Health

More than 14 million children worldwide did not receive a single dose of any vaccine in 2024, according to new national immunisation coverage data released on Tuesday by the UN agencies World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The report showed that nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine last year, threatening to unwind decades of progress. More than 30 million children also remained under-protected against measles, leading to more large or disruptive outbreaks. In 2024, the number of countries experiencing large or disruptive measles outbreaks rose sharply to 60, nearly doubling from 33 in 2022. The report blamed limited access to immunisation services, disrupted supply, conflict, and instability, or misinfo...

Amid the ongoing controversy about the so-called advisory about the ‘samosa-jalebi’ carrying cigarette packet-like health warnings, celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has reacted to the news on social media. While there were several media reports about the claim, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Tuesday issued a fact check stating that display of `Sugar` and `Oil` boards is general advisory to make people aware of hidden fats and excess sugar in all food products, and not specifically to any particular food product.However, Diwekar reminds of an age-old health and nutrition factor that is often ignored and the need for people to pay attention to the food they consume in their every day life as it is the need of the hour.           View this post on Instagram ...

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects millions of men around the world and can significantly impact quality of life. As conversations around male sexual health become more open, the demand for effective and accessible treatments continues to grow. Among the many available options, one name has emerged as a leading contender: Kamagra. What Is Kamagra? Kamagra is an oral medication that contains sildenafil citrate—the same active ingredient found in Viagra. Originally developed as a generic alternative, Kamagra has gained widespread recognition for offering comparable results at a more affordable price point. Produced primarily by Ajanta Pharma in India, it comes in various forms, including tablets, effervescent tablets, and oral jelly. Its growing appeal isn’t solely about cost. Kamagra is o...

With the monsoon season in full swing, there has been a surge in gastric issues among both children and adults, say health experts. The rainy season is known to increase risk of certain infections like dengue, malaria, and typhoid, among others. It is also a time when the risk of contracting gastroenteritis and other gastric issues rises. Health experts are observing a surge in cases of stomach-related problems like diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain in both Mumbai and Pune. “In the last 3-4 weeks, seven out of ten children visited the OPD with abdominal distress, diarrhoea or vomiting,” reveals Dr Siddharth Madabhushi, consultant neonatologist and medical director at Ankura Hospital for Women & Children in Pune. Highlighting how children are more vulnerable to infections, he says,...

Dietary approaches like intermittent energy restriction (IER), time-restricted eating (TRE), and continuous energy restriction (CER) can all improve blood sugar levels and body weight in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a study. Although researchers identified improved HbA1c levels, and adverse events were similar across the three groups, the IER group showed greater advantages in reducing fasting blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering triglycerides, and strengthening adherence to the dietary interventions. IER typically involves periods of reduced calorie intake. It differs from intermittent fasting (IF) as it involves periods of complete or near-complete food abstinence. The research directly compared 5:2 intermittent energy restriction with 10-hou...

The recent move by the Ministry of Health to install sugar and oil boards in government offices as well as schools is an excellent step towards developing healthier workplaces and building a healthy India, said experts on Saturday. Taking to social media platform X, ICMR - National Institute of Nutrition informed that the Ministry of Health “has urged all govt offices to prominently display Sugar Boards” in the push for building healthier workplaces. The boards consist of informative posters and digital boards highlighting the harmful impacts of the amount of sugar and oil present in popular food items, including samosas, kachori, pizza, pakoras, banana chips, burgers, soft drinks, and chocolate pastries. It also displays the effects of these foods on the human body as well as shares th...

German researchers have developed two novel antibiotics that have shown promise for millions of patients with tuberculosis (TB), leading to lesser side effects than the currently available treatments.  The drugs, sutezolid, and delpazolid, have demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity and a notably better safety profile compared to the currently used linezolid, with the potential to replace this current cornerstone in the treatment of drug-resistant TB. Two international clinical studies on the antibiotics published in two peer-reviewed articles in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases showed that both sutezolid and delpazolid are safe, effective, and potential alternatives to linezolid in the treatment of TB. “Seeing fewer side effects with sutezolid and delpazolid is a signific...

Intermittent fasting, a buzzword that refuses to die down unlike other fleeting diet trends, is popularly believed to be an effective eating pattern for weight management. It is also said to have potential benefits for digestive health and metabolic functions. People who follow this pattern regularly cycle between periods of eating and voluntary fasting. This is usually adopted in different ways like restricted eating time (for example: 8 hours eating, 16 hours fasting), alternative-day fasting or the 5:2 approach (unrestricted eating for 5 days and restricting calories on 2 non-consecutive days). While most diets focus on ‘what’ one eats, this method delivers health benefits based on ‘when’ one eats. According to a recent study published in the BMJ journal, intermittent fasting was fou...

A team of scientists in Australia, led by those of Indian origin, has developed a new once-a-week injectable drug that could transform the lives of more than eight million people living with Parkinson`s disease, potentially replacing the need for multiple daily tablets.  Frequent dosing is a burden, especially for elderly patients or those with swallowing difficulties, leading to inconsistent medication levels, more side effects, and reduced effectiveness. To address this, the team from the University of South Australia (UniSA) developed a long-acting injectable formulation that delivers a steady dose of levodopa and carbidopa -- two key medications for Parkinson`s -- over an entire week. The biodegradable formulation is injected under the skin or into muscle tissue, where it gradually ...

While there are rights for people with disabilities, parents or caregivers are often faced with stress that can significantly affect their physical, mental, and financial conditions, finds a study by researchers from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, on Thursday. The study suggests providing parents or caregivers raising a child with developmental disabilities like autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with proper support systems for their well-being. Published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, the team investigated how the continuous demands of caregiving impact parent’s physical health, ultimately affecting their overall quality of life. The research showed that raising children with developmental disabilities presents...