Transforming India’s approach to cancer care
In India, a country with a vast population and a diverse socio-economic fabric, healthcare remains fraught with challenges including disparities in access. These socio-economic disparities are deep, and
In India, a country with a vast population and a diverse socio-economic fabric, healthcare remains fraught with challenges including disparities in access. These socio-economic disparities are deep, and
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has set a deadline of 10 days for the state government to formulate bylaws for governing the mobile phone towers. The court passed the order on Wednesday while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) over the health hazards due radiation of these towers. Within the same duration of next 10 days, the government would have to remove mobile phone towers installed on all school buildings and hospitals in the state. In addition to this, the government has to conduct a survey (also in 10 days) and tell the court about the number of cancer patients who are living within the vicinity of cellphone towers.
With non-communicable diseases (NCDs) expected to rise in years to come, the Planning Commission, in its proposed health chapter for the 12th Plan, has recommended a package of policy interventions for the escalating threat of NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases which will emerge as major killers. The experts have proposed interventions like raising taxes on tobacco, salt reduction in processed foods, early detection and effective control of high blood pressure, diabetes, screening for common and treatable cancers etc.
In the wake of references being made to investigate the health issues of mine workers, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) proposes to establish a statutory authority. Cancer, tuberculosis, silicosis, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders and pulmonary function impairment such as asthma affect mine workers. The proposed authority will coordinate with the Ministries and authorities concerned for taking administrative, legal and medical action.
The Delhi high court on Friday directed a committee of experts to frame guidelines to prevent rampant use of banned pesticides in vegetables and fruits and submit its report to it. The division bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Vipin Sanghi sought the report from the committee by October 8 for framing a policy for periodic checks to detect residue of pesticides in vegetables and fruits. The bench expressed displeasure over the committee for not holding its meetings frequently to decide the guidelines. “There has been hardly any progress to the status report. In two months, only two meetings have been held. It’s not acceptable to us.
Days after the US mandated that the drinks containing a certain level of carcinogens will have to bear a cancer warning, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked its scientific panel to study the content of the beverages in India to see if the same warning is required here as well. Recently, California added to its list of cancer causing chemicals a commonly used flavoured soda beverages, mandate containing a certain level of carcinogens bear a cancer warning label. While the ingredients’ modifications were made by the beverage companies in the US caramel colouring using ammonia-sulfite in their sodas after the state of California added ammonia sulfite or 4-MI to its list of known carcinogens. The FSSAI has asked their experts to study the same. “This is a recent warning being put out.
Rampant illegal mining conducted in Sandur taluk of Bellary district has caused an enormous damage to the environment, health of human beings and animals over the last decade, a recent study has revealed. According to a study conducted by Cerana Foundation, a Hyderabad-based non-government organisation, air pollution had affected crop and milk yields significantly. “Yields of maize, a major crop in this area, dropped to one-third of what it was 10 years ago from 62-74 quintal per hectare 10 years ago to 20-25 quintals per hectare as on day.
Jaipur: The alleged threat of radiation from mobile towers has now made the high court look up. The Rajasthan high court, while hearing a case related to heath hazards due to mobile tower radiations on Thursday, demanded statistics from the state government on the number of cancer patients undergoing treatment and those who have died in Jaipur. The data, along with steps taken to address public concern over the radiation, has been sought by August 16.
Jaipur: The Rajasthan high court, while hearing a case related to heath hazards due to mobile tower radiations, on Thursday sought data from the state on the number of cancer patients undergoing treatment
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Telecommunication on a pubic interest litigation seeking a direction to remove mobile phone towers from residential premises and public places and ban their installation at these sites in future. A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw asked the Ministry and the Department to file replies to the petition by August 9, the next date of hearing.
The recently-announced "free drugs for all" initiative by the Centre could lead to the long-pending national pharmaceutical policy getting cleared. In 2002, the Supreme Court had struck down the policy