World Breastfeeding Week may be over for the rest of the world, but the Union Health Ministry has announced plans to make it a monthly fixture in India to raise awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding. During an event last week, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan announced that a breastfeeding awareness week will […]
maternal healthcare
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 […]
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, […]
C-sections are on the rise in Himachal Pradesh – highlighting a national problem
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 […]
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 […]