Health & Wellness Community

Mansukh Mandaviya, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, said on Tuesday that other nations around the world regard India as a leader in the health sector since “we managed the Covid-19 outbreak so well under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.” In response to a query about the country’s healthcare development, the Health Minister stated that the federal and state governments must collaborate in the health sector. In response to a question on states being given more ability to deal with disease outbreaks, the Health Minister told the House that, while health is a state topic, there is no divide between the Centre and the states when it comes to dealing with health-related issues. In response to a question from Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien about retired servicemen’s medical bills, Mandaviya stated that the government is dedicated to their welfare and is always ready to give services to those holding Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) cards. He further stated that the CGHS facility was previously available in 75 places across the country, but has now expanded to 81 cities. In response to a question by Samajwadi Party member Rewati Raman Singh, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar stated that the country will have 22 All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Six of the ten proposed in the first phase have begun to operate with all departments. “Over 15,000 patients are being examined at these six AIIMS, over seven thousand major and minor surgeries have been doing in these AIIMS while the OPD facility in another 10 AIIMS will start soon”, Pawar said. She told the House that the site for the new AIIMS proposed in Tamil Nadu had been selected in Madurai, in response to a query from DMK MP T Siva. “This AIIMS is being built with funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and a Project Management Consultant has been appointed as well.” The state government has finalised the location for AIIMS in Darbhanga, she said, and construction on the structure would begin soon. Source: IANS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged health-care start-ups, particularly those in the Ayush sector, to make their content available online in all UN-recognized languages, rather than simply English. In today’s broadcast of ‘Mann ki Baat,’ the Prime Minister stated that the Ayush manufacturing business is worth over Rs 1.40 lakh crore rupees and expressed confidence that Ayush Start-Ups from India will rule the world with superior quality products. “I have a request for the start-ups of the health sector and especially the Ayush start-ups. Whatever portal you design online; whatever content you create, try to make it in all the languages recognised by the United Nations,” he stated. “There are many such countries in the world where English is neither spoken nor understood much. Promote your information keeping such countries in mind as well. I am sure that soon, Ayush start-ups from India with better quality products will reign all over the world,” he added. The Prime Minister noted that the Ayush business is always growing, stating that the market for Ayurvedic medicines was about Rs 22,000 crore six years ago and has now grown to Rs 1.40 lakh crore. “This means that the possibilities in the sector are always rising,” PM Modi remarked, adding that “Ayush is becoming a subject of attention” in the world of start-ups. PM Modi spoke on the 87th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ his monthly radio address that airs on the last Sunday of each month. Source: ANI

The national telemedicine initiative eSanjeevani, administered by the Union Ministry of Health, has crossed three crore teleconsultations and set a new record by passing 1.7 lakh consultations in a single day. The eSanjeevani AB-HWC portal, which is a doctor-to-doctor telemedicine service under the Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (HWC) scheme that provides general and specialised health services in rural areas and isolated communities, has served 2,26,72,187 people out of the three crore beneficiaries. It’s based on the Hub-and-Spoke model. Over 1,00,000 doctors and specialists have signed up to serve the National Telemedicine Service’s beneficiaries (NTS). Over 75 lakh patients have accessed the ‘eSanjeevaniOPD,’ a patient-to-doctor telemedicine programme that allows people to receive outpatient care from the comfort of their own homes. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Assam are among the top ten states in terms of eSanjeevani adoption, according to the Union Health Ministry. The Health Informatics Group (HIG) of the Mohali division of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) has upgraded the telemedicine service eSanjeevani, a contactless and risk-free mode of healthcare service delivery. AI-led interventions are being developed to improve the service’s convenience and efficacy. Services to support more than 10 lakhs consultations per day in the very near future are in the offing, the ministry’s statement added.  

The first dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage of those aged 15 and up is currently 95.5 percent, while the second dose coverage is 80.6 percent, indicating that the vaccination pace has slowed because the majority of the target beneficiaries have already been vaccinated, the Centre told Parliament on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha about whether hospitals across the country have stocks of Covid vaccines that are about to expire in the near future, that the Centre closely monitors vaccine stocks and consumption in the states and union territories to ensure optimal use and minimal wastage. She said that vaccine supplies to the states are based on demand, and that sufficient vaccine doses are made available to the states to inoculate the remaining eligible beneficiaries with the first, second, and precaution doses. “The COVID-19 vaccine stock, which has not been utilised and nearing expiry, are usually taken up for redistribution by respective state government for their timely utilisation. States and UTs have also been advised to review programme coverage and vaccine wastage on a daily basis and redistribute the vaccine stock, if required, for their optimal utilisation even from private hospitals,” Pawar said. On whether lowering the 60-year-old cut-off for receiving booster doses is on the government’s plan, she noted that on March 16, the Centre expanded the precaution dose to all beneficiaries aged 60 and more, regardless of whether they had comorbidities or not. In response to a question about whether there has been a slowdown in vaccination across the country as the infection rate and number of cases have decreased, the minister stated that first-dose coverage of those aged 15 and above is 95.5 percent, and second-dose coverage is 80.6 percent, and “hence, the pace of vaccination has slowed down relatively as most of the target beneficiaries are already covered.” Source: PTI

Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha that sales of affordable quality generic medicines under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) reached Rs 814.21 crore in the current fiscal, resulting in an estimated savings of about Rs 4,800 crore for citizens. The union minister said in a statement laid on the table of the Upper House that PMBJP was established with the goal of making quality generic medications accessible to all at affordable costs through dedicated outlets. Until February 28, 2022, roughly 8,689 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) had been opened under the plan, he noted, encompassing all districts of the country. “Total sales of Rs 814.21 crore were achieved during the current financial year (until February 28, 2022), which has resulted in an estimated savings of approximately Rs 4,800 crore to the citizens,” Mandaviya said, stressing that Jan Aushadhi medicines are 50-90 percent cheaper than market prices of branded medicines. “During the two years of COVID-19 pandemic, the PMBJP accomplished a sale of Rs 665.83 crore during the financial year 2020-21,” the minister wrote in response to another question, “which has resulted in savings of around Rs 4,000 crore to the citizens as opposed to branded medicines.” In response to another question, he said that the PMBJP’s product basket now includes 1,616 medicines and 250 surgical items that cover all major therapeutic groups, including cardiovascular, anticancers, anti-diabetics, anti-infectives, anti-allergic, gastro-intestinal medicines, and nutraceuticals, among others. The government is working to expand the range of generic drugs and surgical procedures available. He went on to say that it is a continual process that is based on feedback from numerous stakeholders as well as market demands. Mandaviya responded to another question by saying, “The government has set a target to have about 10,500 PMBJKs by March 2025 across the country. The target for the year 2022-23 is to have about 9,300 PMBJKs across the country.” Source: PTI  

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday, India continues to see a steep decline in the number of Covid-19 cases, with the country reporting 2,503 new infections in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases to 42.99 million. India saw a sharp drop in Covid-19 deaths on Monday, with 27 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 515,877. The active caseload in the country now stands at 36, 168, and the daily positive rate in the country is 0.47 %, according to Health Ministry data. India’s current active caseload, at 36,168, is the lowest in 675 days, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced on Sunday that more than 17.42 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses had remained unused and are still available with the states and union territories. “More than 182.65 crore (1,82,65,14,930) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt. of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. More than 17.42Cr (17,42,45,896) balance and unutilized Covid vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered,” said the Ministry. On January 16, 2021, the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme began. The new phase of Covid-19 vaccine universalization began on June 21, 2021. More vaccines have been made available, and States and UTs have been given advance notice of vaccine availability, allowing them to plan ahead of time and streamlining the vaccine supply chain. The Union Government has been helping the States and UTs by providing them with free Covid vaccinations as part of the nationwide vaccination drive. The Union Government would acquire and supply (free of cost) to States and UTs 75 percent of the vaccines produced by vaccine manufacturers in the country in the new phase of the Covid-19 vaccination effort.

The Delhi government set up 20 health clinics named Aam Aadmi School Clinics on Monday as part of a pilot project to focus on students’ emotional and physical wellness. The programme aims to provide healthcare to children in their respective Delhi schools. One of these health clinics was opened by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia at the Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Moti Bagh. “These clinics will provide routine health check-ups as well as counselling to ensure the physical and mental well-being of the children,” he said at the inauguration. The clinics will be located in porta cabins on the campuses of the 20 institutions. Students will receive counselling, and the clinic’s doctors and personnel will focus on safeguarding the students’ mental health. One ‘School Health Clinic Assistant’ or nurse, one psychologist, and one multi-task worker will work in each clinic. A doctor will be assigned to each of the five clinics and will visit them once a week. Every day, 30 students will be tested, and there will be enough medicine for them. This list of medications has been compiled with an emphasis on the specific needs of adolescents, with a major focus on anaemia, malnutrition, refractive errors, worm infestation, and menstrual hygiene. “I have seen schools in various countries, this concept is not there anywhere. Besides providing routine health check-ups to students, the clinics will also offer counselling services to address issues related to the mental well-being of children. Every six months, the students will undergo a health check-up,” Manish Sisodia said, as reported by PTI. Source: PTI  

The government is drawing up a regulatory framework for providing healthcare to the elderly within the country. It plans to outline standards and operational guidelines for service providers as the country braces to provide care to its aging population, which is expected to double over the next 30 years. The NITI Aayog held several rounds of stakeholder consultations with industry and ministries concerned, including health and family welfare and social justice and empowerment, on the issue, said a senior government official. “As the elderly healthcare market is poised for growth, a regulatory framework is essential. This would include accreditation standards, licensing requirements, policy support to providers, and clinical guidelines for personal operators within the sector to make sure healthcare services are provided to the elderly at affordable rates,” said the official, who did not wish to be identified. It is estimated that by 2050, India will have 330 million or 19% of its total population in the 60-plus age group . Government data shows that the population over the age of 60 years has more than tripled in India in the past. As per census 2011, the number of elderly people (60-plus years) in the country was 103.83 million, which is projected to extend to 133.32 million (2021), 178.59 million (2031), 236.01 million (2041), and 300.96 million (2051). The projection for 2051 is 125.7% over that for 2021. The government is of the view that non-communicable diseases, including lifestyle-related and degenerative, being extremely common in older people, compel them to require professional healthcare services for day-to-day activities. Currently, the govt provides healthcare facilities to the elderly under the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) run by the health ministry and National Action Plan for Senior Citizens by the ministry of social justice and empowerment. Under the NPHCE, launched in 2010-11, the government provides dedicated healthcare facilities to senior citizens (above 60 years of age) at various levels of primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare. Further, the National Action Plan for Senior Citizens, renamed Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVAY), helps senior citizens get re-employment and livelihood and skilling support. Source: Economics Times  

As the invasion of Ukraine by Russia goes into the second day, the World Health Organization has called for sustained and safe access to deliver humanitarian assistance. Stating concern over the escalating crisis, the WHO mentioned in a statement that, “The health system must continue to function to deliver essential care to people for all health issues, from Covid-19 to cancer, diabetes and tuberculosis, to mental health issues, especially for vulnerable groups such as older persons and migrants.” Calling for the safety of healthcare workers the agency said, “Maximum care must be taken by all parties to ensure that health facilities, workers, patients, transport, and supplies are not targeted.” WHO has for decades worked closely with health authorities across Ukraine, the United Nations health agency said, adding, “We have a deep knowledge of the capacities and needs of the country’s health system.” “Today I released a further $ 3.5 million from WHO’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to purchase and deliver urgent medical supplies. This humanitarian health support is expected to rise following further needs assessments. This new support complements the trauma and medical supplies which we prepositioned in health facilities,” said WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  Source: WHO

India added new coronavirus infections in a single day, taking the contagion census to 4,28,51,929, while the active cases dipped below two lakh after 49 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data streamlined on Tuesday. The death risk climbed to with 235 fresh losses, the data streamlined at 8 am stated. The diurnal COVID-19 cases have remained below one lakh for 16 successive days. The active cases declined to comprising 0.42 per cent of the total infections, while the public COVID-19 recovery rate has further bettered to98.38 per cent, the ministry said. A reduction of cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. India’s COVID-19 census had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went once 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim corner of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last time. Source: PTI