Page 16 - Health Sector

Mock drill in UP hospitals, medical colleges to test Covid preparedness

Amid a rise in Covid-19 cases in some countries, UP govt has activated the administrative machinery to test its preparedness

Over 3% of 84,874 drug samples tested in 2020-21 were substandard: Govt

More than three per cent of the 84,874 drug samples tested in 2020-21 were declared not of standard quality and 263 of them were found to be spurious and adulterated, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The data was based on information received from state and Union territory drug controllers and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), Pawar said in written reply to a question. Whenever complaints regarding quality of medicines are received, the CDSCO in coordination with state licensing authority takes action according to provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules. Of the total 84,874 drug samples tested in 2020-21, she said, 2,652 samples (3.12 per cent) were declared not of standard quality and 263 samples (0.31 per cent) were declared spurious and adulterated drugs. On whether the government plans to develop an authentication ecosystem to curb the circulation of substandard medicines in the market, Pawar s

Health data not shared with insurance, pharma firms without consent: Govt

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) facilitates secure data exchange between intended stakeholders on its network after the patient's consent and no data is shared with any other entity, including insurance and pharma firms, without the individual's consent, the Rajya Sabha was told on Tuesday. Responding to a question on whether patients' health data is shared with insurance and pharmaceutical companies under the Health Data Management (HDM)policy, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the HDM policy is a guidance document which sets out the minimum standards for privacy and data protection that should be followed by all the participants/stakeholders of the ABDM ecosystem. The policy was released on December 14, 2020, by the Ministry of Health. 'Privacy by Design' is one of the key guiding principles of ABDM and implemented following the principles of federated digital architecture, Mandaviya said. "Therefore, there is no centralised repository of data. The ABDM facilitate

BCG can curb severe TB in children but efficacy wanes with time: MoS Health

BCG vaccination can prevent severe forms of tuberculosis in children but its protective efficacy wanes over time, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. The risk of tuberculosis even after vaccination if exposed to the bacteria remains at all ages. However, the infection breaks down to disease if the immunity of the individual is compromised due to various conditions, Pawar said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. A new skin test for detecting latent TB infection has been developed by a private agency. This has been validated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and market authorization approval accorded by Drug Controller General of India (DGCI), the minister said in response to a question. To address the challenges and achieve SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) related to TB by 2025, the National TB Elimination programme implements key activities such as state and district specific strategic plans for targeted interventio

UHI to expand interoperability of health services, NHA invites comments

Unified Health Interface (UHI) is envisioned as a foundational layer of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and aims to enable interoperability in health services in India through open protocols

No wastage of Covid vaccines in buffer stock due to expiry: Govt tells LS

There has been no wastage of COVID-19 vaccines in the government buffer stock due to expiry, Union minister Bharati Pravin Pawar informed Lok Sabha on Friday. The central government closely monitors COVID-19 vaccine stocks in states and Union territories so as to ensure their optimal utilisation and minimal wastage, Pawar said in written reply to a question. States and UTs have also been advised to review programme coverage and vaccine wastage on a daily basis and redistribute the vaccine stock if required for their optimal utilisation. To ensure utilisation of the near expiry vaccine, they have been supported for intra- and inter-state transfer, the short expiry vaccines are also replaced by manufacturers, the Union Minister of State for Health said. The national regulator, Central Drugs Standard Organisation, prescribed the shelf life of Covishield vaccine as nine months and Covaxin vaccine as 12 months from the date of manufacture, Pawar stated. She said India has administered

20.16 lakh tuberculosis cases, 73,551 deaths notified from Jan-Oct: Min

As many as 20.16 lakh tuberculosis cases and 73,551 deaths have been notified from January till October under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar told Lok Sabha on Friday. There has been an 18 per cent increase in the number of tuberculosis cases notified under NTEP in 2021 (21.35 lakhs) in comparison with 2020 (18.05 lakhs), Pawar said in a written reply. The increase in the number of tuberculosis cases notified under NTEP has been due to increased efforts taken by the programme to decentralise diagnostics, active case finding, intensified private-sector engagement and specific strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and reach pre-Covid levels. The government has several steps to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025 under the 'Nikshay Mitras' initiative, she said. The Union Health Ministry launched the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan on September 9 for community support to tuberculosis patients with the objective to

HealthKart raises $135 million in funding from Temasek, A91 Partners

Company will use money to promote brands, increase offline distribution, and expand internationally

Invest Rajasthan Summit proposals in implementation stage, says minister

The summit had drawn interest from local businesses, in addition to a number of those from India and outside

FM Nirmala Sitharaman confident of strong growth, low inflation in 2023

Sitharaman declined to describe specifics from the letter, but added that the government's top three priorities for 2023 will be "growth, health and education."

India lacks adequate community level data for hypertension control: Lancet

More than 50 per cent of patients in India are unaware of their high blood pressure, finds a study published in Lancet Regional Health Journal

Non-Covid services may boost hospital SMEs in FY23: CRISIL SME Tracker

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which account for 60-65 per cent of the health care delivery market, stand to benefit from the improvement

Muscle & Strength to add 20 more stores in north India by next year

Muscle & Strength's revenue grew by more than 25 per cent during the past one year

India' health sector got $1.5-billion investment so far this year

Investment activity in the health care space has not slowed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic

HUL, GSK Asia to scrap distribution pact for OTC products by next year

In 2018, HUL had announced that GSK Consumer Healthcare will merge with HUL in an all-stock deal

Biotech firm Bharat Serums & Vaccines working to reduce import dependence

Firm is develop recombinant products in hormones, eyes acquisitions in South East Asia

Busiest week for IPOs this year with four offers set to hit market

The last time four IPOs had hit market was in Dec 2021; latest rush notwithstanding, year 2022 has been lukewarm for IPOs with sustained FPI outflows, spike in volatility, correction in broader mkts

Donating blood? Eligibility to advantages, here're things to keep in mind

Every person can donate on a regular basis. Men can donate every three months and women can donate every four months

CAG set to conduct comprehensive audit of country's health sector

Current approach to be based in common parameters, goals and analysis, as opposed to earlier exercises done on the basis of some research or state-specific issues

Health Ministry sends high-level team to UP for dengue management

The team will collaborate with the State health authorities in instituting public health measures for Dengue management in Firozabad, Agra and Etawah districts