Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) practitioners to participate in efforts to tackle the disease – while also cautioning against promoting unproven cures. Modi interacted with AYUSH practitioners via videoconferencing over the weekend and suggested that they could benefit the […]
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Mental health helpline amidst COVID-19
A mental health helpline is being launched to support Indians during the COVID-19 lockdown. Indians can avail a consultation by the helpline, which is reachable toll-free on 08046110007. Launched by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), based in Karnataka state capital Bengaluru, the mental health helpline will serve to address “mental and […]
“Hunger will kill us before any disease does”
“Hunger will kill us before any disease does.” These were the harrowing words of Rampal, a rickshaw driver from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh who queues daily at a government-run food shelter. Rampal’s words have already rung true for some. An eight-year-old boy named Rakesh Musahar, a resident of Arrah’s Jawahar Tola’s slum area in Bhojpur […]
Coronavirus to disrupt TB medicine supply?
World TB [Tuberculosis] Day was observed on March 14. A number of points were raised regarding progress against the disease. However, in the era of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, fears were also raised over supply chains – including by the World Health Organization (WHO). Officials of the WHO noted that, due to the pandemic and […]
COVID-19 pandemic: 700,000+ cases and rising
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to arrest the attention of policymakers, the public, and the global health community with the global case count now numbering well in excess of 700,000. At the time of writing, there are 735,336 confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide with 34,818 people having lost their lives. India saw its case count cross the […]
Bathing and sleeping: Risk reduction for heart disease
Risk factors for heart disease are abundant in modern India. Could simple, everyday activities such as bathing and getting enough sleep reduce the risk? Heart disease accounted for 28.1 percent of all deaths in India in 2016, making the condition the country’s leading killer. Lifestyle changes have allowed a surge in rates of the condition, […]
Heart disease testing: A much-needed boon?
Heart disease is India’s leading cause of death. As such, any assistance in detecting such conditions could potentially lead to improved treatment outcomes that could, in turn, lead to significant reductions in mortality. A new European Union (EU)-funded €5 million/US$5.4 million H2020 project — led by scientists at research institute imed, alongside Ghent University and […]
Disease Profile: COVID-19 (coronavirus)
The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan but has since breached that epicentre, spreading to scores of other territories worldwide and resulting in large-scale lockdowns effectively shutting off major cities and even whole countries from the rest of the world. India is far from immune to this trend. To slow […]
Health workers face a massive struggle
During the Janata Curfew, throngs of Indians broke out in applause and other displays of gratitude in a mass felicitation of the country’s health workers manning the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. However, for many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel, the reality of the pandemic is grim. Numerous reports have […]
Deaths from COVID-19 now more than 20,000
More than 20,000 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported, including fourteen confirmed fatalities in India. The number of confirmed cases globally number at 489,547 worldwide with 22,150 deaths from COVID-19 at the time of writing. In India, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stands at 716. Globally, there are 349,789 active cases as 139,758 people […]