Rising rates of caesarean sections (C-sections) in Himachal Pradesh have been brought to light, emphasising a worrying national trend. The Times of India has reported that 11,319 C-sections were performed in the state during the 2017-18 period compared to 9,900 such procedures in the 2016-17 period and 9,414 in 2015-16. However, whilst profiteering by private […]
maternal healthcare
Sex-selective abortion in India: It’s worse than you think
At the age of 28, Madhuri had three daughters and no son. With a dream to have a son and to fulfil her family’s demands, she became pregnant again. But this time she couldn’t take any chance and illegally undertook a sex determination test. As soon as she was told that it is a girl, […]
Poor sanitation damages health facilities – and patients
Worldwide, two billion people lack access to basic sanitation services at health facilities – leaving them vulnerable to the health risks that can arise because of unhygienic conditions. This is according to a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The report’s findings reveal how a quarter […]
Oxytocin: Doctors challenge Centre in Supreme Court
The fight over the government’s controversial ‘Oxytocin ban’ has escalated even further and will now be fought in the Supreme Court. . The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has joined the fight against the Centre’s efforts to have Oxytocin’s production and sale severely curtailed by moving the apex court. The new policy has been proposed since […]
What drives India’s unnecessary C-section crisis?
A fifty percent increase in caesarean sections in the Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh has caused alarm and prompted state health minister Tulsiram Silawat to commission an investigation. The reported rise was described by the minister as ‘objectionable’. According to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, c-sections should not account for more than fifteen percent of […]
Delhi officials crack down on Oxytocin
The Centre’s controversial ban on Oxytocin may have been stayed until October, but authorities in Delhi are already cracking down on illegal sales of the drug. Authorities in the national capital have seized samples of Oxytocin from some vendors. This came after “a joint surprise check” was carried out by officers of the Central Drug […]
Ban on Oxytocin postponed – again
The Centre’s ban on hormone drug Oxytocin was supposed to come into force today, but has been stayed till October by the Delhi High Court (DHC). The news will surely come as a relief to activists, doctors and drugmakers opposing the Centre’s decision to tighten restrictions on the drug’s production and sale in India. Many […]
Centre lifts ban on sales of life-saving drug Oxytocin
The Centre has revoked its decision to ban retail sale of Oxytocin, a life saving drug for pregnant women in India after petitioners moved court. But tight restrictions remain in place. Oxytocin is a hormone drug used in the treatment of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), the predominant cause of maternal mortality in India. Its misuse in […]
Oxytocin ban: High court seeks answers from the Centre
Will the government take a u-turn on its decision to revoke ban on hormone drug oxytocin or will the private companies be allowed to produce the life saving drug? The Delhi High Court is seeking answers from the Centre over legal challenges filed against its controversial ban on the hormone drug oxytocin. The Centre seems […]
Oxytocin: The strange case of India’s ban
The Centre has been encouraged to scrap its controversial ban on private sector sales of Oxytocin by the Drug and Technical Advisory Board (DTAB). In a stunning u-turn from the body’s previous stance, it is now exhorting the health ministry to ensure that the hormone drug is “[available] for human use.” Oxytocin is used to […]