Page 28 - Health Ministry

Did Covid cut India's life expectancy by 2.6 years? Here's what Centre says

A recent report revealed that India saw a 2.6-year reduction in life expectancy from 2019 to 2020, with Muslims and Scheduled Tribes (STs) experiencing the most severe impacts

Health ministry terms study on Covid deaths in India as 'misleading'

The findings of a paper published in academic journal Science Advances on life expectancy during the Covid pandemic in India in 2020 are based on "untenable and unacceptable" estimates, the Union health ministry said on Saturday after the findings were highlighted in some media reports. While the paper's authors claim to have followed standard methodology of analysing the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), there are critical flaws in the methodology, the ministry said in a statement. "The most important flaw is that the authors have taken a subset of households included in the NFHS survey between January and April 2021, compared mortality in these households in 2020 with 2019, and extrapolated the results to the entire country," it said. The NFHS sample is representative of the country only when it is considered as a whole. The 23 per cent of households included in this analysis from part of 14 states cannot be considered representative of the country, the statement said. "T

1.1 mn excess deaths during Covid-19, 8 times more than govt figure: Study

In India, 11.9 lakh excess deaths occurred in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, 17 per cent higher compared to 2019, an international study has found. The estimate is about eight times higher than the official COVID-19 deaths in India, and 1.5 times the World Health Organization's estimates, researchers, including those from the University of Oxford, UK, said. Using data of over 7.65 lakh individuals, the study estimated changes in life expectancy at birth, by gender and social group between 2019 and 2020 in India, a country where one-third of global pandemic excess deaths are thought to have occurred, according to the authors. The data was taken from the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5). The life expectancy in women fell by 3.1 years, while it fell by 2.1 years in men, the authors said. Gender inequalities in healthcare and resource distribution within households could be possible reasons, they said. The patterns contrast with those seen in high-income countries, where .

Health ministry trashes Unicef's report on high 'zero dose children'

The Union Health Ministry on Thursday said media reports stating that India has a high number of 'zero dose children', who did not receive any vaccine, in comparison to other countries based on UNICEF report depicts an incomplete picture of the country's immunization data. The ministry said they do not factor in the population base and immunization coverage of the countries compared. The accurate and complete narrative of the immunization efforts of the government can be gauged through comprehensive understanding of the relative data and programmatic interventions, the ministry added. The percentage coverage for all antigens in India is higher than the global average. In India, for most of the antigens, the coverage is more than 90 per cent, which is at par with other high-income countries such as New Zealand (DTP-1 93 per cent), Germany and Finland (DPT-3 91 per cent), Sweden (MCV-1 93 per cent), Luxembourg (MCV-2 90 per cent), Ireland (PCV-3 83 per cent), United Kingdom of Great

Need to have world class regulatory framework, says Nadda at review meeting

CDSCO has been asked to draw a roadmap with timelines for achieving global standards in its mandated activities

'Hellishly hot' southern Europe bakes under heat wave as temp tops 104F

The Italian health ministry placed 12 cities under the most severe heat warning Tuesday as a wave of hot air from Africa baked southern Europe and the Balkans and sent temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), with the worst still to come. Croatia reported the highest-ever temperatures of the Adriatic Sea, with the thermometer reaching nearly 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) at the southern walled city of Dubrovnik, the country's most popular tourism spot. In Serbia, the state power company reported record consumption Tuesday due to the use of air conditioning. Municipal authorities in several southern European and Balkan cities took measures to look after elderly people in particular as civil protection crews fielded calls for water-dropping aircraft such as Canadairs to douse wildfires that raged in southern Italy and North Macedonia. It's hellishly hot," said Carmen Daz, a tourist from Madrid who was trying to keep cool with a fan at lunchtime in ..

'Viksit Bharat' goal can be achieved by having smaller families: JP Nadda

Addressing the gathering J.P. Nadda said that Centre and the states need to collectively work to ensure that women can exercise their right to make family planning choices

How digital tech and AI are revolutionising primary health care in India

Digital innovations are transforming not only clinical applications, but also streamlining administrative processes making the entire health care experience more patient-centric

Centre asks officials to work with high-burden states for dengue prevention

All central government hospitals have been asked to ensure that fully equipped, dedicated dengue wards are operationalised with trained manpower, drugs, and other logistics

Indian pharma firms seek govt tax reliefs, incentives to spur innovation

The upcoming budget would be Modi's first major policy announcement in his third term as prime minister

Counselling schedule for NEET courses not yet notified: Health ministry

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday clarified that the counselling schedule for NEET UG and PG courses for the year 2024 has not yet been notified by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). The counselling schedule for NEET UG and PG is announced by MCC, under the Directorate General of Health Services, on its website on the basis of the completion of the exam process and the finalisation of the seat matrix by the National Medical Commission (NMC). In 2021, 2022 and 2023, the counselling for UG seats commenced on 19/1/2022, 11/10/2022 and 20/7/2023 respectively, the ministry said in a statement. For the year 2024, NMC has communicated its schedule for finalisation of the seat matrix for UG and PG seats in the last week of June indicating that it will finalise the UG seat matrix by the third week of July and PG seat matrix by mid-August. The MCC will accordingly notify the counselling schedule. "Therefore, it is clarified that MCC has not yet notified the counselling schedule fo

Fourth case of rare brain-eating amoeba infection reported in North Kerala

Another case of amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters, has been reported from Kerala. A 14-year-old boy, a resident of Payyoli in this north Kerala district, is afflicted with the disease, according to sources in the private hospital where he is being treated. This is the fourth case of the rare brain infection reported in the state since May and all the patients are children, three of whom have already died. In the latest case, one of the doctors treating the boy said that he was admitted to the hospital on July 1, and his condition is improving. The doctor said, on Saturday, that the infection was identified quickly at the hospital and treatment, including medicines from abroad, was given immediately. On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy infected with the free-living amoeba died here. Prior to that, two others -- a five-year-old girl from Malappuram and a 13-year-old girl from Kannur -- died on May 21 and June

NEET PG 2024 exam, postponed last month, to be held on August 11. Details

NEET-PG 2024: The Union health ministry had postponed the exam as a "precautionary measure" amid the ongoing crisis linked to the alleged mismanagement in conducting the NEET-UG 2024 examination

Highly contagious African Swine Fever reported in Kerala's Thrissur

An outbreak of African Swine Fever, a highly contagious and deadly swine disease that can affect both farm-raised and feral (wild) pigs, has been reported from a farm in a village in Kerala's Thrissur district, officials said on Friday. Due to the outbreak of swine fever, which can be readily transmitted from one pig to another through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected pig, the Thrissur district collector has ordered the culling of 310 pigs at a private farm in Thrissur district's Madakkathara panchayat, they said. "The disease was confirmed in the pigs owned by Kuttalapuzha Babu of Veliyanthara in the 14th ward. The district Collector has directed the district animal husbandry officer to cull the pigs and bury them," according to an official release here. A team consisting of doctors, livestock inspectors and attendants will conduct the culling process, and further primary disinfection measures will also be taken, it said. The area within a one-kilometre radius of

Centre issues Zika advisory to states amid detection of cases in Maha

"Health facilities must identify a nodal officer to monitor and act to keep the premises free of Aedes mosquitoes," the advisory stated

Govt asks states to be vigilant after Zika cases rise in Maharashtra

In view of some cases of Zika virus reported from parts of Maharashtra, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states highlighting the need for maintaining a constant vigil over the situation in the country. States have been urged to focus on screening pregnant women for Zika virus and monitor the growth of foetus of expecting mothers who tested positive for the infection. Besides the advisory by Director General of Health Services Dr Atul Goel, the ministry also asked health facilities to identify a nodal officer to monitor and act to keep the premises free of Aedes mosquito infestation. Zika is an Aedes mosquito-borne viral disease like dengue and chikungunya. Though non-fatal, Zika is associated with microcephaly (a condition where the head is much smaller than expected) in babies born to affected pregnant women which makes it a cause of major concern. In 2024, till July 2, Pune has recorded six cases in Pune and one each in Kolhapur and Sangamner.

FORDA delegation meets Health Min Nadda, discusses postponement of NEET-PG

Representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association have met Union Health Minister J P Nadda to discuss their concerns over medical education with a focus on the postponement of the NEET-PG exam. According to a statement, the delegation of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) met the minister on Saturday. At the meeting, FORDA stressed on the importance of promptly announcing the new exam dates and conducting the exams transparently and efficiently, it said, adding the primary focus of the discussion was the postponement of the NEET-PG exam. The NEET-PG, which was scheduled to be held on June 23, was postponed a night before the entrance exam, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams. In the statement, FORDA said Nadda assured the delegation that his ministry and the government are committed to the welfare of students and are determined to improve the current system. The reasons .

Govt launches virtual systems for quality assessment in healthcare centres

The instant or 'tatkal' issuance of licences or registrations in select food businesses under the FSSAI was also a part of the health ministry's 100-day programme

Health ministry suspends compulsory linking of CGHS and ABHA ID's

Experts suggest data privacy concerns, lack of tech infra may have led to decision

2 days after postponing NEET-PG, health ministry reviews exam process

Top officials from the Union health ministry on Monday reviewed the process of the NEET-PG exam, two days after the entrance examination to postgraduate medical courses was postponed. The National Eligibility Entrance Test (Postgraduate) entrance examination is conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), along with its technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), for medical students. The government on Saturday postponed the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams. The Monday meeting was held to check the "robustness" of the system for the conduct of the exam in the coming days, sources said. It was learnt that the TCS top brass briefed about the various aspects of the exam procedure that is followed in the meeting. "The process of uploading the NEET-PG exam paper starts an hour before the exam is to be held. Thi