-The Hindu    “Population aged 60 and above will grow to 17% by 2050” The World Health Organisation (WHO) in partnership with the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has called for greater attention to the aging of India's population, its implications for health policy and for promotion of a society where the elderly can live full, enriching and productive lives. “In India, as all around the world, people are living longer. Undoubtedly...

-The Hindustan Times   The CBI filed the first chargesheet in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam on Tuesday. According to the chargesheet, five former UP government officials — among others — have misappropriated Rs 13.4 crore, 68% of the NRHM funds meant to upgrade 134 district hospitals in Uttar Pradesh. The officials were working with the state Construction & Design Services (C&DS), a unit of the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam. Among...

-The Hindu   The Centre's move to introduce an experimental universal health package in at least one district per State under the National Rural Health Mission, with access to free generic drugs, is a welcome measure. But the larger mission to provide free essential medicines to all citizens need not await the results of such pilot studies. It should be rolled out for poor and non-poor alike quickly. There is no time...

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday warned India that feminization of its ageing population could lead to a rapid increase in its number of widows. Reacting to a TOI story that showed how the majority of India's elderly are now women, WHO's representative to India Dr Nata Menabde said the trend has significant consequences for the health of older women. She said, "Women's longer life-spans compared to men, combined with the...

Move could save banks significant money spent on record-checking and documentation In what could usher in an era of paper-less, real-time authentication, the finance ministry is looking into allowing online Aadhaar authentication as a valid proof of identity for opening bank accounts. The ministry is considering an amendment to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, or PMLA, to recognize online Aadhaar data to satisfy know-your-customer (KYC) requirements. This will pave the way for...