Concern for public Health goes up in smoke   India's leading cigarette manufacturer, ITC Ltd, made financial contributions of Rs. 6.78 crore in the last two years to all major political parties in the country, causing public Health activists here to question the possible interference of tobacco companies “in the Central government's efforts to bring in tougher anti-tobacco laws in the country.” Figures disclosed by ITC Ltd — and released recently by activists...

It follows CBI letter to Principal Secretary, Medical and Health, seeking permission to prosecute them   The Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday night suspended 20 doctors for their alleged involvement in the multicrore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam in. Their names were making rounds after the CBI, which is probing the scam, found their involvement in the embezzlement of funds. Those suspended are 14 superintendents of government hospitals,...

Jamshedpur, June 10: For a people who have clung to next-door Bengal for Healthcare for years, setting up a self-run school — English medium, no less — may well be just another way out of elusive state welfare measures. The 700-odd population of 19 villages that make up Gopalpur panchayat, 80km from Jamshedpur in East Singhbhum’s rebel-hit Baharagora block, have made up its mind to do just that. The primary schools, at...

London, June 11: An investigation has exposed the organised criminals who secretly trade organs for British transplant patients for as little as £4,500 (Rs 3.85 lakh). The gangs, operating in eastern Europe and the Indian subcontinent, prey on the desperation of patients requiring organs and the poverty of donors who often earn less than £1,000 (Rs 85,754) from the exploitative deals. The so-called organ brokers have developed a network of corrupt officials...

India has decided to throw its weight behind the civil society on issues related to family planning, and articulate its rights-based approach at a summit scheduled in London in the next few weeks. India has kept away from planning family policies since the 70s, and incorporated population stabilisation programmes in the Health policies focussing on sexual and reproductive Health rights and women's empowerment. While the Centre has discouraged a targeted approach...