Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has affirmed that the Centre is working towards its goal of tuberculosis (TB) elimination ahead of global targets. “By 2025, we wish to eliminate tuberculosis from India,” the Minister informed the press on the sidelines of the Rotary India Centennial Summit in Kolkata on Saturday. The 2025 target for […]
Medicine and Research
Yogic sciences knowledge a must for Karnataka doctors
Doctors in Karnataka must display awareness and knowledge of the yogic sciences, a government official has said. Dr K. Sudhakar, the Minister of Medical Education in the Karnataka state government, addressed a convocation ceremony at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute recently. There, he said that “doctors must have good knowledge of yoga and […]
Essential medicines export ban on the cards?
The Government of India is contemplating imposing a ban on the exports of twelve essential medicines amidst the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which has infected tens of thousands of people worldwide. The twelve essential medicines that could be affected include antibiotics, hormone drugs, and vitamins. A report is planned to be submitted to […]
COVID-19 outbreak: The latest updates
Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, there is some hope for India. 406 of the 650 citizens who were repatriated from the outbreak’s epicentre, the city of Wuhan in China’s Hubei province, have tested negative for the disease which has claimed well in excess of 1,000 lives worldwide and infected tens of thousands of people. COVID-19, at […]
Swasthya Sathi: Banerjee hits out at private hospitals
Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee has hit out at private hospitals for obstructing the state’s healthcare scheme Swasthya Sathi, allegedly refusing to provide treatment to eligible beneficiaries. Banerjee, who holds the portfolio of Health and Family Welfare in the state cabinet as the Chief Ministership, launched Swasthya Sathi on December 30th, 2016. Swathya […]
“Toxic air” – The price we pay for pollution
A recently unveiled report has calculated the cost of air pollution due to fossil fuels, pegging it at US$2.9 trillion a year – equivalent to 3.3 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) lost to toxic air. The cost of toxic air as a result of fossil fuels translates to US$8 billion – a […]
COVID-19: Outbreak continues to ignite panic
The World Health Organization (WHO) has, in recent days, moved to officially classify the novel coronavirus under the name COVID-19, as the outbreak continues to sweep the globe. The virus originated in the capital city of China’s Hubei province, Wuhan. China has recorded its deadliest day thus far due to the COVID-19 outbreak, reporting 254 […]
Unregulated medical devices to be brought before the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will hear on unregulated medical devices tomorrow, ANI reports. Justice N. V. Ramana will head a bench to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dr Rohit Jain seeking government action on online sale of medical devices – specifically glucometers and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. Unregulated medical devices, the suit […]
Bihar falling behind on Ayushman Bharat
Is the state of Bihar falling behind on the Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat? It can be argued that this is the case based on recent reports, which indicate the overwhelming majority of families eligible for the scheme have yet to avail benefits under it. As reported in The Economic Times, the Government […]
Medical devices regulation: Boon or bane?
Central regulation of medical devices is to come into effect in India as of April, it has been reported. Once the shift has come into force at the beginning of the forthcoming fiscal year, all medical devices and equipment for the purposes of “diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, investigations and for supporting or sustaining life” will be […]