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Rabies: Less than one survivor per year

In 2017, a disease killed everybody it infected in India. The disease in question also happens to be 100 percent vaccine preventable. Such is the strange dichotomy of rabies. Its relative rarity compared to diseases such as  malaria mean it often goes unreported in the Indian media. This does not make it any less deadly. …

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Is pollution the reason why Delhi is the worst city in India for health?

Delhi is the most unhealthy city in India, the government’s ‘Ease of Living Index’ indicates. The national capital has not just bagged a low 65th spot on the index. It has also taken the 111th spot – on the list of 111 cities – in terms of health indicators. This makes it the worst city …

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Modicare begins on September 25th. Here’s what we know so far.

The BJP government’s large-scale health insurance initiative was rolled out in some states today, to coincide with Independence Day celebrations across the country. Though some anticipated a full-scale launch of the programme, the scheme was not launched nationwide but began a gradual rollout in select states. Full rollout of the scheme is expected on September …

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Mind your salt intake, it’s bad for blood pressure

Salt intake is too high in India, the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has warned. Is this leading to a crisis of high blood pressure? A PHFI study has found consumption of the foodstuff in three Indian states exceeds the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which says you should eat less than …

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Gallbladder cancer cases on the rise

Cause for concern in Delhi Worldwide, gallbladder cancer is relatively uncommon. In Delhi, however, it’s on the rise. There are eleven cases of gallbladder cancer for every one lakh Delhiites, researchers from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) estimate. This incidence may seem low. However, when one considers that the National Capital Region …

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India’s population is ageing faster. What does that mean?

It is no secret that India’s population is growing, and growing fast. Home already to more than 1.3 billion people, the country is projected to supersede China as the world’s most populous nation by 2024. The population is expected to touch 1.5 billion people by 2030. This population boom has coincided with a rise in …

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As Cabinet gives nod to DNA profiling bill, fears of genetic discrimination mount

The Union Cabinet has approved a controversial bill that would allow law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples in order to create “DNA profiles”. These would then be used in forensic-criminal investigations and missing person searches. The bill sparked vocal criticism during its formulation. Much of this opposition revolved around privacy disputes in regards to …

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Cervical cancer kills 67,500 women every year. With the HPV vaccine, India can save them.

Experts recommend that girls be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) when they are aged eleven or twelve. If that window is missed, however, the vaccine can still be effective if they get a “catch-up” course when aged fourteen to twenty, US researchers suggest.  This could give India pause for thought. The overwhelming majority of …

Cervical cancer kills 67,500 women every year. With the HPV vaccine, India can save them. Read More »

Isolation of those afflicted with leprosy. Remnants of archaic laws to blame?

Leprosy will be eradicated from India in 2018, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda announced earlier this year. Could discrimination threaten achievement of this goal?  Archaic laws dating to 1898 regarding the treatment of those suffering from leprosy were in effect until 2016. After this a bill was passed seeking to eradicate social stigma surrounding …

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Is health insurance the route to universal healthcare?

High expectations abound for the rollout of the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) — also known as Ayushman Bharat or Modicare. As the world’s largest government-funded health programme, the project is nothing if not ambitious. However, will it be the answer to India’s ailing health system? India has numerous health concerns putting strain on the …

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