A new study has shown that a compound extracted from licorice root, commonly used in candies, can help fight rare, but deadly infections. Eat candies to ward off rare, but deadly infections. A team of scientists from the University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners hospitals for Children have revealed that a compound called glycyrrhizin might be an effective tool in battling life-threatening, antibiotic-resistant infections resulting from severe burns. The...

Insufficiency and prescribing medicines from outside continues  CRM draws attention to ‘irrational’ use and non-availability of essential medicines Supplies are mostly top-down, based on availability instead of being demand-based No State provides free medicines to below the poverty line (BPL) patients under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). “The insufficiency of drugs and thereby the imperative of prescribing medicines from outside continue widely. This could also be linked to insufficiency of understanding...

A medical degree in 3-1/2 years? This could soon be a reality with the health ministry and Medical Council of India (MCI) planning a shorter medical degree for rural students who would exclusively serve the rural populace. The hinterland, where few doctors want to serve, could soon have a dedicated corps of medical practitioners drawn from among students raised in rural areas. After incentives failed to lure doctors to practise...

Five years after the massive Indian Ocean tsunami, which left a devastating trail of death and destruction, millions of people have benefited from the influx of aid by rebuilding stronger infrastructure, social services and disaster warning systems than existed before the catastrophe, according to the United Nations agencies at the core of the recovery effort. The largest emergency relief response in history was prompted by the earthquake off the coast...

Minutes before curtains were drawn on state legislature's winter session, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan announced a Rs 10,000 crore package for Vidarbha. "This a time-bound programme for all-round development of the region and will be implemented in three years," said Chavan assuring the house that he would personally monitor it in co-ordination with the chief secretary. A quick analysis of the package, however, showed it was a re-jig of ongoing...