Can vaccination of healthcare workers be made mandatory?

On July 12, France made it mandatory for healthcare workers to get vaccinated. Likewise, Greece and Italy too have made vaccination mandatory for healthcare workers from fall this year. In the U.K., care home workers would be required by law to have the COVID-19 vaccination. But if the core argument of compulsory vaccination is to … Continue reading Can vaccination of healthcare workers be made mandatory?

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In letter in BMJ, doctors urge government to allow patients in Kashmir to access health care

The prevailing situation in Jammu & Kashmir is preventing people from accessing health care, say 18 doctors in a letter published in BMJ. The letter urges the government to “ease restrictions on communication and travel at the earliest... to allow patients to access health care without hindrance”. In a letter published on August 16 in … Continue reading In letter in BMJ, doctors urge government to allow patients in Kashmir to access health care

Debate: Can the National Medical Commission Bill address rural healthcare deficit?

On August 1, the Rajya Sabha passed the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019 which has a provision to train people connected with modern medical profession to practice modern medicine. The Commission intends to grant about 3.5 lakh licences. The duration of the training programme has not been specified. The licensed Community Health Providers will … Continue reading Debate: Can the National Medical Commission Bill address rural healthcare deficit?

Jamia researchers develop ultrasensitive quantum thermometer

Jamia Millia Islamia researchers have developed a highly sensitive quantum thermometer using graphene quantum dots. The thermometer can measure micro Kelvin changes in temperature, and has a quick response time of about 300 milliseconds to register a change in temperature from 27 degree C to -196 degree C. Researchers at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi … Continue reading Jamia researchers develop ultrasensitive quantum thermometer

Tamil Nadu networks all CT, MRI machines in public hospitals for better healthcare delivery

Tamil Nadu will become the first State in the country to virtually connect all 58 CT and 18 MRI machines located in different government hospitals in the State. The fully networked teleradiology system will be officially launched in a few weeks. Connecting all CT and MRI machines to a central server will address shortage or absence … Continue reading Tamil Nadu networks all CT, MRI machines in public hospitals for better healthcare delivery

Can health spending of 2.5% of GDP only by 2025 help achieve the goals set by India’s National Health Policy?

The long awaited National Health Policy announced a few days ago proposes to raise public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP from the current 1.15% to 2.5% by 2025. The resource allocation to individual States will be linked with their development indicators, absorptive capacity and financial indicators. “There will be higher weightage given to … Continue reading Can health spending of 2.5% of GDP only by 2025 help achieve the goals set by India’s National Health Policy?

Now, ‘qualified’ quacks will treat rural folks in West Bengal

If everything works to plan, health care in rural West Bengal may soon see a change for the better. Nearly 3,000 quacks — informal health-care providers with no formal medical education — are to be trained for six months. The crash course in medicine, and to be conducted by 130 trained nurses, is to begin … Continue reading Now, ‘qualified’ quacks will treat rural folks in West Bengal

Non-communicable diseases killed more Indians in 2015

  In 2015, India, like other developed countries, had more number of deaths caused by non-communicable diseases. In the case of males, deaths due to non-communicable diseases (3.6 million) were more than double that caused by communicable diseases (1.5 million), while it was nearly double in females (2.7 million due to non-communicable diseases and nearly … Continue reading Non-communicable diseases killed more Indians in 2015

Quacks treat a majority of rural India

The compulsion to improve the level of competence of private health-care providers with no formal training in rural areas has once again been highlighted by a survey of over 23,000 households in 100 villages in Madhya Pradesh On average, people had access to 11 health-care providers in a village. Seventy-one per cent of these providers … Continue reading Quacks treat a majority of rural India

Gender bias: fewer girls get cardiac care in Punjab

A retrospective study involving 519 school-children from various areas of Punjab has revealed that gender bias exists with parents favouring boys over girls when it comes to getting their children’s heart problems corrected, even when treatment is provided completely free of charge. The children were diagnosed with either congenital or rheumatic heart disease. Of those … Continue reading Gender bias: fewer girls get cardiac care in Punjab