Page 32 - Health Ministry

Denied BJP ticket, Harsh Vardhan announces retirement from active politics

With sitting MP Harsh Vardhan's name not figuring from his Chandni Chowk constituency in the list of candidates announced by the BJP for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, he on Sunday announced bowing out of active politics. In a long post on X, Vardhan said he will return to his roots after over 30 years of a "glorious electoral career". Looking back at his journey, he said, "I shall continue to pursue my work against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles." "After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organisation and the governments at the state and centre I finally bow out to return to my roots," he said on X. In the first list of 195 candidates declared by the BJP, Praveen Khandelwal has been fielded from Chandni Chowk, a seat which ...

Private hospitals write to health ministry over rate standardisation

Better insurance cover would enhance price transparency

27.9 mn Ayushman Cards created under Viksit Bharat Yatra: Health ministry

The VBSY was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15 last year from Jharkhand's Khunti

India records 105 fresh Covid-19 infections, active cases stand at 875

India saw a single-day rise of 105 COVID-19 cases, while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 875, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday. A new death due to the viral disease was reported from Punjab in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily Covid cases was in double digits till December 5, 2023, but it began to rise after the emergence of a new variant of the virus and cold weather conditions. After December 5, the maximum of 841 cases were reported on December 31, 2023, which was 0.2 per cent of the peak number of cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. India has witnessed three Covid waves in the past, with the peak incidence of daily cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 4,14,188 new Covid cases and 3,915 deaths due to the infection were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic broke out in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people in India

Govt panel set to review if nutraceuticals should be brought under CDSCO

The government has formed a panel to examine the possibility of bringing nutraceuticals under the ambit of the apex drug regulator CDSCO instead of the food regulator FSSAI to address regulatory challenges and promote consumer safety Presently, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulates the usage of health supplements and nutraceuticals under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, and Prebiotic and Probiotic Food) Regulations, 2022. This regulation covers food items that are specially processed or formulated for specific nutritional or dietary purposes, official sources said. Nutraceuticals are products derived from food sources that are believed to provide extra health benefits besides the basic nutritional value found in foods The sources said that the challenges in uniform implementation and enforcement, interchangeable usage of the same nutrient/ingredient at ...

Death risk from chikungunya continues for up to 3 months: Lancet study

People infected with the chikungunya virus continue to have an increased risk of death for up to three months post-infection, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes to humans. Most commonly, the virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, more commonly known as yellow fever and tiger mosquitoes, respectively. While most patients recover fully, chikungunya disease can prove fatal. Despite infections going largely unreported, approximately five lakh cases and over 400 deaths were recorded worldwide in 2023, the researchers said. "With chikungunya infections expected to increase, it's important that health services consider the risks that persist even after the acute phase of infection has ended," said Enny Da Paixao Cruz, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), UK, and senior author of the study. The researchers analysed ...

Four new Covid deaths reported across country, active caseload at 876

India has logged 123 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 876, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Tuesday. Four new deaths --two from Delhi and one each from Gujarat and Maharashtra-- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 4,14,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have been infected and

Health ministry launches Aiims-SBI smart card for cashless transactions

The AIIMS-SBI smart payment card was launched by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday, paving the way for cashless payments at the premier hospital. The card does away with cash payments at AIIMS Delhi for any patient services, including the canteen. A patient can deposit amount in this card, and recharge it at various points in different blocks at AIIMS, the health ministry said. Referring to the Smart Payment Card as 'One AIIMS, One Card', the Union Minister added that funds can now be transferred easily and swiftly from across the country by anyone in case of any urgent payment-related requirement, for the patient being attended at the hospital. "Soon this will be extended to other AIIMS too," Union Health Minister stated. "The AIIMS Smart Payment Card will resolve the long-pending issue of patients from far flung areas carrying cash with them to the hospital. On completion of the treatment, the remaining amount in the card will be transferred back to the patient's

India registers 163 fresh Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths, active caseload at 874

India saw a single-day rise of 163 COVID-19 cases while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 874, the health ministry said on Friday. Two new deaths due to the viral disease -- one each from Karnataka and Maharashtra -- were reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5 last year, but it began to rise after the emergence of a new variant of the virus and cold weather conditions. After December 5, the highest number of 841 fresh cases was reported on December 31, which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. India has witnessed three Covid waves in the past, with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 4,14,188 new coronavirus cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic broke out in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore pe

Covid-19 got mutated 223 times, effects have come down: Mandaviya

The COVID-19 virus got mutated 223 times in the world and its harmful effects have come done substantially over time, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Lok Sabha on Friday. He also said that COVID-19 will continue to remain like influenza and its present variants are not deadly. "When a virus gets mutated more than 100 times, its harmful effects get reduced. Covid also got mutated. So far, the Covid virus got mutated 223 times," he said during the Question Hour. He said that like influenza, which hits people once or twice every year, "Covid is with us and it will remain". "Covid sub-variants are not that deadly and there are no negative effects," he said. Mandaviya said health is such an issue where all stake holders and countries should come together and work. "We have seen the positive results during the pandemic when we all worked together," he said. The minister said India has a robust medicine production infrastructure and the world has recognised this. "We are

2008 global financial crisis wasn't as serious as Covid-19: FM Sitharaman

A nearly 60-page White Paper was tabled in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha by Sitharaman on Thursday

India registers 211 fresh Covid-19 cases, active infections drop to 1,478

India has logged 211 fresh cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection declined to 1,478 from 1,496, the health ministry said on Thursday. One new death has been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 414,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic began in early 2020, there have been more than 4.5 crore people getting infected and over 5.3 lakh deaths in about four years si

India's Budget announcement on cervical cancer vaccine receives praise

An eminent Indian-American radiation oncologist on Wednesday applauded India's budget announcement for vaccination of girls between nine and 14 against cervical cancer. "The budget's emphasis on preventive programs for cervical cancer is a commendable step towards addressing a critical public health issue in India. The initiative to vaccinate girls aged 9-14 against cervical cancer is particularly praiseworthy, as this disease claims the lives of over 150 women daily in the country," Dr Dattatreyudu Nori told PTI. A recipient of Padma Shri in 2015 for his contributions in the field of medicine, Dr Nori said cervical cancer ranks as the second most common cancer among women in India, with more than 85,000 new cases diagnosed annually and approximately 50,000 deaths reported each year. The incidence of cancer cases is projected to rise from 1.46 million in 2022 to 1.57 million in 2025. This increase is attributed to advancements in cancer diagnostics, improved data capture, and ongoin

Anganwadi workers, helpers to be covered under Ayushman Bharat: Govt

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has said that all Anganwadi Workers and Helpers across the country will get the benefits of the public health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat

Missing TB cases reduced from 1 mn in 2015 to 0.26 mn in 2023: Mandaviya

After two challenging years of the pandemic, India has seen a reduction in tuberculosis (TB) incidence by 16 per cent, almost double the pace witnessed globally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. Virtually addressing the 37th Board Meeting of the Stop TB Partnership, he also said the number of missing TB cases in India has reduced from 1 million in 2015 to 0.26 million in 2023. The number of missed cases is defined as the difference between the estimated number of incident cases and those notified. The Stop TB Partnership is hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). It is a collective force transforming the fight against TB. In his address, Mandaviya said TB has been a global health problem for decades. "After two challenging years dominated by disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, globally we saw a reduction in TB incidence by 8.7 per cent, while in India, we were able to demonstrate a reduction of 16 per cent, almost double th

27.8 mn Ayushman cards created under Vikshit Bharat campaign: Govt

Over 2.78 crore Ayushman Bharat cards have been created in more than 2.3 lakh health camps organised in gram panchayats and urban local bodies across the country under the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry said the health camps have seen a total footfall of over 7.2 crore since the campaign began on November 15, last year. Of the 2.78 crore Ayushman Bharat cards issued, 51 lakh physical cards have been distributed, it said. Ayushman cards are being created using the Ayushman app and physical cards are being distributed to the beneficiaries. So far, 3.85 crore people have been screened for TB at the health camps, out of which 11.8 lakh were referred to higher public health facilities, the ministry said. Screening of patients for TB is carried out by screening for symptoms, sputum testing, and using NAAT machines wherever available. Cases suspected to have TB are referred to higher facilities. Under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat .

India registers 122 new Covid-19 cases, active caseload reaches 1,522

India saw a single-day rise of 122 cases of COVID-19, while the number of active cases of the infection was recorded at 1,522, the health ministry said on Monday. No deaths have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of a single-day rise of 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of covid-19 in the past with the p

Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot tests positive for Covid-19, swine flu

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and swine flu. In a post on X, the Congress leader advised people to take care of their health in the changing season. "Due to fever for the last few days, today I got myself tested on the advice of doctors which confirmed (that I have) Covid and swine flu. Because of this, I will not be able to meet (anyone) for the next seven days," Gehlot said. "In this changing season, everyone should also take care of their health," he said.

India registered 1.41 mn new cancer cases, 910,000 deaths in 2022: WHO

In 2022, India had more than 14.1 lakh new cancer cases and over 9.1 lakh deaths due to the disease, and breast cancer was the most common, according to the latest estimates of the disease's global burden by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cancers of lip, oral cavity and lung were the most common ones in men, accounting for 15.6 and 8.5 per cent of the new cases, respectively, whereas, cancers of breast and cervix uteri were the most frequent ones in women, making up close to 27 and 18 per cent of the new cases, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), WHO's cancer agency has estimated. It also calculated that the number of people alive within 5 years following a cancer diagnosis was nearly 32.6 lakhs in India. Globally, the agency estimated 2 crore new cancer cases and 97 lakh deaths, and about 5.3 crore people were alive within 5 years following a cancer diagnosis. About 1 in 5 people develop cancer in their lifetime, and roughly 1 in 9 men and 1 in 12 women di

India registers 133 fresh Covid-19 cases, active caseload at 1,389

India saw a single-day rise of 133 Covid cases, while the number of active cases stood at 1,389, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. Two deaths -- one each from Gujarat and Maharashtra -- have been reported in 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but cases had begun to increase after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of a single-day rise of 841 new cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. A majority (around 92 per cent) of the total active cases are under home isolation, they said. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the