New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Rising air pollution levels is surging acute respiratory infections (ARI) in the national capital, with 68,411 cases and 10,819 hospital admissions reported in 2024, the government said in the Parliament on Tuesday.In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, shared details of rising air pollution and respiratory diseases in urban areas.“Air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ail…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) on Tuesday launched its new Medical Application Portal designed for ‘ISO 15189:2022’ applicant laboratories, marking a major step in NABL’s mission to enhance ease, efficiency and transparency in the accreditation process.The portal has been reimagined to mirror the real-world operations of medical laboratories, offering a streamlined application process with improved user experience, …

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Abdominal obesity coupled with greater sedentary behaviour is a driving factor for an early and more aggressive risk of diabetes among South Asians, including Indians, revealed a study on Tuesday.The study, published in the BMJ, explored the characteristics of type 2 diabetes in South Asians who tend to develop the condition at a younger average age and lower body mass index than the white population.“South Asians face type 2 diabetes earlier and more aggressively than…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) is strengthening surveillance of dog bites in all states, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav toldthe Parliament on Tuesday.In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Jadhav shared steps undertaken to strengthen rabies treatment in the country.“The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP), is undertaking strengthening of surveillance of all an…

Chennai, Aug 19 (IANS) The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (DMS) has directed health officials in Namakkal district to conduct a detailed inquiry into an alleged case of organ trade involving a 37-year-old woman from Pallipalayam. The woman has claimed that she was coerced into selling a portion of her liver at a private hospital in Chennai after touts lured her with promises of large sums of money.According to reports, the woman was taken to Chennai by a group of agents, who in…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Girls who go through puberty (the onset of menstruation) before the age of 11 or women who give birth before the age of 21 have double the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and obesity, and quadruple the risk of developing severe metabolic disorders, according to a study.The study led by researchers at the US-based Buck Institute for Research on Aging revealed that later puberty and childbirth are genetically associated with longer lifespan, lower frailt…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) Facing digital eye strain? According to a study, just one hour of scrolling social media reels on smartphones can cause eye fatigue.The study published in the Journal of Eye Movement Research found that it is not just the time spent on digital devices but also the type of content being used that can cause the condition.“Social media content causes greater pupil fluctuations than reading or watching a video,” said the researchers from SRM Institute of Science and Tech…

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 19 (IANS) The Principal of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Dr P.K. Jabbar, has issued a stern directive prohibiting department heads and senior faculty members from making public statements without prior approval.The decision was formally conveyed during a meeting of department heads, following recent controversies sparked by comments made by two senior doctors, Dr Mohandas and Dr Harris Chirakkal.According to the directive, any grievances, concerns, or criticisms mus…

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) Financial inclusion remains a key priority of the government, with flagship insurance and health protection schemes being expanded to cover all sections of society, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backwards Classes (OBCs), the Parliament was informed on Monday.As part of the push, the Financial Inclusion Saturation Campaign has already reached 2.7 lakh gram panchayats and urban local bodies (ULBs) to boost enrollment under low-cost insura…

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) The wisdom provided by Ayurveda — the ancient system of medicine — can offer new dimensions to paediatric healthcare, said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush on Monday.The Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Ayush, organised the 30th national seminar under the theme “Management of Illness and Wellness in Paediatrics through Ayurveda”.It aims to advance holistic paediatric healthc…