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. Published on : Friday, November 7, 2025 Source : PIB Delhi Chemical Emergencies Preparedness, IHR, Disaster management Read More Daily News Snippets Monthly Archives 01-10 February, 2024 View More 14-20 January, 2024 View More 19-25th November, 2024 (26) View More 23-31stOctober, 2023 (18) View More 28-31 January, 2024 View More 7-13 January, 2024 View More 5-11th November, 2023 (5) View More 15-21st October, 2023 (12) View More 21-27 January, 2024 View More 26-30th November, 2024 (20) View More 01-04th November, 2023(4) View More 08-14th October, 2023 (5) View More March 27 - 31, 2023 (15) View More March 6 - 12, 2023 (24) View More February 23 - 25, 2023 (3) View More February 15 - 16, 2023 (8) View More March 20 - 25, 2023 (18) View More March 1 - 5, 2023 (8) View More February 20 - 22, 2023 (2) View More February 07 - 14, 2023 (5) View More March 13 - 18, 2023 (8) View More February 26 - 28, 2023 (15) View More February 17 - 19, 2023 (3) View More February 01 - 06, 2023 (5) View More Subscribe to get Latest Public Health Updates SUBSCRIBE

Cautionary measures to tackle Mpox in India Cautionary measures to tackle Mpox in India Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala August 30, 2024 Press information Bureau Public Health Emergency of International Concern, Communicable Disease, Monkeypox On 14th August 2024, the WHO declared Monkeypox or Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for the second time since 2022. At the Joint Monitoring Group meeting, experts from the National Centre for Disease Control, Directorate General of Health Services, Indian Council of Medical Research, representatives of all Central Government Hospitals, and others discussed the current situation and required steps to deal with Mpox. The Cautionary measures discussed in the meeting on 16th August were as follows: Crossborder area (airports, seaports, ground) sensitization of health units. Preparation of laboratory requirements for virus testing at 32 centers across India Taskforce formation at all government hospitals ready to detect, isolate, and manage Mpox cases . Click here to read more .

Boosting organ donation in India: The critical role of brain stem death certification and reporting Boosting organ donation in India: The critical role of brain stem death certification and reporting Content Editor: Dr. Shubham June 1, 2024 National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization Organ Donation, Public policy, Health awareness To increase organ donation rates, which are presently extremely low in India—with less than one donor per million population annually—the Indian Health Ministry has highlighted the significance of discovering brain stem deaths in hospitals. Brain Stem Death Certification: To raise the rate of organ donation, hospitals are urged to record brain stem deaths in great detail. The National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) is acknowledged as being instrumental in promoting organ donation by pressuring medical facilities to report brain deaths. Though there are over 150,000 possible occurrences of brain stem death in India each year, mostly from accidents, there were only 1,028 confirmed organ donors as of 2023. The health ministry is trying to increase awareness through the "Required Request Display Boards" and hospital data collection for analysis and improvement. It is recommended that hospitals set up procedures for notifying families about the possibility of organ donation and for announcing brain deaths. Click here to read more.

FSSAI's new order on high-risk food products and BIS certification FSSAI's new order on high-risk food products and BIS certification Content Editor: Dr. Sathya Prashaath December 12, 2024 Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI , Regulations, Food safety FSSAI order states that “Non-alcoholic ("soft") beverages - Packaged Drinking Water and Mineral Water only” have been classified under the high-risk category Including these products in the high-risk category ensures more rigorous safety protocols and monitoring. FSSAI eliminates the need for BIS certification for these high-risk food products. By removing the BIS certification requirement, FSSAI aims to simplify the regulatory framework and reduce redundancy. Manufacturers must adhere to the new FSSAI guidelines for high-risk products, which may affect their production processes. The objective is to enhance consumer protection by ensuring high-risk food products meet stringent safety standards. Click here to read more.

India's doctor-population ratio: A milestone achievement surpassing the WHO recommendations Content Editor: Dr. Shubham August 9, 2024 at 2:30:00 PM Health care delivery system, Universal health coverage The doctor-population ratio in India is 1:836 , which surpasses the WHO standard of 1:1000. As of July 2024, 13,86,136 allopathic doctors and around 5.65 lakh AYUSH doctors were registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and State Medical Councils. India has 731 medical colleges, offering 72,627 PG seats and 1,12,112 MBBS seats annually. India also has around 38.49 lakh registered nurses. The government has taken measures to improve medical education facilities, considering both the quality of healthcare services and the quantity of healthcare professionals : Approving new medical colleges and increasing MBBS and PG seats Upgrading and strengthening the existing ones. Recognition of DNB qualification. However, this ratio varies significantly across countries due to differences in healthcare systems, population density, and other factors. For instance, in the United States, it is approximately 1:400, China has 1:1500, and Cuba remarkably maintains a ratio of 1:170. Click here to read more. Previous Next

India takes action in the climate and health solutions (CHS) conclave India takes action in the climate and health solutions (CHS) conclave Content Editor: Dr. Shayari November 22, 2024 Press Information Bureau Climate, Health, One health The Climate and Health Solutions (CHS) India Conclave, co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), concluded with a call to action to integrate climate change considerations into public health strategies. Key Takeaways: Representatives from 19 Indian states and Union Territories participated in a key roundtable on "Climate Resilient and Responsive Health Systems and Infrastructure”. The conclave recognized the need for adaptable infrastructure to handle extreme weather events. The conclave emphasized the urgent need to address climate change and public health holistically. Discussions focused on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), mental health, nutrition, and climate-ready healthcare workforce development. Experts emphasized the need for innovative financing models, including blended finance, to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and healthcare systems . The conclave served as a platform to develop concrete, actionable solutions, demonstrating India's commitment to tackling both climate change and health challenges. Click here to read more.

‘Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman’ campaign launched. ‘Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman’ campaign launched. Content Editor: Dr Shubham November 25, 2024 Social trends Sanitation, ODF, Swachh Bharat Mission The Central government has directed all States and Union Territories to conduct ground-level surveys to identify gaps and expedite the construction of Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs ) to mark World Toilet Day on November 19. The campaign "Hamara Shauchalay: Hamara Samman" links sanitation with human rights, emphasizing dignity and privacy, especially for women and girls, as a commitment towards attaining and sustaining Open Defecation Free (ODF ) status. The initiative highlights the importance of grassroots workers, NGO partners, and local stakeholders in achieving comprehensive sanitation coverage. The campaign includes mobile units with educational content and a comic book featuring Chacha Chaudhary to raise sanitation awareness among children. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM ) Grameen, over 11.73 crore household toilets have been constructed, resulting in more than 5.57 lakh ODF Plus villages. The urban counterpart, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban , has facilitated the construction of 63.63 lakh household latrines and over 6.36 lakh community and public toilets. The WHO reported in 2023 that unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene are responsible for approximately 1,000 deaths of children under the age of five every day. Improved sanitation has had a positive economic impact, saving ODF villages an average of ₹50,000 per family annually on healthcare. Improved sanitation could potentially save 1.4 million lives annually.

Unmet needs of MDR- TB patients Content Editor: Dr.KH Reddy January 23, 2024 at 3:30:00 PM MDR-TB, Qualitative research, Healthcare research, NTEP, Tuberculosis A qualitative study was published recently to identify the unmet needs of MDR-Tb patients. A total of 128 patients registered across 15 Tuberculous units were interviewed for this study. Over 70% of participants were young adults between 15 and 35, unemployed and residing in unauthorized settlements. In-depth interviews were conducted to better understand their journey in TB healthcare, their motivations for seeking care, costs incurred, obstacles faced, and their overall experience in public (NTEP) and private healthcare for TB treatments. As per the results of the qualitative analysis, the following problems with NTEP were highlighted: Discriminatory behavior Lack of sanitary isolation wards Shortage of TB medicine supply at the nearest NTEP center Distress due to long durations of daily medication leading to suicide attempts. Previous Next

Government advises against the use of antibiotics in cases of COVID-19 Government advises against the use of antibiotics in cases of COVID-19 Content Editor: Dr. Siddharth Singh April 3, 2023 Times of India, Delhi Public Health Laws and Regulation Government of India on 1st of March advised against the use of antibiotics unless required , amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country. The health ministry has shared an updated guideline on Covid management which says that antibiotics should not be used unless there is 'clinical suspicion' of bacterial infection. The guideline advises physicians to explore the possibility of co-infection of Covid with other endemic infections and to avoid using steroids in mild diseases. Though hospitalizations due to Covid are lower compared to the previous waves of the pandemic, the number of infections has surged significantly across the country.

The curious case of Salmonella outbreak The curious case of Salmonella outbreak Content editor: Dr. M Swathi Shenoy August 25, 2023 Centre of Disease Control Outbreak, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Communicable disease The CDC and public health officials are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella across 11 different states in the United States of America. The variants of Salmonella involved are S. stanley and S. pomona. As of August 18th, a total of 26 individuals had been infected, with 24 of them infected with S. stanley and only 2 with S. pomona. These outbreaks have been linked to small turtles with shell sizes under 4 inches. Due to a similar history in the past, the sale and distribution of these turtles have been banned however, these have been found online illegally. The CDC has issued a list of dos and don'ts related to the same, which includes: Wash your hands regularly with soap and water Play safely around the turtle Do not eat//drink around the turtle Do not snuggle/kiss the turtle Call your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms of salmonella.