Health

Jaipur, March 20 (IANS) Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar on Thursday said that his state ranks first in the country in taking action against food adulteration. Affirming that the state government's commitment to eradicating food adulteration in fruits, vegetables, and other consumables, he said that the department conducted 1,340 food inspections and collected 3,363 samples, including those from reputed companies Between March 3 and March 12, 2025.Several FIRs have been registered against sellers found guilty of adulteration.Responding to an attention motion raised by MLA Bhagchand Tankada in the Legislative Assembly, Khimsar stated that the state has collected 284 per cent more samples than the number mandated under the Food Safety Act by the Food Safety and St...

Rourkela, March 20 (IANS) Researchers from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed an Internet of Things-enabled smart device to monitor the quality of ingredients in processed food. The colourimeter, developed in partnership with teams from the University of the Philippines Los Banos, Philippines, tracks colour and temperature changes in real-time, making it especially useful for studying oleo gels -- fat alternatives used in processed foods.Many processed foods rely on solid fats for texture and stability, but these often contain unhealthy trans and saturated fats, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and obesity.To address this, the food industry has been exploring oleo gels, which convert liquid oils into a gel-like form by using additives such as w...

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) South-East Asia has the highest global burden of oral diseases and mouth cancers, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) on World Oral Health Day on Thursday.World Oral Health Day is marked annually on March 20 to draw attention to oral health -- a key indicator of overall health, well-being, and quality of life. The theme this year is “a happy mouth is a happy mind.”Oral diseases are among the most common noncommunicable diseases worldwide. It affects an estimated 3.5 billion people.“Among the six WHO regions, South-East Asia reports the highest number -- approximately 900 million cases of oral diseases and conditions -- reflecting the region’s large population,” said Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.“Our region also has the highe...

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Want to reduce your stress levels? Daily physical activity and adequate sleep can increase happiness and cut down levels of stress, according to a study on Wednesday.Researchers at the universities of Harvard (US) and Oxford (UK) looked at predictors of happiness and well-being using data from smartwatches and smartphones to inform global public policies and product development.The pilot study, in collaboration with smartwatch provider Garmin and included data from over 10,000 global participants.Other key findings showed that emotional stability varied by age, with older adults showing more stability and younger adults more variability.The study also demonstrated high retention rates, suggesting participants found value in self-monitoring emotions during the day...

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) More than 76 crore Indians now have an Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID, according to latest data from the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.ABHA, a key component of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), is an account/number used to link all the health records of a person.ABHA aims to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for beneficiaries and improve access to quality healthcare.To date, 55,10,259 ABHA accounts were created in March, with 1,67,257 created on Wednesday, as per the latest data.Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of Health accounts (1319.1 lakh), followed by Rajasthan (623.8 lakh) and Maharashtra (585.9 lakh).Lakshadweep has the least number of health accounts (1.1 lakh), followed by Ladakh (3.9) lakh.Further, men account ...

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Union Minister for Railways, Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Wednesday said a collaboration between India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation, an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, is on the cards.In a post on X, the Union Minister said an MoU will soon be signed to create AI-based solutions to strengthen several critical sectors in the country.“AI solutions for better crops, stronger healthcare, smarter education and climate resilience— MoU soon between India AI Mission and @gatesfoundation,” Vaishnaw tweeted after meeting Gates who is currently visiting the country.In a bid to make access to quality datasets easier for developing AI technologies, the government recently took a big step in its...

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) About 1.4 billion Indians are praying for the safe return of Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore -- who spent about 285 days in the International Space Station (ISS) -- to Earth, said experts on Tuesday.Williams and Wilmore became the first to travel on Boeing's faulty Starliner spacecraft in June last year. What began as an eight-day trip, lasted 285 days in space.After several delays, the astronaut duo is enroute to Earth. Their journey from Space aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft began on Tuesday morning. They are expected to reach Earth on Wednesday morning."1.4 billion Indians praying and wishing for their safe return," former ISRO scientist Guru Prasad told IANS while elaborating on the risks during the landing.He st...

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) India’s medical tourism industry is on a strong growth path, with projections indicating that the market will reach $18 billion by 2027, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19 per cent, a new report said on Tuesday.The country has become a preferred destination for international patients, offering world-class healthcare services at significantly lower costs than Western nations.In recent years, India has positioned itself as a global hub for medical tourism, attracting patients seeking top-tier medical treatments along with the opportunity to experience the country’s rich cultural heritage.According to Praxis Global Alliance, a global consulting firm, the industry has witnessed rapid expansion, with the market valued at $7 billion in 2022.A major c...

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is planning to acquire a stake in a standalone health insurance company by the end of the current financial year (FY25), its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Siddhartha Mohanty said on Tuesday.However, he did not disclose the name of the company in which LIC is looking to invest. Mohanty said that the discussions are in the final stage."We have plans. Discussions are at the final stage. It is a natural choice for LIC to enter the health insurance sector," Mohanty said in his speech at the Global Conference of Actuaries in Mumbai.He added that "since regulatory approvals take time, I am hopeful that a decision will be taken within this financial year, before March 31".However, he also clarified that LIC will n...

New York, March 18 (IANS) Small amounts of a common antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug can help treat a rare hair loss problem caused by a misplaced immune reaction, according to a study on Tuesday.Low doses of antibiotics may also present fewer side effects than higher doses of the medication, said researchers at the New York University Langone Health.The study explored lymphocytic scarring alopecia -- a rare skin condition in which the body’s immune cells damage hair follicles, leading to hair loss and scarring.Physicians typically treat this chronic disorder with relatively high doses of the antibiotic doxycycline -- often for prolonged periods.However, the drug can trigger nausea, vomiting, and rashes and may discourage patients from continuing to take it, said the team, in the pape...