Government upheld the validity of guidelines on blood donor selection Government upheld the validity of guidelines on blood donor selection Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti March 13, 2023 Bar and Bench Public Health Laws and Regulations, Blood Transfusion, NACO A transgender rights activist raised a PIL in 2021 challenging the constitutional validity of "Guidelines on Blood Donor Selection and Blood Donor Referral, 2017 " issued by NACO and the National Transfusion Council, which prohibits transgender persons, men who have sex with men and female sex workers from donating blood or plasma as they are considered ' at risk of ' HIV, Hepatitis B or C infection. On March 11, 2023, Union Health Ministry filed an affidavit requesting the dismissal of the plea to the supreme court, putting public health responsibility above individual rights . Because of the limitation of tests in preventing infection via donated blood , providing safe blood to the transfusion recipient is deemed more important than the individual's right to donate blood. The Government supported its statement with substantial clinical evidence to prove the exclusion of the above categories of persons in the guidelines. Refer to the guidelines - Click here

12-Headlines of the day (All) Public Health News Snippets 20 - 25th March, 2023 ICMR issues new guidelines for management of COVID-19 in adults The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued new guidelines which limits the use of antibiotics in the treatment of COVID-19 (unless there is a suspicion of bacterial infection) amid the increasing cases of H3N2 flu and a rise in COVID-19 infections in the country. The guidelines also state that drugs such as Lopinavir-ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, Molnupiravir, Favipiravir, Azithromycin, and Doxycycline and treatments like Convalescent Plasma Therapy should not be used for the treatment of adult COVID-19 patients. In moderate or severe diseases at high risk of progression, Remdesivir may be considered for up to five days. In rapidly progressing moderate or severe disease, Tocilizumab should be considered preferably within 24-48 hours of the onset of severe disease/ICU admission. People are advised to maintain physical distancing , use masks indoors and follow hand hygiene. Symptomatic management and monitoring of temperature and oxygen saturation are advised along with seeking immediate medical attention in case of difficulty breathing, high-grade fever/severe cough, particularly if lasting for more than 5 days. Download the latest guidelines on COVID-19 - click here Content Editor: Dr. Sangya Chaudhary Indian Council of Medical Research Source : Published on : Saturday, March 25, 2023 COVID 19, ICMR Guidelines WHO flagship Initiative on Tuberculosis launched on World TB Day On World TB Day, WHO launched the Director General's Flagship Initiative to end TB, "Universal access to TB prevention and care: Towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) 2023-2027 " following the 2023 "UN High-Level Meeting on TB". Building upon the strategy of 2018 to find, and treat, this initiative will focus on universal access to TB treatment, Rapid diagnostic tests, and Preventive management to all. Financial risk protection to provide equal access to health and social benefits . Licensing at least one new TB vaccine. Sustained and adequate financial support for TB services and research . This year's theme on World TB Day is 'Yes! We can end TB! '. Further reading - Click here Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti WHO News section Source : Published on : Saturday, March 25, 2023 End TB, World TB Day 2023, Infectious Disease United Nations celebrates World Water Day - 22nd March 2023 World Water Day 2023 focuses on accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis . In 2015, the world committed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 to achieve safely managed water and sanitation for everyone by 2030. However, billions of people and various institutions are still waiting for their human rights to water and sanitation to be fulfilled. 1.4 million people die annually and 74 million will have their lives shortened by diseases related to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene. (WHO 2022) The UN 2023 Water Conference from March 22-24 in New York , aims to unite the world around solving the water and sanitation crisis and accelerating progress on SDG 6 and other water-related goals. National governments and stakeholders from all levels of society will make voluntary commitments to deliver rapid, transformative change in the remainder of this decade to form the Water Action Agenda. UN is urging individuals to play their part in achieving this goal by becoming a part of the global campaign ‘Be the change ’ which encourages people to take action in their lives to change how they use, consume, and manage water. Content Editor: Dr. Sangya Chaudhary United Nations News Section Source : Published on : Saturday, March 25, 2023 United Nations, Environment, World Water Conference 2023 WHO appoints new Director for Global Malaria Programme On 23rd March 2023, Dr. Daniel Ngamije Madandi, MD, MPH has been appointed as the Director of the Global Malaria Programme by WHO, effective 8 April 2023. Dr. Ngamije served as the Minister of Health for Rwanda from February 2020 to November 2022, leading the development and implementation of the COVID-19 response plan. In a previous role, he served as the National Programme Officer for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the WHO Rwanda country office. He spent 10 years coordinating the mobilization of resources and implementation of projects for the Rwandan Ministry of Health and was the coordinator of Rwanda’s National Malaria Control Programme. Dr. Ngamije is the former Co-chair of the Pandemic Fund and a member of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB). Content Editor: Dr. Sangya Chaudhary WHO Source : Published on : Saturday, March 25, 2023 Global Malaria Programme, WHO COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, warns Prime Minister The Prime Minister emphasized the need to monitor the status of covid and directed to increase whole genome sequencing of COVID-19 positive samples. In the high review meeting, the COVID and influenza situation was evaluated; as influenza and COVID cases are on the rise, senior citizens and people with co-morbidities to take extra precautions. The PM also directed officials to follow up with states for effective monitoring of ILI and SARI and testing for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and adenovirus. In the previous week, 888 cases of COVID, with a weekly positivity rate of 0.98%. Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal The Hindu Source : Published on : Friday, March 24, 2023 Infectious disease, COVID, Influenza Mental Health Assistance in Shelter Homes The Ministry of Women and Child Development has implemented various schemes for providing shelter homes, medical care and mental health counselling to the underprivileged women and children. Shakti Sadan : an Integrated Relief and Rehabilitation Home for women in difficult circumstances, formed by the combination of Swadhar Greh & Ujjawala Homes . Mission Vatsalya Scheme : support is provided to States and UT Governments for delivering services for children in difficult circumstances. Child Care Institutions (CCIs) are established to monitor & support age-appropriate education, vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc to both urban and rural children. The scheme supports 1098, a 24x7 outreach toll-free child helpline and the setting up of a Suggestion Box for complaints and redressal for children. SAMVAD : Support, Advocacy & Mental Health Interventions for Children in Vulnerable Circumstances and Distress established jointly by MoWCD and NIMHANS(in 2020) provides training, guidance and technical support to child protection functionaries working in children’s shelter homes. One Stop Centre(OSCs) : provides medical aids, psycho-social counselling, police facilitation, legal aid, etc. for the distressed women. Under the Stree Manoraksha project , these staff are trained to handle the psycho-social and mental health care needs of women facing violence and distress. Content Editor: Dr Jasmin Nilima Panda Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : Friday, March 24, 2023 Mental Health, Maternal and Child Health Subscribe to get Latest Public Health Updates! SUBSCRIBE WASH and Health at United Nations Water Conference Approximately 2 billion people lack safe drinking water, and 3.6 billion people use poor sanitary services. With the increase in preventable illnesses due to poor WASH facilities; the rise in cholera outbreaks in recent times, WHO and UNICEF have come up with the United Nations Water Conference in New York from 22- 24 March 2023 . The conference will focus on the impact of safely managed water supply, sanitation, and proper hygiene on health. The event will explore ways in which WASH and health sectors can work to bridge the gap and coordinate toward development in their fields. The meeting proceedings will be presented at the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti WHO News section Source : Published on : Friday, March 24, 2023 Global Health, Water Sanitation, Hygiene Cyclone hit Mozambique shows rise in Cholera outbreaks Flooding caused by cyclone Freddy caused massive disruption of critical services . Active cholera cases are increasing rapidly due to a lack of safe water and sanitation facilities. More than 2300 cases were reported in the last week. A total of around 10700 since early February. 36 districts across eight provinces of Mozambique reported outbreaks. There is a high risk of outbreaks of other waterborne illnesses , malaria, etc. UNICEF and other civil support groups have supplied water storage and treatment supplies, hygiene kits, soaps, and disinfectants. The "Global task force on Cholera control " aims to reduce cholera deaths by 90% and eliminate disease transmission by 2030 in many countries. Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti UNICEF News Section Source : Published on : Friday, March 24, 2023 Global Health, Outbreak, Disaster Management Triple threat of water-related crises is endangering the lives of 190 million children - UNICEF According to a recent UNICEF assessment, 190 million children in ten African countries are most at risk from the combination of three water-related threats : insufficient water , sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) ; related illnesses ; and climate dangers . The global analysis done by UNICEF identifies the greatest threats to children and the areas in which remedies are desperately required to avert needless deaths. Across these 10 countries, nearly one-third of children do not have access to at least basic water at home , and two-thirds do not have basic sanitation services. A quarter of children have no choice but to practice open defecation . Three-quarters of children cannot wash their hands because of a lack of water and soap at home. Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal UNICEF News Section Source : Published on : Thursday, March 23, 2023 Environment, Sanitation, Global health New COVID-19 Variant XBB.1.16 found, cases also seen in India A new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been linked to a major spike in new cases worldwide and in India. XBB.1.16 is a descendant of the XBB.1 variant, which was first detected in the U.S. on September 15th, 2022. XBB is a combination of two different strains of Omicron and holds the title of the most immune-evasive variant so far. It escapes antibody immunity , rendering useless monoclonal antibody treatments used in high-risk individuals with COVID. A total of 76 samples of the XBB.1.16 variant have been found across the country including states like Karnataka (30), Maharashtra (29), Puducherry (7), Delhi (5), Telangana (2), Gujarat (1), Himachal Pradesh (1) and Odisha (1). The XBB.1.16 variant was first found in India in January . From March, till now, 15 new cases have been linked to this variant as per the data by INSACOG. Content Editor: Sangya Chaudhary INSACOG Source : Published on : Thursday, March 23, 2023 COVID-19 Children at risk of cholera in aftermath of Cyclone Freddy Mozambique has been facing a cholera outbreak since September 2022. As of 18 March 2023, nearly 10,000 cases had been reported , more than tripling case reports since early February. Cholera has already claimed more than 1,660 lives in Malawi. Almost 2.5 lakh children under five years of age are expected to be acutely malnourished, with over 62,000 expected to be severely malnourished. Severely malnourished child - 11 times more likely to die from cholera. UNICEF is urgently calling for funding of US$155 million to respond to the impacts of flooding and cholera in the region. Even prior to the cyclone, Malawi and Mozambique were most seriously affected by the cholera outbreak that has, this year alone, resulted in more than 68,000 cases across 11 countries in Africa. For further reading - Click here Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal UNICEF News Section Source : Published on : Wednesday, March 22, 2023 Global Health, Disaster Management, Infectious Disease Bengaluru among five global cities recognized at the Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 70 cities committed to preventing non-communicable diseases and injuries held its first-of-a-kind summit hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, World Health Organization, Vital Strategies, and Mayor Sadiq Khan of London. The summit proclaimed the various prevention strategies of local public health policy-making and implementation to prevent the risk factors of NCDs. Five cities received US$ 150,000 to advance their work in the partnership: Athens, Greece - for overdose prevention; Montevideo, Uruguay - for food policy; Mexico City - for road safety; Vancouver, Canada - for surveillance; Bengaluru, India- for tobacco control. The summit recognized the sustained efforts of the city to decrease smoking in public spaces and enforce the existing mandates. Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti WHO News Section Source : Published on : Wednesday, March 22, 2023 Global Health, NCDs, Partnership for Healthy Cities Unemployment rate of graduate degree holders shows a declining trend as per the annual PLFS reports According to PLFS Reports, the estimated unemployment rate (UR) for people with graduate degrees who are 15 or older was 17.2%, 15.5%, and 14.9% during 2019–20, 2020–20, and 2021–22, respectively. This data illustrates a declining trend in the UR for people with graduate degrees . With effect from 1st October 2020, the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) was introduced to encourage employers to create new jobs and replace those lost due to the Covid-19 epidemic. The "National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) " is implemented to increase the employability of young people. Under this program, the government reimburses apprentices for 25% of their monthly stipend . The Government has brought in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS), and more programs to improve the employability of youth. Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : Tuesday, March 21, 2023 Youth Affairs, Demography, Unemployment 4th wave of COVID-19 in India? A new rise in COVID-19 cases is being observed all over the country in the past few days. As many as 900 cases have been detected in the country in a single day. According to MoHFW, as of 21st March 2023, there are 6559 active cases of COVID-19 in the country out of which 699 new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours. Similarly, on 20th March 2023, 918 new cases were recorded. The daily positivity rate is 0.71% whereas the current Recovery Rate is 98.79%. The maximum number of active cases is in Kerala (1796) followed by Maharashtra (1308) and the new variant is being considered the cause of this increase. The government has come up with new guidelines for prevention and containment and is encouraging the population to follow COVID-appropriate behavior which would be important to avoid a new wave of COVID-19 disease. Content Editor: Sangya Chaudhary Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : Tuesday, March 21, 2023 COVID 19 L20 inception meeting focuses on the universalization of social security with women at the center of the future of work The Labour 20 (L20) engagement group’s inception meeting, as part of India’s G20 presidency, today began deliberations in Amritsar, Punjab . Trade union leaders, labour studies experts, and delegates from 20 nations at the Labour20 inception meeting. National President Shri C. K. Saji Narayanan said that the economic crisis adversely impacts women the most, and hence the future of work depends majorly on the women's workforce. The day saw five parallel technical sessions:- International Migration of Labour and Portability of Social Security Funds Social Protection for Informal Workers Skill Training and Skill Upgradation and Role and Responsibilities of Employers, Employees, and Governments Changing World of Work and New Employment Opportunities in G20 Countries Promoting Sustainable Decent Work. The second day of the two-day L20 Inception Meet tomorrow will importantly discuss Women and the Future of Work. Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav Mondal Press Information Bureau Source : Published on : Tuesday, March 21, 2023 Labor laws, women in workforce Enforcing a global consensus for Human Genome Editing The Third International Human Genome Editing Summit took place on 6-8 March 2023 in London focusing on the governance of gene editing research and recognizing the need to build on existing guidelines to develop global standards for governance and oversight of human genome editing. During the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing in Hong Kong, in 2018, a prospect of an international legally binding treaty to govern genome editing was raised which did not preceded further. Gene editing regulations will consider the aims and consequences of the different practices like Somatic genome editing interventions and Heritable genome editing (germ-line editing). The Oviedo Convention, a legally binding instrument established by the European Council, permits somatic genome modifications for preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic purposes, and prohibits germ-line editing , but only 29 countries have enacted it into law. To protect legitimate genetic research—to close loopholes in regulations and establish a global consensus on oversight and regulation—will require governance that is as dynamic as the science. Content Editor: Dr Yamini Singh UK Academy of Medical Sciences Source : Published on : Tuesday, March 21, 2023 The Royal Society, Genome editing, Clinical trials Govt. of NCT, Delhi to add happiness curriculum for school students State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the Government of NCT, Delhi, has launched the Happiness Curriculum (introduced in 2018 by His Holiness Dalai Lama) for students from Nursery to Grade 8 to create confident, mindful, responsible, and happy individuals who collectively build a happy and harmonious society. The objectives of the curriculum are to develop self-awareness, critical thinking, effective communication, empathy, life skills, social awareness, and human values. The curriculum is based on co-existential philosophy (Madhyasth Darshan) and aligns with the National Curriculum Framework 2005 and is created by a team of professionals, including mentor teachers and counselor psychologists. It’s based on the pillars of happiness, which include reflection on the relationship between feelings, thoughts, behavior, and their impact on oneself, family, society, and the environment including mindful activities, stories, reflective questions, and self-expression to enhance students' awareness, mindfulness and deepen learning. The Happiness Curriculum is impacting 8 lakh students and 21000 happiness teachers who experience a daily 40 minutes happiness class , creating a paradigm shift in searching for happiness externally through senses to be able to ensure it within oneself through learning and awareness, ensuring continuity of values. Content Editor: Dr. Sangya Chaudhary SCERT, Govt. of Delhi Source : Published on : Tuesday, March 21, 2023 Education, Mental Health, Happiness Curriculum 38th meeting of DDMA (Delhi Disaster Management Authority) Representatives of the Army, National Disaster Management Authority, National Institute of Disaster Management, and National Institute of Seismology attended the 38th meeting of DDMA. LG VK Saxena proposed the following suggestions for effective disaster management plans for Delhi : Delhi being in zone four of high seismicity requires emergency preparedness . To retrofit all existing important buildings consistent with Earthquake resilient building code. To identify hospitals in every district for emergency response in case of an earthquake. To recognize open spaces to facilitate rescue operations, broaden narrow bylanes as Delhi's housing pattern is not in accordance with the building codes. The meeting discussed the necessity of increasing the number and training of volunteers under the "Aapada Mitra" Scheme. Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti Times of India Source : Published on : Monday, March 20, 2023 Disaster Management and Preparedness Daily News Snippets Monthly Archives This is a title. View More This is an extra long title. Click here to edit and add your own text. It's easy. View More This is a title. Click here to edit and add your own text. View More This is a title. Click here to edit and add your own text. View More Subscribe to get Latest Public Health Updates SUBSCRIBE

Gender disparity in agricultural industry predisposing to food crisis Gender disparity in agricultural industry predisposing to food crisis Content Editor: Dr. Rajat Sharma April 25, 2023 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), UN Global Health, Nutrition The production of agricultural goods for food and non-food purposes, as well as activities connected to food storage, transportation, processing, and distribution, employ more than one third of all working women worldwide. However, a fresh report from FAO claims that the gender pay gap, which accounts for a 24% difference in productivity between women and men farmers on farms of same size, is caused by gender inequities such as lower access for women to resources and expertise as well as a larger unpaid care load. Additionally, women in the agricultural industry receive pay that is about 20% less than that of men . In a period of rising global hunger, addressing the gender gap in farm production and the wage disparity in agricultural employment, according to FAO, would "increase global gross domestic product by nearly $1 trillion and reduce the number of food-insecure people by 45 million". More than 345 million people worldwide, an increase of about 200 million since early 2020, are predicted to experience food insecurity at crisis levels this year , according to the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). 43 million of them are on the verge of famine.

Tobacco Control in India: Progress, Challenges and Future Directions Tobacco Control in India: Progress, Challenges and Future Directions Content Editor: Dr M Kasif May 19, 2025 Press Information Bureau Tobacco control, Air pollution, Secondhand smoke The G lobal A dult T obacco S urvey, India 2016-17 highlights reduced secondhand smoke exposure, improved air quality, and less cigarette waste, benefiting vulnerable groups. However, experts stress that reducing public smoking alone is insufficient without stronger enforcement and awareness. Despite legal measures, the R eport on T obacco C ontrol in India 2022 reveals inconsistent enforcement, with cigarette shops displaying smoking triggers and QR-code complaints indicating frequent violations. Weak enforcement sustains tobacco use and poses long-term health risks. Experts warn that smoking, combined with genetics, diet and history of tobacco use, greatly increases cancer risk . Modern cigarettes may contain new carcinogens, worsening health despite reduced smoking rates. Stronger enforcement, continuous awareness and stricter regulations are crucial to making India's smoking ban truly effective in protecting health and the environment.