India will commence a COVID vaccine drive once scientists give the go-ahead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced. In a statement on Friday to leaders of India’s different political parties, the Prime Minister said healthcare and other frontline workers and the elderly would be prioritised for vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) […]
coronavirus
Face coverings: Supreme Court concerned about compliance
The wearing of face coverings is among the simplest ways of curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. In India, however, the Supreme Court has worries. The World Health Organization released updated guidelines for the wearing of face coverings earlier this week. It said “in areas of known or suspected community or […]
Night curfews not on the cards in Delhi
Night curfews will not be used to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Delhi, the state government has informed the Delhi High Court. The national capital has emerged as a hotspot of COVID-19, the disease caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or simply coronavirus. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government submitted […]
Interview: Charles Gore of the Medicines Patent Pool talks COVID therapeutics, vaccines, access, and more
During COVID-19, much excitement has surrounded the prospect of a vaccine and therapeutics. To discuss making sure as many as people who need these as possible and more, I spoke with Charles Gore, the executive director of the Medicines Patent Pool. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Could you introduce yourself and […]
Ayurvedic surgeons triggers call for a strike by the IMA
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a strike on December 11th over calls for Ayurvedic surgeons. The Government’s call for alternative medicine practitioners to be licensed to practise surgery was met with a strong backlash. As reported in The Independent, “the controversial move now sanctions practitioners of the traditional system to perform a […]
Misinformation campaigners secure victory in Bolivia, highlighting the dangers of the infodemic
Health observers have warned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic of another dangerous outbreak running in parallel: the infodemic. In Bolivia, the infodemic just secured a win. The disturbing development highlights the need to combat misinformation everywhere, including in India. Bolivia’s new minister of health, Edgar Pozo, endorsed on Sunday a false claim about the medicinal value […]
HIV/AIDS: The pandemic we are missing
Today marks World AIDS Day. As of the end of 2019, HIV/AIDS has claimed 32.7 million lives. In India, 2017 alone saw 69,000 deaths due to HIV/AIDS. The organisation dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS is UNAIDS or, to give it its full title, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS. UNAIDS’s mission assumes heightened […]
COVID-19 clusters identified by Health Ministry
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today identified COVID-19 clusters in India. They reported that almost seventy percent of the country’s active cases of COVID-19 can be sourced from eight states and union territories. Per the Health Ministry, the states and union territories of Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and […]
Ayushman Bharat centres: 50,000+ and counting
The Government has expanded healthcare services through Ayushman Bharat centres, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced. Under Ayushman Bharat – officially the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the Government has reportedly erected more than 50,000 health and wellness centres (HWCs) across the country to administer health services to the eligible […]
Thorang village: All residents test positive for COVID, bar one
In Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district, the village of Thorang has seen all but one of its residents test positive for COVID-19. Of the village’s 42 residents, just 52-year-old Bhushan Thakur tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – or, simply, coronavirus – which causes the disease COVID-19. The remaining 41 […]