HEALTH-TRENDS
Govt plans special drive to conduct 2.7 crore cataract surgeries in next three years
The aim of the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment is to develop comprehensive eye care facilities at each level of the basic public healthcare facility. But the programme was severely disrupted due to COVID-19
TRENDS
Health ministry to organise three-day meet to prepare healthcare roadmap for next 25 years
Health ministers and health secretaries of all the states have been invited to participate in the meeting. The government says that in the meeting, best practices from states in the healthcare sector will also be discussed and other states will be encouraged to emulate them.
BUSINESS
Interview | Russia-Ukraine war piles stress on Indian pharma industry, says Sudarshan Jain of IPA
Indian drug makers should focus on raising the quality of their products to capture 5-6 percent of global pharma sales by 2030, says the secretary general of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance
TRENDS
Heatwave in India: Health ministry issues advisory but says implementation lies with states
Extreme temperature conditions have triggered concerns of illness and death – particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with pre-existing medical conditions, and construction and industrial workers.
CORONAVIRUS
COVID-19 surveillance reports disrupted for three months after ministry sought to vet bulletins
The health ministry’s interference is said to have been triggered by a report that said the Omicron variant was in community transmission in India. It was also unhappy with a previous bulletin that recommended COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for all above 40 years
BUSINESS
COVID-19 vaccines for 5-11-year-olds may be limited to private hospitals
Government approval for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines to children in the 5-11-year age group is possible as early as next week, according to health ministry officials familiar with the situation.
BUSINESS
Vacant MBBS seats at new AIIMS centres expose chinks in counselling process
Officials in the Union health ministry say that students dropping out of the new AIIMS centres has become a major challenge and concede that the medical education regulator will need to come up with proposals to tackle the issue
CORONAVIRUS
Relief as COVID-19 uptick in Delhi shows signs of slowdown
The daily COVID-19 cases and test positivity rate in the national capital have hovered around 1,000 and 4-5 percent over the last five days. They are now showing signs of plateauing.
TRENDS
Only one in three with high blood sugar have good diabetes control in India: study
Diabetes, along with hypertension is emerging as a major public health challenge in India and changing lifestyles, mainly in urban areas, is rapidly aiding the high disease burden. Both diabetes and hypertension increase the risk of severe COVID-19 in individuals.
CORONAVIRUS
Explainer: Why the arrival of a new sub-variant of the coronavirus requires India to keep a closer watch on COVID-19 cases
More than 50 sub-variants of Omicron BA.2, a variant of the coronavirus, are currently circulating worldwide. A sub-variant catches public attention only when cases multiply and/or it manifests significant virulence.
CORONAVIRUS
Exclusive | Omicron BA.2.12.1 mutant detected in COVID-19 patients in Delhi, may be driving new surge
This mutant has also been identified in the US and appears more transmissible than Omicron BA.2 but scientists are yet to ascertain its epidemiological implications.
BUSINESS
No end in sight for India’s wait for Paxlovid, the most promising COVID-19 drug yet, despite surging cases
Late-stage clinical trials showed Paxlovid cut hospitalisation and death risks in mild to moderately high-risk COVID-19 patients by up to 88 percent and new evidence is emerging that it is also dramatically effective in treating long COVID symptoms
BUSINESS
Nation-wide campaign against unnecessary hysterectomies in India
Bayer teams up with obstetricians and gynecologists and the Integrated Health and Wellbeing Council to increase awareness against unnecessary hysterectomies
BUSINESS
Regulator fixes retail prices of 15 anti-diabetic formulations
In October last year too, the pharma pricing regulator had fixed the retail prices of 12 formulations used in diabetes management
CORONAVIRUS
Few takers for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses but surge in cases may change that
With the Covid pandemic easing, most cases being mild, and the requirement of a nine-month gap from the second dose, most people have stayed away from vaccination centres
INDIA
Kerala faces Centre's ire for updating COVID-19 data after five days, skewing India’s coronavirus numbers
Kerala did not update COVID-19 related data for five days and has also not shared any reasons for the same.
CORONAVIRUS
As COVID-19 infections inch up, experts blame dropping of masks
Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are seeing an increase in daily cases and test positivity rates. Experts urge caution but say too early to talk about the fourth wave
HEALTH-TRENDS
Profit-driven sector crucial for effective healthcare system: NATHEALTH president
The apex body of private healthcare companies in India recently held its annual summit where stakeholders pitched for reforms to take healthcare delivery to the next level.
INDIA
Private medical colleges, stung by NMC’s formula for 50% seats, threaten to take legal route
In their representation to the Union health ministry, several private colleges said the National Medical Commission’s diktat is not viable and will end up discouraging private investment in the medical education sector
CORONAVIRUS
Active COVID-19 caseload rises in India first time in 80 days amid uptick in daily cases in some states
Active COVID-19 cases in India have increased by 818 in the 24-hour period.
CORONAVIRUS
Rise in COVID-19 cases forces many Delhi-NCR schools to shut but experts allay fears
With cases rising in some pockets and many children reporting sick, people are worried this may be the beginning of the fourth wave of the COVID pandemic
CORONAVIRUS
After initial hiccup, many private hospitals start offering COVID-19 vaccine booster doses; demand rises on day 2
In January, the government had allowed healthcare and frontline workers, apart from those above 60, to get the vaccine booster dose. Now, the drive has been expanded to include those in the 18-59 age bracket. But they can only get the jabs at private hospitals, for a price.
HEALTH-TRENDS
Want regulatory reforms to expedite launch of new drugs in India: OPPI director general
For India to sustain its leadership position, it has to go big on R&D. India needs extensive collaboration between industry and academia and also the development of an innovation infrastructure, says Ananthkrishnan
BUSINESS
SC fixes 60-day limit to file for claims of COVID-19 deaths before March 20
For deaths that occurred before March 20 this year, the claims have to be filed within 60 days while for any future deaths, 90 days time would be given for filing for compensation.
