Much of the conversation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in recent months has focused on access to vaccines – specifically, vaccine accesses in low- and middle-income countries. But to what extent is re-examining intellectual property (IP) rights part of the solution? As Health Issues India reported in May, “patent waivers for COVID-19 vaccines have been offered […]
Access to Healthcare
Child healthcare needs a boost
Recent figures reveal a huge gap in child healthcare in India, at a time when experts warn of the vulnerabilities of young people to COVID-19 in a looming third wave. Experts expressed misgivings about a severe deficit in child healthcare at primary health centres and community health centres. Per data shared by a parliamentary standing […]
Transplant waiting list only gets longer
For many, life continues to be hard as they wait on the organ donation transplant waiting list. Not being able to access a life-saving organ transplant is not the case the entirety of the time. The family of a brain-dead man in Maharashtra gave doctors the go-ahead to donate his organs, offering hope to patients […]
Medical debt soars during pandemic
One consequence of the pandemic has been a substantial increase in medical debt. As the economic disruption due to COVID-19 drives millions into poverty, bills for medical treatment are only exacerbating the crisis and prolonging families’ suffering. Large out-of-pocket medical spending is an issue which predates the pandemic, despite government interventions such as Ayushman Bharat. […]
Tribal areas see increase in health infrastructure: Is it enough?
Tribal areas witnessed a 73 percent increase in the availability of healthcare facilities between 2005 and 2020, according to government data. In 2005, the number of sub-health centres in tribal areas stood at 16,748. By 2020, this increased to 29,745 – a 78 percent increase. Primary health centres, meanwhile, increased by fifty percent from 2,809 […]
Millions in India missing vaccination doses
An estimated 3.5 million children missed out on their first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combined vaccine (DTP-1) in India in 2020, according to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Three million more children missed their first dose of the measles vaccination. Such were the effects of the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that health […]
WHO unveils guidelines for human genome editing
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released two companion reports regarding the potential application of human genome editing in improving public health. “Human genome editing has the potential to advance our ability to treat and cure disease, but the full impact will only be realised if we deploy it for the benefit of all people, […]
Exclusive interview: Dr B. K. Murali of Hope Hospital on their vision, COVID-19, and related issues
In our latest exclusive interview, Health Issues India discussed with Hope Hospital founder and managing director Dr B. K. Murali. We discussed their vision, how they adapted and continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, their work in addressing the outbreak, and more. The interview can be found below. It has been edited for length and […]
Patent waivers unlikely to resolve COVID-19 vaccine crisis
Patent waivers for COVID-19 vaccines have been offered up as a suggestion as a means to address the global crisis. While in theory this would allow a shift in production from high-income nations to developing countries, achieving this requires overcoming a significant hurdle – a lack of production capacity. Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General […]
Generic medicines and the part they play – an interview with Medkart Pharmacy founder Ankur Agarwal
Generic medicines are a core component of India’s reputation as the so-called ‘pharmacy of the world.’ The country has long been-renowned for its exports of affordable medicines to developing nations. As previously reported by Health Issues India, “generic medicines cost a fraction of the monopoly prices charged in countries like the United States, and competition […]