Health

Infant mortality rate (IMR) in the country has touched a record low of 25, a sharp dip of 37.5 per cent from 40 in 2013, according to the Sample Registration System report for 2023 issued by the Registrar General of India. IMR is a key public health indicator defined as number of deaths of children per 1,000 live births under one year -- the lower the number the better the health accessibility. According to the SRS 2023 report, which took into account the data for 2023, IMR has registered a dramatic 80 per cent decline from 129 in 1971. It shows that Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest levels of IMR in the country at 37. The lowest was Manipur at 3. Kerala was the only of the 21 large states which reported a single digit IMR of 5. It is second in the coun...

A 39-year-old man from Meerut battling dilated cardiomyopathy got a new lease of life after a donor heart travelled from Chandigarh to the national capital in just an hour and 55 minutes through multiple green corridors. The life-saving transplant was carried out on August 26 at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where doctors replaced the patient`s failing heart with the donor organ. The transportation across two states ensured the heart arrived in optimal condition, significantly improving the chances of success, hospital officials said Wednesday. The patient had been suffering from severe mitral valve leakage and worsening breathing difficulties for the past four years, requiring multiple ICU admissions. After being registered with the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)...

As September marks PCOS Awareness Month, experts have voiced concern over its growing prevalence and impact on women`s health, especially as stigma and lack of awareness delay diagnosis. Globally, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 6-26 per cent of women, and in India, nearly 1 in 5 young women. Despite being among the most common hormonal disorders, it often goes undiagnosed. Alarmingly, nearly 70 per cent of cases remain unidentified, experts said. PCOS is a hormonal disorder causing irregular periods, weight gain, acne, excess hair growth and infertility. Often marked by fluid-filled sacs on the ovaries, it extends beyond reproductive issues, increasing risks of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even endometrial cancer. Dr Yashica Gudesar, Direct...

Mpox no longer represents a global public health emergency, the WHO said Friday, following a steady decline in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other affected countries. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in August 2024 after a two-pronged mpox epidemic broke out, primarily in the DRC. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lifted the status following Thursday`s quarterly meeting of the UN health agency`s emergency committee on the mpox outbreak. "This decision is based on sustained declines in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in other affected countries, including Burundi, Sierra Leone and Uganda," he told a press conference. Tedros said there was now a better understanding...

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality in India, causing nearly 31 per cent of deaths, according to the latest data presented by the Sample Registration Survey under the Registrar General of India. The Report on Causes of Death: 2021-2023, issued on Wednesday, said non-communicable diseases are the leading causes of death in the country, constituting 56.7 per cent of all deaths. "Communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions constitute another 23.4 per cent of deaths. In the 2020-2022 (affected by COVID) period, the corresponding values were 55.7 per cent and 24.0 per cent, respectively," it said. The report said that overall cardiovascular disease remained the leading cause of death, claiming nearly 31 per cent of lives, followed by respiratory inf...

Pune doctors are observing a spike in enquiries about egg freezing. Many women in their late 20s-35s are coming forward, seeking clarity on the process, benefits, and suitability.  Experts call it a positive shift, as egg freezing gives women the option to plan motherhood according to their personal and professional timelines. Now, it is seen as a practical tool to preserve fertility and reduce age-related risks. Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a procedure where a woman’s eggs are collected, frozen, and stored for future use. When a woman is ready to conceive, these eggs can be thawed, fertilised with sperm, and implanted in the uterus. Dr Preethika Shetty, consultant - Obstetrician, Gynecologist & Infertility specialist, Motherhood Hospitals in Kharadi explains, “We ha...

A Thane hospital recently successfully treated an elderly man with a rare and challenging case of NMDA receptor positive autoimmune encephalitis.  The condition, typically seen in young women with underlying ovarian teratomas, is exceptionally uncommon in elderly males, making this case a significant milestone by treating the 73-year-old successfully at Jupiter Hospital. The patient, who had a history of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), and carcinoma bladder (post-TURP), presented severe neurological symptoms including headache, confusion, drowsiness, and orofacial dyskinetic movements.  Initial investigations, including CT and MRI scans, ruled out acute infarct or bleed. Further testing confirmed NMDA receptor positive autoimmune encephalitis (both CSF and serum). The patie...

Women reported the highest incidence of cancers in India, while the risk of death was more among men, according to a study led by the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, Indian Council of Medical Research.  The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, is based on 708,223 cancer cases and 206,457 mortality cases reported from 43 population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) between 2015 and 2019. Over 50 per cent of cancer incidences were reported among women, compared to 49 per cent in men. On the other hand, mortality was reported more among males (55 per cent) than females (45 per cent). The most common cancers in males consisted of mouth cancer (113,249), followed by lung cancer (74,763), and prostate cancer (49,998). Among females, the most common cancers w...

Mumbaikars love their street food and the beauty of the city being a melting pot of cultures automatically means there is every kind of street food. From the local vada pav to the samosa, along with jalebis and even dabeli pav, but not without its south Indian delicacies. With a rich history of South Indian food in the city, medu vadas have become a preferred breakfast or snack item that often turns into a meal too for many people in the city.  The Union Health Ministry highlighted the need for people to pay attention to their health and nutrition in street foods like samosas and jalebis some time ago, but many people did not like it. While the access to these snacks is one reason, their love for them is another, but ask Mumbai dietitians about their health quotient, and there’s more to s...

In today’s fast-paced, round-the-clock work culture, night shifts have become routine for many individuals. While this may seem like a career necessity, it can also hurt fertility. Frequent night shifts can disturb hormonal balance, reduce sperm quality in men, and affect ovulation in women, making it harder to conceive naturally. Night shifts disturb the body`s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates hormone production, metabolism, and sleep. Irregular sleep patterns can lead to a spike in stress hormones, insulin resistance, and imbalances in reproductive hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These disruptions not only increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, and mood disorders, but also are linked to growing infertility issues in both sexes. Dr Rita M...