
Amit Shah to inaugurate Bajirao Peshwa statue, sports centre on Friday
Shah will also visit the Balasaheb Deora Hospital at Khadi Machine Chowk and attend the ground breaking ceremony of PHRC Health City at Wadachiwadi road.
This will be the Home Minister's second visit to Pune since February, when he was in the city to distribute approval letters under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) Phase 2.
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The Print
8 hours ago
- The Print
BJP calls Siddaramaiah ‘anti-science' for linking cardiac-related deaths in Hassan to COVID vaccines
In the past month alone, at least 20 people have died due to heart-attacks in Hassan district, about 200 km from Bengaluru. He also announced the formation of a panel of experts to probe the deaths. Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Tuesday suggested that COVID-19 vaccines may be linked to a string of cardiac-related fatalities in the southern state. Siddaramaiah in a post on X wrote: 'It cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the Covid vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths, as several studies worldwide have recently indicated that COVID vaccines could be a cause for the increasing number of heart attacks.' In the past month alone, in just one district of Hassan, more than twenty people have died due to heart attacks. The government is taking this matter very seriously. To identify the exact cause of these series of deaths and to find solutions, a committee of experts has been… — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 1, 2025 The chief minister said he has ordered the formation of a committee of experts, led by the chief of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research, Dr K.S. Ravindranath, to identify the cause of the deaths. The committee has been asked to submit a report within 10 days. 'Orders were given to this same committee back in February to conduct a thorough study into the reasons behind sudden deaths among young people in the state, and whether the COVID vaccines could have any adverse effects. In this regard, the process of examining and analysing heart patients is also underway,' Siddaramaiah said. Adding, 'Before the BJP criticises us on this matter, they should ask their conscience.' The BJP in Karnataka has defended the COVID-19 vaccines, giving credit to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government, for the quick development and distribution in several other countries. 'We are fully committed to finding the true cause of the sudden series of deaths in Hassan district and across the state and to preventing them,' Siddaramaiah said. Also read: Two years of governance 'paralysis' in Karnataka as CM Siddaramaiah focuses on saving chair 'Questioning vaccine is anti-science, anti-people' The deaths in Hassan took a political turn with the Opposition in Karnataka accusing the ruling party of deflecting attention rather than taking responsibility for the deaths. 'Instead of providing answers to grieving families, CM @siddaramaiah is indulging in dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric, blaming COVID vaccines, approved by global health authorities and administered worldwide, without a shred of scientific evidence from their side. This is not leadership. This is cowardice,' R. Ashok, the Leader of the Opposition said in a post on X. 'To now use these tragedies to cast doubts on the vaccine and shift accountability is both anti-science and anti-people,' he added. It is deeply unfortunate that even as over twenty lives have been lost to sudden heart attacks in just one district alone, the @INCKarnataka government is more interested in deflecting blame than in taking responsibility. Instead of providing answers to grieving families, CM… — R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) July 1, 2025 Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP, asking them not to politicise the issue. 'We too value the lives of children, youth, and innocent people who have their entire lives ahead of them, and we share the concerns of their families. I condemn the actions of BJP leaders who are using such matters for their political gains,' he said. The deaths being reported in Hassan have added to the problems of the Siddaramaiah-led government that has faced allegations of mismanagement of healthcare in the past as well. The state government undertook re-testing of all 192 batches of an IV fluid after the deaths of four pregnant women in Ballari in December last year. Of the batches of the IV-based drug, Ringer Lactate solution IV fluid—procured from a West Bengal-based company, Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Ltd—22 had failed. Between 9 and 11 November, there were four maternal deaths reported at the District Hospital in Ballari, about 320 km from Bengaluru. At the time, Karnataka health minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, had said of the 34 patients who had the procedures, seven suffered severe complications and four women died. The Opposition claimed that the death toll was higher. Post the incident, the government attempted to restructure current procedures in its medical facilities, including tendering and auditing of maternal deaths in the immediate past to probe if any of them were caused by sub-standard or contaminated drugs and bringing the state drugs control department under food safety. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: In firefighting mode, Surjewala draws party line—no discussion on change of guard in Karnataka


New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Welcome push to make insurance more accessible
The concerns were recently reiterated by the Union financial services secretary, M Nagaraju, who reminded insurers: 'There is a need to curb mis-selling and ensure premiums are low so that coverage can increase.' He underlined that quick settlement of claims is critical to restore faith in insurance products. A recent survey showed that health insurance premiums have soared 73 percent since 2020, while medical inflation has averaged a whopping 14 percent a year. The steep rise in premiums from pre-Covid levels and rising rejection rates have pushed a larger section of consumers to opt out of coverage altogether. An IRDAI report concedes that 11 percent of health insurance claims are usually denied, while 6 percent are kept pending for long. Apart from rejections, as many as half of all policy holders face issues such as partial approvals or delays while settling claims. To set things in order, the IRDAI needs to be well staffed and review the board decisions of insurers as a matter of routine. That things have been adrift is apparent from the fact that the regulator has been without a chairperson since this March. There is also the longstanding demand for the GST Council to waive the substantial 18 percent tax on premiums. Waiving GST for all health insurance products would be a good start towards greater affordability and broader coverage. It is high time the government removed at least some of the many hurdles in the path of this critical industry.


Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Indian Express
Amit Shah to inaugurate Bajirao Peshwa statue, sports centre on Friday
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be in Pune for a one-day visit on Friday and will take part in multiple events throughout the day. He is scheduled to inaugurate an equestrian statue of Bajirao Peshwa I at Trishakti gate at NDA and a Jayraj Sports and Convention Centre in Kondhwa Budruk in Pune on Friday. Shah will also visit the Balasaheb Deora Hospital at Khadi Machine Chowk and attend the ground breaking ceremony of PHRC Health City at Wadachiwadi road. This will be the Home Minister's second visit to Pune since February, when he was in the city to distribute approval letters under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) Phase 2.