World Tuberculosis Day to be observed today 2 million people successfully treated annually through DOTS Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the biggest threats to public health in the world health organisation (WHO) - South-East Asia Region, causing one death a minute. Although the total number of people affected by the disease has steadily declined in the last decade, there are five million people living with TB in the region — a third...

Women's organisations rise up against a petition that seeks an amendment to Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code. A PETITION that alleges the misuse of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, which has been admitted by the Rajya Sabha Committee on Petitions, has become an object of concern among leading women's organisations in the country. The petition claims that the law, dealing with dowry-related torture and acute domestic...

As a new rapid diagnostic test, endorsed by the WHO, will finally help detect more people with DR-TB DR-TB medicines are very expensive Need to improve access to DR-TB drugs As a new rapid diagnostic test, endorsed by the world health organisation (WHO), will finally help detect more people with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), there was need to solve problems around the pricing and supply of DR-TB medicines, according to a report by international...

The Jharkhand Government on Wednesday rushed doctors to Gumla district to verify reports from unofficial sources claiming that three persons had died of smallpox there. According to the world health organisation, smallpox was totally eradicated from the world a decade ago. However, a local newspaper recently published a report claiming that three persons had died of the contagious disease here and five are suffering from it. The Gumla Health Department has sent...

Appreciating the efforts of the government in containing polio and HIV, software czar and philanthropist Bill Gates on Tuesday discussed issues relating to immunisation and pentavalent vaccine production with Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here. Mr. Gates and his wife Melinda called on Mr. Azad and discussed matters relating to the immunisation programme, pentavalent vaccine, polio vaccination efforts, HIV control and capacity building, senior officials said. The Microsoft founder appreciated the...