Health

Between 2010 and 2024, India achieved 48.7 per cent decline in annual new HIV infections, 81.4 per cent reduction in AIDS-related deaths and 74.6 per cent decline in mother-to-child HIV transmission, the government said on Sunday, ahead of the `World AIDS Day 2025`.  India continues to demonstrate substantial progress under the current phase of the National AIDS Control Programme. “HIV testing increased from 4.13 crore (2020–21) to 6.62 crore (2024–25); access to antiretroviral treatment rose from 14.94 lakh to 18.60 lakh PLHIV; and viral load testing nearly doubled from 8.90 lakh to 15.98 lakh in the same period,” said the Health Ministry. These outcomes surpass global averages and reflect India’s leadership, sustained domestic investment, evidence-based strategies, and robust communit...

Researchers in Australia have identified a drug that can help overcome treatment resistance in relapsed neuroblastoma -- the deadly childhood cancer.  The discovery could improve neuroblastoma treatment -- the most common solid tumour in children outside the brain -- which currently claims nine out of 10 young patients who experience recurrence, Xinhua news agency reported According to Australia`s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the drug combination can bypass the cellular defences these tumours develop that lead to relapse. The team showed that the approved lymphoma drug -- romidepsin -- triggers neuroblastoma cell death via alternative pathways, bypassing blocked routes to improve chemotherapy-resistant cases in children. Researchers found standard chemotherapy drugs rely on th...

The Indian wedding—a multi-day spectacle of colour, tradition, and family reunion, has by all means turned into a lavish production. From the dazzling decor to the multi-cuisine fare, every detail is significant and seemingly demands endless attention. But what happens when the pressure to deliver the `Big Fat Indian Wedding` goes beyond the budget and starts taxing the bride`s mental health?While every shaadi, as it is called India, is meant to be a joyous occasion, the reality of planning often feels more like navigating a high-stakes, social media-fuelled obstacle course. From family politics over the guest list to the paralysing pursuit of Instagram-perfect aesthetics, the modern Indian bride is often caught in a whirlwind of impossible expectations.  Experts delve into the unique men...

An international team of scientists has found compelling evidence that early-infancy infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) significantly increases the risk of developing childhood asthma.  The risk is especially higher in children with a family history of allergy or asthma. The study, published in the Science Immunology journal, suggests that protecting newborns against RSV could substantially reduce asthma cases later in life. "Childhood asthma is a complex disease with many contributing factors," said Prof. Bart Lambrecht from VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and Ghent University in Belgium. "We found that early-life RSV infection and genetic allergy risk interact in a very specific way that pushes the immune system toward asthma. The encouraging news is that...

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday called on countries to strengthen access to affordable and science-based care to people facing infertility.  The WHO defines infertility as the failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Estimated to affect 1 in 6 people of reproductive age at some point in their lives, infertility can cause significant distress, stigma, and financial hardship, affecting people’s mental and psychosocial well-being. In its first-ever global guideline for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility, the global health body urged for safer, fairer, and more affordable fertility care. The guideline includes 40 recommendations that seek to strengthen the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infer...

 The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has released an eight-report highlighting a concerning trend of increasing antibiotic resistance in Indian hospitals. According to the report, antibiotic-resistant bacteria have increased by 91 pct over the past few years, rendering many drugs ineffective. The report`s key findings are based on an analysis of 99,027 culture-positive samples, taken from hospitals across the country between January and December 2024. According to the report, Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are responsible for most infections, which are particularly concerning due to their rapid development of antibiotic resistance. "Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) remained the most commonly isolated pathogens from most clinically relevant samples, like blood, urine, CSF, and respir...

Even as cities and urban spaces are getting more polluted, a new technology developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) can help keep city streets clean and also eliminate harmful airborne dust.  The dust from the streets has been among the biggest contributors to air pollution in cities. Inhaling this dust, particularly fine particles called PM2.5, is known to lead to health problems ranging from asthma and cough to other lung diseases. In India, road sweeping is mainly done by long broomsticks- the job is not only labour-intensive but also exposes sweepers to dangerous dust. While there are large machines available in the market, they tend to be costly and cannot easily venture into tight lanes or crowded places. The innovative device is an easy...

Scientists at the S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) framework that could change how we understand and treat cancer, and also pave the way for personalised therapies,  the Ministry of Science and Technology said on Wednesday.  The framework, developed in collaboration with Ashoka University, gives a new lens to look at cancer -- not by its size or spread alone, but by its molecular personality. “Cancer is not just a disease of growing tumours -- it is powered by a set of hidden biological programmes called the hallmarks of cancer. These hallmarks explain how healthy cells turn malignant: how they spread, evade the immune system, and resist treatment,” the Ministry said. While for decades, doctors have relied on staging systems like TNM...

Children in India districts that are highly vulnerable to climate change could be 25 per cent more likely to be underweight, compared to those in less vulnerable districts, indicating how climate vulnerability can impact public health outcomes, a study has found. Districts highly vulnerable to climate change consistently underperform on achieving health targets, such as stunting and problems accessing healthcare, compared to less vulnerable districts, the study published in the journal PLOS one said. Researchers from Delhi`s Institute of Economic Growth said that with 80 per cent of India`s population living in areas highly vulnerable to extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods and heatwaves, risks due to climate change could undermine the country`s progress on several Sustainable...

Integrating palliative care into the public health system can help universalise access and improve healthcare, according to a study.  Palliative care is a branch of medicine that aims to prevent and relieve the physical, social, and spiritual suffering of patients suffering from chronic life-limiting illnesses and their caregivers. The World Health Organisation defines palliative care as ‘an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness’. The study showed that nearly 7-10 million people require palliative care in India, but less than 4 per cent have access to it. "With rising burden of chronic diseases in the country and associated suffering, there is an urgent need to imp...