-Hindustan Times The government is set to re-launch its pharmacy chain, Jan Aushadhi, to sell generic drugs ranging from anti-biotics, anti-cardiac, anti-infective and gastro intestinal drugs at prices at least half of branded drugs. The project would be launched in six states on a pilot basis from June 21, where 5,000 stores would be opened across the country in a phased manner. The scheme failed in 2008 due to poor supply-chain management. “Now, we...

-IPS News NEW DELHI: Vinita Panikker, 26, considers herself “the world’s most unfortunate woman”. Three years ago, a jealous husband, who suspected her of having an affair with her boss at a software company, poured a whole bottle of hydrochloric acid on her face while she was asleep. The fiery liquid seared her flesh, blighting her face almost entirely while blinding her in one eye. What remains today of a once pretty visage...

-Business Standard When there is an enormous shortage of public hospitals, when state expenditure on health care is abysmally low by any international yardstick, tax money should be used to set up public hospitals Most relatively well-off Indians have got used to the idea of taking out medical insurance policies in order to take care of possible health episodes. It has been a rapidly growing business, doubling in four or five years....

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court today directed all government and Private Hospitals to provide not only first-aid, but also follow-up treatment, free to acid-attack victims. The court said states and Union territories could take action under Section 357C of CrPC against Private Hospitals and clinics for refusal to treat such victims. This section says: "All hospitals, public or private, whether run by the central government, the state government, local bodies or...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The CIC has told the Centre and the state governments to enforce RTI in Private Hospitals and ensure they provide medical records to patients on a daily basis. In a scathing order against Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, which had refused to give records of a deceased patient to his son, the transparency watchdog has directed that daily disclosure would prevent undesirable practices of altering records after...