Think India Foundation

Haryana govt to act tough on illegal sale of drugs

Chandigarh (PTI) : Fearing misuse of drugs particularly by the youth, the Haryana Government today said it will take stringent action against chemists found guilty of selling schedule H drugs without valid prescription. "The Government is concerned and serious to prevent the misuse. Schedule H drugs cannot be sold without prescription and we will take strict action against those found violating the norms," Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Randeep Singh Surjewala informed the State Assembly here.

He said that 30 raids had been conducted so far to check if such drugs were being sold without prescription. Surjewala was speaking during a calling attention notice moved by ruling Congress MLA Sampat Singh and some other legislators including INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala over the health issue. Chautala had raised the issue of alleged misuse of drugs, in particular some cough syrups, by the youths, citing their easy availability at the chemists' shops. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

96L children given polio drops in Maharashtra

PUNE: Total 96.42 lakh children below the age of five have been immunised in the state during the polio immunisation drive that started on Sunday.

"As against the targeted immunisation of 1.19 crore children, we have given doses to 96.42 lakh children in Maharashtra. Health staff of 2.9 lakh personnel was deployed to achieve the target," said V M Kulkarni, assistant director of state health services and in-charge of the immunisation programme. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

28% of Gurgaon city's medical waste left untreated

GURGAON: In Gurgaon, it is estimated that every hospital bed generates close to 2 kg of medical waste. This category of waste includes expired medicines, used syringes, and other organic biomedical waste products, severely hazardous if not treated with due process. And according to a report published recently in Gurgaon on medical waste management, at least 28% of the medical waste generated on a daily basis is not being properly treated. ,

"All this medical waste generated is not being treated by registered facilities on a daily basis," the report, compiled by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) says, adding that a similar trend can be witnessed in other cities of the country. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

WHO may declare India as polio free nation in next two years

Hyderabad : The pulse polio vaccination programme has become a great hit in the country. Except a case of a girl child in west Bengal in 2011, there have been no such cases of polio been reported in the country. If there are no polio cases found in the country in the next two consecutive years, WHO may declare India as a polio free nation.

The pulse polio vaccination programme which is conducted as a part of National Immunization Day (NID) has started on February 19 and will continue in different phases till February 22nd throughout the country. Read more

Source : pharmabiz.com

Millions of children in Indian capital to be dewormed

A campaign has been launched to deworm millions of children in the Indian capital, Delhi.

Four million children will be given deworming pills in Delhi

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit kicked off the programme by giving deworming tablets to 50 children on Monday.

On Tuesday, up to 4 million children, aged two to 17, will get the tablets at government schools and health centres. Read more

Source : bbc.co.uk

Pulse polio immunisation to focus on vulnerable groups in AP

HYDERABAD : The polio eradication programme in Andhra Pradesh will focus on the vulnerable sections of the society this year.

This was disclosed at the formal launch of first round of pulse polio programme by the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, here on Sunday. Read more

Source : thehindubusinessline.com

Join polio drive and eradicate the deadly virus

BANGALORE: The government will launch a statewide campaign from Sunday to eradicate polio. The health and family welfare department has made arrangements to cover 74,59,152 children in the 0-5 age group in the first round. 

The government has arranged for 97,88,520 polio doses and 4,89,426 vials of oral vaccine throughout the state. As many as 31,410 vaccination booths will be manned by 98,790 vaccinators on Sunday and on April 1, when 'Polio Sunday' will be observed. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

PMO push for free drugs at govt hospitals

NEW DELHI: Free medicines to all patients visiting any government health facility across the country could soon be a reality with the health ministry ready to roll out a nearly Rs 30,000 crore 'free-medicines-for-all' scheme with the PMO's strong backing.

The free medicine initiative along with an expansion of the National Rural Health Mission to urban areas, a more district-oriented approach and implementation of recommendations of the K Srinath Reddy committee on universal health coverage will be important focus points of UPA-2's health policy. The scheme is also expected to be strongly backed by the Sonia Gandhi-chaired NAC at a meeting on February 17. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The sunshine paradox

Why is it that in a sunny, tropical country like India, more and more people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D plays a definitive role in the normal growth and upkeep of our body and the quality of our bones. Though classified as a vitamin, it is actually a steroid hormone that is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. A vitamin is an organic compound that is essential for the body but is required in very tiny amounts. In that sense vitamin D is a vitamin. However, vitamins are usually not synthesized by the body and for that reason vitamin D is not a vitamin.

Here comes the sun: Vitamin D is a steroid hormone produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight.

Once produced in the skin, vitamin D is still biologically inert, or incapable of biological action till it is sequentially metabolized first in the liver and then the kidneys. After it has been altered by the liver and the kidneys, it binds its receptor, the Vitamin D receptor (VDR), which is found inside cells, and proceeds to make a variety of physiological decisions. Read more

Source : livemint.com

India, Canada set to jointly fight viral infections

NEW DELHI : The International Consortium of Anti-Virals (ICAV), the Ontario, Canada, based non-profit organisation for drug discovery and development has launched a new international network to help address the scourge of infectious diseases in India and Canada. Called ICAV-India, the initiative is part of the Canada-India agreement for scientific and technological cooperation.

In an exclusive chat with Business Line here during the 10th international symposium, ICAV President and CEO, Dr Jeremy Carver, asserted that in the absence of effective prevention and intervention measures, development of anti-infective drugs is extremely important for the treatment of infectious diseases that continually threaten the country. Read more

Source : thehindubusinessline.com

'CCI scrutiny of foreign takeovers may not be effective'

New Delhi : Ministry of corporate affairs is exploring possibilities of amending the Competition Act to exempt deals in the sector from the current turnover and deal size thresholds

The government’s attempt to strike a balance between public health concerns and need for foreign direct investments (FDI) by empowering the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to monitor all foreign takeovers of Indian drug firms may have no impact. Experts feel all domestic takeovers, irrespective of the turnover, deal size or the status of the acquirer, need to be brought under strict scrutiny. Read more

Source : business-standard.com

J&K govt set to check use of spurious medicines

Srinagar : At a time when spurious drugs and deteriorating position of State health sector has grown as a major concern, Jammu and Kashmir Government is set to implement its first ever drug policy to address long pending concerns in the key area.

Constitution of a State Drug Committee (SDC) for selection of Essential Drug List to rationalize use of medicines, adoption of recommendations by World Health Organization on list of drugs to be used, setting up of some new institutions under the policy and strengthening of the existing ones are some of the highlights of the policy. Read more

Source : greaterkashmir.com

Deathly friendship of bacteria and virus: TB-HIV co-infection

The clinical course and opportunistic infections of HIV vary from patient to patient and country to country. In India TB is a major opportunistic infection in people living with HIV (PLHIV), with over 35% PLHIV co-infected with TB-HIV. There is an estimated 3.52% faster progression to death if a PLHIV suffers from TB also.

Even today in India, two deaths occur every three minutes from TB. Major challenges to control TB in India include poor primary health-care infrastructure especially in rural areas; unregulated private health care leading to widespread irrational use of first-line and second-line anti-TB drugs, poverty, social stigma and lack of political will. Read more

Source : asiantribune.com

Bitten by mites, four scrub typhus fever cases in Pune city

PUNE: Four persons with fever, a rash over the body and muscle pain that refused to respond to routine antibiotics, were treated at three hospitals in the city a month ago. One of the patients had a black scar, like a cigarette burn, on his thigh. 

A blood test diagnosed them with scrub typhus fever,a type of mite-borne (rickettsial) infectious disease. Doctors said that one or two cases of rickettsial infections crop up in the city every month. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Vaccination Freedom from cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer or cancer of the cervix is one of the most common causes of cancer in India along with breast cancer. According to Dr Y Nalini, consultant radiation oncologist, Yashoda Hospital, Somajiguda, “cervical cancer cases which are found mostly in rural areas and also in urban areas may occur due to having many children, early marriage, deliveries at home and also due to lack of personal hygiene.”

Detect it

The common symptoms include white discharge, vaginal bleeding and bleeding between menstrual cycles. For the detection of cervical cancer Pap tests also known as Pap smear tests are suggested. Explains Dr Nalini, “These are screening tests. Many women may or may not have the symptoms of cervical cancer. These tests need to be conducted to find out if there is an infection that may cause the cancer. If after the first three years of regularly conducting the tests the results are still normal it can then be done less frequently. After the age of 40, women must undergo the test frequently.” Read more

Source : postnoon.com

India must be cautious over polio milestone: WHO

NEW DELHI (AlertNet) - India may be celebrating a milestone in its fight against polio with no new cases in the last year, but complacency should not set in as a resurgence of the infection can occur if efforts are not sustained, the WHO head in India warned on Friday.

A polio affected man returns after taking a dip at the confluence of the Ganges river and the Bay of Bengal at Sagar Island, south of Kolkata, January 13, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri

The last case of the crippling disease was detected on January 13, 2011 in a two-year-old girl in India's West Bengal state. A full year without any new cases will mean India will no longer be "polio-endemic," leaving only Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. Read more

Source : reuters.com

Cervical cancer haunts Bangalore women

Bangalore : Bangalore records 21.1 per 100,000 fresh cases of cervical cancer in the country a year, according to Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR). The city records the highest number of fresh cervical cancer cases compared with other metros, with Chennai recording 18.5, Delhi 17.9, Kolkata 14.2 and Mumbai 14.1 per 100,000 cases a year.

As January 22 to 29 is globally observed as the cervical cancer prevention week. DNA spoke to few city-based experts about the disease, treatment and why even educated urban women are sceptical about cervical cancer screening. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

PFC exposure may limit vaccines

Children exposed to chemicals called PFCs — used in some non-stick cookware, stain-resistant coatings, fast-food packaging and microwave popcorn bags — have a reduced response to vaccines, raising the possibility that the compounds could prevent children from being adequately protected against disease, a new study shows.

The study, published today’s Journal of the American Medical Association, focused on perfluorinated compounds, hundreds of which are in use, says study author Philippe Grandjean of the Harvard School of Public Health. Children can be exposed prenatally as well as environmentally. Read more

Source : tucsoncitizen.com

Virus in check, claim Thiruvananthapuram zoo authorities

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The canine distemper virus, which killed eight jackals and two hyenas in the city zoo, has not affected other animals. The sanitation methods carried out in the zoo have prevented the spread of the virus, claim zoo authorities.

The airborne disease, commonly found in stray dogs, was first reported in jackals. Four jackals died of virus infection, while four were subjected to euthanasia. No jackals or hyenas remain in the city zoo now. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

India rejects 'total drug resistant TB' claim

Indian health authorities have rejected recent reports that some tuberculosis cases in Mumbai were totally resistant to antibiotic treatment.

India has millions of drug-resistant TB cases

A health ministry team sent to probe the cases said they were "extensively drug resistant" infections. Read more

Source : bbc.co.uk

Leprosy hides in Mumbai’s shanty towns

Mumbai : Leprosy is no longer considered a major public health threat as it is easily treated and controlled with multi-drug therapy (MDT). But in Bainganwadi, Shivaji Nagar, where the number of new leprosy cases has gone up between 2006 and 2010, the biggest challenge facing health workers is coaxing patients to come to health clinics to start the MDT regime before the disease disfigures their bodies permanently.

In 2006, Lok Seva Sangam (LSS), a community project run by a non-profit group, detected 18 new cases of leprosy in the area. The numbers shot up 24 in 2007, declined to 20 in 2008 and 16 in 2009 before going up to 24 in 2010. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

No new polio cases reported, surveillance to intensify

JAIPUR: January 13 was significant for the country as it has completed one year without reporting even a single polio case. Still there can be no room for complacency in the surveillance to wipe out the disease completely. In Rajasthan, the last wild polio virus case was reported on November 27, 2009.

In some of the districts of the state, polio surveillance needs to be improved. Without leaving any room for complacency, the state medical, health and family welfare department has called two separate meetings of all related departments including Ayurveda and also a meeting of all reproduction and child health officers (RCHO) of the state next week. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

India reports new TB strain resistant to all drugs

Indian doctors have reported the country's first cases of "totally drug-resistant tuberculosis," a long-feared and virtually untreatable form of the killer lung disease.

It's not the first time highly resistant cases like this have been seen. Since 2003, patients have been documented in Italy and Iran. It has mostly been limited to impoverished areas, and has not spread widely. But experts believe there could be many undocumented cases. Read more

Source : bellinghamherald.com

"2012: Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization”

NEW DELHI:India has declared year 2012 as the year of intensification of routine immunization. The present full immunization coverage of children is 61%. The key objective of this campaign is to improve full immunization coverage and reach all children, particularly in remote, inaccessible and backward areas as well as in urban slums.

The strategies that are being deployed include: Updating of Micro plans to cover all villages and hamlets in the country, special immunization drives in pockets of low immunization coverage; Intensification of immunization activity by observing immunization weeks in low performing states, IEC related activities for demand generation towards immunization, deployment of adequate number of Health workers ,prioritization of areas with exclusive strategy for 200 districts poor performing districts in the country and special focus on migrant and mobile populations. Read more

Source : punjabnewsline.com

India struck by budding strain of incurable tuberculosis

An incurable form of tuberculosis has emerged in India, the first-ever occurrence in a country with a massive epidemic and a highly mobile population that can easily spread the disease.

These are patients with tuberculosis that cannot be cured with any combination of the World Health Organization-recommended drugs, either “first line,” the standard treatment, or second-line, the most powerful, toxic and expensive medications. This form of tuberculosis is 100-per-cent fatal, and its emergence here has alarmed public health officials, because India has nearly a fifth of the world’s TB patients but a health system too frail to respond. Read more

Source : theglobeandmail.com

How India went from 741 cases to zero in just two years

CHENNAI : “Only one third of the journey has been completed”

The last case of wild polio virus reported in India was exactly one year ago, on January 13, when stool samples showed that 18-month-old Rukhsar Khatoon in West Bengal had polio. She has since recovered, but it is the progress of whittling down from the largest number of cases in the world to zero that is fascinating to public health experts globally.

Clearly, the nation had to overcome tremendous challenges to get here – not least of them, a huge population, the logistics of covering a vast geographical area, poor sanitation and infrastructure, resistance among some groups of people to taking the vaccine, and children of migrant communities who were difficult to cover. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

80% kids below five are malnourished in Bihar

PATNA: PM Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said levels of under-nutrition in the country were "unacceptably high" despite impressive GDP growth, and did not hesitate in accepting that malnutrition is a national shame.

The pronouncement resonates in the state even though several health indicators have shown an upward trend, including high vaccination percentage, for which chief minister Nitish Kumar became the first recipient of the Gates Vaccine Innovation Award. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

WB Has Less Than One Bed Per 1000 People

Hosmac India with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) healthcare subcommittee, eastern region released a report on ‘Affordable Healthcare-Focus Bengal’ at CII Kolkata.

For the purpose of the study, 19 districts were grouped into three divisions -- Jalpaiguri, Burdwan, and Presidency. The study shows that the share of the state budget devoted to health declined sharply from six per cent in 1999-00 to just 3.9 per cent in 2003-04. Read more

Source : expresshealthcare.in

No polio case in Delhi in 2 years

New Delhi : The Capital seems to be inching closer to becoming polio-free, with no cases reported during the past two years. The Pulse Polio Programme was initiated in the city 17 years ago in 1994, and the last four cases were reported in 2009. However, the state health ministry is not taking any chance and will continue with its polio surveillance programme until the disease is eradicated from the country. 

“It is an achievement that is a result of joint efforts of various agencies such as the Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, etc.,” said Dr CM Khaneju, officer on special duty for Delhi’s Pulse Polio Programme. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

Now, zinc tablets in ORT for kids suffering from diarrhoea

LUCKNOW: Five years after being approved by the Union health ministry's child health division, the state government health facilities will include zinc tablets as a part of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for kids suffering from diarrhoea. Till now, oral rehydration solution (ORS) was a part of ORT. "The ORT has now assumed the shape of a kit which will contain two packets of ORS and 14 tablets of zinc to be given to the unwell child," said Dr Ashok Mishra, chief medical officer, Lucknow, which is one of the eight selected districts where ORT kits will be available .

The health officials claim that the facility will be extended to other districts from 2012 financial year. The World Health Organisation (WHO) was the first to prescribe use of zinc with ORS. The WHO had cited that zinc along with ORS reduces the duration of diarrhoea episode by up to 25 %, besides checking loss of water from the body by causing 30% reduction in stool volume. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

India in fray to create elusive HIV vaccine

NEW DELHI: Could an antibody from the blood of an Indian HIV patient help create the elusive HIV vaccine? (Antibody is an infection-fighting protein produced by our immune system when it detects harmful substances).

The hunt has begun to identify 100 volunteers belonging to a rare group of HIV infected patients who stay healthy for years without requiring life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART). These antibodies in their blood are the ones that bars HIV from entering their blood cells and replicating, thereby progressing to AIDS. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Health fair during PBD to promote traditional medicines

JAIPUR: To make the most of the opportunity opened up by the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), the state government in collaboration with FICCI has decided to organize a health fair promoting ayurveda, unani and homeopathy at the SMS Investment Grounds from January 6 to 9.

Outlining the objective of the fair, health minister A A Khan said the popularity of traditional medicines is on the rise worldwide, and therefore, the fair has been timed in a manner that the NRIs coming for the meet can also attend the health fair. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Drive against filaria in January in Nagpur

NAGPUR: Nagpur Zilla Parishad would be organizing its annual drive against filaria in January in its bid to contribute to the national target of eliminating the disease by 2015. On the occasion of National Filaria Day on January 16 this year, the civic body would be organizing a mass drug administration (MDA) in both urban and rural areas of the district.

The government of India had launched the mass drug administration programme in 2004. Every year, health workers go door-to-door as well as construct booths to administer medicines for the disease during the MDA campaign. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Govt sets out on mission to cut anaemia in adolescents

AHMEDABAD - Alarmed by the fact that almost 56 per cent of India’s adolescent population suffer from anaemia (haemoglobin deficiency), the federal government is soon launching a iron and folic supplementation programme that will cover 120 million young boys and girls in the rural and urban areas.

Come April, iron and folic acid tablet will be distributed to the beneficiaries once a week in association with the Women and Child Welfare Ministry, targeting 57 million boys and girls studying in class VI to XII in rural and urban areas and 70 million girls who are out of schools. Read more

Source : khaleejtimes.com

Heart diseases set to fall in India: Doctor

New Delhi: There is good news on the health front. A leading cardiologist says incidents of heart disease in India are set to plateau in seven to eight years and then fall due to greater awareness about a healthy lifestyle and more effective drugs.

"People are cutting down on salt intake, a development that is sure to bring down now rampant cases of high blood pressure," Vinay Sanghi, who is from the Fortis Escorts Hospital, told. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

PCI soon to release new education regulation in D Pharm

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) will soon come out with a new education regulation 2011 to update the syllabus of Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharm) which is to be implemented from next academic year. The Council has completed the preparation of the syllabus and will now submit the same for clearance from the ministry of health and family welfare by the month end.  

The last regulation was implemented in 1991. Going by the changes in the pharma sector, we need to upgrade the education standards of D Pharm as the industry is looking for candidates from this specialization,  PCI president Dr B Suresh told Pharmabiz. Read more

Source : pharmabiz.com

Amitabh Bachchan launches new Polio Communication Campaign

MUMBAI, India - Lauding India’s unprecedented progress against polio, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Polio Eradication, Mr Amitabh Bachchan, today launched the new Communication Campaign for polio, appealing to parents and caregivers to take advantage of this rare opportunity to “make polio history in India”.

“As Goodwill Ambassador for Polio, I feel proud of the remarkable progress achieved this year. But at the same time, I would like to caution that the job is not finished yet. Polio remains a threat everywhere as long as the polio virus continues to circulate anywhere in the world. We must continue to immunize all children up to 5 years until polio is eradicated in India and globally,” he said. Read more

Source : unicef.org

K'taka: Doctor gives free cosmetic surgery to rural India

Mangalore: Dr Vikram Shetty has taken cosmetic surgery to the interiors of India and that too for free. He's giving the youth a fresh lease of life and helping them look just the way they want to.

When Vijisha, 25, speaks her words are incomprehensible, but the hope in her eyes is palpable. She and Greshma are waiting for a cosmetic surgery at the Maxillo Facial Unit in Justic KS Hegde hospital in Mangalore, which will be free of cost. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Free medicines for mental patients

BHUBANESWAR: In a major boost to the people suffering from mental illnesses, the State Government on Monday announced free medicines to the patients.

The patients admitted to the Psychiatry wings of SCB Medical, Cuttack, VSS Medical, Burla, and MKCG Medical, Berhampur, will be provided free medication. The medicals have been provided funds to the tune of ` 50 lakh each for the purpose, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya said here. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Telemedicine: 15 more districts covered in Orissa

CUTTACK: The State Government on Saturday rolled out the Orissa Telemedicine Network (OTN) Phase III connecting 15 district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) with the three medical college and hospitals (MCHs).

The inclusion of the districts unveils a new era in health services delivery system in the State as people of backward and remote areas would be spared of the travails and troubles of having to run to the referral hospitals as they would get speciality consultations through video conferencing right at the DHH of their own region. They would be provided treatment advise and procedures and will not have to go to the MCHs unless extremely necessary. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Multi-pronged approach to contain encephalitis

NEW DELHI : The disease has claimed 861 lives so far with 470 in U.P. alone

Concerned over the high mortality and morbidity because of Japanese encephalitis (JE) and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), the Group of Ministers (GoM) held its first meeting here on Monday to discuss short, medium and long-term measures needed to deal with the disease. Already 861 lives have been lost to the disease – with over 470 in eastern Uttar Pradesh alone. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

Vector shift stings city

Calcutta has topped the chikungunya charts in Bengal this year, surprising virologists who had so far treated the vector-borne disease as mainly a rural scourge.

According to health department data, the city accounted for 173 of the 248 chikungunya cases reported in Bengal since January. Doctors say the final figure could swell with patients suffering from fever and severe joint pain — the most common symptoms of chikungunya — flooding hospitals and clinics across town. Read more

Source : telegraphindia.com

Controversy apart, 6 States want to introduce Hib vaccine

NEW DELHI : Centre's decision after reviewing their capability to handle adverse effects

Even as the controversy over the introduction of pentavalent vaccine continues, six States have asked the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to allow them to include it in the immunisation programme. The vaccine will protect children against meningitis and pneumonia. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

India needs more GDP spending on healthcare: WHO

India`s healthcare industry needs a strong government drive backed by private sector initiatives to provide universal and equitable access to essential medical intervention, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said today. 

At the same time, comprehensive data needs to be collated to map disease patterns so that right policies can be evolved, said WHO India representative Nata Menabde while addressing a conference organised by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). Read more

Source : myiris.com

2nd phase of measles campaign to start from Nov 21 in Bihar

PATNA: The second phase of measles catch-up campaign, currently on in the state aiming to vaccinate all children with measles vaccine, would start from November 21. The campaign, under routine immunization programme, would roll out in 15 districts of the state in two stages.

As far as stage 1 is concerned, the programme would be rolled out from November 21 in seven districts, Bhojpur, Rohtas, Buxar, Kaimur, Jamui, Lakhisarai and Sheikhpura, while in another eight districts, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran, Nalanda, Banka and Bhagalpur, it would start in the second stage from December 19. During first stage, 26,33,548 children are expected to be administered vaccine while in the second, 67,07,719 children are likely to vaccinated. All children from nine months and below 10 years would be vaccinated. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Rx Track those pills

A proposal to introduce prescription audits to curb the excessive use of antibiotics is hanging fire.

Have you ever felt that your doctor is prone to prescribing antibiotics at the drop of a hat? Well, if the National Antibiotic Policy comes into force, your doctor and thousands of other medical practitioners would probably become less indiscriminate in prescribing these drugs for relatively minor ailments. The problem, however, is that various pharmaceutical lobbies are fighting tooth and nail to block this initiative to curb the overuse of antibiotics.

Earlier this year, the Indian health ministry and various regulatory bodies under it announced the ambitious National Antibiotic Policy that recomends, among other things, the introduction of prescription audit to monitor and restrict the use of antibiotics. This means that doctors have to write two prescriptions for antibiotics — one for the patients and another which may be retained by pharmacists or chemists for audit by the Drug Controller General of India or state drug controllers. Any violation would draw a hefty fine or imprisonment. Read more

Source : telegraphindia.com

IMA slams govt on proposed medical course

New Delhi: Indian Medical Association, the apex body of doctors, has slammed the government's reported move to issue a "directive" to the Medical Council of India to endorse rural medicine short-term course.

"IMA demands to know if the government is raising a new cadre of health workers, why is it seeking recognition from MCI It will be inappropriate on the part of the government to give a directive to MCI on an issue which does not qualify to be classified as 'policy issue'," a statement by IMA National President Vinay Aggarawal and Honorary Secretary DR Rai said. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

Govt fair price drug stores fail to take off in JK

Jammu : The much hyped proposal to open government run medicine stores in Jammu and Kashmir has not been able to see the light of the day with the powerful  ‘drug lobby’ hampering the project well before its take off.

Sources said that the proposed fair price shops called Jan Aushadhi Drug Stores (JADS) were to be opened across the State to make quality drugs available for the common man at genuine rates. But even after a couple of years since the central sponsored scheme was announced for the State, the project has failed to take off due to the pressure from powerful drug manufactures and distributors. Read more

Source : greaterkashmir.com

States urged to allocate more funds to buy medicines

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra spent only 5.2% of its health expenditure last year on purchasing drugs as against 11.3% a decade ago. Similarly, Rajasthan cut down its expenditure on purchasing medicines from 9.6% (2001) to a meagre 1.5% (2010).

Haryana has reduced spending on drugs from 9.8% (2001) to 5.5% (2010). Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have followed suit - from 7.9% to 6.3% and 11.8% to 9.3%, respectively, during the same period. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

More American patients seek treatment abroad to escape high medical costs

Washington D.C. : The number of Americans heading abroad for medical care rose sharply last year amid high health care costs and a poor economy in the United States, according to medical tourism industry figures.

Some of their preferred locations for life-saving surgeries and other procedures are India and Mexico, the health information company Health Digital Systems reported. Read more

Source : allheadlinenews.com