Health

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) Scientists at the ICMR-National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (NIRDHDS) are set to launch a study to decode how digital peer-based interventions can tackle the burden of postpartum depression among women and boost neonatal health in the country.The randomised controlled trial approved by the Health Ministry’s Screening Committee will feature an international research team, including those from the US, said the researchers from ICMR-NIRDHDS, in a paper published in the BMJ Open.The experts will explore the effectiveness of Kushal Maa (‘informed-mother’) -- a pilot-tested culturally tailored mobile interactive education and support group intervention to tackle the burden of postpartum depression.“This study will generate evidence on how di...

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council’s decision to slash GST on several cancer-related and other essential medicines is a “commendable step”, said the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday.In a statement, the IMA noted that the move will make healthcare more affordable and accessible for millions of patients across the country.“The reduction in GST on critical drugs reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening public health infrastructure and supporting those battling serious medical conditions such as cancer, chronic diseases, and life-threatening infections,” the IMA said.The statement comes as the government is working to reduce GST on a range of essential and life-saving medicines as part of its broader tax reforms.For cancer drugs and other c...

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) While both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes raise the risk of heart disease and death, the effect is pronounced differently in men and women, according to a study.Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide, and individuals with T1D or T2D are at greater risk compared to the general population.Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden showed that younger men with T2D have worse mortality and CVD outcomes than those with T1D.However, for women of all ages, almost all outcomes are worse for T1D than for T2D."Women with Type 1 diabetes often develop the disease at a young age, so they live with it longer, which increases their lifetime risk of heart and blood vessel problems. They may also lose some of the natural protection women ...

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) Genetic testing of IVF-created embryos could help more women over 35 have a baby in less time, according to a study on Monday.Researchers from King’s College London, UK, led the first randomised controlled trial worldwide to focus exclusively on women aged 35-42 -- a group at higher risk of producing embryos with chromosomal abnormalities.The trial looked at the use of Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) to check embryos for chromosomal abnormalities before transfer.Older women are more likely to produce embryos with the wrong number of chromosomes, which can lead to difficulties in conceiving and increase the risk of miscarriage.The results, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, showed that the PGT-A test showed a higher cumulative live...

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Adani Agri Fresh Limited (AAFL) has started the procurement of apple with Rs 85 per kilogram in Himachal Pradesh, which is Rs 5 more that the opening rate of last year.AAFL procures apple in Himachal Pradesh from Rohru, Rampur, Tutu-Pani, Sainj, Jarol-Tikkar and Reckong-Peo sites, according to the company.Last month, in a landmark initiative for the horticulture sector, Adani Agri Fresh launched the country’s first digital apple market platform in Bithal near Rampur, about 120 km from Shimla.The project is designed to directly benefit apple growers across Himachal Pradesh.Currently being implemented as a pilot phase, farmers are already expressing strong support for the project’s transparency, convenience, and profitability.The platform enables farmers to digitally...

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Space science has brought miraculous changes in the agriculture sector, said Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, on Saturday.In a virtual address at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), organised on the occasion of National Space Day, Chouhan called space scientists the “modern sages”.“Through space science, we are bringing change in India and the world. We all know how important technology and science are in agriculture – and we must take it further,” Chouhan said.“We have changed farming, its direction, and transformed farmers’ lives. We have ensured food security for the people. We have achieved record food grain production, and space science has made an incomparable contribution."Space...

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) India is progressing exceptionally well in the domain of space, said scientists on National Space Day on Saturday.National Space Day is celebrated every year to mark the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to land on the South Pole of the Moon on August 23, 2023.India also became the fourth country, after the US, China, and Russia, to make a soft landing on the lunar surface."I would like to say that India is progressing exceptionally well in the space domain,” B.R. Ramkrishna, former Director Telemetry, (ISRO), told IANS.“Today, we have outlined many new programmes to meet exploratory requirements. Not only have we gone to the Moon, but we also plan missions to Venus and Mars, including landing attempts," he added.Former ISRO S...

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will share tools and training to support emerging health research systems in South Asian countries, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.At the high-level regional dialogue on strengthening health research systems, health officials from the ICMR and Department of Health Research (DHR) fostered collaboration across South and Southeast Asia to ensure that health research directly informs policy, addresses regional priorities, and builds sustainable systems for the future.The meeting convened representatives from Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and India at the national capital.“ICMR offered to share its tools and resources, including common ethics review forms and free online training courses,...

New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) India is laying the foundations to emerge as a global medtech hub, said the Union government on Saturday.At a two-day Southeast and South Asia regional meet, Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, emphasised the need to strengthen the medical device sector ecosystem.Beyond “technology and skilled manpower,” there is also a need to establish “internationally accredited laboratories, adopt globally harmonised standards, and support clinical investigations for innovative devices to achieve economies of scale but aggregate demand beyond national borders”.“With the ongoing development of medical device parks in India and ICMR’s MedTech Mitra and Patent Mitra initiatives, clinical trial support schemes and strengthened research platforms, India is system...

Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) India showcased its leadership in herbal medicines at an event here, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the global acceptance of herbal medicines by combining traditional knowledge with modern quality protocols, an official statement said on Friday.The four-day regional workshop on WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Herbal Medicines was jointly organised by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization – South-East Asia Regional Office (WHO-SEARO) at the RRAP-Central Ayurveda Research Institute here.The workshop saw participation from 19 international delegates representing South-East Asian countries including Bhutan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, along with leading Indian experts.Th...