News Digest

Helpline launched on World Heart Day
NEW DELHI: Feeling that piercing pain in your chest? Don't panic. Now you can dial a special helpline number - 01123282328 - and get professional guidance on ECG and other tests to assess cardiovascular risk. Health minister A K Walia launched the helpline on Thursday- World Heart Day.

Dr Prem Aggarwal, senior cardiologist and president of the National Medical Forum - who has started this service - says that 105 hospitals and nursing homes are linked to the helpline.

Kids to break silence with chip implant ;children didn't have cochlea,now audio-verbal therapy will be a vital cure ..

Living on the edge
MUMBAI: As many as 72 per cent of sexually active young people across the country have had sex with new partners without any protection, an international survey says.
At least 40 per cent of the youth polled in India say they had problems accessing contraceptives when they needed, while 36 per cent said they knew a close friend/ family member who has had an unplanned pregnancy.Nearly a one-third got wrong information about contraception from friends...

India will roll out world's largest drive against NCDs
NEW DELHI: As many as 26 "mini interventions" will make up the world's largest programme to combat Non Communicable diseases (NCDs) that will be launched by India soon...

How to switch your health insurer
With health insurance portability you can shift to a new insurer without losing the benefits of the existing policy. Here's what you should know
Most people tolerate bad service from their health insurers because they don't want to lose out on the benefits of the existing policy if they move to another insurer. So far, switching insurers has meant that you are considered a new customer and have to go through the requisite waiting period of one to four years after buying the policy to cover your pre-existing diseases. However, from 1 October, health insurance portability has come into effect, which allows you to switch insurers without losing the benefits of your existing policy.
Plan panel mulls 2 nurses for every doctor
NEW DELHI: India plans to fix the acute shortage of nurse by 2025. The Planning Commission's high-level expert group on health has set a target to have a minimum of two nurses and one auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) for every available allopathic doctor.
Now, the nurse: doctor ratio in India is 1.05:1, and that of nurses and midwives to a doctor is 1.53:1.
The group, headed by Dr K Srinath Reddy, in its latest report on universal health coverage has recommended opening of 382 new nursing schools and 58 nursing colleges in 216 underserved districts across 15 states.