Health

The World Health Organization has said on Sunday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitutes a "public health emergency of international concern."  The WHO said on social media platform X that the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency.  The Director-General of WHO expresses his gratitude to the leadership of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda for their commitment to take necessary and vigorous actions to bring the event under control, as well as for their frankness in assessing the risk posed by this event to other States Parties, hence allowing the global community to take necessary preparedness actions.  In his determination the Director-General of WHO has considered, inter a...

For decades, the public health narrative surrounding hypertension has followed a familiar script: cut back on processed foods, hide the saltshaker, and watch your sodium intake. Yet, across India’s bustling metropolitan hubs, a perplexing and deeply concerning clinical trend is emerging.  Cardio-metabolic clinics are increasingly filling up with young, urban, physically active women who monitor their diets meticulously, do not smoke, and maintain a healthy weight—yet present with borderline hypertension, arterial stiffness, and cardiac arrhythmias. As medical science looks closer, the culprit is proving to be far more insidious than a high-sodium diet. Instead, it is an invisible, culturally normalised psychological phenomenon known as ‘Internalised Urgency’—the chronic, unrelenting feel...

Well-known psychiatrist, author and social activist Dr Anand Nadkarni died after a prolonged illness on Friday morning, sources from the Thane-based Institute for Psychological Health (IPH), which he founded, said. He was 67. Dr Nadkarni was admitted to a Mumbai hospital, they added. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde mourned his death, calling him a multifaceted figure. Born in Maharashtra`s Jalgaon district, he was known for bridging the gap between clinical medicine and social welfare. In 1990, he established the non-profit IPH in Thane, which now houses over 70 mental health professionals. He was also a founder and trustee of the Pune-based Muktangan Rehabilitation Center, the sources said. Dr Nadkarni authored 17 books in Marathi, some of which have been translated i...

A severe chest infection soon spiralled into a life-threatening medical emergency, pushing a 60-year-old woman to the brink of multi-organ collapse before she was treated in time by doctors in Kolkata. Battling Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs, the woman had been on prolonged steroid therapy that significantly weakened her immunity over the years.  The compromised immune state eventually led to a rapidly progressing Pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a critical condition in which the lungs fail to deliver adequate oxygen to the body. As her respiratory failure worsened, doctors at Manipal Hospital Broadway had to initiate advanced ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxy...

With growing awareness around sexual wellness, the use of sex toys has become increasingly common among individuals and couples. However, several myths continue to circulate regarding their potential impact on fertility, often creating unnecessary confusion and anxiety. In reality, sex toys are generally considered safe when used correctly and when made from body-safe materials. There is currently no scientific evidence to suggest that the use of sex toys directly affects fertility. They do not interfere with sperm production, egg quality, ovulation, or the ability to conceive. Dr. Sulbha Arora, clinical director & fertility specialist, Nova IVF Fertility, Andheri, Mumbai, says, “Fertility is influenced by many factors, including age, hormonal balance, overall health, and underlying ...

Earlier this week, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, popularly called PCOS, was officially renamed to PMOS. The change in the name was made after 14 years of collaboration between health experts and patients and research that was published in The Lancet on May 12.  The change has brought out a positive reaction from women across India and the globe, who are happily sharing it on social media, and rightly so. It is because the disorder that is known to affect 1 in 8 women around the world was primarily focusing on cysts and ovaries, when it is a much more complex hormonal and endocrine disorder requiring a multidisciplinary approach, and better late than never, especially for those women who suffer with it, affecting their daily lives.  Mumbai doctors react  “The proposed change from PCOS (Po...

Mumbai doctors say there is a need for Indian couples to go through thalassemia screening and haemoglobin electrophoresis tests, and genetic counselling if needed, as an essential part of fertility and pregnancy planning.  The health experts say that while many couples undergo fertility treatment and IVF procedures, awareness regarding inherited genetic conditions remains limited. Timely screening, counselling, and advanced reproductive technologies can help couples better understand genetic risks and ensure healthier pregnancies. Every year, World Thalassemia Day is observed on May 8 to create awareness about the blood disorder. While people may know of it, their connection to pregnancy needs to be in the spotlight. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the body is unable...

In a remarkable display of surgical expertise, doctors at a Mumbai hospital have successfully performed a complex, high-risk procedure on a 32-year-old woman diagnosed with a rare giant right sided diaphragmatic hernia.  The condition had led to the displacement of multiple abdominal organs into the chest cavity, resulting in critical compression of the right lung and a severe impact on her ability to breathe. The woman had been experiencing persistent breathlessness, which had progressively worsened to the point where even minimal movement became difficult. Her medical history revealed a traumatic injury at the age of 12, considered a likely contributing factor. Clinical evaluation, followed by advanced imaging, confirmed extensive herniation of the liver, stomach, duodenum and colon i...

A hormonal condition affecting 1 in 8 women around the world just got a new name in hopes of improving care. It Is now called polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome instead of polycystic ovary syndrome. Researchers and supporters of the change said the old name, often shortened to PCOS, is inaccurate. It reduced a complex hormonal or endocrine disorder to a misunderstanding about cysts and a focus on ovaries, contributing to missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment, said the Endocrine Society, a global group of physicians and scientists. “The thought behind that is that one, there’s no cysts in the ovary, so it’s very confusing,” said Dr. Melanie Cree, one of the authors of the Lancet article and a pediatric endocrinology expert at the University of Colorado Anschutz. “The hope was th...

Doing around 8,500 steps a day can help people keep weight off after dieting, according to new research.  To be presented at the ‘European Congress on Obesity’ (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 12-15, the study showed that there was a clear link between increasing step count and preventing weight regain.  Specifically, it was important to increase step count during the weight loss phase and maintain this increase during the weight maintenance phase. Patients who did so regained less weight, said the study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. “The most important – and greatest – challenge when treating obesity is preventing weight regain,” explains Professor Marwan El Ghoch from University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. Arou...