-The Business Standard   Universal health scheme on the cards; Spend on the sector likely to be raised The Union Budget is likely to announce the first of the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's social welfare schemes for the health sector - the National Health Assurance Mission. The programme will provide universal health care and offer comprehensive health insurance for the poor. The Budget could also, sources say, propose the government's mission-mode...

-The Times of India   CHENNAI: Stress-related health problems are no strangers to young professionals, but a new guest has found its way to the list-tuberculosis. The infectious disease often conjures images of a lined and gaunt face and an emaciated body, but the bacteria is striking early and, increasingly, young professionals are the victims. "At least 60% of the patients I see work in sectors that involve a lot of stress,...

-The Times of India   NEW DELHI: Plants make food from carbon dioxide in the air, using energy from sunlight. So, if carbon dioxide levels in the air are going up due to climate change, plants should be making more food, right? Wrong, says a new study published last week in the science journal Nature. According to the study conducted by a team of US, Australian and Japanese scientists, carbon dioxide emissions are...

-The Hindu   That over 27 per cent of tobacco consumers in India fall in the 15-24 year age bracket amply demonstrates how successful the tobacco companies have been in continually enticing the vulnerable sections of the population into the suicidal practice. The addition of new customers every year even as thousands of patrons die annually ensures that the tobacco companies' customer base remains wide and tall. If the global tobacco-related mortality...

-Live Mint   The top achiever was Liberia, where average lifespans increased by a full 20 years, from 42 to 62 New Delhi: Life expectancy has risen globally since 1990, especially in low-income countries, according to a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday. Life expectancy of a girl born in 2012 is 73 years, while that of a boy is 68 years. The average life expectancy of a child...