Delhi: Adult vaccination centre and Bronchoscopy suite inaugurated at Army hospital (R&R)
Adult Vaccination Centre
and a state-of-the-art
Bronchoscopy Suite
at the Army Hospital Research and Referral, New Delhi on Saturday.
Defence Ministry
said that the Centre will provide comprehensive
immunisation services
to all eligible adults, offering vaccines for Influenza, Pneumococcus, Hepatitis, and other preventable diseases.
The newly established Bronchoscopy Suite is equipped with advanced technology for performing a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic airway procedures.
The facilities aim to enhance
preventive healthcare
and
advanced diagnostic capabilities
for patients visiting the hospital.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Commandant Lt Gen Shankar Narayan; Deputy Commandant Maj Gen Amul Kapoor, along with senior officers from the hospital, station, and the Directorate. (ANI)
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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
International youth day: Empowering the future, today
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Chief emeritus and currently Sr Consultant gynecologist and laparoscopic surgeon, Moolchan Medcity and Apollo Cradle Hospitals, New Delhi. She is a published-writer on varied topics. Facebook: Twitter: She also writes at LESS ... MORE Each year on August 12th, the world observes International Youth Day—a moment to recognise and uplift the voices, aspirations, and capabilities of young people globally. Initiated by the United Nations in 1999, this day is more than just symbolic. It's a clarion call to governments, organisations, and communities to invest in youth development and ensure that the next generation is empowered to lead, innovate, and thrive. This year's theme, 'Youth for Peace and Prosperity,' underscores the unique power of young people to drive progress and promote harmony in an increasingly turbulent world. From climate action and digital innovation to social justice and decentralised finance, youth are not waiting for change—they are leading it. The Numbers That Matter Globally, there are more than 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24, the largest youth population in history. Yet nearly 90% of them live in developing countries, where access to education, technology, and economic opportunities is often limited. The choices we make today about investing in youth will shape the societies of tomorrow. Youth unemployment remains a major concern. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this disparity, displacing millions of young workers and disrupting education systems worldwide. The Role of Technology and Decentralisation As the world pivots toward digital economies, technology is becoming a powerful enabler for youth development. Platforms driven by decentralised finance (DeFi)—like Velar—are unlocking new economic models where young individuals from any corner of the globe can earn, invest, and innovate without intermediaries. Velar, for instance, is building a DeFi ecosystem on Bitcoin's secure foundation, empowering users through permissionless access to financial tools. For many young people—particularly in the Global South—this represents more than technology. It's a lifeline. With limited access to traditional banking, DeFi gives them autonomy over their assets and the ability to participate in global financial systems. The philosophy behind such systems mirrors the spirit of International Youth Day: decentralisation, inclusivity, and trust. It aligns with what young people today are demanding: systems that are fair, open, and built for the many, not the few. Voices of Change: Youth Leading the Way From climate activists like Greta Thunberg to peacebuilders in conflict zones, youth are stepping into leadership roles, often in places where institutions have failed. In Sudan, youth spearheaded peaceful protests that led to significant political reform. In India, thousands of young people are building startups focused on sustainability, fintech, and education. In Latin America, youth-led tech hubs are empowering communities through blockchain education and digital literacy. It's not just about protesting; it's about proposing. Young leaders are articulating bold visions and implementing grassroots solutions, proving that they are not just the leaders of tomorrow—they are already leading today. Education: The Unfinished Revolution Despite progress, access to quality education remains elusive for millions. According to UNESCO, over 260 million children and youth are out of school. Even those in school often lack the digital skills necessary for the future workforce. International Youth Day reminds us that education is not a privilege—it is a right. And in the 21st century, that includes financial literacy, coding, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship. It means building systems where young people are creators of technology, not just consumers. This is where innovation in DeFi and blockchain intersects again. Projects like Velar are not just technological solutions—they're educational platforms. They foster communities where youth learn how markets work, how to manage digital assets, and how to participate in decentralised governance. Mental Health and Resilience Today's youth face unprecedented challenges—from economic pressures and climate anxiety to digital addiction and political unrest. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that one in seven 10–19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, often going unnoticed and untreated. Resilience is not innate—it must be nurtured. That means investing in systems that protect mental health, encourage expression, and create safe, inclusive environments. Art, community-building, open dialogue, and access to counseling are not luxuries—they are essential building blocks for healthy societies. The Power of Decentralised Identity and Autonomy In a digital-first world, identity is currency. But centralised data systems have made youth vulnerable to exploitation, surveillance, and exclusion. A decentralised identity—where individuals control their data—is a transformative idea that aligns with youth values: privacy, autonomy, and equity. Platforms rooted in decentralisation—such as those being developed by Velar—are already integrating such features. This opens new possibilities: identity not defined by a passport or government, but by digital credentials, reputation, and contribution. For young people fleeing conflict or lacking formal documentation, this is revolutionary. Call to Action: Youth Are Not a Problem to Solve, But a Partner to Empower If International Youth Day is to be more than an annual event, it must catalyse change in three critical ways: Policy Inclusion Governments must ensure youth representation in decision-making—not as tokens, but as equal stakeholders. From climate policies to urban planning, youth voices must shape the agenda. Funding Youth-Led Innovation Institutions and investors need to back youth-led ventures, especially those using technology for social impact. Whether through grants, venture capital, or crypto-native funding models like IDOs (Initial DEX Offerings), young innovators must be resourced. Creating Enabling Ecosystems Access to the internet, training, mentorship, and platforms like Velar must be scaled globally. The tools exist—the commitment must follow. Toward a More Inclusive and Secure Financial Future A striking alignment exists between the goals of International Youth Day and the vision behind the decentralised finance movement. Both aim to redistribute power, promote inclusivity, and enable self-determination. Decentralised protocols like Velar are not just about building financial tools—they are about building systems that youth can trust. Systems where they are not passive recipients but active participants. Their voices help govern protocols, and they share in the value they help create. In many ways, today's youth are already living in the future. They are global, digitally fluent, values-driven, and innovation-minded. The question is not whether they are ready. It is whether the world is prepared to step aside, listen, and let them lead. Conclusion: The Future Is Now On this International Youth Day, let's move beyond celebration and commit to transformation. Young people don't need saving—they need space, tools, and trust. They are not just inheritors of the world. They are architects of its future. Let us give them the bricks. They'll build the bridges. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
104 pvt hospitals empanelled under govt health schemes in 6 months
Pune: In just six months, 104 private hospitals across the district have been added to the state's flagship health insurance programme, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), and central government's Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), according to district health officials. Pune, India - Oct. 3, 2023:A view of the board displaying ward no 16 of Sassoon hospital in Pune India, on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. (Photo by Shankar Narayan/HT PHOTO) The Public Health department had launched a state-wide drive in January to expand the network of hospitals empanelled under the two schemes, which provide citizens free or cashless treatment on several procedures and surgeries. Since the launch of the campaign, the number of empanelled hospitals in Pune district has increased from 98 to 202, said the officials. The MJPJAY scheme was launched in 2012 and revamped in 2023 to make it universal and increase the treatment cover from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh. Under the PMJAY scheme, beneficiaries are provided coverage of upto ₹5 lakh per year, per family. Currently, there are 1,359 private and 672 government facilities empanelled under both schemes in the state, covering 1,352 health procedures. Dr Priti Lokhande, district coordinator of MJPJAY and PMJAY, said that the newly-added 104 hospitals include private hospitals and medical colleges with 30 beds to 200 beds. 'With a larger number of hospitals getting empanelled, specialised and emergency healthcare will become more accessible to people, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Twenty five other hospitals are also in the process of getting empanelled,' she said. Dr Nagnath Yempalle, district civil surgeon, said that beneficiaries can avail treatment for a wide range of illnesses, surgeries, and procedures without bearing the financial burden. 'The state health department plans to keep up the drive to ensure that people have more choices for treatment nearer home.' However, charitable hospitals in the city are unwilling to participate. On April 21, the state issued a Government Resolution (GR) making it mandatory for such hospitals to join state and central health schemes. In response, the Association of Hospitals (AOH) in Pune filed a writ petition with the Bombay high court, citing financial and practical difficulties as reasons for their opposition to the government decision.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Mounting medical bills, nowhere to go: Braveheart cadets disabled in military training struggle in shadows
* He knew from childhood that he wanted to become an Army officer. Today, his speech is slurred, he needs help at every step. And yet, when Vickrant Raj sees a movie about the Army on TV, he perks up and wants to chip in, somehow. * Shubham Gupta once dreamt of piloting a fighter jet but now can't even hold a glass of water. * Kishan Kulakarni is fully dependent on his mother, a former school teacher, for his most basic needs; and, Harish Sinhmar has simply lost the will to live. All of them, once cadets training at the nation's top military institutes such as National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Military Academy (IMA) — selected after rigorous training and fired by dreams to defend the nation — are today bravehearts struggling in the shadows. They are among the around 500 officer cadets who have been medically discharged from these military institutes since 1985, due to varying degrees of disability incurred during training, and are now staring at mounting medical bills with an ex gratia monthly payment that's far short of what they need. At the NDA alone, sources told this newspaper, around 20 such cadets were medically discharged in just the past five years, between 2021 and July 2025. According to rules, these cadets are not entitled to the status of ex-servicemen (ESM), which would have made them eligible under the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) for free treatment at military facilities and empanelled hospitals, since their disabilities took place during training before they were commissioned as officers. And, unlike soldiers in this category who are entitled to ESM status, all that these officer cadets get now is an ex gratia payment of up to Rs 40,000 per month depending on extent of disability — an amount that falls far short of basic needs, they say, with medical expenses alone costing, on an average, nearly Rs 50,000 per month or more. Today, after years of waiting in vain for a helping hand, all their hopes are pinned on a renewed Government push to get them some relief but The Indian Express found that even this has been stuck in red tape for over a year (see adjoining report). 'Without ESM status, medical care takes place at private hospitals, including hiring physiotherapists, which leaves families with hefty medical bills. Should cadets like my son not get ESM status so that he can at least get treatment in military hospitals?' asks Suman Raj, the mother of 26-year-old Vickrant who gets an ex gratia of Rs 40,000 but is saddled with monthly medical bills totalling nearly Rs 1 lakh. 'A disability pension and ex-serviceman status can give me a life of dignity,' says Shubham. 'My life is over but this should not happen to any other young cadet,' says Harish. Then there's Bharati, the mother of Kishan, who has not been able to start physiotherapy for her son three years after his NDA discharge. 'We are not from a military family, we are teachers. We do not understand the processes linked to this ex gratia,' Bharati, a former school vice-principal, said. Vickrant, Shubham, Kishan and Harish are among the illustrative cases that The Indian Express focused on over the past month, interviewing former cadets and their families, and reviewing their medical records. It came across a string of severe disabilities, ranging from paralysis to brain damage, shattered dreams and lifelong scars. 'It is so painful for a mother' Vickrant Raj, 26 Home: Chandigarh NDA tenure: December 2016 to June 2020 Injury: Head injury, subdural haemorrhage (blood collection between brain and outer covering) Monthly ex gratia: Rs 40,000 Monthly medical bill: Rs 95,000 (approx) His story: Once labelled as a potential fifth-generation officer, Vickrant suffered a head injury that caused a brain haemorrhage, leading to coma for six months. Today, he needs assistance to walk and perform basic daily chores — and his speech is slurred. Records show Vickrant was ranked fourth in the NDA entrance examination. His mother Suman Raj said, 'From his childhood, people we knew used to say he had 'officer-like qualities' and was 'General material'.' According to Suman, Vickrant 'was doing well at NDA'. 'In 2018, he was hit on the head during a boxing bout. He got up but fainted later and was hospitalised for a week. Over a month later, he participated in Rovers Camp, an endurance test lasting 4-5 days. He also appeared for his term exams, in which he did fairly well,' Suman said. 'Inspired by his success, he participated in a football match in October that year despite advice to the contrary. Minutes into the match, the football struck his head at the same point where he was hit during the bout. He collapsed and underwent brain surgery but slipped into a coma. My 6-ft-tall son, who weighed 70 kg, became 35-40 kg in weeks,' Suman said. Suman, the daughter of an ex-IAF officer, says her son 'gave eight years to the military, from the time he joined Rashtriya Indian Military College as an 11-year-old to the time he was medically boarded out of NDA at 19'. 'Even today, when Vickrant hears a speech or sees a movie related to the military or national security, he wants to contribute. The other day, he saw NSA Ajit Doval speaking at IIT Chennai, and he asked how he can join R&AW… It is so painful for a mother,' she said. 'Trauma…no friends' Shubham Gupta, 33 Home: Bhatinda, Punjab NDA: June 2010 to June 2014 Injury: Cervical spinal injury, quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs and torso) Monthly ex gratia: Rs 40,000 Monthly medical bill: Rs 40,000 His story: Shubham, whose uncle was in the IAF, recalls being fascinated during childhood by the aircraft that flew high above his house. In June 2010, he joined the NDA to give wings to his dreams. But what happened two years later changed his life forever. 'In April 2012, when I was in my fourth term, I suffered a spinal cord injury while taking a deep dive in the pool. I barely survived but the impact fractured my neck, left me paralysed from neck down. I underwent eight surgeries and was on the ventilator for two months,' he said. Medical records show Shubham underwent treatment at Command Hospital and Military Hospital in Pune over the next few months. With no improvement, he was boarded out of NDA. 'My injury caused me tremendous physical and emotional trauma. I cannot even lift a glass by myself. I have to undergo daily physiotherapy sessions, with two attendants to help with basic daily tasks,' he said. Shubham's younger brother is a doctor in the Army, his father a retired soil conservation officer and his mother a retired school teacher. He spends time tracking the stock market and studying astrology. 'I don't have any friends from school near home. But my NDA coursemates come and see me whenever they are in town. Some of them are Majors in the Army today,' he said. '90% nerve damage' Kishan Kulakarni, 25 Home: Hubballi, Karnataka NDA tenure: January 2019 to April 2022 Injury: Cardiac arrest, HIE (caused by oxygen, blood deprivation in brain) Monthly ex gratia: Rs 40,000 Monthly medical bill: 40,000 (approx) His story: Kishan has been bedridden since July 2020, with his medical report showing more than 90% nerve damage in the brain. 'Doctors have said the nerves in his brain have degenerated due to lack of oxygen, and they may not regenerate again,' said Kishan's mother Bharati Joshi, a former school teacher and single mother who is taking care of him all by herself. 'Kishan does not ask for food so I ensure that he is fed at regular intervals and that his urine bag and diapers are changed. I have not yet kept an attendant or started Kishan's physiotherapy because we started getting the ex gratia amount only recently,' she said. Citing information received from authorities, Bharati said Kishan was serving milk to cadets during breakfast when he got disoriented and fainted. Medical records attribute his cardiac arrest to training. They show that he underwent treatment for two years at Military Hospital in Kirkee before he was medically boarded out of the academy in April 2022. 'The cardiac arrest left him 100 per cent disabled and bedridden. I recently took voluntary retirement to take care of Kishan. I have been struggling without any sleep at night. I am now planning to take Kishan to Pune for another diagnosis, a difficult task considering his current condition. We are also looking for an attendant,' Kishan's mother said. 'Turned to academics' Kartik Sharma, 27 Home: Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh NDA tenure: June 2015 to Nov 2021 Injury: Traumatic spinal cord injury with quadriplegia Monthly ex gratia: Rs 40,000 Monthly medical bill: Rs 40,000 His story: An alumnus of Sainik School Sujanpur Tira, Kartik was selected as an Air Force cadet and dreamt of becoming a fighter pilot. Today, he sits on an automatic wheelchair, his limbs so weak he can't propel a manual version, with an attendant to help with daily tasks. Kartik got injured in 2016 during an 'organised training activity' and underwent treatment at Command Hospital in Pune for about a month. 'But my condition started deteriorating after contracting pneumonia, and I was airlifted to R&R Hospital in Delhi in March 2016. I was boarded out in November 2021 from the Military Hospital in Khirkee after spending over five years on rehabilitation,' he said. Kartik refused to give up and channeled his love for sports. Records show that he participated in para table tennis twice at the national level. 'I also turned my attention to academics. I graduated in political science and am currently pursuing a masters in political science from IGNOU. I have also cleared the UGC NET and am preparing for the civil services examination,' he said. 'Nothing left in life' Harish Sinhmar, 40 Home: Rohtak, Haryana IMA tenure: June 2006 to December 2007 Injury: Severe head injury Monthly ex gratia: Rs 40,000 Monthly medical bill: Rs 70,000 His story: An alumnus of Sainik School, Kunjpura (Haryana), Harish suffered a head injury during boxing at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, leading to surgery and coma for 42 days. 'It's been nearly two decades since I was discharged and I sleep for nearly 15 hours every day with nothing much to look forward to in life,' he said. Harish can walk around the house and even manages to visit the local grocery shop sometimes. 'But my mental health has taken a beating. There are times when I collapse. There are times when I get aggressive at people around me. I have also been taking medicines for seizures. I lack full motor control, and suffer from loss of memory and blurred vision,' he said. Harish is 'angry' over his fate. 'I don't have any friends from IMA… My coursemates are Colonels today… My parents take care of me but for how long? My father would ideally want me to die while he is still alive so that I am not left alone,' he said.
