-Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)     Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, has asked for thorough streamlining of systems in the distribution of free generic drugs to government health institutions at all levels throughout the country. The Free Drug Programme's formal launch would be preceded by working out all logistical details with respect to procurement and distribution in consultation with the state governments. The...

The latest WHO report entitled World Health Statistics 2014 delineates the performance made on the health front by India vis-à-vis other nations between 1990 and 2012. It also presents the challenges that the new government at the Centre should try to resolve. In India, life expectancy at birth (both sexes, in years) has increased from 58 in 1990 to 66 in 2012. While life expectancy at birth for men rose from 57...

-Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) Public health is a state subject. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and under NRHM, financial support is provided to States/UTs to strengthening their health care delivery system including support for engaging ASHAs and patient transport ambulances and development of health infrastructure in rural areas based on the requirements posed by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: The government on Thursday issued the long-pending drug price control order, paving the way for the implementation of national pharmaceutical pricing policy, which will lead to a reduction in prices of medicines on an average by 20-25%, and in some life-saving ones, by up to 80%. Prices of 652 formulations under 27 therapeutic areas like anti-allergic (cetrizine), cardiac (aten), gastro-intestinal medicines (ocid), pain-killers ( paracetamol) and anti-diabetic...

-The Hindustan Times Real Heroes, a CNN-IBN initiative in partnership with Hindustan Times, celebrates the extraordinary service of India's ordinary citizens every year. This year, the awards will felicitate 13 women who fought hard and conquered all obstacles to make a difference. Today we share four such stories. * Bhanwari Devi It's a name that's synonymous with the women's movement in India. And yet justice continues to elude Bhanwari Devi. Brutally raped in 1992 for reporting...