Imphal, June 25 (IANS) With 18 more fresh cases reported on Wednesday, Covid-19 cases continued to rise in Manipur where the cumulative active cases rose to 189, Health department officials said.State Health department officials said that 59 samples were tested on Wednesday and 18 samples were found positive for Covid-19 in four districts – Imphal West (13), Imphal East (3) while Chandel and Thoubal one cases each.Of the total positive cases of 189 on Wednesday, 131 were reported in Imphal West district, 43 in Imphal East district, seven in Thoubal district, four in Bishnupur, two in Tengnoupal and one each in Kakching and Chandel district.Except for the tribal-inhabited Tengnoupal and districts, the remaining five districts fall in the Imphal Valley region. At present, the Covid-19 positivity rate in Manipur stands at 30.5 per cent.In all, 138 people with Covid positive cases remained in home quarantine.Manipur reported its first Covid case on June 9, when a 23-year-old woman tested positive for Covid-19, the first such case in the northeastern state in the current wave of the coronavirus infection.Manipur Health Services Director Chambo Gonmei said that the woman hails from Bishnupur district and had developed Covid-like symptoms.Her samples were tested at a private clinic in Imphal on June 5, and the results came on June 9.Gonmei appealed to people to be on alert in view of the spread of the infection in other parts of the country.Health experts attribute the sudden spike to multiple factors including the relaxation of Covid-appropriate behavior, decline in booster dose vaccinations, and the emergence of new variants that are believed to be more transmissible, though relatively mild in symptoms.The onset of the monsoon season has also played a role, as people are spending more time indoors, creating conditions favorable for viral transmission.Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla earlier chaired a Covid-19 review meeting at the Raj Bhavan.The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, senior medical officials from the state Health Department and other authorities.The review was held in view of recent directives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on enhanced preparedness amid rising concerns of a possible Covid-19 resurgence.A Raj Bhavan official had said that the health officials briefed the Governor on the state’s preparedness, including diagnostics, protective equipment, oxygen supply, ICU and isolation wards, essential drugs, and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme-Integrated Health Information Platform portal.Governor Bhalla advised the importance of proactive measures, adequate medical infrastructure, and community awareness to ensure the state remains equipped to handle any potential surge in cases, the official said.–IANSsc/pgh
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Ahmedabad, June 25 (IANS) A blood donation drive organised by the Adani Foundation, the social welfare arm of the Adani Group, on the occasion of Chairman Gautam Adani’s 63rd birthday (June 24), received overwhelming support.A total of 27,661 units of blood were collected, significantly surpassing last year’s tally of 25,282 units.According to the Adani Foundation, the camp was coordinated by the Adani Healthcare team and saw enthusiastic participation from the group’s employees and partners.The collected blood — approximately 11,100 litres — is expected to benefit over 83,000 patients.The donation drive, held across 206 cities in 21 states and two Union Territories, stands to benefit over 83,000 patients, offering life-saving support through multiple blood components — whole blood, PCV, platelet concentrates, plasma, FFP, cryoprecipitate, and albumin.Dr. Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the participants, saying: “I sincerely thank my Adani family for coming forward and making this act of service meaningful.””Your generosity will touch countless lives,” she added.The campaign was conducted in partnership with the Red Cross blood banks and government hospitals.It was supported by a team of over 3,000 Adani Group professionals, including doctors, paramedics, data operators, and administrative staff.For the first time, the campaign also extended internationally, with blood donation camps held at the Colombo West International Terminal (CWIT) in Sri Lanka and the Dar es Salaam Port in Tanzania, where over 100 individuals took part in the noble initiative.This annual drive has been a part of the Adani Group’s tradition since 2011 to mark Gautam Adani’s birthday.It reflects the group’s core philosophy of ‘Seva hi Sadhana hai’ (Service is Worship), and highlights its commitment to inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development through community-led actions and initiatives.The Adani Foundation is currently operating in 7,060 villages across 21 states, positively impacting 9.6 million lives.–IANSpk/vd
New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) While India continues to be the most populous country, with an estimated 1.46 billion people in 2025, the country’s total fertility rate has fallen to 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1, according to the latest report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released on Tuesday.The 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) report underscores that the real crisis lies not in population size, but in the widespread challenges to support individuals’ right to decide freely and responsibly if, when, and how many children to have.The UN report estimates “India’s population at present at 1,463.9 million”.“India is now the world’s most populous nation, with nearly 1.5 billion people — a number expected to grow to about 1.7 billion before it begins falling,” the report said.The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India is currently 2.0 children per woman. This means that on average, a woman in India would be expected to have 2 children during her childbearing years (typically ages 15-49). This rate has remained constant since 2020, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021.However, the new report showed it has declined to 1.9 births per woman, which means that, on average, Indian women are having fewer children than needed to maintain the population size from one generation to the next, without migration.Despite the slowing birth rate, India’s youth population remains significant, with 24 per cent in the age bracket of 0-14, 17 per cent in 10-19, and 26 per cent in 10-24.While 68 per cent of the population accounts for the 15-64 age bracket, the elderly population (65 and older) stands at seven per cent.As of 2025, life expectancy at birth is projected to be 71 years for men and 74 years for women.The UN report also placed India in a group of middle-income countries undergoing rapid demographic change, with the population doubling time now estimated at 79 years.“India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates — from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today — thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare,” said Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative.“This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning million more mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities,” Wojnar added.–IANSrvt/
New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Job insecurity, lack of reliable childcare, and poor health are the barriers behind the rising fertility crisis, according to the latest report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released on Tuesday.
The State of World Population (SOWP) report showed that millions of people are not able to realise their real fertility goals — that is a person’s ability to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception, and starting a family. It called for a shift from panic over falling fertility to addressing unmet reproductive goals.The report, which included a UNFPA-YouGov survey across 14 countries, including India, with 14,000 respondents reveals multiple barriers to reproductive autonomy in India.Financial limitations (40 per cent) were one of the biggest barriers to reproductive freedom. This was followed by job insecurity (21 per cent), housing constraints (22 per cent), and the lack of reliable childcare (18 per cent) that is making parenthood feel out of reach.Further, health barriers like poor general well-being (15 per cent), infertility (13 per cent), and limited access to pregnancy-related care (14 per cent) added to the burden. Climate change and political and social instability are also increasing anxiety about the future, preventing people from planning a family. About 19 per cent faced partner or family pressure to have fewer children than they wanted.“India has made significant progress in lowering fertility rates — from nearly five children per woman in 1970 to about two today — thanks to improved education and access to reproductive healthcare,” said Andrea M. Wojnar, UNFPA India Representative.“This has led to major reductions in maternal mortality, meaning million more mothers are alive today, raising children and building communities. Yet, deep inequalities persist across states, castes, and income groups,” Wojnar added.While India has made remarkable progress in lowering fertility rates and enhancing reproductive healthcare, the SOWP report showed several inequalities in fertility health among states.The report showed that states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh continue to experience high fertility rates, while others, like Delhi, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, have sustained below-replacement fertility.This duality reflects differences in economic opportunities, access to healthcare, education levels, and prevailing gender and social norms, said the report.“The real demographic dividend comes when everyone has the freedom and means to make informed reproductive choices. India has a unique opportunity to show how reproductive rights, and economic prosperity can advance together,” Wojnar said.The report underscores that the real crisis lies not in population size, but in the widespread challenges to support individuals’ right to decide freely and responsibly if, when, and how many children to have.It outlined the need for expanding sexual/reproductive health services with universal access to contraception, safe abortion, maternal health, and infertility care and removing structural barriers by investing in childcare, education, housing, and workplace flexibility while promoting inclusive policies.–IANSrvt/
Kolkata, June 10 (IANS) A bill to amend the existing West Bengal Clinical Establishments Act will be moved by the Mamata Banerjee government during the state Assembly’s ongoing session.A senior member of the cabinet said that amending the State Clinical Establishment Act has become necessary following frequent complaints received by the health department against private medical establishments, accusing the latter of not maintaining any transparency in their billing systems.“The main complaint is that often these private establishments are alluring patients by announcing specific packages for particular treatments. However, often patients availing of the treatment under those packages are charged much more than what was announced in the packages. In that case, the extra amounts are shown as miscellaneous charges. The amended State Clinical Establishment Act will address these irregularities,” the cabinet member said.In the amended bill, it has been made mandatory for private medical establishments to charge patients only at the rates mentioned in the respective packages. “In case some extra charges are required to be added, the authorities of the private medical establishments concerned will have to inform the family members in advance and get their consent for charging the extra charges,” the Minister said.At the same time, he added, the extra charge could be passed on as “miscellaneous charges” as has been done so far. “A detailed explanation along with the exact breakup of the charges will have to be provided to the patient’s family members,” he said.Once the amended bill is passed in the Assembly, it will be sent to the office of the governor for the latter’s clearance, following which the bill will be converted into a full-fledged Act.The monsoon session of the West Bengal Assembly started on Monday. However, the House was adjourned for the day after “Obituary Mentions” as per protocol. It has resumed from Tuesday and will continue for the next two weeks.–IANSsrc/dpb
New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Childhood adversity may have a profound connection with lifelong vulnerability causing psychiatric disorders and other brain consequences, according to a study.The study showed that early life experiences become biologically embedded and create lasting changes in brain structure and immune function.”The immune system doesn’t just fight infections — it plays a crucial role in shaping our mental health throughout life,” said Sara Poletti, senior researcher at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele Milan, Italy.”Childhood trauma can fundamentally reprogramme these immune responses, creating vulnerability to depression, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric conditions decades later,” she added.By identifying specific inflammatory markers associated with childhood trauma, the study provides potential targets for novel interventions.The research calls for precision medicine approach to transform psychiatric treatment from symptom management to addressing underlying biological mechanisms.The paper, published in the journal Brain Medicine focussed on the use of an immunomodulatory agent (interleukin 2) to treat mood disorders.Mood disorders have been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a major source of disability, morbidity, and mortality worldwide. Among mood disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorders (BD) are the most frequent and disabling ones.The lifetime prevalence is about 12 per cent for MDD and 2 per cent for BD.Recent years have seen evidence increasing for the role of immune dysregulations in mood disorders with a focus on the inflammatory response system (IRS). It suggests that an activation of the IRS should be considered as one of the main pathological underpinnings of mood disorders.”I aim to further elucidate the role of the immune system and its interaction with the environment in psychiatric disorders,” Poletti said.Her vision includes developing prevention strategies to reduce mental illness odds, particularly for individuals with trauma histories. This preventive focus represents a paradigm shift from reactive to proactive psychiatric care.–IANSrvt/
Bhopal, June 10 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that President Droupadi…
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Katihar, June 9 (IANS) In a significant achievement under the Central government’s flagship healthcare initiative, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Katihar district has secured the third position in Bihar for generating Ayushman cards. With over 80,000 cards issued so far, the district has earned a spot among the top ten in the state, reflecting growing public engagement with the scheme.
District Magistrate Manish Kumar Meena called on residents to take full advantage of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, describing it as one of the most ambitious and impactful initiatives of the Central government.”Under this scheme, individuals can avail free health treatment worth up to Rs 5 lakhs per family per year. I urge all ration card holders to visit their designated Kendras and get their Ayushman cards made without delay,” he said.Speaking to IANS, Deputy Development Commissioner of Katihar, Amit Kumar, shared further insights.”We launched the card generation campaign across Bihar on May 26, rolling it out at the ward level. Despite facing challenges like heavy rains, Katihar managed to perform exceptionally well, securing the third spot in the state. So far, 80,000 Ayushman cards have been generated, and we aim to further increase this number in the coming days.”The Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the largest health assurance scheme globally, targeting over 12 crore poor and vulnerable families – about 55 crore individuals – who make up the bottom 40 per cent of India’s population. The scheme offers annual health cover of Rs 5 lakhs per family for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. Beneficiaries are identified based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data for both rural and urban areas.Launched in 2018, the AB PM-JAY merged with the previous Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) introduced in 2008. It ensures cashless treatment for beneficiaries at the point of service, i.e., at empanelled hospitals. The program is fully government-funded, with implementation costs shared between the Centre and states.The initiative is part of the broader Ayushman Bharat Mission, which aims to reduce out-of-pocket health expenses, improve access to quality care, and push India closer to Universal Health Coverage. It includes the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which has enabled the creation of over 77 crore digital health IDs, connecting citizens to seamless healthcare services.In addition, the government has also launched the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana, extending benefits to all citizens aged 70 and above, regardless of income.On Monday, marking the completion of 11 years of the Modi-led government, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda highlighted the impact of the Ayushman Bharat initiative.”In the last 11 years, there has been historic development across sectors—education, health, transport, infrastructure, and defence. The Ayushman Bharat-Jan Arogya Yojana has revolutionised healthcare access for millions,” Nadda stated in a post on social media platform X.As of May 30, over 41.02 crore Ayushman cards have been issued across 33 states and Union Territories. The scheme has facilitated 8.59 crore hospital admissions amounting to Rs 1,19,858 crore, offering a critical lifeline for millions and preventing families from falling into debt due to medical costs.Furthermore, the number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras providing affordable generic medicines has surged from just 80 in 2014 to 16,469 as of May 30, significantly improving access to essential drugs for the common citizen.–IANSjk/vd
Colombo, June 9 (IANS) Over 25,000 dengue cases have been reported in Sri Lanka so far this year, said the National Dengue Control Unit on Monday.A total of 25,055 cases and 13 dengue-related deaths have been reported during this period, Priscilla Samaraweera, a community specialist at the National Dengue Control Unit, said at a press conference.More than 50 per cent of the cases have been reported from the Western Province, the country’s most populous region, she said.Samaraweera urged the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and take precautions during the morning and evening hours, when dengue mosquitoes are most active, Xinhua news agency reported.The Ministry of Education has issued instructions to prevent the spread of dengue and chikungunya in schools across Sri Lanka, as cases of both are on the rise in the country.According to the World Health Organisation, dengue symptoms can range from asymptomatic infection or mild illness to severe disease. An estimated 1 in 4 dengue virus infections are symptomatic. Symptomatic dengue virus infection most commonly presents as a mild to moderate, acute febrile illness.Infection with one of the four dengue viruses will induce long-lived immunity for that specific virus. Because there are four dengue viruses, people can be infected multiple times in their lives. Early clinical findings are nonspecific but require a high index of suspicion because recognising early signs of shock and promptly initiating intensive supportive therapy can reduce the risk of death among patients.Symptoms include high fever, headache, rash and muscle and joint pain. It may also cause nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, there is serious bleeding and shock, which can be life-threatening.Treatment includes symptom management, which might include fluids and pain relievers. Severe cases require hospital care.–IANSint/jk/vd
New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Several nations are today looking up to India to overcome the global challenges, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Monday.Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations Ocean Conference with participation of over 150 countries, Dr Singh said that over the last two days, he and the other members of the Indian delegation have realised how much of expectation the other countries have from India.Dr Singh attributed this to the change of perception about India’s capabilities that has happened over the last 11 years with certain decisive measures taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and also the stability of the government offered to him over the last one decade“It is a pleasant coincidence that as the Modi government completes its 11 years in office, we are witnessing a huge surge and enthusiasm among the representatives of other member states and countries to be benefitted by India’s capabilities and capacities,” said Singh.As far as the ocean-related concerns and challenges are concerned, India has taken a lead in handling these challenges.India is one of the first countries to have officially banned the single use plastic, and “our Deep Ocean Mission is progressing in close collaboration with the space agency ISRO as well as other research and technical institutes of the country”.Elaborating further, Dr Singh said that the challenges of the ocean concerns need to be addressed collectively because nearly 70 per cent of the earth’s surface is occupied by oceans and the oceans know no political or geographical boundaries.He said the ocean concerns are mainly of two natures — those emanating directly from the oceans like global warming leading to rise in the temperature of ocean waters and levels and those relating to the pollution of the ocean waters, like oil spill over and plastic, etc.–IANSna/