The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi resumed services at the beginning of the week following the outbreak of a fire over the weekend. No fatalities or injuries were reported in the blaze, which reportedly originated due to a short circuit. According to reports, the fire broke out on the first and […]
Harsh Vardhan
DMA gives support to NMC Bill
The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has offered praise for the controversial National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, in a marked departure from the criticism it has faced from much of India’s medical fraternity. “We are of the opinion that the NMC Act is good for society,” stated president of the DMA Dr Girish Tyagi. “It will […]
Rotavirus vaccine for every child
The Union Health Ministry, in a bid to cut deaths from diarrhoeal disease, will provide the rotavirus vaccine to every child under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). Acute diarrhoeal disease is the leading cause of infectious disease outbreaks in India and is the second most common cause of death among children under five years worldwide. […]
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 […]
Commercial surrogacy ban clears the Lok Sabha
A controversial bill which lead to a commercial surrogacy ban in India cleared the Lok Sabha on Monday. MPs passed the legislation, which Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan called “the need of the hour”, by a voice vote. Vardhan stated it was “unfortunate that the country had emerged as a hub of commercial surrogacy […]
Lok Sabha MPs pass amended NMC Bill
Amendments to the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill made by the Rajya Sabha have been approved by Lok Sabha MPs, bringing the controversial legislation closer to becoming law. The upper house of Parliament passed the NMC Bill last week with two amendments proposed, necessitating that the Bill be returned to the lower house for passage […]
World Breastfeeding Week: The Indian perspective
World Breastfeeding Week, observed annually during the first week of August, draws attention to a practise which serves as a major health boon for both mother and child. “It is the responsibility of every mother to breastfeed as it has numerous health benefits for both mother [and] child,” tweeted Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, […]
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 […]
NMC Bill wins the support of MPs – but not of doctors
The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill may have won the support of lawmakers, but doctors continue to stand in firm opposition to what is being touted as one of the nation’s biggest ever health reforms. Rajya Sabha MPs passed the NMC Bill yesterday. The law seeks to effect a major overhaul of medical education in […]
Ayushman Bharat on track, Vardhan tells MPs
The Centre’s flagship health insurance scheme is on track, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan informed Lok Sabha MPs yesterday. Addressing parliamentarians during Question Hour, Vardhan said that approximately 10.74 crore families were covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), better known as Ayushman Bharat. Vardhan emphasised the flexibility of the scheme in […]