Page 45 - Health Ministry

Govt to organise 'Chintan Shivir' with focus on drug quality regulation

New Delhi [India], February 24 (ANI): Union Health and family welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a two-day 'Chintan Shivir' at Telangana's Hyderabad with a focus on Drug Quality Regulation and Enforcement."Eminent speakers along with Domain experts from government, industry fora, startups, and academia will be participating," official sources told ANI.The Chintan Shivir will be held for two days from February 26- 27, 2023 at Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad.Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bhagwant Khuba, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers along with Dr V K Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog will attend the meeting. Senior officials including Union Secretary (Health), Secretary (AYUSH), Secretary (Pharmaceuticals), DGHS along with representatives from National Health Authority, NPPA, CDSCO, NIB, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, NIPERs, State functionaries and officials including ACS/Principal Secretary will be present ..

Scan, share service for faster OPD registrations gaining success: NHA

The National Health Authority's Scan and Share service for faster OPD registrations has been adopted by 365 hospitals within five months of its launch, an official statement said on Thursday. The service has helped over five lakh patients save time by drastically reducing wait times in OPD registration areas, it said. The Scan and Share service is currently live in 125 districts across 25 states and UTs in the country. Karnataka (2.5 lakh tokens), Uttar Pradesh (1.1 lakh users) and Delhi (72,000 users) are the leading states in the adoption of this service for better patient experience, the statement by the NHA said. The QR code-based rapid OPD registration service is being implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the quick and queue-less OPD registration. "Quick & Queue Less OPD Registration! Under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, more than 5 lakh patients ..

Govt focussing on production of high-value pharmaceuticals: Health Minister

The government is taking steps to produce "high value pharmaceuticals" in the country to reduce import dependency for such critical articles, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. Manufacturing of components of high-end medical devices in the country will be another big step in moving towards self reliance, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers noted. "Working on the vision of reducing import dependency through indigenous production, the government is focussing on production of high value pharmaceuticals and high-end medical devices," he said. Mandaviya said the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has released the first tranche of incentives under the Product Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme of pharmaceuticals amounting to Rs 166 crore to four selected applicants. Under the Atmanirbharta initiative of the government, DoP launched the PLI scheme for pharmaceuticals in 2021. The financial outlay under this PLI scheme is Rs 15,000 crore over a period of six years.

Punjab branding Ayushman Bharat centres as Mohalla Clinics: Health Minstry

The Union Health Ministry has said the Punjab government was converting Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres into Mohalla Clinics, a pet project of the Aam Aadmi Party, and has warned of stopping the funds for the scheme. The Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWC) is formulated with 60:40 contribution ratio by the Centre and state. In a letter written to the state government on February 6, the ministry said that the state has vitiated the spirit of the scheme and "defaulted" on its commitment by branding AB-HWCs as Aam Aadmi Clinics and "not adhering' to the provisions of the memorandum on the implementation of the scheme. "The state has violated the provisions of Clause 10.3 and 10.10 of MoU and has stopped implementing the AB-HWC component of NHM (National Health Mission), therefore releases to the State under NHM do not appear feasible as per provisions of Clause 13 of the MOU," NHM Additional Secretary and Mission Director Roli Singh said in the letter. A to

Lupin Pharma launches Lurasidone Hydrochloride Tablets in US

The generic equivalent of Latuda tablets has been launched in the US markets

India reports 95 new coronavirus cases; active tally rises to 1,921

India logged 95 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 1,921, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. The death toll stands at 5,30,761, the data updated at 8 am stated. The virus case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,85,132) while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.81 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,52,460 and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Cooperation between neighbours vital to prevent spread of disease: Kerala

As various infectious diseases are throwing up unprecedented challenges across the world, the Kerala government has emphasised upon cooperation between its health department and those of the neighbouring states to prevent spread of communicable ailments. State Health Minister Veena George said it was necessary for the health departments of the bordering states to work in cooperation with each other to prevent spread of infectious diseases effectively. The minister was speaking at an inter-state meeting of various states inaugurated by her on Monday, a government release said. At the meeting, George said that health workers in border districts, when required, should coordinate with each other in the areas of data sharing, early warning, preparation of strategic action plans, development of local awareness materials, implementation of containment and quarantine guidelines. She said that climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and pesticide resistance have all contributed to disease

Covid pandemic has not taught the world how to beat the next deadly virus

Even governments that decided against elimination, opting instead to flatten the curve, struggled to persuade people to follow basic control methods

India records 120 new coronavirus cases; active tally increases to 1,916

India saw a single-day rise of 120 fresh COVID-19 cases, while the active cases have increased to 1,916, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll stands at 5,30,761 with one death reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. The country's infection tally stands at 4.46 crore (4,46,85,037). The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total cases, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,52,360, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent in the country. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Ayushman Bharat health, wellness centres giving new life to rural patients

The total functional AB-HWCs in Haryana are 2407, which includes 1833 SHCs, 391 Primary health care (PHCs), and 183 urban primary health centres (UPHCs)

India saw record transplants of over 15,000 organs in 2022: Health Secy

India has witnessed a fast resurgence in organ transplant activities post COVID-19 and, for the first time, achieved more than 15,000 transplants a year in 2022, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Sunday. Along with this, there was an annual increase of 27 per cent in the transplant numbers, Bhushan said at the "National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) Scientific Dialogue 2023", organised by the Union Ministry of Health. The event was organised to bring all the stakeholders under one roof to brainstorm ideas about interventions and best practices in the field of organ and tissue transplant that can be taken up for saving lives. Bhushan said there has been a fast resurgence in organ transplant activities post Covid, and for the first time, the country has achieved more than 15,000 transplants a year (2022). There was an annual increase of 27 per cent in the transplant numbers, he added. The health secretary underlined three priority areas -- programmatic

Need to probe into avoidable expenses by health dept: CAG to Mizoram govt

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has observed that there is a need to investigate into avoidable expenditure of Rs 5.3 crore incurred by the Mizoram health and family welfare department. The CAG report tabled in the assembly by Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Thursday said that the Directorate of Hospital and Medical Education (DHME) had entered into a memorandum of understanding with Intergen Energy Limited (IGEL) in 2012 for the installation of renewable energy and water treatment plants at nine hospitals based on suo-motu proposals submitted by the Delhi-based firm. According to records of the DHME, water treatment plants were installed by the firm in five hospitals at a total cost of Rs 50 lakh and payments were made to the entity between March 2012 and February 2014, the report said. The private entity provided water to four hospitals for a short duration, ranging from four months to two years, and failed to supply water to a hospital even though the MoU stated

Garuda Aerospace inks pact with Narayana Health, to ferry medical supplies

Drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace has joined hands with healthcare provider Narayana Health towards transporting of bio-medical supplies using their 'Sanjeevani' drone, the company said on Friday. The partnership between the two aims to ensure faster delivery of medical supplies including samples for diagnosis during challenging conditions. "With the help of Garuda Aerospace's Sanjeevani drone, Narayana Health will be able to transport bio-medical supplies quickly, ensuring patients receive timely diagnosis and treatments." Garuda Aerospace said. The drones would be able to provide emergency healthcare in remote and under served areas as well, it said. "Our aim is to improve access to critical medical supplies and support the delivery to patients in need and in times of emergency," Garuda Aerospace founder-CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash said in a statement. On their association with Garuda Aerospace, Narayana Health Chairman Dr Devi Shetty said, "by partnering with Garuda Aerospace,

India reports 157 new coronavirus cases; active tally increases to 1,862

India logged 157 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 1,862, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll stands at 5,30,757, the data updated at 8 am stated. The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,84,659). The daily positivity was recorded at 0.12 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.10 per cent. The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry website. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,52,039, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.63 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Govt's free telemedicine service reaches 100 mn beneficiaries: Mandaviya

The central government's free telemedicine service has clocked over 10 crore teleconsultations till now, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said. An initiative of the Union Ministry of Health, eSanjeevani, had among its beneficiaries 57 per cent women and around 12 per cent senior citizens, the minister said. "This platform also reflects that the platform is finding its reach in the more vulnerable sections of the population where its effect is to fetch maximum impact. "This speaks volumes about the telemedicine platform and the extent to which it has reinvented itself over time to meet the growing demands of healthcare in India," Mandaviya said. The National Telemedicine Service, "eSanjeevani," a digital health initiative of the ministry supports two types of teleconsultation services Doctor-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani) and Patient-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani OPD) teleconsultations. The eSanjeevani was rolled out in November 2019 as an important component of the Ayushman

Health Ministry working on 'One Nation, One Organ Allocation' policy

The Union Health Ministry is working on a 'One Nation, One Organ Allocation' policy in consultation with states to come up with uniform guidelines for registration, allocation and other aspects of the process, official sources said. Recently, the Supreme Court asked the Health Ministry to examine and take appropriate action on some states imposing the condition of submission of domicile certificates for patients wishing to register in the cadaver transplant registry for organ transplantation. A uniform policy, an official source said, "will help patients in seeking transplant from deceased donors at any hospital in the country giving them a lot of flexibility". Working towards firming up the policy, the ministry has already recommended states to remove the domicile criterion for registering those seeking organs from deceased donor for transplant procedures. Further, it has done away with the 65-year age limit for registration of patients seeking organs from a deceased donor. The

India introduces new Covid-19 rules for travellers from six countries

However, random testing of 2 per cent of all travellers landing in India will continue, the health ministry has said

PM calls for popularising Yoga, traditional forms of Indian medicine

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for popularising Yoga and traditional forms of Indian medicine in a language that the world understands. Modi made the assertion in response to a Twitter user who said that today, more than ever, there is a need of proving Yoga and its benefits scientifically for modern healthcare and the world to believe in it. "Well said. The way ahead is by popularising Yoga and traditional forms of Indian medicine in a language that the world understands. I am happy to see greater awareness among our people on this too," Modi tweeted. He also commented on the aerial coverage of ground and air display captured from indigenously developed Medium Altitude Long Endurance TAPAS UAV during Aero India 2023 rehearsal from a height of 12,000 feet. "Very interesting!" the prime minister said tagging a DRDO tweet on the aerial shot of the Aero India rehearsal.

India coronavirus update: Active Covid cases in country rise to 1,843

India recorded 124 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 1,843, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The death toll stands at 5,30,750, the data updated at 8 am stated. The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,84,118). The daily positivity was recorded at 0.10 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.09 per cent. The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.81 per cent, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,51,525, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website 220.62 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on Septembe

Expenditure of Rs 51,749 cr authorised under govt's insurance scheme

A total of 4.34 crore hospital admissions entailing an expenditure of Rs 51,749 crore have been authorised under the government's Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme till February 2 this year, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Lok Sabha on Friday. The average per capita expenditure under the scheme is Rs 11,924, Mandaviya said in a written response to a question. The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY), launched in September 2018, provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. According to Mandaviya, a total of 23.07 crore beneficiaries have been verified under the scheme for issuance of Ayushman cards as of February 2, 2023. The minister further informed that a budget of Rs 6,412 crore has been allocated to be utilised under PMJAY for 2022-23 and Rs 4,580.10 crore has been utilised till February 2. A total of 4.34 crore hospital admissions worth Rs 51,749.40 crore have been authori