Health

National Family Health Survey (NFHS)‑6 results released by the Health Ministry in May showed significant gains in women’s maternal healthcare access, reproductive health and financial and digital inclusion, a report said on Wednesday.  The report from SBI Research noted material progress over a period of 3 years in terms of child stunting, vaccination, improved health delivery across women and fertility transition. However, it outlined the need to spend more on holistic healthcare for children as certain child nutritional indicators lagged. The frequency of NFHS surveys (first initiated in 1992-93) used to happen at highly irregular intervals of roughly 7 years, which was even extended to 10 years. Subsequently, the gap has been reduced to a fixed 3-year interval under the current gove...

Many people tend to experience constant back pain and take over-the-counter painkillers, which may provide temporary relief. However, they fail to investigate the root cause of the pain. Though experts caution that excruciating back pain, along with other warning signs such as dark or foamy urine, unexplained fatigue, swelling, or changes in urination pattern, can also be due to hidden kidney tumors. It is also why they remind on World Kidney Cancer Awareness Day, observed on June 18 every year, that timely intervention is key to improving the quality of life of the patient. A large number of people are struggling with debilitating back pain that can interfere with their daily routine and impact their overall well-being. Unfortunately, back pain is not only linked to poor posture, long wo...

Doctors at a Mumbai hospital have successfully performed a rare surgery for a 75-year-old man, diagnosed with a large rectal polyp that was later confirmed to contain early-stage rectal cancer.  The advanced robotic procedure called Robotic Trans-Anal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS) enabled complete removal of the cancerous growth without the need for major abdominal surgery, removal of the rectum, or a permanent stoma, offering the patient a quicker recovery and improved quality of life. The man initially presented with bleeding in the stools and was subsequently diagnosed with a large rectal polyp measuring approximately 4–5 cm in diameter during a colonoscopy. While the biopsy suggested an adenoma, a pre-cancerous lesion, the size and nature of the growth raised concerns about the ...

British television presenter Jeremy Clarkson, popularly known as the former host of Top Gear, has revealed that he is suffering from prostrate cancer, according to reports. Clarkson made the revelation in the latest episodes of the television series Clarkson`s Farm, which is in its fifth season, reportedly shot over the last two years. While he does not reveal the stage of the cancer, he does say that it is an aggressive form, to Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland, in the final two episodes -- released on Wednesday. While Clarkson did reveal that he knew about it since May, he also said that a part of his prostate had been removed, but he would only get to know that it worked by November of this year, and possibly see them in Season 6. Source link

For many people, getting caught in the rain evokes nostalgia, romance, and welcome relief from sweltering summer heat. However, dermatologists say urban rainwater is far from the pure, harmless shower many imagine. As raindrops fall through polluted city air, they can absorb industrial emissions, heavy metals, soot, and acidic chemicals, creating a mixture that may irritate the skin and compromise its natural protective barrier. The consequences can range from temporary redness and itching to contact dermatitis and, in rare cases, chemical burns. Ahead of the monsoon season, dermatologists explain how polluted rainwater affects the skin, the warning signs that shouldn`t be ignored, and the simple post-rain care steps that can help prevent irritation, rashes, and long-term barrier damage. ...

Indian actor Deepika Padukone`s journey while dealing with her mental health while suffering from anxiety and depression in the mid-2010s is known, but in a new video with PTI, her sister Anisha reveals how it changed the way she perceived mental health, and became personal for her.  Anisha, who is a professional golfer, said she was not aware enough about the signs and symptoms to be able to understand what her sister was really going through. It didn`t even help that they were both living in the same city. "I was really caught unaware and off guard. I felt like I knew enough about the topic but unfortunately, I didn`t. We were fortunate as a family to access mental healthcare and afford it but unfortunately, not everyone has that access and availability." Interestingly, the sister of o...

Doctors in Pune have successfully treated a newborn battling two of the most critical neonatal emergencies including Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) and Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC).  The operation, which was conducted at Ankura Hospital in Aundh, was led by the neonatal team of Dr Umesh Vaidya (HOD), Dr. Siddharth Madabhushi, and Dr. Anusha Rao, along with expert support from Dr. Bhakti Dhamangaonkar, Obstetrician, Dr. Ashish Banpurkar, Pediatric Cardiologist, and Dr. Abhijeet Benare, Pediatric Surgeon, working together to save the baby’s life.  From managing a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder to performing complex intestinal surgery, every step required precision and collaboration. This not only saved the newborn but also gave him a second chance at a healthy future. When t...

Currently, Mumbai doctors are seeing a surge in cases of brain tumours among adults aged 35-45 years. This trend can be attributed to diagnostic facilities, greater awareness, environmental factors, genetic predisposition, and lifestyle-related health challenges.  It is also why they say adults shouldn’t ignore persistent headaches, vision changes, seizures, or balance problems. Experts advise timely attention for symptoms such as constant headaches, vision changes, and seizures. Timely intervention is life-saving for the patients. Previously, brain tumours were commonly seen in the older population above 60 years of age. However, there is a shift in the trend now. Dr Nitin Dange, director - Interventional Neurologist and Neurosurgeon, Gleneagles Hospital in Parel, said, “Unfortunately, ...

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) said it has released ANCHOR (Atlas of Neurochemical Characterisation of the human brainstem with 3D Reconstruction), the world’s most detailed three‑dimensional atlas of the human brainstem. ANCHOR was developed by the Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre through its high throughput brain imaging and computing platform that transforms whole human brains into 3D cell-resolution atlases, the statement from IIT Madras said. ANCHOR comprises the most comprehensive, multimodal, 3D maps and atlases of the human brainstem to date spanning from prenatal period to childhood and adult brains. The researchers have made ANCHOR publicly available through a website to ensure that this cutting-edge research benefits researchers, clinicians and patien...

As obesity rates rise in India, doctors warn that many people may have a `cardiac age` significantly older than their actual age, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease much earlier than expected. The concern comes in the wake of findings from the National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6), which showed a sharp increase in obesity among Indian adults. The survey found that 30.7 per cent of women aged 15-49 years were overweight or obese in 2023-24, up from 24 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21), while the proportion among men rose from 22.9 per cent to 27.3 per cent. Experts said the trend, coupled with rising diabetes and hypertension, could translate into a greater burden of heart disease. Dr Nitish Naik, Professor of Cardiology at AIIMS, Delhi, said cardiac age is increasingly being used...