Indicating a demographic shift, the number of women surpassed men for the first time in India with the sex ratio being 1,020:1,000, according to findings of the National Family and Health Survey-5.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare vide its notification dated 13th September 2021 has published the Drugs (Draft Amendment) Rules, 2021 to further amend the Drugs Rules, 1945.

Union Health & Family Welfare Minister approved the “National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021” on 30th March 2021.

The National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) conducted under the aegis of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has played a crucial role in providing the Govemment of India and the stakeholders with reliable inputs to monitor the progress of various flagship programmes as well as the vision of the National Health Policy.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has framed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill 2020 and introduced 70 amendments in the 2006 Act to revamp FSSAI functioning and its jurisdiction.

Screen every patient at admission for hyperglycemia with at least two capillary blood glucose values (1 pre-meal and 1 post-meal value) by a glucometer. Every patient with diabetes should be started on a diabetic diet. Kindly ensure that the patient strictly adhere to the timing and quantity advised in the diet chart.

All COVID-19 cases should be screened for TB symptoms using the 4-symptom complex (Cough for > 2 weeks, persistent fever for > 2 weeks, significant weight loss, night sweats), history of contact with TB case, history of TB and those symptomatic should be offered Chest X ray and upfront Nuclear Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) – CBNAAT/TrueNa

India accounts for nine per cent of all HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB) deaths in the world, the second-highest number globally. Around 9,700 people die every year among TB-HIV co-infected patients, according to The India TB report 2020, that was released on June 24, 2020.

In the current COVID 19 pandemic, Dentists, auxiliaries as well as patients undergoing dental procedures are at high risk of cross-infection. Most dental procedures require close contact with the patient’s oral cavity, saliva, blood, and respiratory tract secretions. Saliva is rich in COVID 19 viral load.