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World Malaria Day: 25th April

World Health Organization theme for World Malaria Day 2012 - "Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria" - marks a decisive juncture in the history of malaria control. Whether the malaria map will keep shrinking, as it has in the past decade, or be reclaimed by the malaria parasites, depends, to a great extent, on the resources that will be invested in control efforts over the next years.

Read more :http://www.rbm.who.int/worldmalariaday/

Govt plans bonds to stop doctors' brain drain

NEW DELHI: India has finally decided to cut down on brain drain that is crippling its medical sector.

Now, US-bound doctors for higher medical studies will have to sign a bond with the ministry and honour the document by returning home after finishing their courses.

Union health Ghulam Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the US is insisting on a government No Objection Certificate (NOC) for every student enrolling with an American institute from this academic session.

47% of global measles deaths in India

NEW DELHI: Nearly half of all deaths due to measles globally occurred in India in 2010.

While mortality due to measles dipped from 5.35 lakh in 2000 to 1.39 lakh globally in 2010, India recorded 47% of those deaths in comparison to 16% of global deaths in 2000.

New research by the World Health Organization (WHO), Penn State University and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that while globally, measles mortality fell by 74% between 2000 and 2010 that is still short of the 90% target, in India the numbers dipped by 26% during the same period.

Published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, the study blamed India's relatively low measles vaccine coverage (74%) as the reason why the disease remained a major cause of death in the country.

Now, a synthetic anti-malaria drug

NEW DELHI: India has developed a powerful new malaria drug - an alternative to the global drug of choice Artemisinin - that promises to be a major boost to India's pharmaceutical research.

What is most exciting about this new drug is that its raw materiel is synthetic (derived chemically in the lab) as against Artemisinin, which is derived from a plant...

Less than 1% Indians know cardiopulmonary resuscitation

 NEW DELHI: Indians are far behind in the global surge to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - a combination of rescue breathing and chest compressions delivered to victims of cardiac arrest.

While several countries across the world are training the common man - in schools, colleges and even work places -- about chest compressions or CPR to save sudden cardiac victims from dying, the World Heart Federation ( WHF) says less than 1% Indians would presently know how to carry out a CPR.....

WHO drops plan to target alcohol use reduction

NEW DELHI: In a highly controversial move, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has dropped its plan to set a target for cutting down on alcohol use across the world over the next 13 years.

In January 2012, the WHO set a target to reduce per capita consumption of alcohol globally by 10% and another 10% reduction of heavy episodic drinking by 2025 as part of its global plan to reduce the burden of non communicable diseases (NCDs).

But an updated set of global targets for NCDs released to member states including India on March 22 strangely had no mention of alcohol.......

Seven Years of NRHM

On 12th April 2012 National Rural Health Mission has successfully completed its seven years of existence.

India to link 9000 libraries: PM

NEW DELHI: India will modernise and digitally link nearly 9,000 libraries across the country in a bid to provide readers access to books and information, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here today.

The ambitious plan under the National Mission for Libraries aims to cover 9,000 libraries in cities, towns and villages of the country the next three years.

Read More: TOI

Vaccine that can fight 90% of cancers developed

LONDON: Scientists claim to have developed a "universal" cancer vaccine that can train patients' own bodies to seek out and destroy tumour cells.

A team from Tel Aviv University and drug company Vaxil Biotheraputics say the therapy targets a molecule found in 90% of all cancers, and could soon pave the way for a universal injection that allows patients' immune systems to fight off common cancers including breast and prostate cancer.

Preliminary results from early clinical trials have shown that the vaccine can trigger an immune response in patients and reduce levels of disease, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Sorce: TOI

World Health Day - 7 April

Ageing and health: Good health adds life to years

The topic of World Health Day in 2012 is Ageing and health with the theme "Good health adds life to years". The focus is how good health throughout life can help older men and women lead full and productive lives and be a resource for their families and communities. Ageing concerns each and every one of us – whether young or old, male or female, rich or poor – no matter where we live.

Read more : World Health Organization

Coming soon: Medical plan for urban poor

NEW DELHI: A health programme to take care of India's nine crore urban poor is all set to become a reality.

The Union health ministry has sought time from the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) to present the final blue print of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) that will be rolled out by the middle of this year.
Union health secretary P K Pradhan said the ministry is waiting to hear from secretary of the expenditure department.

"Once the EFC clears the proposal, we will take it to the Cabinet. Urban health will be taken up as a thrust area in the 12th Plan that will be rolled out soon," Pradhan said.

NUHM also got the backing from finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, who during his Budget speech on March 16, had said, "NUHM is being launched to encompass the primary healthcare needs of people in urban areas."

Read more; TOI

Wellcome Library

It has excellent collection of books, manuscripts, archives, films and pictures on the history of medicine from the earliest times to the present day.