Page 16 - Healthcare

IMA writes to Mandaviya, seeks withdrawal of generic drugs mandate

The IMA has written to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya seeking withdrawal of National Medical Commission (NMC) regulations on mandatory prescription of generic drugs till there is quality assurance of all medicines. The doctors' body also expressed concern over the regulations which bar doctors from attending conferences sponsored by pharma companies saying such a prohibition warrants reconsideration. It demanded associations and organisations should be exempted from the purview of NMC regulations. Members of the Indian Medical Association and Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance on Monday had met Mandaviya and expressed their concerns over the NMC regulations. The National Medical Commission (NMC) in its 'Regulations relating to Professional Conduct of Registered Medical Practitioners' stated that all doctors must prescribe generic drugs, failing which they will be penalised and their licence to practice may also be suspended for a period. It also asked doctors to avoid prescrib

Open innovations, be ready to tackle next health emergency: PM to G20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged G20 nations to facilitate equitable availability of technology and also appealed to them to open innovations for public good. Addressing the G20 Health Ministers' meet in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar via video link, he called upon everyone to be ready to prevent, prepare and respond to the next health emergency. Digital solutions and innovations are useful means to make our efforts equitable and inclusive, Modi said. "Global initiatives on global health will bring together various digital health initiatives on a common platform. Let's open our innovations for public good. Let us avoid duplication of funding," the prime minister said. "Let us facilitate equitable availability of technology. This initiative will allow countries in the global south to close the gap in healthcare delivery. It will take us one step closer to our goal of achieving universal health coverage (UHC)," he added. He informed the G20 members that India will eradicate

G20 Health Ministers meeting to start from August 17 in Gandhinagar

Delegates from 19 member countries, 10 invited states, and 22 international organisations will be participating in the meeting in Gujarat

Free services at government hospitals in Maharashtra from Tuesday

Free treatment and screening or testing facilities became available at government hospitals in Maharashtra from Tuesday, officials said. An order to this effect had been issued on Saturday. All services at the hospitals run by both the state government and civic bodies will be free, it said. But the order is not applicable to hospitals under the control of the Maharashtra Medical Education and Research Department. A complaint can be lodged on toll-free number 104 if a government hospital covered under the order charges a fee. Among other things, common tests and screenings such as X-ray, ECG, blood tests and CT scans will be free. If medicines are not available at the OPD, they shall be purchased locally (by the hospital) and given to patients, the order said.

Doctors to be penalised for not prescribing generic drugs: NMC regulation

All doctors must prescribe generic drugs, failing which they will be penalised and even their license to practice may also be suspended for a period, according to the new regulations issued by the National Medical Commission. The National Medical Commission (NMC) in its 'Regulations relating to Professional Conduct of Registered Medical Practitioners" also asked doctors to avoid prescribing branded generic drugs. Even though doctors are currently required to prescribe generic drugs only, there are no penal provisions mentioned in the regulations issued in 2002 by the Indian Medical Council. The NMC regulations notified on August 2, stated that India's out-of-pocket spending on medications accounts for a major proportion of public spending on healthcare. "Generic medicines are 30 to 80 per cent cheaper than branded drugs. Hence, prescribing generic medicines may overtly bring down healthcare costs and improve access to quality care," it said. Under the generic medicine and prescrip

Only 25% of semi-rural, rural population has health facilities within reach

The report indicated that an Indian household spent 15-20 per cent of their yearly income on medical expenses, while 23 per cent relied on informal loans

Long-term symptoms of Covid-19 can emerge months after infection: Study

Long-term effects of COVID-19 can persist for at least a year after the acute illness has passed, or appear months later, according to a study conducted in the US. The research, published recently in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, is the most comprehensive look yet at how symptoms play out over a year. It expands knowledge of post-COVID-19 conditions, describing trends in more detail than previous research and highlighting significant impacts the epidemic has had on health care system. The study found that for about 16 per cent of the COVID-positive people, symptoms lasted for at least a year, but for others, they appeared for a short time. The team from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and colleagues, assessed symptoms every three months, enabling them to differentiate between symptoms that improve and those that emerge months after the initial infection. "It was common for symptoms to resolve then

New Omicron sub-variant spreads in UK; no reported case in India so far

UK health agency says no indication that EG.5.1 is more severe than the others; WHO advises countries to remain cautious

Metropolis Healthcare eyes 60% revenue from B2C business in next 2-3 years

The diagnostic player has also taken price hikes in the range of 4-5 percent in the last three years

Dabur scouting for acquisition targets in D2C healthcare, personal care

Homegrown FMCG major Dabur India is looking for an acquisition in direct-to-consumer (D2C) space, particularly in healthcare and personal care, its Chief Executive Officer Mohit Malhotra said on Thursday. The acquisition will help Dabur to increase its play in the fast-growing premium segment and also to strengthen our urban play, Malhotra said in a post-results Investors' Conference Call. Besides, the company, which owns iconic brands such as Dabur Amla, Dabur Vatika, and juice brand Real, is increasing investments in branding and promotion as its margins are improving quarter on quarter amidst softening commodity prices. When asked about any D2C acquisition, Malhotra replied: "We continue to scouting on targets in the D2C space also, particularly in healthcare and personal care... We are looking for a brand that will shore up margin and not be dilutive." "If we come across a company which is synergistic with the healthcare space and personal care space, skincare Ayurvedic play, w

Pristyn Care commences operation in Bangladesh; lines up Rs 100 cr

Healthcare delivery startup Pristyn Care on Thursday said it has commenced operations in Bangladesh and will invest Rs 100 crore over the next two years to expand operations in the neighbouring country. The company plans to have five patient care centres in Dhaka and Chattogram(Chittagong) by March 2024. It also aims to hire 200 employees across various departments as part of the expansion plans. "With the country's (Bangladesh) healthcare market expected to reach USD 14 billion by the end of 2023, we are committed to the growth of healthcare in Bangladesh. Over the next two years, we'll invest Rs 100 crore to establish a robust healthcare infrastructure," Pristyn Care Co-Founder Harsimarbir Singh said in a statement. The investment would be utilised to set up patient care centres, he added. Pristyn Care caters to advanced secondary care surgeries with the help of over 400-plus in-house super-speciality surgeons across hundreds of partner hospitals and clinics.

Over 60% rural population goes out of state for better medical treatment

The all-India level findings of the report showed that "almost 63% of people from rural areas chose to migrate out of their state for availing treatment for major diseases"

Emami expects good growth in personal care, healthcare businesses

Emami Ltd vice-chairman and MD Harsha V Agarwal expressed confidence on Tuesday that the FMCG player will have good growth from its personal care and healthcare businesses in the years ahead and the firm expects to grow at 27.9 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2021 to 2027. Emami which saw its net profit dipping in the year gone by expects its margins to bounce back on the back of inflation moderating. "The international business seems to have stabilised and is projected for healthy double-digit growth. We invest for the long-term and we will continue investing across e-commerce, modern trade, international business, people and distribution, etc," Agarwal said in his speech to shareholders at the annual general meeting. "The outlook at Emami continues to be positive. With inflation moderating, we do not foresee any cost pressures ahead; margins are likely to bounce back during the current year. With the rural outlook continuing to be sound, we are confident of good .

Coal India inks MoU with Fortis Healthcare to treat thalassemic children

Fortis Healthcare has joined hands with Coal India to treat underprivileged children suffering from thalassemia under the 'Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana' CSR initiative of the central public sector enterprise. An MoU in this connection was signed on July 28 at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, a hospital statement said. Coal India launched the 'Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana' in 2017 to support the treatment of underprivileged children affected by thalassemia. In 2020, aplastic anaemia was added to the programme. According to the MoU, Coal India will provide financial assistance of up to Rs 10 lakh to eligible patients for bone marrow transplants and the treatment can be done at Fortis Memorial Research Institute. The health centre has one of the largest and most comprehensive bone marrow transplant centres in India that boasts a team of nearly 20 doctors with expertise in the treatment of all kinds of blood disorders. The Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at the hospital

Tredence eyes acquisitions in BFS, healthcare vertical by year end

In terms of size, Tredence will be focussing on acquiring companies with revenues in the range of $10-15 million, though it would be flexible in its approach, said Bhowmick

Short bursts of intense exercise linked to reduced risk of cancer: Study

Just 4-5 minutes of vigorous activity that makes people huff and puff during daily tasks is associated with a lower risk of some cancers by up to 32 per cent, according to a study. The research, published in the journal JAMA Oncology, used data from wearable devices to track the daily activity of over 22,000 'non-exercisers'. Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia then followed the group's clinical health records for close to seven years to monitor for cancer. They found that four to five minutes of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity or 'VILPA' was associated with a substantially lower cancer risk compared to those who undertook no VILPA. Short bursts of activity -- around one minute each -- includes activities like vigorous housework, carrying heavy shopping around the grocery store, bursts of power walking or playing high-energy games with the kids. Adults who don't exercise are at increased risk of developing certain cancers like breast, endometrial

Central govt committed to providing affordable health facilities: Mandaviya

Dr Mandaviya stated, "For a doctor, treatment is only one parameter of success. How people perceive them and their role in the society is the ultimate value of success"

Regional disparities rise as Ayushman cards near quarter-billion mark

The year 2022-23 saw surge in cards created under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana scheme

Health sector changing under PM: Mandaviya inaugurates AIIMS-Rae Bareli

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday inaugurated various units, including the emergency department, at AIIMS-Rae Bareli. Mandaviya inaugurated the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. He also inspected the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) pharmacy on the premises and spoke to patients and attendants present and took feedback on the facilities. Rae Bareli is the parliamentary constituency of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said the health sector in India is changing under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health and wellness centres have been set up for primary care and district hospitals upgraded. Rs 64,000 crore are being spent under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. New medical colleges are being started in the country. Of the 22 AIIMS at various stages of construction, 16 have become functional, he told reporters.

Conjunctivitis: Why are cases rising & how to prevent it?