Medical technology is a vital component of healthcare delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored this. In this exclusive interview, I speak with Pavan Choudary – the chairman of the Medical Technology Association of India – about the importance of medical technology during this pandemic. You can watch our interview here. For more of Health Issues India’s interviews with […]
Technology
Infodemiology: Fighting the fake news epidemic
The discipline of infodemiology is accruing heightened attention during the COVID-19 pandemic – and for good reason. In an event as deadly as the COVID-19 outbreak, there can be no underestimation of the grave risk misinformation poses, nor can we afford to downplay the necessity of proactively working to mitigate the so-called ‘infodemic’. This was […]
Digital technology: Boon or bane for kids?
In late March, the Government elected to impose a wholescale lockdown in India to facilitate physical distancing. Similar measures are being enacted worldwide. While lockdown is being eased in many parts of the country, a return to normalcy seems a way off. One effect of the pandemic and ensuing physical distancing measures researchers are flagging […]
Telehealth, pandemic, and privacy
In the era of the coronavirus pandemic, telehealth has become a valuable tool for healthcare providers and patients alike – allowing consultations to be had even during a period of stringent lockdown. India is no exception – as if to underscore this point, the Delhi government announced earlier this week free online consultations for the […]
Digital health tie-up between AIIMS Mangalagiri and IIT-Madras
In the pursuit of affordable digital health-based solutions to problems facing Indian healthcare, the All India Institute of Sciences (AIIMS) in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh and the India Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Chennai, Tamil Nadu have announced in recent weeks a collaboration. “The strengths that IIT-Madras brings with depth in many technological fields such […]
Kerala’s startups touted for their role in cancer care
Health minister K. K. Shailaja has emphasised the importance of Kerala’s startups in the state’s healthcare system. Speaking at a symposium jointly organised by the Cochin Cancer Research Centre and Kerala Startup Mission, Shailaja touted the role of Kerala’s startups in care for diseases such as cancer. “We at the ministry keep getting requests for […]
A digital health blueprint for universal healthcare
Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged stakeholders to work towards implementing India’s digital health blueprint in order to facilitate a digital health economy. “[The] Government of India is committed to ensuring high quality healthcare, accessible to all upto the last mile,” said Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Science and Technology. “The digital […]
Nanopharmaceuticals: A regulatory framework
The Centre has moved to lay down the law on nanopharmaceuticals, with the release of guidelines at the end of last week to promote them and ensure they are regulated on par with other medicines and medical products. The ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nanopharmaceuticals in India’ were jointly prepared by the Department of Biotechnology under […]
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 […]
Google and India to work together on a digital society
Google and India will cooperate to create a ‘Digital India’ – with healthcare playing a role. The initiative – a collaboration announced by the internet giant and the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) – will reach out to students of engineering to create digital technology solutions to pressing social issues, including health. […]