The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi and its counterparts in other areas of the country are to be positioned on the front line in the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The premier facility has been requested by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to dedicate a portion of […]
Bihar
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 […]
Investigations rule out lychee in Bihar deaths
In June of last year Bihar witnessed a spate of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) deaths in young children, centred around the Muzaffarpur district. The deaths were attributed at the time to toxic substances found within unripened lychees. However, investigations have suggested this not to be the case. Almost half of children who died due to […]
Breast cancer cases on the rise
Multiple Indian states are witnessing an increase in their number of breast cancer cases according to recent data, suggesting an uptick in rates of one of the major public health threats to Indian women. As previously reported by Health Issues India, “breast cancer… is the most common type of cancer among Indian women and, together […]
Biomedical waste flagged by Bihar authorities
The Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) has ordered the closure of 318 health facilities in the state over improper biomedical waste disposal, highlighting a national pollution and sanitation issue. “These healthcare units earlier disposed their biomedical wastes through the CBWTF [common biomedical waste treatment and disposal facility], but later got dissociated from this system, […]
Surge in lung disease cases in Patna
Whilst much attention has been paid to air quality in Delhi, the issue is far from isolated to the Capital, affecting swathes of the country and blighting the health of millions. In Bihar state capital Patna, pollution is taking a significant toll on public health with the city witnessing a rise in lung disease cases. […]
Lymphatic filariasis: Can India eliminate it?
At the beginning of October, the island nation of Kiribati announced that it had eliminated lymphatic filariasis. By 2021, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has pledged that India will do the same. What is lymphatic filariasis? Lymphatic filariasis, or elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that attacks the lymphatic system. It is caused […]
Pan masala brands: Centre urged to act
The Centre is under pressure from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to ban certain pan masala brands which contain magnesium carbonate and/or nicotine. Pan masala, a chewing mixture which sometimes contains tobacco, has come under fire across the country. Numerous states have taken steps to ban certain brands. In Rajasthan, state […]
Dengue fever outbreak fears in Bihar
Amidst fears of a dengue fever outbreak in Bihar state capital Patna, the state health department is readying itself. Waterlogged following a period of heavy rainfall, Patna has registered almost 250 dengue cases since September 27th – compared to 409 cases registered between January 1st and September 27th. Across the state, flooding has affected 1,400 […]
Doctors in Bihar: Efforts to increase numbers
![By Ghajinidetails. Ghajinidetails [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/AIIMS_Patna_classes_started_on_September_25%2C2012.jpg)](https://i1.wp.com/www.healthissuesindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AIIMS_Patna_classes_started_on_September_252012.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "Health minister Choubey tells AIIMS doctors to turn Bihar patients away")
Efforts are underway to increase the number of doctors in Bihar to address its shortage, with both the National Health Mission (NHM) and the state government taking steps to plug the gap. The state health department is aiming to recruit 2,425 doctors to staff government hospitals, as the state’s public health infrastructure grapples with a […]