Strengthening Food Safety: National Consultation on Pesticide Residue Monitoring Strengthening Food Safety: National Consultation on Pesticide Residue Monitoring Content Editor: Dr. Anamika March 11, 2025 Press Information Bureau, India Food safety, monitoring, sustainable agriculture Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav inaugurated the National Stakeholder Consultation on Pesticide Residues and emphasized the need for stricter monitoring and sustainable agricultural practices. The consultation, organized by FSSAI, focused on pesticide risks, regulatory challenges, and food safety . Discussions highlighted sustainable alternatives, such as bio-pesticides and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Officials stressed the importance of robust surveillance and regulatory enforcement. They also emphasized the need to harmonize India’s M aximum R esidue L imits (MRLs ) with global standards. Enhancing farmer education and implementing digital traceability solutions were key priorities. It also focused on aligning with global food safety standards and promoting sustainable agriculture.

Public Health Daily News Snippets WHO Bulletin Releases Special Edition on Traditional Medicine Ahead of Global Summit The WHO Bulletin published its first special issue on traditional medicine since 1977, featuring research and policy analyses. This release precedes the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine scheduled for December 2025 in New Delhi. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Global Health, Traditional Medicine Integration Read More Global Summit in Geneva Intensified Efforts to Curb Toxic Mercury Pollution A major international conference was held in Geneva from 3rd to 7th November 2025 to strengthen the global fight against mercury pollution . Delegates collaborated to accelerate the phase-out of this toxic metal from products and industrial processes, aiming to protect human health and the environment. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : United Nations Environmental Health, International Policy Read More Fitness & Nation-Building: Insights from the National Fitness & Wellness Conclave 2025 The first-ever National Fitness & Wellness Conclave 2025 in Mumbai brought together policymakers, athletes, and industry leaders to reaffirm one message: India’s progress towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047 depends on how seriously we take fitness today. With icons from sports and cinema joining the conversation, the conclave highlighted fitness as both a cultural shift and a public health necessity. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fit India Movement, Physical Activity, Non-Communicable Diseases, Viksit Bharat Read More Global Evidence Review of the Inequality- Pandemic Cycle: UNAIDS report The UNAIDS established the “Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemic ” in 2023. Its report “Breaking the inequality-pandemic cycle ” released in November 2025 is based on evidence from more than 1500 peer-reviewed literature and reports from government agencies and research institutions across multiple pandemics and its own empirical studies over the past 2 years. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 2025 Pandemic preparedness, Social inequality, Global Health Read More Decomposition Analysis of Factors Driving Global Maternal Mortality Reduction A new Lancet Global Health paper highlights evidence that combining family planning with quality maternity services has driven a 41% global decline in maternal deaths since 2000. The study shows how contraception alone prevented more than 77,000 maternal deaths in 2023. Published on : Friday, November 28, 2025 Source : The Lancet Global Health Maternal Health, Reproductive & Sexual Health, Gender Equality, Family Planning, Declining Global Maternal Mortality Read More Delhi’s Air Quality Sees Noticeable Improvement: CAQM 2025 Report The 2025 update from the C ommission for A ir Q uality M anagement (CAQM ) highlights significant enhancements in Delhi's air quality and a marked reduction in stubble-burning incidents in nearby states. The report offers data-backed evidence of collaborative efforts to reduce pollution through the use of cleaner fuels, improved waste management, and more stringent regulatory measures. Published on : Tuesday, November 18, 2025 Source : Press Information Bureau, New Delhi Air Pollution, Environmental Health, Public Health Policy Read More Genomic Collaboration for a Safer Future: India and Italy Unite for Pandemic Preparedness The International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) round table in New Delhi emphasized the power of genomic research and collaboration in strengthening pandemic preparedness. Experts called for sustained global surveillance and rapid translation of genomic data to safeguard public health. Published on : Friday, November 14, 2025 Source : Press Information Bureau, New Delhi Genomic Surveillance, Pandemic Readiness Read More WHO Unveils Global Agenda to Strengthen Paediatric Clinical Trials The World Health Organization has unveiled a new global research agenda to close gaps in evidence on child health. It prioritizes equitable, high-impact paediatric trials to ensure that treatments for children are safe, effective, and grounded in sound science. Published on : Friday, November 14, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Health Research, Pediatric Health, Clinical Trials Read More WHO refutes Tylenol-Autism Link: Urges Evidence-Based Care A statement by the current US President, which linked Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism, prompted an immediate response from the World Health Organization. The WHO clarified that no scientific evidence supports this claim and urged reliance on medical guidance. Published on : Friday, November 14, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Maternal and Child Health, Health Communication, Global Health Governance Read More 2025 Lancet Countdown Report on Climate Change and Health Impacts of climate inaction have led to a 23% increase in heat-related deaths since the 1990s. Food insecurity affected 124 million more people due to extreme weather in 2023, with losses reaching $1.35 trillion. Addressing climate change has prevented 160,000 premature deaths from coal pollution and supported 16 million jobs in renewable energy. With COP30 ahead, WHO, along with member states, plans to emphasize climate action and a swift transition away from fossil fuels. Published on : Friday, November 7, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Climate change, food insecurity, Sustainability Read More WHO Introduces New Global Framework to Enhance National Health Emergency Response The World Health Organization has unveiled a new global guide, the National Health Emergency Alert and Response Framework, to bolster countries' readiness for health crises. Developed from lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides a standardized approach for managing emergencies. Published on : Friday, November 7, 2025 Source : World Health Organization Global Health Security, Emergency Preparedness Read More Training Modules to Strengthen Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Response in India The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has introduced three specialized training modules to enhance India’s capacity for managing chemical emergencies. This initiative aims to build a skilled, coordinated response system across healthcare and disaster management sectors. 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Deviations in prescriptions: An Indian tertiary care perspective Deviations in prescriptions: An Indian tertiary care perspective Content Editor: Shayari July 6, 2024 Indian Journal of Medical Research Rational Drug Prescription, Patient Safety A cross-sectional study was conducted across 13 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR ) Rational Use of Medicines Centres . Outpatient prescriptions were assessed for completeness and adherence to standard treatment guidelines (STGs ). The study examines the prevalence of deviations from treatment guidelines in prescriptions across Indian tertiary care hospitals and explores their potential consequences. Irrational prescribing practices can negatively impact patient safety and increase economic burden. Unacceptable deviations were classified as those with potential for drug interactions, lack of response, increased cost, preventable adverse drug reactions, or antimicrobial resistance. The results of the study are as follows: Of the 4838 prescriptions analyzed, 9.8% had unacceptable deviations. Community medicine outpatient departments had the highest percentage of unacceptable deviations (24.66%), followed by ENT (13.22%) and Pediatrics (10.79%). The most common diagnoses associated with these deviations were upper respiratory tract infections (URTI ) and hypertension . Pantoprazole was the drug most frequently prescribed inappropriately, followed by the combination of rabeprazole + domperidone and oral enzyme preparations . The most common potential consequences of the observed deviations were increased cost (63%) and a higher probability of adverse drug reactions (53%). While overall adherence to STGs was observed (55%), the unacceptable deviation rate highlights a need for targeted interventions. Physician recommendations include implementing online training on rational prescribing , issuing administrative orders for STG adherence, and providing prescriber feedback. Click here to read more.

Report addressing misinformation about science Report addressing misinformation about science Content Editor: Dr Soundhar February 19, 2025 HARVARD T.H.CHAN school Of Public Health Misinformation, Health Policy, Health Research Research on misinformation is being done in many disciplines, with each offering its definitions. It’s also important to note that the claims that are tagged as misinformation can evolve over time as new evidence accumulates. There are many sources of misinformation, and sometimes misinformation may be unintentional too. So, most of the work on the impact of misinformation focused on harm to individuals and much less to society. Intervention should be designed along four points, which resupply, demand, distribution and uptake , though most of the evidence comes from intervention on uptake of misinformation. Attention needs to be given to institutional aspects and to build capacity and capability to generate accurate information and to increase its supply, then to focus on censoring inaccurate information.

Partial resistance to Artemisinin - a major setback in malaria treatment Partial resistance to Artemisinin - a major setback in malaria treatment Content Editor: Dr Sumana Mukhopadhyay September 12, 2023 cidrap.cpm research, malaria, drug resistance A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at yearly surveillance of uncomplicated malaria cases caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite in Uganda from 2016 to 2022. The researchers looked at the occurrence of mutations in the kelch protein K13 (pfK13), which can lead to partial resistance to artemisinin, a key component in malaria treatment in Africa. The study revealed that by 2021-2022, over 20% of parasites in 11 out of 16 districts showed resistance markers. Notably, mutations 469Y and 675V were prevalent in northern Uganda, while 469F was prominent in southwestern Uganda. Other variants, such as 561H and 441L, have become more common in southwestern and western Uganda. Multiple PfK13 mutations, comprising five resistance indicators, have become more common. The authors caution that these genetic alterations could affect malaria treatment in Uganda, citing southeast asia's experience with artemisinin resistance. They highlighted the need for better understanding and strategies for drug resistance prevention.

Mid line assessment of SDG in India: failure in 19 indicators Mid line assessment of SDG in India: failure in 19 indicators Content Editor: Dr. Rajat Sharma July 24, 2023 The Lancet Global indicators, SDG, Sustainable development, Targets, Mid term assessment According to a recent study published in The Lancet, 19 out of 33 SDG indicators are not being met in India. Access to Basic Services, Wasting and Overweight Children, Anemia, Child Marriage, Partner Violence, Tobacco Use, and Modern Contraceptive Use were the most important off-target indicators. The lagging states are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Odisha. The study recommended a more targeted strategy for achieving No Poverty (SDG 1), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), and Gender Equality (SDG 5).

Assessment of the utility of the Globorisk Chart Assessment of the utility of the Globorisk Chart Content Editor: Dr. Tanya Tanu April 9, 2024 Indian Journal of Community Medicine Globorisk Chart, Cardiovascular Diseases, Non-Communicable Diseases The Globorisk chart assesses the risk of heart attack or stroke in healthy individuals using parameters such as a person’s country of residence, age, sex, smoking, diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol to predict the chance that they will have a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. Two separate Globorisk charts, one for laboratory use and another for office use , are available. The objective of the study by Kar et al was to categorize patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) using the Globorisk chart to predict their risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular disease (CVD) event within the next ten years. The study also aimed to find the percent agreement between the Globorisk chart and the WHO/ISH chart. The study was conducted in 2018 and included 760 adults attending the NCD clinic of one rural and one urban primary health center in Puducherry. The Globorisk chart's laboratory and office risk calculators were used to calculate the risk. Using the Globorisk prediction chart, the study predicted that 22.1% (n = 168) of the participants had less than 10% risk for any CVD event in the next 10 years. However, when the WHO/ISH chart was used, the same risk was found in 71.1% (n = 540) of the individuals. The study also found no agreement between the two risk charts (k = 0.0174; P-value = 0.26). In conclusion, the study found that the Globorisk chart identified more patients as belonging to the higher risk category compared to the WHO charts. Click here to read more

Health Ministry's heat wave and fire safety meeting: States gear up for a sweltering summer Health Ministry's heat wave and fire safety meeting: States gear up for a sweltering summer Content Editor: Dr. Prachi June 22, 2024 Press Information Bureau Climate change, Heat wave Dr. Atul Goel led a virtual meeting with States and UTs to assess heat waves and fire/electrical safety preparedness in healthcare facilities . States were urged to ensure dedicated heat stroke facilities, ORS corners, and bolstered surveillance. They were also tasked with enforcing critical fire and electrical safety measures in healthcare facilities. IMD forecasted above-normal temperatures for June 2024, prompting proactive measures. Directives issued include health system preparedness guidelines, public advisories, emergency cooling protocols, and autopsy guidelines. States/UTs urged the implementation of heat action plans, enhanced surveillance, and staff training. Detailed steps covering health facility resilience, fire safety, and mock drills were discussed. States like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and others have initiated awareness campaigns, mock drills, and allocated resources for safety measures . Click here to read more.