Delhi bans fuel for old vehicles, Karnataka sees surge in heart attack deaths in Hassan
And in Karnataka, Hassan district has reported 23 cardiovascular-related deaths in 40 days, prompting the Chief Minister to form an expert committee to investigate the cause within 10 days. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested a potential link to COVID-19 vaccines, a claim that contradicts Indian Council of Medical Research studies. The committee, led by Dr. Ravindranath from Jayadeva Institute, will examine various factors including lifestyle, stress, and undiagnosed conditions, with victims ranging from 19 years old. The government has launched health schemes like Hriday Jyoti and Gruha Arogya to monitor public health.
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Indian Express
2 minutes ago
- Indian Express
India is exporting doctors and nurses. The country needs them too
The demand and supply of health workforce across countries continues to be a daunting problem, with most countries lacking adequate numbers of doctors and nurses and a projected global shortfall of 18 million health workers by 2030. Health workers migrate across countries, with the flow typically being from countries in the Global South to those in the North. The countries from which health professionals migrate are also those that face internal supply constraints. Sri Lanka, for instance, witnesses extensive outmigration, which is (partially) addressed by getting professionals from other countries. An estimated 10-12 per cent of foreign-trained doctors and nurses come from countries that are known to have a shortage of local healthcare workers. OECD data estimates suggest that between 2009 and 2019, 25 per cent to 32 per cent of doctors in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US were medical graduates from South Asia and Africa. Indian doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals migrate to countries across the world — almost 75,000 Indian-trained doctors work in OECD countries, and an estimated 640,000 Indian nurses work abroad. The Philippines is another example – the country is renowned for its large-scale export of nurses and other health professionals. Over 193,000 Philippines-trained nurses work abroad, constituting about 85 per cent of all Filipino nurses worldwide. Economics and geopolitics influence the extent and nature of such migration through a combination of push and pull factors. Limited career growth and lower wages are key economic push factors. Political instability and conflict in the source country are often political push factors. Trade agreements that encourage migration, health crises that pull health workers to some areas and international recruitment policies are all pull factors, which, in turn, contribute to shortages in source countries. Countries like the Philippines and India have formalised policies to encourage the export of health workers, viewing them as sources of remittances and economic benefit. Yet, both countries have an acute shortage of health professionals. Despite potential gains in the form of remittances and skill development, the loss of workforce capacity in countries already facing shortages outweighs the gains. What is needed, therefore, is a balanced domestic and international policy response that focuses on the needs of the individual, the national health system and global equity. Cross-country migration is often leveraged for diplomatic gains. India, already known as the pharmacy of the world, leverages such migration to foster international partnerships, promote economic gains through remittances and investments, enhance its global influence in health sectors, and manage the challenges of the brain drain through policies encouraging circular migration and bilateral cooperation. It enhanced medical diplomacy during the Covid pandemic by deploying medical professionals to neighbouring and African countries. What is needed now is a greater focus on negotiating more comprehensive — and enforceable — bilateral agreements between source and destination countries, which can potentially include compensation mechanisms, targeted investments in medical education, health infrastructure, or technology transfer, to offset the loss of skilled workers. The WHO code is a starting point in rebuilding such agreements. Ageing populations alongside declining birth rates are leading to growing demands and acute shortages of healthcare professionals in developed countries. India and other countries hold the potential to supply healthcare professionals. India could maximise gains through improved institutional mechanisms, such as establishing a centralised agency to manage workforce mobility. Kerala's experience with setting up agencies to coordinate overseas employment, address grievances, and support returnees can inform national approaches. So can the experiences of the Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers. Diplomacy or economic gains cannot override the workforce agenda of individual countries or take priority over the strength of their health system. Countries exporting health workforce could benefit from greater attention to building a cadre of health professionals, developing the health workforce industry and addressing the need for retaining professionals. This will require expanding the health education infrastructure and increasing its economic viability, improving working conditions and providing incentives to retain talent and encourage circular migration, rather than permanent outflow, leveraging digital tools to enable Indian health professionals to provide services globally, where possible, without physical migration, ensuring accountability of international agreements and exploring regional approaches towards enhancing production capacity such as jointly developed and owned mechanisms of workforce production. Amplifying regional voices could potentially increase the bargaining power of workers from developing countries. By combining investment in workforce capacity, strategic international agreements and policies that maximise economic, knowledge, and social gains, India and other southern countries can transform the migration of healthcare workers from a challenge into a multifaceted opportunity for national development. The rise of agencies in the Global South can mean that countries like the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India are active architects of workforce strategies that balance domestic needs and global engagement. They should be seen as not just exporters of workers or victims of the brain drain. Venkateswaran is commissioner, Lancet Citizens' Commission on Reimagining India's Health System and Monteiro is a researcher on Global Health
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
4 effective ways to lower bad cholesterol
Millions grapple with high LDL cholesterol, increasing heart disease risks. This article suggests four natural ways to lower bad cholesterol. Cutting back on saturated fats from red meats and opting for unsaturated fats found in oily fish and nuts is crucial. Lowering cholesterol levels is crucial for healthy living. Millions struggle with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Also known as the 'bad' cholesterol' LDL increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke. However, making certain lifestyle changes may help to bring down LDL and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is the 'good cholesterol'. Here are four science-backed ways to lower bad cholesterol naturally. Cut back on fatty food You are what you eat. This is 100% true when it comes to health. The first step towards managing cholesterol levels is limiting fatty foods. Not all fatty foods are bad for your health. However, ensure to avoid foods that contain saturated fats, commonly found in red meats, sausages, butter, ghee, cream, and full-fat cheese. These fats can raise LDL cholesterol and lead to an increased risk of plaque buildup in the arteries. You can opt for healthy fats, which are unsaturated fats, that help lower LDL levels. Foods such as oily fish (salmon and mackerel), olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds. Eat brown rice, wholegrain bread, and wholewheat pasta, nuts and seeds, fruits, and vegetables. And cut back on meat pies, fatty meat, lard, butter, ghee, cream, cheddar, cakes and biscuits, or foods that have coconut oil or palm oil. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola To make an informed decision, check food labels. Exercise more Most simplest way to boost your physical and mental health is to exercise regularly. Regular physical activity will improve the body's ability to process cholesterol. Exercise will lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good one. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. The goal is to move more. Our bodies are designed to move, not to be limited to a couch potato. Even exercises such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming can make a huge difference. You can try a few different exercises to know what you may like. After that, stick to it. Quit smoking There is no easy way of saying this. Smoking is injurious to health. It wreaks havoc, and raises your cholesterol levels, making you more prone to chronic illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer. The quicker you quit, the healthier you become. The most important fact to understand is that smoking does not benefit your physical or mental health; it only destroys it. Supreme Court Pushes Central Govt to Finalise FOPL: What It Means & Why It Matters? | Explained Cut down on alcohol Alcohol is the biggest toxin you can put in your body. There are no safe levels when it comes to alcohol consumption. It really doesn't matter how much you drink; the risk begins from the first drop. The more you drink, the more harmful it is. If you have trouble quitting all at once, at least limit the intake. Heavy drinking increases cholesterol and triglyceride levels. To manage cholesterol levels, limit your intake and slowly get to a point where you can avoid it altogether. If you have trouble with either of these, you must seek the help of a healthcare professional.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Global childhood vaccination slowed by pandemic: study
GUWAHATI Global childhood vaccination rates, hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, did not return to the pre-pandemic levels by 2023, a study published in The Lancet has revealed. The study also marked India among eight countries that accounted for more than half of the world's 15.7 million 'zero-dose' children in 2023. Zero-dose refers to children who did not receive the first dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP). The other seven countries are Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan. 'The study highlights the progress and challenges in global childhood vaccination efforts from 1980 to 2023. it shows that the coverage for key vaccines for DTP, measles, polio, and tuberculosis nearly doubled over this period, but the positive trend hides some worrying developments,' Hemen Sarma, an associate professor at Assam's Bodoland University, said on July 24, 2025. A GBD (Global Burden of Diseases) senior collaborator with the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Mr Sarma is one of the authors of the study involving researchers worldwide. The study underscored the slowdown in the vaccination progress in many countries and territories between 2010 and 2019, with 21 out of 36 high-income nations witnessing a drop in coverage for at least one vaccine. It said the COVID-19 pandemic made things worse, 'with global rates for these vaccines declining sharply since 2020, and still not returning to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels as of 2023'. 'Vaccines introduced more recently, such as those for pneumonia, rotavirus, and the second dose of the measles vaccine, continued to expand during the pandemic, but at a slower pace. Only the third dose of DTP is expected to meet the global target of 90% coverage by 2030, and that too in the most optimistic scenarios,' Mr Sarma said. One of the concerns underlined by the study was the rise in the number of zero-dose children during the pandemic after dropping sharply from 1980 to 2019, peaking at 18.6 million in 2021. Most of these children live in conflict zones or areas with limited healthcare access, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The study has warned that unless urgent action is taken, global immunisation targets will not be met. It called for focused efforts to strengthen healthcare systems, fight vaccine misinformation, and reach the most underserved communities, especially in Africa and South Asia. Campaigns like the World Health Organisation's 'Big Catch-Up' and efforts to restore routine immunisation must prioritise these areas to regain lost ground and ensure every child is protected, the study said. The study has provided updated global, regional, and national estimates of routine childhood vaccine coverage across 204 countries and territories for 11 vaccine-dose combinations recommended by WHO for all children globally. Employing advanced modelling techniques, this analysis accounted for data biases and heterogeneity and integrated new methodologies to model vaccine scale-up and COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions. To contextualise historic coverage trends and gains still needed to achieve the WHO's Immunisation Agenda 2030 coverage targets, the researchers assessed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccine coverage, forecast coverage of select life-course vaccines up to 2030, and analysed the progress needed to reduce the number of zero-dose children by half between 2023 and 2030.
