-Economic and Political Weekly The key to improving the quality of healthcare services in India and reducing costs at the same time can be found by enacting legislation which lays down minimum standards of patient care. In the absence of such standards and the reluctance of health insurance companies to standardise either price or quality, healthcare services continue to be expensive and of doubtful quality. Developing standards of patient care by...

-The Hindu Despite SC order, daily number in each camp high in Chhattisgarh Raipur (Chhattisgarh): The Health department has set "targets" of female sterilisation in Chhattisgarh, according to an unpublished survey of the family planning programme in the State conducted by the Public Health Resource Network (PHRN) a year ago, The synopsis of the report accessed by The Hindu says, "During discussions with various respondents while carrying out the survey, it was evident...

-Down to Earth The free medicine scheme in Rajasthan may benefit Congress Of the many poll sops that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot doled out in the past two years, the one scheme that seems to have struck the right chord with voters is the initiative to give free essential medicines at government healthcare facilities. The Mukhyamantri Nishulk Dava Yojna, launched in 2011, has offered some hope to the incumbent Congress government,...

-Outlook Cuttack: The number of dengue patients in SCB Medical College and Hospital here crossed the 200 mark today, with many of them being minors. While 211 patients are now under treatment in dengue wards, eight others admitted in two ICUs, hospital sources said. Looking at the inflow of dengue patients, the hospital authorities converted yet another floor of Trauma Care Center into dengue ward and opened an exclusive dengue ICU having six...

-The Hindustan Times Bhopal: Now death audit of every patient who dies in a government hospital would be carried out. The health department's move will help to ascertain the cause of death of the patient. Another reason behind conducting the death audit is to monitor whether there was any negligence in treating the patient. Director, health, Dr KK Thassu said all chief medical and health officers (CMHOs) were instructed to conduct death...