Healthcare In India

Sitharaman to move Health and National Security Cess Bill in LS today

Earlier on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed a Bill aimed at increasing excise duty on tobacco products and their manufacturing after a discussion

NCDC aims to deploy real time data, AI to boost disease surveillance

Officials say upcoming predictive model will integrate AI surveillance, climatic and population movement patterns to anticipate outbreak trajectories

Lupin Digital Health unveils VitaLyfe, AI-driven heart wellness app

The AI-powered platform aims to help working professionals manage cardiometabolic risks through heart-age tracking, personalised nutrition, and guided exercise

Chest infections rise in north India due to lesser-known bacterium: Study

A team at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, has reported a significant rise in infections caused by a lesser-known bacterium that mimics whooping cough in north India, officials said on Thursday. Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that has historically been a major cause of childhood mortality, with fatality rates reaching 10 per cent in the early 20th century, a PGIMER statement noted. The study, titled 'Emergence of Bordetella holmesiiAssociated Pertussis-Like Illness, Northern India, 20192023', was published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal (of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA) and analysed 935 suspected pertussis cases. Researchers discovered that nearly 37 per cent of infections were caused by Bordetella holmesii (bacterium), surpassing the number of infections from Bordetella pertussis, which used to be relatively more common. The most significan

Centre clears plan for four new medical colleges in Jharkhand under PPP

The Jharkhand government has received the Centre's nod to a proposal for setting up four medical colleges under the public-private partnership (PPP) in the state, according to an official statement. The new medical colleges will come up in Khunti with a capacity of 50 MBBS seats, Jamtara, Dhanbad and Giridih, with 100 seats each, it said. The approval has been granted under the Centre's 'Scheme for Establishment of Medical Colleges in PPP Mode', which aims to expand medical education across the country and strengthen healthcare services. During a meeting with officials of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in New Delhi on Tuesday, Jharkhand's Health and Medical Education Department Additional Chief Secretary Ajoy Kumar Singh made a presentation, the release said. "After the presentation, the Centre gave its nod to the state's proposal," it added. Singh said, "The opening of medical colleges under the PPP mode will improve medical education and healthcare services in the stat

Pharma, healthcare sector deals hit $3.5 billion in Sep quarter: Report

Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare sector recorded a total of 72 transactions valued at USD 3.5 billion in the third quarter ended September this year, according to Grant Thornton Bharat's dealtracker. This included three IPOs worth USD 428 million and one QIP worth USD 88 million, Grant Thornton Bharat said in a statement. Excluding public market activity, private deals accounted for USD 3 billion across 68 transactions, marking a sharp rebound in investor appetite, it added. The surge was driven by seven high value deals worth USD 2.6 billion, reflecting renewed investor confidence in scale and consolidation plays across pharma, biotech, and hospital segments, and mirroring the sector's strong fundamentals and growth potential. The standout transaction of the quarter was Torrent Pharma's USD 1.4 billion acquisition of a 46 per cent stake in JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, strengthening its position in high-growth therapeutic segments and chronic care markets, it added. "Q3 ...

World Bank approves $280 mn loan for health system improvement in Kerala

The World Bank on Friday said it has approved a USD 280 million loan for a health system programme in Kerala to improve the life expectancy and quality of life for 11 million elderly and vulnerable people. The programme aims to treat and support over 90 per cent of patients registered for hypertension and diabetes in the state through individual electronic tracking mechanisms. It will also establish a home-based care model for bedbound, homebound, and vulnerable elderly to provide comprehensive health services. "The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors have approved a new programme to improve the life expectancy and quality of life for 11 million elderly and vulnerable people in the state of Kerala through wider access to health coverage and resilient health systems," the World Bank said in a statement. The USD 280 million Kerala Health System Improvement Programme will build a more comprehensive health system resistant to climate shocks. It will also strengthen Kerala's digita

Govt to bring law for strict quality checks, monitoring of drugs, cosmetics

Amid growing demand for stricter compliance with safety and quality control norms for medical products, the Centre is framing a law to strengthen the legal framework for drug quality testing and market surveillance, along with regulation of medical devices and cosmetics. One of the major reasons behind the drafting of the law is the repeated complaints and concerns flagged by health regulators across the globe, including the WHO, over serious quality lapses by Indian drug manufacturers. The draft of the 'Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Act 2025', which the government aims to introduce in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament, was presented by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi at a high-level meeting of the Union health ministry held on Tuesday, the sources said. The meeting was chaired by Union Health Minister J P Nadda. During the meeting, senior officials from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Central Drugs Standard Control

We now think of prevention, early detection: Nadda on Indian healthcare

Minister expressed happiness and stated that the Ayushman Bharat scheme had become the world's largest health coverage programme

India could gain ₹3.6 trillion annually from better eye health: Report

A global study says basic eye care like screenings and glasses can yield ₹16 for every ₹1 spent, boosting India's productivity and education outcomes

65 mn women screened under 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar' campaign: Nadda

Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Saturday said 6.5 crore women have been screened through nearly 18 lakh health camps across the country under the 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar' campaign Terming it a "historic milestone", Nadda said the campaign reflects the nation's collective resolve to prioritise women's health for stronger families and thriving communities. In a post on X, Nadda said, "Launched on September 17 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two-week-long #SwasthNariSashaktParivar Abhiyaan concluded on 2nd October after achieving historic milestones of screening 6 crore 50 lakh women, through nearly 18 lakh health camps organised across the country." "This extraordinary achievement reflects the nation's collective resolve to place women's health at the heart of strong families and thriving COMMUNITIES," he said. Nadda called for continuing the momentum by encouraging every woman to prioritise her well-being, adopt regular health check-ups, and lead the way towards a

40% of Indian clinicians use AI, adoption triples since last year: Report

More than 40 per cent of clinicians in India could be using artificial intelligence technologies for work purposes -- a three-fold increase from 12 per cent since last year, estimates a report. Published by Elsevier, a Netherlands-based scientific and technical information disseminator which manages journals including 'The Lancet', the report also suggests that India's adoption of AI surpasses global average of 48 per cent, and is ahead of that in the US (36 per cent) and UK (34 per cent). "India's clinicians are showing remarkable agility and enthusiasm in embracing AI, setting a pace that not only keeps up with but often rivals global leaders," Shanker Kaul, chairman of Elsevier Health in India, said. Authors of the 'Clinician of the Future 2025' report wrote, "41 per cent of clinicians in India have used AI for work purposes, more than triple (of) last year's figure of 12 per cent." The country's rate of AI adoption may, however, lags behind that of China (71 per cent) and the A

7th child dies in MP's Chhindwara from suspected kidney infection in Sept

A 4-year-old boy from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh has died due to a suspected kidney infection, marking the seventh such child fatality in the district this month, officials said. Authorities have collected different samples from the areas concerned to identify the source of infection, the initial symptoms of which include high fever and difficulty in urinating, they said. The deaths have been reported mainly from Tamia and adjoining Koylanchal areas, about 55 km from the district headquarters, where several other children are undergoing treatment in private hospitals, the officials said on Sunday, as authorities grappled with the rising number of such cases. In the latest case, Vikas Yaduvanshi (4), a resident of Dighawani village in Chhindwara district, died at a hospital in Nagpur in neighbouring Maharashtra on Saturday. His last rites were performed at his native place on Sunday, the officials informed. Chhindwara collector Shailendra Singh said government doctors have been ..

World Heart Day 2025: 10 daily habits slowly destroying your heart health

Modern life seems convenient, but doctors say our current lifestyle-including digital overload, caffeine, air pollution, and more-is straining the heart

Heart failure, devices and transplants: Benefits and possibilities

Over the past decade, India's cardiovascular device market has grown into a significant health-tech segment with an estimated value of $1.55 bn and projected to reach $2.34 bn by 2030

American woman shares 'crazy' hospital experience in India, compares to US

Kristen Fischer, who has been based in India since 2021, took to Instagram to recount how she injured her thumb and how she got it treated for just ₹50

Rare but ruthless: Deadly brain-eating amoeba claims 19 lives in Kerala

The mother of a nine-year-old girl who died after contracting the so-called "brain-eating amoeba" says she is still struggling to comprehend the loss. "I cannot believe my daughter is gone," a sobbing mother said, adding that there was no clear information from health authorities on how the child became infected. The girl, hailing from Kozhikode, is among those who have succumbed in recent months to Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, a rare but almost always fatal brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. Kerala has been grappling with a rare but deadly disease that has claimed the lives of 19 people in recent months. The culprit is a microscopic parasite known as Naegleria fowleri, more commonly called the "brain-eating amoeba", which causes a condition known as Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, or PAM. The infection is almost always fatal, killing more than 98 per cent of those who contract it. Over 70 cases have been reported in the state this year. The amoeba is found

Marbles Health aims ₹100 cr ARR in 3 years, to unveil mental health device

Marbles Health eyes Rs 100 crore ARR in three years, strengthens EASE platform, develops at-home device, expands footprint in India, signs MoU with NHS for global collaboration

AHPI warns Star Health it may halt cashless service over 'unfair practices'

In a strongly worded communication sent to the insurer, AHPI flagged long-standing grievances, including the refusal to revise hospital tariffs in line with rising healthcare costs

Laurus Labs gains 3%, nears record high; should you buy, hold or sell?

Thus far in September, the stock price of Laurus Labs has rallied 6 per cent, as compared to a 1.5 per cent rise in the BSE Sensex and BSE Healthcare index