Colombo, June 15 (IANS) A new strain of the dengue virus now circulating in Sri Lanka is increasing the risk of transmission, Deputy Minister of Health Hansaka Wijemuni said, as authorities began a countrywide prevention program to control mosquito breeding and reduce infections on Monday. Wijemuni told the media that the current virus contains several changes compared with strains previously detected in the country. He said many people in Sri Lanka may not have been exposed to this variant befo…
Latest Health Ministry News & Updates
Kinshasa, June 8 (IANS) The tally of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 515, including 91 deaths, as the health authorities warned of continued transmission and the risk of further increases if control measures are not put in place quickly. The update, published on Sunday (local time) by the health ministry, said that three more patients were declared recovered, bringing the count of recoveries to 12 as of June 6.The report said 117 suspected cases w…
Chennai, May 24 (IANS) Tamil Nadu has intensified surveillance and precautionary measures across airports, ports and government healthcare facilities following an advisory issued by the Union Health Ministry regarding the possibility of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases being reported from certain African countries. Health authorities have moved to strengthen preparedness despite no cases being detected in the state so far.The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) has instruct…
New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Health Ministry on Friday said it has notified the inclusion of the drug ‘Pregabalin’ under Schedule H1 of the Drugs Rules, 1945. The decision has been taken in view of reports received from certain states regarding the misuse and abuse of Pregabalin, particularly among youth.Violations and non-compliance will attract penal action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder.The drug, which is prescribed for the treatment of chronic pain, neuropathies…
Patna, May 16 (IANS) Bihar Leader of the Opposition and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday once again launched a sharp attack on the Bihar government, targeting Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and his Cabinet over governance and rising public concerns. Tejashwi alleged that the entire administration — from the Chief Minister to Cabinet Ministers — is more focused on publicity than governance.He accused them of prioritising photo opportunities over addressing real issu…
Freetown, May 14 (IANS) Sierra Leone has declared a measles outbreak amid increasing confirmed infections, with health authorities warning of active community transmission in its capital, Freetown. A total of 41 confirmed measles cases were recorded across eight districts between January and April, according to the public notice issued by the National Public Health Agency in collaboration with the Health Ministry on Wednesday (local time).The Western Area Urban District was identified as the har…
New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) Approximately 10 per cent of districts in the country currently do not have a blood centre, underscoring the need for accelerated expansion of infrastructure, an official statement said on Wednesday.Similarly, gaps remain in digital integration, with a significant number of blood centres yet to be onboarded on eRaktKosh and BBMS, limiting real-time visibility and monitoring, according to the outcomes of a national-level meeting convened by Health Ministry on India’s …
New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The US-Iran conflict has disrupted supplies of life-saving medicines and infant milk formula in Pakistan, exposing gaps in the country’s healthcare preparedness and policy framework, a report has said.According to a report published in Pakistan Observer, the supply shock has led to shortages and rising prices, causing distress among patients, particularly those dependent on critical drugs and imported nutritional products.Mohammad Atif Hanif Baloch, President of the …
New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) Health Ministry is reportedly considering banning prescriptions of paediatric cough syrups for children under two years and discouraging their use for those under five.Reports said that the move under a draft of the National Formulary of India (NFI) 2026, released by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, marks a notable shift in prescribing norms after a series of contamination-linked deaths last year.There was, however, no official word from Health Ministry on the repo…
New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) The amendments in the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 span key legislations in the health sector, aligning with the broader objective of simplifying compliance while maintaining robust safeguards for public health, Health Ministry said on Friday.This includes the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; the Pharmacy Act, 1948; the Food Safety and Standards Act; the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010; and the National Commission for Al…