Minister Dola distributes Rs 27.7 lakh aid to 36 needy in Kondapi constituency
Dola said that despite financial troubles, CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu's government was prioritising the welfare and health of poor citizens. He cited the CMRF support to the ailing as evidence of the government's commitment.
The Minister said that despite repaying interest on huge debts left by the previous regime, Chief Minister prioritises medical aid through CMRF funds, sanctioning Rs 4.67 crore for Kondapi in the last year.
The government is strengthening public healthcare by appointing staff, upgrading infrastructure, and implementing the STEMI project for emergency heart surgeries with STEMI India. It is also increasing hospital deliveries and digitising patient records with Bill Gates Foundation support, aiming to get 'Arogya AP' soon.
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NDTV
40 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Disability Of Cadets During Training Can't Be Deterrent, Provide Insurance Cover": Top Court To Centre
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it wants defence forces to have "braveheart cadets" who should not be deterred by injuries or disabilities suffered during training and directed the Centre to explore the possibility of providing them with insurance covers for such exigencies. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan, sought response of the Centre and defence forces in a suo motu case on difficulties faced by cadets, who were medically discharged from military institutes on account of disabilities suffered during training programmes. "We want these braveheart cadets to be in the forces. We don't want injuries or disability to be any kind of deterrent to these cadets, who undergo training after clearing various competitive examinations," the bench observed. The Centre, the top court said, should explore the possibility of granting an insurance cover like group insurance to the cadets undergoing rigorous training in different military institutes to deal with any exigency of death or disabilities. "If you grant them insurance cover, there will be no financial burden on the government but on the insurer. Every trainee cadet should be insured because the risk is very high. Brave people should come into the forces, if they are left high and dry, they will be disheartened," the bench said. It also asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, to seek instruction on enhancing the current lumpsum amount, which stands at Rs 40,000 for cadets disabled during the training programme, to meet their medical needs. The top court was informed that a file relating to granting them Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) cover has been cleared by the ministry but not implemented. The top court also asked the Centre to explore a scheme for rehabilitation of the disabled candidates into desk jobs or any other work related to defence services, after their treatment was over. "Don't treat this case as adversarial. There can be some scheme under which they can be trained after treatment of their disability or injuries. These injuries or disabilities are accidental. You can bring them back into the forces by reassessing them and training them for some other work in the defence forces," the bench told Bhati. Justice Nagarathna said even if they did not receive the same benefits as provided to the ex-servicepersons, they could still get some benefits under the scheme. "Insurance cover, enhanced ex-gratia amount and benefits under the rehabilitation scheme can be given to them. Explore these possibilities and apprise us after seeking instructions from competent authorities," the bench said, calling it an act of social justice. The matter was then posted for September 4. The bench was informed several high courts were seized with the issues of such cadets. Without passing any order, the bench decided to take a call about the issues in the suo motu case later. The bench asked Bhati to file a response by September 4 and allowed the counsel appearing for the cadets before the high courts to submit their suggestions to her. On August 12, the top court took suo motu cognisance of a media report, which flagged the issue of these cadets. They were stated to be once a part of training at the nation's top military institutes such as the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Military Academy (IMA). According to the media report, there are around 500 officer cadets who were 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. In NDA alone, it was reported, there were around 20 such cadets, who were medically discharged in just five years, between 2021 and July 2025. The report further highlighted the plight of these cadets because according to the rules, they were not entitled to the status of ex-servicemen (ESM), which would have made them eligible under the ECHS for free treatment at military facilities and empanelled hospitals, since their disabilities took place during training before they were commissioned as officers. It said unlike soldiers in this category, entitled to ESM status, all that these officer cadets got was 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.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Communicable disease overload in Kerala: State reported 12 more diseases in a decade; marker of poor public hygiene and climate change
Representational image Kerala Has Reported 12 More Communicable Diseases In The Last Decade, Taking The Total To 25, A Marker Of State's Poor Public Hygiene And Climate Change The daily life and health practices of the people in Choorathodu village and in the surrounding areas of Vengoor panchayat in Ernakulam changed forever since a major hepatitis outbreak was reported in April last year, infecting more than 300 and killing three. Even after a year, Nicy, a young mother of three, remains anxious about the health of her son, Erizal, who is in class I. The six-year-old was hospitalized for 18 days with jaundice, which has since weakened his immunity. The family is hesitant to continue his treatment for early symptoms of albinism, a genetic condition where the body produces little or no melanin, the pigment responsible for colour of skin, hair, and eyes, fearing further health complications. Consequently, they have adopted stricter hygiene practices, including consuming only boiled water. 'I also contracted jaundice before Erizal. However, his condition became serious within days, with water accumulating in his liver and stomach. He couldn't even walk. We spent around Rs 1 lakh for his treatment as we didn't have any health insurance coverage. Post-infection, Erizal developed an allergy and experiences stomach pain whenever he takes medicine even for fever. We are still afraid to resume his treatment for skin discolouration. The jaundice infection taught us the need to drink only boiled water. All of us used to drink water directly from the tap. Now I boil water daily and ask children to drink it,' said Nicy, whose husband works as a driver. Many in the village even avoid lime juice from shops. Lack of cleanliness and public hygiene Kerala has seen a significant rise in communicable diseases, often leading to fatalities, despite being preventable. Experts cite a lack of cleanliness and public hygiene as the reason. That's what the people of Vengoor learned the hard way. Health department found that the source of jaundice was water from a broken pipeline of a KWA well replenished with canal-harvested water, exposing a lack of public hygiene. The long-term health concern is real. Jinson K Reji (24), a footballer who had trained with Kerala Blasters, is now unable to play due to lingering effects. 'My brother and I spent more than two weeks in the hospital due to jaundice and my father had to shell out Rs 80,000 to foot the bill. Even after getting discharged, it took months for us to regain normal health. We can't walk long distances or climb staircases due to breathing difficulty. I can't play football even now as I get tired fast and suffer muscle cramps frequently,' Jinson stated. 'After playing, we used to drink water directly from the public tap in front of our house. Now I stopped it and drink only boiled water, which I carry whenever I go out,' said Jinson who plays alongside his brother Rinson. Their friend Mithun T Pregeve and ward member Biju Peter, who also contracted jaundice, expressed similar concerns about the long-term health and financial impacts of communicable diseases on the affected individuals and their families. Other communicable diseases such as leptospirosis, dengue fever and diarrhoea are also increasing annually in the state. Many residents continue to avoid drinking boiled water, refuse to observe dry days to clear water accumulation points, don't treat waste properly or take doxycycline to prevent life-threatening leptospirosis. The types of communicable diseases in the state rose from 13 in 2011 to 25 this year. After being excluded in 2011, rabies — caused by infected vertebrate animals' bites — was added to the list, along with amoebic meningoencephalitis, Scrub typhus, Zika, Nipah and West Nile. Data indicates that infected mosquito bites transmit six of the newly-found infections while eight are caused by exposure to contaminated water, food and faecal waste, highlighting public hygiene issues, population density and inadequate septic waste treatment. Additionally, six infections are zoonotic — transmitted directly from animals to humans— underscoring the increasing human-animal interactions. Diseases also spread from animals to humans through parasites. Experts attribute the rise in communicable diseases in Kerala to climate change, socio-behavioural shifts in sanitation, migration and increasing population density in the tropical climate. 'With human population rising, all our water resources got contaminated with faecal waste, and consuming water without boiling results in waterborne diseases. Lack of hand hygiene is also a cause for concern. The other worrying factor is the rising number of zoonotic diseases caused by people entering forests and animals entering human habitats. Nipah is suspected to be caused by such human-animal interaction when humans entered the normal habitats of fruit bats. With global warming, the life cycle of parasites and other agents is also changing. Along with this and the migration of people, we expect the re-emergence of various diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV,' warned a senior public health officer. Kerala One Health Centre for Nipah nodal officer Dr Anish T S said the govt has instructed them to detect and report more cases rather than masking them as seen in other parts of the country. 'One of the significant factors contributing to the rising cases of dengue fever, hepatitis A, leptospirosis and deadly amoebic meningitis is climate change. In case of amoebic meningitis, when the temperature of surface water rises, the presence of amoeba, which is a thermophilic organism, also rises in water. If the water gets contaminated, amoeba gets more food from it, thereby causing more amoebic meningitis cases. Now, hepatitis A is on the rise. Drinking water after boiling is the best method to avoid such infections. Also drink hot beverages like tea while going outside. "Now that behaviour of Malayalis has changed. People are resorting to filters instead of boiling water. Normal filters are less effective than boiling to tackle viruses. An outbreak of hepatitis was reported in a school in Malappuram a few years ago. The cook there used to boil drinking water every day and keep it in a cauldron for students. Somebody donated a filter to the school, putting an end to the practice of boiling water daily. Three years later, a hepatitis A outbreak was reported in the school as the filter became less effective,' Dr Anish added. Call for prevention-oriented health policy Experts emphasize the need for the state to adopt a prevention-oriented health policy rather than a curative-focused healthcare system. Controlling infectious diseases, many of which are vaccine-preventable, remains a significant challenge. Despite causing numerous fatalities, there is strong resistance to vaccination due to various factors, including religious beliefs. Leptospirosis is increasing, exacerbated by garbage issues and waterlogging in low-lying areas. Currently, most govt funds target curative institutions, which are tangible, with local politicians and the public prioritizing the establishment of hospitals over disease prevention. 'The govt should shift its focus from the curative side to disease prevention. The govt has initiated it through One Health programme but, sadly, it is not reaching anywhere,' stated Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, research director Dr V Ramankutty. His concerns mirror the experiences of the residents in Varapuzha, where waterlogging forced occupants of 79 houses to remain indoors for two-and-a-half months recently. 'Following the national highway construction works, all culverts in our area remain blocked, affecting the water flow. Even the water flow in Varapuzha-Puthenpally Thodu has been blocked. Whenever there is rain, water remains stagnant, making stepping out of the house difficult. When we use the toilet, we have to use flush three-four times. If we step into water in the courtyard, we would contract diseases like leptospirosis. Fearing this, we remained in the house for months. We could step out only after the rain subsided last week,' explained local resident C B Shanmughan. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
'Want Bravehearts To...' SC Urges Centre To Consider Insurance, Rehabilitation Of Disabled Cadets
Last Updated: The intervention may lead to policy changes that support future trainees, ensuring no one is left behind due to injury The Supreme Court, in a decisive move to address the overlooked plight of cadets disabled during military training, has initiated a suo motu case against the backdrop of growing concerns over their welfare. According to an investigation by Indian Express, nearly 500 officer cadets have been medically discharged from institutions like the NDA and IMA since 1985 due to training-related disabilities, leaving them to grapple with mounting medical bills and insufficient support. The situation at the NDA is particularly alarming, with 'around 20 cadets medically discharged between 2021 and July 2025 alone", the report stated. Unlike their peers—soldiers who attain ex-servicemen (ESM) status and access the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS)—these cadets fall through systemic cracks because their disabilities occurred before commissioning. The Mint reports that the cadets are forced to rely on a modest ex‑gratia sum—up to Rs 40,000 per month—that scarcely covers medical costs. To remedy this, the Supreme Court urged the Centre and defence establishment to explore several progressive measures: • Enhanced Compensation: Reconsider and possibly increase the existing Rs 40,000 ex‑gratia allowance to reflect actual treatment and support needs. • Rehabilitation Pathways: Devise schemes to reassess cadets post-treatment and, if feasible, reintegrate them into defence roles—perhaps in desk-based positions or related administrative functions. • Legal Protection under Disability Act: Examine the rights of these cadets under the Persons with Disabilities Act for additional remedies. 'This isn't just about compensation," the bench emphasised. 'We want braveheart cadets to continue serving. Disability shouldn't be a barrier to their contribution," the bench noted. The intervention may lead to policy changes that support future trainees, ensuring no one is left behind due to injury. By calling for insurance, raised compensation, and reintegration options, the court has advocated for humane recognition of the cadets' sacrifices. The court has issued notices to numerous key authorities—including the Defence Ministry, Finance Ministry (Defence Department), the Chiefs of Staff of all three services, the Ex‑Servicemen Welfare Department, and the Ministry of Social Justice—seeking their responses. The matter has been scheduled for further hearings on September 4. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
