Experts have called for Karnataka to formulate a new strategy in tackling Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) or ‘monkey fever’. The disease, which is endemic in south Asia, made headlines at the beginning of this year following an outbreak in the Shivamogga district. Between November 2018 and April 2019, 342 KFD infections were reported in the […]
Tamil Nadu
Quackery: An epidemic in India?
Chennai is on alert against quack doctors, whom officials say vex the city every year during its fever season. The news comes as a reminder of the epidemic of quackery in India: unqualified, unlicensed practitioners account for a staggering proportion of the country’s healthcare workforce. In the past decade, an estimated 1,500 quack doctors have […]
Start-ups get a shoutout from Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has touted the role of start-ups in India’s economy – and highlighted their value as a tool for improving public health. “Today, India is aspiring to become a $5 trillion economy,” the Prime Minister said whilst speaking at the 56th convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) in Chennai. “Your […]
India’s best states for child welfare
Kerala is the best-performing state in India when it comes to child welfare, whilst Madhya Pradesh is the worst. This is according to the Child Well-being Index, a joint report by World Vision India and IFMR LEAD, unveiled yesterday Kerala secured the top spot with an overall score of 0.76, followed by Tamil Nadu and […]
High Court calls out low pay for government doctors
Identifying pay rates as the rationale behind medicos choosing private practice over work in the public sectors, the Madras High Court is calling for a pay increase for government doctors. The issue of comparatively lower pay in the public sector was raised during a High Court hearing of a petition concerning strike action by doctors […]
Death in the sewers: Manual scavenging continues to kill
In the first six months of 2019, at least fifty people died because of manual scavenging – in just eight states. This is according to data collected from the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) from Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. The fatalities offer a snapshot of a much […]
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 […]
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 […]
Tamil Nadu to act against traffic accidents
In India, 1.51 lakh people lost their lives in road traffic accidents in 2016 – more than any other country in the world. 1,374 traffic accidents take place each day, resulting in 400 deaths. In Tamil Nadu, steps have been announced to curb the number of such fatalities in the state. Around 12,000 people died […]
Tamil Nadu health system lauded by VP
Tamil Nadu has been hailed as the “health destination of the country” by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu. While the success of Tamil Nadu’s health system is in its own right an achievement to be applauded, does the announcement by the Vice President serve to highlight a concern that disparities in the Indian healthcare system […]