New Delhi: H1N1 influenza is back.

Centre recommends concerted action during ‘inter-epidemic' period

Concerned over the increasing frequency of outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, the Centre has asked the States to undertake effective control activities during the ‘inter-epidemic' period. Importantly, it wanted the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to be trained, along with other programme personnel, so that their services can be utilised when needed.

Children used to feasting on burgers, chips, colas and instant noodles will now be in distress. The UP government has sent a letter to all schools — ICSE, CBSE as well as UP Board — to ban sale of junk food within their premises and outside it with immediate effect.

The letter has been issued on instructions received by the Union health and family planning ministry.

With the recent data suggesting a substantial drop in the Total Fertility Rate of India (TFR), the health ministry has decided to lay more emphasis on spacing rather than limiting the children. With this aim in mind, the Union ministry is all set to launch a new birth control intrauterine device (IUD) — Suraksha 5 — that gives infection free protection for 5 years.

“Population aged 60 and above will grow to 17% by 2050”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in partnership with the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has called for greater attention to the aging of India's population, its implications for health policy and for promotion of a society where the elderly can live full, enriching and productive lives.

Data compiled by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in an answer to a Parliament question points out manpower shortage in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

Moving towards major reforms, the Centre is in the process of rolling out a universal health coverage package in at least one district in each State on an experimental basis.

This would include a clearly defined basket of services to those who come to any public health facility for treatment or free supply of generic drugs, doing away with user charges and upgrading public health infrastructure right from the primary to tertiary levels. The private sector would have a role to play only when needed.

JAMMU: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said today that his Ministry would undertake an extensive review of Central Government’s flagship programme, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) all over the country including Jammu and Kashmir very soon as the scheme has completed seven years. ``We are going to have a countrywide review of NRHM as the scheme aimed at providing healthcare to the rural people was completing seven years.

Almost two years after it was passed by Parliament, the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010, has now been notified by the Union Government.

Notified on February 28, it has come into force in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim and all Union Territories from March 1.

The percentage of MDR in new TB cases in India is 2.1

India had an estimated 63,000 cases of notified multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in 2010, the highest in the South East Asia region, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.