Free medical camps, set up to aid pregnant women, may help reduce maternal mortality in Haryana. The city of Gurugram has unveiled plans for a new a public-private partnership to tackle health issues related to pregnancy. India has long shown a terrible track record in terms of maternal deaths, though over recent years this high […]
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India facing “an apocalypse” over poor air quality
Over a million Indians a year die because of air pollution, a new Greenpeace report claims. The smog cost three percent of GDP annually, it adds. Greenpeace bases the estimate on official figures. The report – subtly titled “Airapocalypse” – was published on Wednesday, January 11th 2017. Its findings drew upon online reports and information […]
Substandard drugs may be a common phenomenon
One in seven medications prescribed in India are deemed to be substandard. This is according to a report published in the Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, which says that, “there is urgent requirement of more stringent regulation and legal action against the problem.” According to the Report, “Being the world’s largest manufacturers of active pharmaceutical […]
Police or paramedics?
Police in New Delhi are to be trained and given basic medical equipment in order to fulfill the role of paramedics. This is the latest in a long line of attempts to address the problems of India’s inadequate emergency medical service. It is already a common occurrence to find police in New Delhi ferrying people […]
Start-ups: the future of mental healthcare in India?
Digital technology start-ups have the potential to transform healthcare in India for the better. At least one entrepreneur, prompted by the suicide of her hostel mate, is trying to harness that energy to improve the country’s mental health. Several companies have already been successful in bringing so-called ‘digital health’ to the country, utilising features such […]
Virus kills scores of children in Odisha
A new outbreak of Japanese encephalitis killed several scores of children in the eastern state of Odisha in 2016. The Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus which has a particularly impactful presence in Asia, where it is the leading cause of viral encephalitis. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 68,000 […]
Dubai firm to buy huge share in diagnostics company
An Emirati firm is set to purchase a controlling stake in one of India’s leading diagnostics service providers, anonymous insiders say. The Abraaj Group is a private equity firm based in Dubai, which manages US$10 billion worth of assets globally. Livemint reported that the Group is “in advanced discussions” to buy out an 80% stake […]
Cashless health cover for millions in Uttar Pradesh
A thumbprint will soon be enough to get access to all kinds of public and private health services for more than a million people in India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. The Times of India reported on the initiative, which is being rolled out by the State Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance (SACHI). The programme […]
2016: the year’s health news in retrospect
2016 in India saw earthquakes, terror attacks, fires, floods, elections, and civil unrest. Amidst the year’s headlines, there were a number of important health developments too. Were they, overall, positive or negative? India Live Today took a broadly positive slant, emphasising 2016 as “the year India became free of yaws and neonatal tetanus” – alluding […]
International generics companies do not deny clinical trial fraud in India
International generic pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations working in India may be producing unreliable data to support their products, according to a new report from Reuters. At least one international company, Novartis, says that it is stepping up its own checks. “We can’t rely on the regulators … we’re increasing our own audits,” […]