Health

Bangladesh`s health sector, shaped over decades, risks being undone within years unless corrective steps are taken, a report has highlighted. According to Bangladesh`s leading newspaper `The Daily Star`, the current measles vaccine crisis in the South Asian nation is not merely an isolated disruption but reflects institutional weakening, with national vaccination coverage dropping to around 60 per cent in 2025 – the lowest in nearly a decade – from 85-92 per cent between 2010 and 2022. "Bangladesh`s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) has long been one of the country`s most celebrated public health successes. Built on sustained government commitment, strong development partnerships, and a vast network of frontline health workers, it delivered consistently high coverage and sharply r...

There is clear evidence that exposure to micro and nanoplastics can trigger oxidative stress, fibrogenesis and inflammation in animals, features that resemble those of advanced liver disease in humans, researchers said on Thursday.  With the liver acting as the body’s first major firewall, processing and detoxifying everything humans consume, there is a clear potential for these particles to enable the transporting of microbial pathogens, antimicrobial resistance determinants, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and carcinogenic additives into the human system, they emphasised in the Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology journal. The article’s lead author, Shilpa Chokshi, Professor of Experimental Hepatology and Director of Centre of Environmental Hepatology, said that liver disea...

For the modern professional, a sudden fever is usually dismissed as a seasonal nuisance—a viral that a couple of paracetamols and a day in bed will fix. We operate on a logic of convenience, assuming that if we aren`t sick enough to be bedridden, we aren`t in danger.  However, as people around the globe observe World Malaria Day on April 25, medical experts remind us that when it comes to health, convenience is a gamble. The scale of the threat remains significant.  According to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2025, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024. While India has made incredible strides, the disease remains a persistent predator. As Dr Aravinda G M, consultant of internal medicine at Manipal Hospital, Kanakapura ...

Chronic stress can disrupt bowel functions and now, a new report on Thursday suggested that eating late at night amplifies these effects, with implications for both digestive health and the gut microbiome.  Researchers analysed data from more than 11,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US to examine links between chronic stress, late-night eating, and bowel dysfunction. Individuals with a high allostatic load score — the cumulative physiological stress as reflected in body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, and blood pressure — who also reported eating more than 25 per cent of daily calories after 9 pm were 1.7 times more likely to experience constipation and diarrhoea than those with lower scores who did not eat late at night. "It’s not jus...

US health officials on Thursday greenlit a first-of-its-kind gene therapy to treat a rare form of hereditary hearing loss, a breakthrough which could pave the way for other such hearing impairment treatments. Two to three of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a hearing impairment, and it is estimated that more than half of these cases of early-onset hearing loss are caused by genetic mutations. Developed by the American biotechnology company Regeneron, the treatment known as Otarmeni targets a rare form of hearing loss which affects around 50 newborns a year in the US. It will be available for children and adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss caused by certain mutations in the OTOF gene, which encodes a protein critical for transmitting auditory signals from ...

High levels of ultraviolet radiation have been recorded across Kerala over the past 24 hours, the KSDMA said on Friday. As per data shared by the authority, UV levels above eight, warranting an orange alert, were reported at Konni in Pathanamthitta, Chengannur in Alappuzha, Changanassery in Kottayam and Munnar in Idukki. In addition, UV levels between six and seven, corresponding to a yellow alert, were recorded at 10 locations across the state. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can cause sunburn, skin diseases, eye problems and other health issues, the authority said. According to the advisory by Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, peak UV levels are usually recorded between 10 am and 3 pm, and people are urged to avoid direct sunlight exposure during these hours as much as possib...

At a time when post-baby bodies are still judged by how quickly they “bounce back”, Sucheta Pal, an advocate for women`s health, aims to have a conversation about health and fitness.  Following the success of her pioneering Mom.Bod.Strong programme, Pal has now embarked on The Mom.Bod.Strong Festival titled Rani Tour, which is said to be India`s first pan-city fitness and wellness experience built exclusively for active mothers.  Designed for mothers balancing ambition, family, health, and self, the festival tour brings a curated two-hour movement experience to five major Indian cities: Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Ahmedabad.  In India, structured maternal fitness and recovery frameworks are still largely overlooked, with most women navigating physical and hormonal changes w...

Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar is known to give practical solutions to everyday food consumption. At a time when people are constantly concerned about their health, and are conveniently making their own decisions about their diet, she highlights the importance of iron and haemoglobin. In a post on Instagram, the celebrity nutritionist shares, "Anaemia is the biggest nutritional deficiency that we face as a country with 3 out of 4 women having low dietary iron intake. Fatigue, weakness, irritability, hair loss, menstrual discomfort, dull skin, are some of the common symptoms. A wholesome diet that is nutritious and diverse, helps prevent this and also keeps Hb levels in a good range. Here’s to good food and to a good life." In a video along with the post, Rujuta Diwekar recommends ...

Prioritising public health and patient safety, the Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drug Control, Rajasthan, has issued an alert regarding seven medicines and declared them “Not of Standard Quality” following laboratory testing conducted between April 1 and April 15, 2026, prompting immediate regulatory action across the state.  Acting on the findings, the Drug Controller has directed all Drug Control Officers across Rajasthan to immediately withdraw the identified batches from circulation and initiate strict action under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Commissioner Dr. T. Shubhamangala stated that the department conducts regular inspections, sampling, and quality surveillance to ensure that only safe, effective, and compliant medicines reach the public and healthc...

Pakistan has the world`s highest number of Hepatitis C (HCV) patients due to negligence and unchecked medical culture which enables more than 600,000 quack doctors to practice all over the country. Combined with Hepatitis B (HBV), 13.8-15 million Pakistanis are believed to be living with either virus and only 25-30 per cent people actually know about it, a report has highlighted.  "The healthcare system of Pakistan is currently in such a state that it sometimes punishes citizens for seeking treatment. Many people walk into a hospital seeking affordable medical care and, unbeknownst to them, walk out carrying a highly dangerous viral infection. More often than not, they find out too late. The reuse of syringes, unsafe blood transfusions and improper sterilisation practices are unfortunatel...