The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has been encouraged in the healthcare sector by government think tank Niti Aayog. Agriculture, education, infrastructure (including smart cities) and smart mobility and transportation were the other sectors where state governments and Union ministries were urged to investigate potential applications of AI. Niti Aayog has previously expressed that by […]
Science
Depression, suicide, and pollution
When considering the link between exposure to air pollution and health problems, mental health may not seem an obvious connection to draw to breathing toxic air. However, research has indicated a link between the two in the past – and a recent paper indicates that exposure to air pollution increases the risk of developing depression […]
Heart donors: India is sorely lacking
India is facing a shortage of heart donors – in what comes as bad news for its many citizens who are in need of a life-saving heart transplant. “Heart transplant remains the gold standard for the treatment of end-stage heart failure,” said a study published in 2017. Data as to the prevalence of heart failure […]
The Medical Devices Bill, explained
Government-run think tank Niti Aayog will roll out the Medical Devices Bill according to media reports, marking a significant overhaul of the regulatory apparatus surrounding medical devices in India. “Niti has been engaged in developing a Medical Devices Bill. The purpose of the draft Bill is to ensure that medical devices in lndia are safe […]
Medical device safety crisis in Tamil Nadu?
At the national level, medical device safety is a significant issue. Tami Nadu is no exception. “A medical ventilator can be life-saving when a person can’t breathe properly or when they can’t breathe on their own at all,” Healthline reports. Yet in Tamil Nadu’s hospitals, a shocking number of the devices may not be fit […]
Autopsies conducted in virtual reality?
According to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are collaborating on a world first — virtual reality autopsy techniques. The ICMR and AIIMS have studied global practices and taken up this project for “dignified management of dead body,” […]
Robots in the operating room
Hospitals in Chandigarh are seeing a steady rise in the use of robotic assistance in the operating room. Could robots be the future of surgery in India? Robot-assisted surgeries have been taking place at the Postgraduate Institute (PGI) in Chandigarh since 2014. However, 2019 is likely to see more of these surgeries taking place than […]
Indian research helping to alleviate heart disease?
India is in desperate need of new means to combat heart disease. Heart conditions are India’s most common cause of death. In 2016, such ailments were responsible for 28.1 percent of deaths in the country. Forty percent of the world’s heart failures were recently found to occur in India, highlighting the considerable burden of heart […]
India’s digital health push goes international at BRICS
In a meeting of BRICS nations, India is expanding its digital health push to the international level by hosting a summit on the same. The BRICS summit – bringing together Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa – is taking place in Brazilian capital Brasilia with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance. “The Prime Minister […]
Nanoparticles to help tackle hospital-acquired infections
New research has suggested the use of nanoparticles to prevent hospital-acquired infections resulting from medical equipment. Research published in the American Chemical Society Applied Interfaces and Material indicates that nanoparticles can be utilised to detect the presence of life-threatening microbes on medical devices and then be used to remove them, thereby reducing the risk of […]