Page 30 - Health Ministry

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

NEET-PG postponed, health ministry to assess exam process robustness

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said it has decided to postpone 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. Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of the NEET-PG entrance examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination (NTA) for medical students, it said. "It has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held tomorrow -- 23rd June, 2024," the ministry said. The fresh date of this examination will be notified at the earliest, it said. "Ministry of Health sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the students. This decision has been taken in the best interests of the students and to maintain the sanctity of the examination process," the ministry said.

Health ministry asks all states, UTs to release daily heatstroke cases data

The advisory instructs state administrations to spread public awareness about the precautions to be taken to safeguard against extreme heat

Health min Nadda directs special heatwave units in central govt hospitals

Nadda's instructions to his officials come amid blistering heat that has swept major parts of the country

National health mission drives standardisation in public healthcare system

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to address the challenges pertaining to underutilisation of public healthcare facilities and missed diagnosis on priority

Meet JP Nadda, man behind Indradhanush back to steer health agenda

Nadda is considered a key decision-maker in the BJP and a close aide of PM Narendra Modi. He has been the national president of the BJP since 2020 and a member of the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat

Ensure fire safety in hospitals: Health ministry to all states and UTs

This comes as the national capital has had three major hospital fire incidents in the last two weeks, with short circuits being claimed as the cause of fire in at least two incidents

Health ministry asks states to conduct regular fire-safety mock-drills

After the recent fire incident that claimed lives of infants in an East Delhi hospital, the Health Ministry has reiterated the need for strict adherence to fire safety norms in hospitals across India

Follow fire protocol at hospitals to a T: Union health secy to states

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Monday called for strict compliance with fire-safety protocols in a meeting with states and healthcare organisations, citing an increased possibility of fires in hospitals with high temperatures. With the entire northern region reeling under a prolonged heatwave, incidents of fire, including in forests, are increasingly being reported. Several of these fire incidents were reported to be caused by short circuits which happened due to sub-optimal electrical maintenance and/or overload of electricity lines with heavy use of air-conditioners and other equipment. "Given the potential risks associated with fire hazards in hospitals, it is imperative that strict protocols and measures be put in place to prevent, detect and respond to fires effectively. "Establishing a robust fire safety plan and conducting fire-evacuation and safety drills will not only ensure compliance with regulatory requirements but also safeguard lives and property," Chandra .

56 deaths due to heat stroke recorded in last 3 months: Health ministry

India has recorded 56 deaths from 24,849 suspected cases of heat stroke between March and May, according to data by the Union Health Ministry. According to the data compiled by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were recorded in May alone (till May 30). Between May 1 and 30, 19,189 suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country, it said. The data does not include deaths from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi and the final numbers are expected to be higher, a source said. Heatwave conditions have gripped large swathes of the country. India on Friday alone reported at least 40 suspected heat-related deaths, 25 of them of staff deployed on Lok Sabha poll duty in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. According to officials, heat-related deaths were reported from Odisha (10), Bihar (8), Jharkhand (4) and Uttar Pradesh (1) on Thursday also. Rajasthan has reported at least five heat-related deaths so far. According to health ministry data, Madhya Pradesh saw 1

Health ministry's mental health helpline crosses 1 mn calls since inception

The programme aims to enhance nationwide mental health service delivery, offering multi-language support and facilitating communication between callers and mental health professionals

Health secy highlights India's achievements, future goals at WHO assembly

India, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), intends to further strengthen the drug regulatory system to ensure quick access to high-quality medical products for all, Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra said on Wednesday. Chandra, who is leading the Indian delegation, addressed the Plenary Session of the 77th World Health Assembly of WHO in Geneva. The health secretary started his address by highlighting the similarities of this year's theme, "All for Health, Health for All" with the age-old Indian tradition of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' which means "world is one family", a health ministry statement said. He stated that under this theme, "India launched the 'Ayushman Bharat' meaning Live Long India to promote Universal Health Coverage by operationalizing more than 1,60,000 health and wellness centres (Ayushman Aarogya Mandir)". Chandra highlighted that as per the WHO SPAR report, India has a core capacity score of 86 per cent to detect, assess, report and respon