Amidst the heavy flooding plaguing eastern and northern India, a tiger displaced from Assam’s flood-ravaged Kaziranga National Park sought refuge in a nearby house – much to the shock of residents. The tiger fled the park where 92 animals have drowned. Many are still trapped by the floodwaters. In a viral photo shared by an […]
Kerala
West Nile virus in Kerala’s Thrissur?
Kerala’s Thrissur district is on an alert following new reports of infections with the West Nile virus. Two individuals have been diagnosed with the West Nile virus and encephalitis in the past fortnight, according to district medical officer (DMO) Dr K. J. Reena, who has announced efforts to contain the diseases. Both individuals are receiving […]
Mumbai underwater as city faces floods
Some parts of Mumbai have received the second-highest rainfall in July in 45 years, bringing the city to a halt due to the resultant flooding. The city is home to 18.4 million people, of whom sixteen have died as a result of rain-related incidents (at the time of writing). To avoid further incident, the […]
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar rank low on the Health Index while Kerala is at the top
![The BRD Medical College, centre of the Gorakhpur tragedy in Uttar Pradesh - the state named the worst in India for health. Image credit: By SONUKURIAN (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons By SONUKURIAN (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://i1.wp.com/www.healthissuesindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/BRD_MEDICAL_COLLEGEGORAKHPUR.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "Tragedy in Gorakhpur: Newborns die, oxygen shortages to blame?")
Kerala is yet again the undisputed king of healthcare management according to a recent report titled “Healthy States, Progressive India” compiled by Niti Aayog, on the state of India’s health. For the year 2017-18, Kerala topped the ranking of states and union territories with an overall score of 74.01, while Uttar Pradesh was the worst-performing […]
Kozhikode: Medicines sales to hospital resume after standoff over unpaid fees
The impasse over sales to a hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala has ended following resolution of an issue concerning non-payment of outstanding dues. Distributors ceased sales of medicines and medical devices such as surgical equipment to the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital (KGMCH) over the weekend. Suppliers had already stopped distributing cardiac stents to the facility […]
Kerala corrects the record on Ayushman Bharat
![A primary health centre in Thuravoor, Kerala. Strengthening India's primary healthcare infrastructure through HWCS is a core of Ayushman Bharat. (Image credit: Ranjithsiji [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons)](https://i1.wp.com/www.healthissuesindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/800px-Thuravoor_Primary_Health_Center_Main_Building.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "Healthcare equipment: The greatest disparity?")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted the Kerala state government to implement its healthcare initiative, Ayushman Bharat. But the state has insisted on correcting the record. “Kerala is part of Ayushman Bharat scheme,” asserted the state’s Health Minister K. K. Shailaja. “An MoU [memorandum of understanding] was signed on November 2, 2018, and measures have already […]
Disease profile: Nipah virus
The Nipah virus — though occurring sporadically and relatively rarely — remains a deadly prospect whenever there is an outbreak due to its mortality rate of seventy percent. This places the disease alongside many of the world’s most lethal infectious conditions. Consequently, any outbreak of the disease must be handled with the utmost attention and […]
Nipah virus outbreak: Six test negative, containment efforts ongoing
Six people suspected of infection with the Nipah virus have been given the all-clear as containment efforts continue. Authorities confirmed a second outbreak of the disease in the state of Kerala after a 23-year-old college student tested positive for the virus during an initial examination. The aftermath saw a swift response by state health authorities, […]
A resurgence of the Nipah virus?
India quelled an outbreak of the Nipah virus last year with globally praised efficiency. However, recent news indicates the virus could be back in India. A resurgence of Nipah is a worrisome prospect due to the threat it poses to life. The condition has a seventy percent mortality rate, consequently ranking among some of the […]
Crackdown on e-cigarettes and similar devices
Authorities in Rajasthan are moving against e-cigarettes in the state following the decision of the state government to ban the devices. Coinciding with last week’s observance of World No Tobacco Day, it was announced that e-cigarettes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), would be prohibited in the northern state. The rules prohibit the devices from […]