Health

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Ayush sector has the potential to define India’s leadership in integrative medicine, said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State for Ayush, on Thursday.Addressing the ‘Ayush Stakeholders Consultative Meeting 2025’ organised by FICCI, jointly with the Ministry of Ayush, Jadhav reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the holistic growth of the Ayush sector.Emphasising the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, he urged the industry to collaborate in elevating ayurveda, siddha, unani, sowa-rigpa, naturopathy, yoga, and homoeopathy to global prominence.“We must collectively strive to make Ayush systems the first choice in preventive and therapeutic healthcare -- locally and globally,” Jadhav said.“From ‘Vocal for Local’ to ‘Global for Local’, this sector has the potential...

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have developed an agriculture waste-based packaging material, which can be a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic foams used in packaging.The researchers demonstrated that mycelium-based biocomposites grown on agricultural and paper waste provide quality in packaging while being biodegradable.The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Bioresource Technology Reports, offer a practical solution to two major problems -- plastic pollution and agricultural waste disposal.By converting agricultural residues into high-strength, biodegradable packaging materials, the mycelium-based biocomposites will directly support plastic waste reduction in the country -- currently exceeding 4 million...

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) India has experienced 41 outbreaks of bird flu, mainly in 10 states in 2025, said the Union government, indicating the continued rise in avian activity in the country.In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, confirmed infections caused by the bird flu virus in non-avian species like tiger, lion, leopard, and domestic cats.This indicates a broader host range than typically expected and increases the risk of spillover events to humans.However, compared to the last five years, 2025 has recorded fewer outbreaks from the H9N1 virus.“Till July 24, 41 cases have been recorded this year, compared to 49 in 2024. The highest number of cases in the last five years was in 2021, with 1...

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) A drug designed to treat coeliac disease -- an autoimmune disorder primarily affecting the small intestine -- has shown promise for children affected with severe post-Covid syndrome, according to a small study.Covid infection, although rare in kids, leads to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) -- a serious condition that presents as high fevers, gastrointestinal symptoms, and life-threatening cardiac injury.The trial results, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, showed that larazotide supported children in returning to normal activities more rapidly following Covid."While our study is small, its results are powerful and have implications not only for MIS-C, but potentially for long Covid," said lead author Lael Yonker, co-dire...

New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Common respiratory infections, including Covid-19 and influenza, can awaken dormant breast cancer cells that have spread to the lungs, setting the stage for new metastatic tumours, according to a new study.The findings published in the journal Nature, based on mouse studies as well as meta-analysis of human patients, support research showing increases in death and metastatic lung disease among cancer survivors infected with SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes Covid."Our findings indicate that individuals with a history of cancer may benefit from taking precautions against respiratory viruses, such as vaccination when available, and discussing any concerns with their health care providers," said Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, US....

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) More than 500 nuclear medicine facilities are available in the government and private sectors, Union Minister of State for Department of Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh informed the Parliament on Wednesday.In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Singh shared information on nuclear energy’s potential to be applied in the health sector for advanced treatment of various ailments.“Nuclear medicine can be practiced in both diagnostics and therapeutics. In India, Single Photon Emission Computerised Tomography (SPECT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and Computerised Tomography (CT) are the devices through which diagnostic nuclear medicine is practiced,” Singh said.“These help in staging, restaging, and response evaluation of cancer. There is availability of nuclear medicine f...

Mumbai, July 30 (IANS) Zydus Wellness Limited on Wednesday reported a 13.4 per cent drop in its consolidated net profit for the first quarter ended June 30 (Q1 FY26), as some of its seasonal brands were hit by a shorter summer, unseasonal rains, and higher expenses. The company posted a net profit of Rs 127.9 crore, down from Rs 147.7 crore in the same quarter previous year (Q1 FY25), according to its stock exchange filing.Revenue from operations rose slightly to Rs 860.9 crore from Rs 841 crore in the year-ago period, the company added in its regulatory filing.Total expenses during the quarter increased to Rs 718.6 crore, compared to Rs 694.4 crore in the same period previous year, according to its filing.The company also spent more on advertising and promotions, with expenses rising to R...

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Every third Indian is affected by some metabolic dysfunction, said Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, while proposing a mass campaign for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes in the young.Addressing the Foundation Day ceremony of the Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), Singh expressed concern that India continues to be labelled the “diabetes capital of the world”.“Every third Indian is affected by some form of metabolic dysfunction,” he said.The Minister, himself a globally renowned endocrinologist, also cautioned against diabetes disinformation, which tends to be spread, sometimes inadvertently, from certain quarters.He debunked popular myths, such as the belief in “one meal a day”, urging for a more scientific understanding of meal quality and q...

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) More than 98 lakh cataract surgeries were performed in the fiscal year 2024-25, said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Jadhav stated that the surgeries performed under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI) in 2024-25 were the highest in the last five years.“In 2020-21, 35,50,765 surgeries took place. The number spiked to 61,98,830 in 2021-22, 83,44,824 in 2022-23, and 90,29,242 in 2023-24,” Jadhav said.Further, the Minister noted that a total of 4,34,48,416 persons have been directly benefitted under NPCB&VI since the fiscal year 2020-21.“In 2020-21, the programme benefitted 40,31,340 people, which in 2021-22 helped 70,89,142 persons. In 2022-...

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Salt warning labels on menus in restaurants may help diners rethink over high-salt meals and make healthier choices, according to a study.It may also be a key strategy to fight cardiovascular diseases as well as kidney damage caused by a high-salt diet.In a first-of-its-kind research, a team from the University of Liverpool in the UK compared people ordering at a restaurant after seeing salt warnings with those who received a menu without warnings.The findings, published in the journal The Lancet Public Health, showed that warning labels are perceived by consumers as effective in discouraging the selection of high-salt items. Warning labels also prompted greater awareness of salt content when ordering, and significantly reduced the amount of salt actually ordered....