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CGHS: Vardhan announces expansion

The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) will expand to 100 cities by 2022, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has announced.  The initiative was launched in 1954 by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to provide a range of health benefits to beneficiaries, including central government employees and retirees drawing pensions, as well …

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Ayushman Bharat: Adjustments made

A number of adjustments have been made to the treatment package available to beneficiaries of the Centre’s flagship healthcare scheme Ayushman Bharat.  Officially known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the scheme is nearing the one-year anniversary of its launch. An expert committee convened by the National Health Authority (NHA) – the government …

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Is the Centre about to ban e-cigarettes?

The controversial push by the Union Health Ministry to ban e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) is closer than ever to manifesting in law. Ministers have been sent an ordinance for review, which outlines how the Centre intends to ban the production, sale, and imports of the devices.  Under the Prohibition of E-cigarettes …

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More government medical colleges on the way

The establishment of 75 new government medical colleges has been approved and are expected to be set up within the next few years.  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave the nod to the new facilities on Wednesday, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. It comes as part of a five-year-long government push …

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Patient groups speak out on rare diseases policy

Patient groups are calling on the Union Health Ministry to make sure that those with rare diseases can avail treatment until a national rare diseases policy is in place.  The Organization for Rare Disease India (ORDI) and the Lysosomal Storage Disorder Support Society (LSDSS) have called on Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to implement …

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Health Ministry unveils ambitious targets to bring HIV cases down

Expanding access to treatment and targeting vulnerable populations will be a core part of a strategy to bring down the number of HIV cases in India, according to recent reports.  The Union Health Ministry intends to reduce the number of HIV cases in the country by 20,000 on a yearly basis in 2019 and 2020, …

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NMC Bill signed into law: Opposition continues

Last week, President Ram Nath Kovind signed into law the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill amidst continued opposition from the medical fraternity. The NMC Bill earned approval from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in recent weeks. Its assent by President Kovind initiated one of the biggest healthcare reforms in Indian history, with a …

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AIIMS, Safdarjung doctors call off strikes – but more are to come

The controversy over the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill shows no signs of dissipating, even as resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi have called off their strikes in protest of the law.  Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan met with the protesting resident doctors at …

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E-cigarette industry appeals against potential ban

The e-cigarette industry has appealed against the proposed ban on the devices, calling on regulation instead of outright prohibition.  With the Centre in position to initiate a blanket ban on electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) by classifying them under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the Trade Representatives of ENDS in India (TRENDS), an association of …

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Dengue data: Government claims versus reality

Is India mishandling its dengue data concerning deaths from the disease? The latest report by The Lancet claims there is a mismatch between the numbers from its study and the ones reported by India to the World Health Organization (WHO).  The mosquito-borne tropical disease – which the WHO considers the world’s fastest-growing mosquito-borne disease and …

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