-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 Hindu   Chandigarh: The Haryana Government has announced the setting up of 22 sick newborn care units in 18 districts and has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Neonatology Forum for training doctors and nurses working in these facilities. According to an official release, the State health department has launched the programme to improve child health services and reduce neonatal, infant and child mortality. The sample research system of the...

-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   With a new political transition, it may be a good idea for the new government to work on an idea as to how to enable all health workers across the country to have data-enabled smartphones If you have no electricity, you can survive despite inconvenience; if you have no pucca house, you still survive on thatched shelters; if you have bad roads, you can still communicate on the patched...

-Down to Earth   Lancet study says 5.5 million infant deaths in the world go unrecorded Every year, more than 750,000 children in India die before completing the first year of their lives. The number is more than that of any other country in the world. A research led by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine states India recorded 779,000 deaths in 2012. It was followed by Nigeria with 276,000 deaths, Pakistan with...