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Human-caused PM2.5 pollution was responsible for more than 17 lakh deaths in India in 2022 -- up by 38 per cent since 2010 -- with use of fossil fuels contributing to 44 per cent of the deaths, according to a global report published by The Lancet journal. Use of petrol for road transport contributed to 2.69 lakh deaths, the '2025 Report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change' said. Estimates also suggest that premature mortality in 2022 due to outdoor air pollution in India translated into a financial loss of USD 339.4 billion -- about 9.5 per cent of the country's GDP. An international team of 128 experts from 71 academic institutions and UN agencies, led by University College London, was involved in producing the ninth edition of the report. Published ahead of the 30th UN Conference of the Parties (COP30), the report provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of the connections between climate change and health, the authors said. The findings assume ...
Health experts have raised serious concerns over the government's decision to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on beedis from 28 per cent to 18 per cent, while other tobacco products remain in the highest 40 per cent slab. They warned that cheaper beedis could increase their use, particularly among poor and vulnerable communities, worsening India's tobacco-related health burden. Beedis, the most commonly smoked tobacco product in India, are used by over 70 million adults, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) India 2016-17. Warning of public health risks, renowned oncologist and recipient of the Judy Wilenfield Award for Global Tobacco Control by WHO Partners, Dr Vishal Rao, said, "Beedis, widely consumed by vulnerable populations, are very harmful. This tax disparity risks making beedis more affordable, potentially increasing their use, leading to cancers and other diseases." Emphasising the broader policy risks, Dr Rao said this rate reduction would "subsidis
As schools across Karnataka reopened on Monday after summer vacations, students in Bengaluru schools were spotted wearing masks as a precautionary measure amid surge in Covid-19 cases in the state recently. Students, teachers and non-teaching staffs in many schools across the state were wearing masks and maintained distance during interactions. Even parents who accompanied students to school were seen wearing masks as they came to drop their children on the first day of school. Covid-19 appropriate behaviour was seen being followed by students in many schools in Bengaluru City as they lined up at the entrance of the school maintaining distance while entering the premises. Their body temperatures were also being checked by the staffs. In view of the Covid-19 situation in the state and the reopening of schools, Karnataka government, in a circular issued on Friday, has asked parents not to send their children to school, if they have fever, cough, cold and other symptoms. The ...
A registry for rare disease patients in the state will become a reality this year, State Health Minister Veena George said on Friday. Speaking after inaugurating a workshop for experts in rare disease treatment here, George said the government aims to prevent rare diseases as its primary objective. She said a rare disease treatment clinic will be established in Kozhikode this year. The government is making efforts to bring affected children back to life, the minister said. "The registry for rare disease patients in the state will become a reality this year," George said. According to her, currently, more than 90 per cent survival rates have been achieved for children undergoing treatment for SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy). She said the state government aims to identify congenital disabilities and ensure specialised treatment for children. "Kerala is making significant strides in the field of rare disease care. In February 2024, the state government launched the CARE scheme for ra
Kerala reported 128 fresh COVID-19 cases and one death due to the disease in the last 24 hours, according to data on the Union Health Ministry website on Monday. Of the 315 active coronavirus infections reported nationwide till 8 am today, 128 were from Kerala, taking the active cases in the state to 3,128, as per the website. With one death reported in the state, the total number of people who have died due to coronavirus in Kerala since its outbreak three years ago reached 72,064. The number of people who were cured, discharged, or migrated in the last 24 hours after being diagnosed with the infection stood at 247. With that, the total number of cases under this category rose to 68,38,529 till date. On Tuesday, Health Minister Veena George reassured the people of the state that despite the rise in COVID cases in Kerala, there is no cause for alarm. The hospitals are adequately equipped to manage viral infections, she said.