregnancy cases. All identified adolescent pregnancies should be mandatorily reported by all government and private health establishments on the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH ) platform, according to the government order dated April 7. It said the audit is aimed at checking the age at marriage, educational status, school attendance, awareness on reproductive health, access to contraception and counselling services, socio-economic and family vulnerabilities and linkages with health programmes such as Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). "According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 50% of adolescent pregnancies are unintended. The National Health Mission (NHM) and RKSK emphasise strengthening adolescent health services through counselling, awareness and access to reproductive health services.
Palakkad: A 57-year-old man from Palakkad district in Kerala, who died on July 12, is suspected to have been infected with the Nipah virus, prompting the government to ramp up contact tracing and field-level surveillance in the area. The man had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in this northern district. His samples were tested at Manjeri Medical College, where the result came back positive for Nipah, Health Minister Veena George said in a statement. She added that the government is awaiting confirmation from the National Institute of Virology in Pune. This is the second Nip ...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, 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 >
New Delhi [India], August 14 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on pleas seeking a stay of its August 11 order to remove all stray dogs from the localities in the Delhi-NCR region and put them in shelter homes. A three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria said it will pass an interim order on the August 11 order of a different bench. At the outset, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, said that there was a loud vocal minority and a silent suffering majority. In a democracy, there is a vocal majority an ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday highlighted the need of sustainable economic empowerment models for women as the first national conference of Parliamentary and Legislative committees on women empowerment concluded in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh with the adoption of the 'Tirupati Resolution'. Delivering his remarks at valedictory session of the historic parliamentary conference dedicated to women empowerment, the Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that women's empowerment is not only a social imperative but also an economic necessity. By investing in women's health, education, skills and ...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 >
New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) The WHO has acknowledged India's efforts in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with traditional medicine systems, particularly Ayush systems, the Centre said on Saturday. The World Health Organization praised the country's efforts in a technical brief - Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine. The release follows India's proposal on the subject, leading to the development of WHO's first-ever roadmap for using AI in traditional medicine, the Ayush ministry said in a statement. India's efforts to harness the potential of AI to a ...Read More >
He insisted that whether it is a trust or a society, a strong mechanism must be in place to prevent the arbitrary sale of institutional properties for vested interests. Chairing a meeting attended by the state's Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, the chief minister said a new legislation will introduce contemporary provisions to strengthen registration, renewal, property management, and financial transparency. Adityanath noted that the existing Act of 1860 "lacks clarity on crucial issues" such as ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi govt has imposed a strict ban on direct purchases and cart-based procurement through the Government e-Market (GeM) portal for hospitals. The administration clarified that no healthcare facility or institution has the authority to make cart purchases or initiate bidding independently.The order emphasised that any non-compliance with these guidelines will face serious consequences, potentially leading to disciplinary or legal proceedings as determined by the relevant authority.The GeM portal, which commenced operations on Aug 9, 2016, functions as an online marketplace for centr ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The National Sample Survey Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), on Sunday launched the GoIStats mobile application, an all-encompassing data ecosystem for seamless access to official data. The application features an interactive "Key Trends" dashboard showcasing important socio-economic indicators with dynamic visualizations of critical metrics including GDP, inflation, employment data. Also Read | How To Spot a Fake Website? PIB Fact Check Shares 5 Simple Tips To Identify Fraudulent Sites and Stay Safe From Online Scams ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The National Sample Survey Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), on Sunday launched the GoIStats mobile application, an all-encompassing data ecosystem for seamless access to official data. The application features an interactive "Key Trends" dashboard showcasing important socio-economic indicators with dynamic visualizations of critical metrics including GDP, inflation, employment data. Currently the android version of the mobile application is available free of charge on google play store. The iOS version will be releas ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): In a significant milestone for global healthcare innovation, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a technical brief titled 'Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine', acknowledging India's pioneering efforts in AI with traditional medicine systems, particularly Ayush systems. The release follows India's proposal on the subject, leading to the development of WHO's first-ever roadmap for applying AI in traditional medicine, the AYUSH Ministry said in a release on Saturday. The WHO publication not only validates Ind ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): The Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), has launched a Community-led Salt Reduction initiative after studies revealed that average daily salt intake in both urban and rural India exceeds the World Health Organisation's recommended limit of 5 grams. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends consuming less than 5 grams of salt per person per day. Studies show that the average intake in India remains high, around 9.2 grams per day in urban areas and 5.6 grams in rural areas, both exceeding the recommended limit ...Read More >
Patna, Aug 1 (PTI) Healthcare services were affected at AIIMS-Patna on Friday as resident doctors went on an "indefinite strike" in protest against the alleged high-handedness of Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand. According to a press statement issued by the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS-Patna, on Friday, "The RDA expresses deep disappointment and anguish over the lack of action by the administration following the violent and traumatic incident that occurred on Wednesday, when MLA Chetan Anand, his wife and their armed guards breached hospital security, physically assaulted staff, and thr ...Read More >
India's dog bite crisis is spiralling into a serious public health challenge, with numbers that experts describe as deeply alarming. In 2024 alone, the country recorded 37.17 lakh dog bite cases -- averaging more than 10,000 incidents every single day. These figures reveal a widening gap between the Centre's goal of eliminating rabies by 2030 and the realities on the ground. India's dog bite crisis is escalating at a pace that public health experts find deeply alarming. In 2024 alone, the countr ...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 >
New Delhi, Sep 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) People using cannabis may be four times more at risk of developing diabetes, according to a large study of over four million adults on Monday. Cannabis use is increasing globally, with an estimated 219 million users (4.3 per cent of the global adult population) in 2021, but its long-term metabolic effects remain unknown. While some studies have suggested potential anti-inflammatory or weight management properties, others have raised concerns regarding glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, and the magnitude of the risk of developing diabetes hasn't been ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Nagpur: Surjagarh Iron Ore Mines of Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd (LMEL) have brought laurels to Gadchiroli district by bagging 5-star rating from the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) under the Union Ministry of Mines. Union minister of coal & mines G Kishan Reddy presented the 5-Star Rating memento and certificate to senior officials of LMEL in a ceremony held at Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, on July 7. Surjagarh mines have won this national recognition for its stellar performance in operational excellence and green innovation in 2023-24. Reddy presented the award to LMEL officials in pr ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) South Asia has achieved its highest-ever immunization coverage for children, with notable progress in India and Nepal, according to new data released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for 2024. India reduced its number of zero-dose children -- those who have not received a single vaccine -- by 43 per cent, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction, from 23,000 to 11,000, a WHO statement said. Pakistan also recorded its highest-ever DTP3 (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) coverage at 87 per cent. Ho ...Read More >
In a remarkable achievement, India has reduced the number of children missing all vaccinations by an impressive 43% within a single year, according to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The updated figures for 2024 reveal that India lowered its zero-dose children count from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Highlighting regional success, UNICEF's South Asia Director Sanjay Wijesekera praised the improvement. Neighboring Nepal and Pakistan also showed prog ...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 >
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 >
Mumbai, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) It was a belligerent, brilliant, and breathtaking performance from the Chennai Bulls, who were crowned the first ever champions of the Rugby Premier League, here in Mumbai, at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex. The Chennai Bulls thrashed the Delhi Redz by a scoreline of 41-0 in the final, to clinch the title. In fact, the margin of victory is the biggest across Season 1 of the GMR RPL. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Heroes, who had finished top of the table in the league stage, came away with a third-place finish, after they won 17-12 against the Bengaluru Bra ...Read More >
Malappuram: The health department has issued a high alert in six districts of Kerala -- Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Thrissur -- after a suspected Nipah virus-related death was reported on July 12. Hospitals in all these districts have been asked to exercise caution and intensify surveillance to prevent a potential outbreak. The deceased is a 57-year-old man from Mannarkkad in Palakkad, who tested positive for Nipah infection in preliminary examinations conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital in Malappuram. Health Minister Veena George stated that confirm ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 15 (UNI) India has made significant strides in childhood immunisation, achieving a 43% reduction in the number of zero-dose children to .9 million in 2024 against 1.6 million the previous year, according to a joint statement by World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF here. This development comes as part of a broader regional success, with South Asia reaching its highest-ever levels of immunisation coverage, said the statement. As per the report, 92% of infants in the region received their third dose of the Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP) vaccine in 2024 -- a two p ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 14: Medulla Communications Pvt. Ltd., one of the world's most awarded healthcare-specialist advertising agencies, has announced the launch of its new hub in Singapore. With over 15 years of experience in solving complex healthcare challenges, Medulla is now looking to create a super-specialist category as the first digital healthcare advertising agency in Asia. New Hub to Deliver Scalable, Specialist Healthcare Marketing Solutions Across APAC. Also Read | New Cheque Clearing System: Banks To Clear Cheques Within Few Hours Starting October 4, Announces RBI. ...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, Jul 14 (PTI) About one in every five women in the WHO Southeast Asia Region, including India, are covered under a health insurance, a study published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia has estimated. One in eight women in the region -- defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) -- were enrolled in social security schemes. At the same time, only one in thirteen had privately purchased or commercial insurance, the analysis reveals. The 'WHO Southeast Asia Region' includes India, among other countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar and Indonesia. Researchers from Health S ...Read More >