Directors of 14 regional cancer centres across the country, including the Indian Dental Association and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), have written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Health Minister Ghulab Nabi Azad urging them to bring in a nationwide ban on the sale of gutka/pan masala products in the country.

The move comes after cancer specialists/oncologists, oral cancer victims and public health experts lauded the government for banning gutka in over 10 States under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations, which prohibit the addition of tobacco or nicotine in food, and urged the government to ensure effective implementation of this notification in all the States.

The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke has been implemented in four districts of Haryana-Mewat, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Yamunanaga

Govt conducted unscientific, improper survey of Endo victims, alleges leader

Dakshina Kannada District Congress has decided to stretch a helping hand to more than 5,521 Endosulfan victims from 92 villages of Sullia, Puttur, Belthangady and Bantwal taluks in the district. Addressing a press conference in Mangalore on Thursday, Social Action Group for Empowerment (SAGE) Convenor and AICC Member P V Mohan said that Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad has responded positively for the first hand report sent by district Congress about Endo victims through AICC General Secretary Oscar Fernandes and assured of taking immediate actions.

In a major setback to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, a Parliamentary Committee has rejected a Bill which seeks to provide a mechanism to regulate standards of medical education in the country citing “serious apprehensions” raised by various stakeholders, including State governments.

In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health that considered the National Commission for Human Resources for Health (NCHRH) Bill, 2011, has recommended that the Ministry may withdraw this Bill and bring forward a fresh Bill after sufficiently addressing all the views, suggestions and the concerns expressed

The Centre was asked on Wednesday by the Delhi High Court to submit to it a report on implementation of the government’s long-term action plan to control the outbreak of dangerous diseases like dengue in the city.

A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sought the report within three weeks from the Union Ministry of Health and posted the matter for December 12.

New Delhi The laxness in branding medicines, a common practice for long but with serious implications for public health besides being an unhealthy business practice, might soon end.

A recent health ministry move to bar state drug regulators from granting manufacturing licences on brand names may force companies to queue up before the registrar of trademarks. In the process, several brands resembling popular brands and at times even misrepresenting their contents may get weeded out, too.

Amid efforts to attain WHO’s polio-free certification, India has identified around four lakh settlements that are at high risk of polio virus transmission.

Latest addition will be insertion of the word “warning” in red font on the tobacco packs

In an effort to curb tobacco abuse in India, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has notified a new set of warnings to be depicted on tobacco product packs with effect from April next year. The latest addition will be the insertion of the word “warning” in red font on the tobacco packs. Also, a provision has been added to ensure a ratio is maintained between the vertical and horizontal length of the health warning to avoid distortion with the change in the size of packs.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified new set of warnings to be depicted on tobacco product packs with effect from April next year.

New Delhi: Manipur has burst into the scene to become the best place to be born in India along with Goa.