Government News

The National Institutes of Health announced the launch of a new initiative to help speed the development of cures for sickle cell disease, a group of inherited blood disorders affecting at least 100,000 people in the United States and 20 million worldwide. The Cure Sickle Cell Initiative will take advantage of the latest genetic discoveries and technological advances to move the most promising genetic-based curative therapies safely into clinical trials within five to 10 years.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a notification for bringing the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 in force from 10th September, 2018.

NITI Aayog, Intel, and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) announced on 7th September that they are collaborating to set up a Model International Center for Transformative Artificial Intelligence (ICTAI) towards developing and deploying AI-led application-based research projects. This initiative is part of NITI Aayog’s ‘National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence’ Discussion Paper that focuses on establishing ICTAI in the country through private sector collaboration.

The Union Health Ministry decide  for renaming the country's drug regulator CDSCO in line with its expanded roles. In a public notice issued on 6.9.2018, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO) said its name was given keeping its role when it was created, but the present nomenclature was not reflecting its roles and responsibilities.

“India has fast-tracked many initiatives aimed at achieving all the core tenets of Universal Health Coverage i.e, strengthening health systems, improving access to free medicines & diagnostics and reducing catastrophic healthcare spending.” This was stated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare at the inauguration of  the ‘71st Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia.

A new study showed that a change in the type of breathing tube paramedics use to resuscitate patients with sudden cardiac arrest can significantly improve the odds of survival and save thousands of lives. More than 90 percent of Americans who experience sudden cardiac arrest die before, or soon after, reaching a hospital.

Ministry of AYUSH has introduced new Central Sector scheme for promoting pharmacovigilance of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Drugs. Prime objective of the scheme is to develop the culture of documenting adverse effects and undertake safety monitoring of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and surveillance of misleading advertisements appearing in the print and electronic media. The Standing Finance Committee (SFC) chaired by Secretary (AYUSH) approved the scheme on 1st November, 2017 and thereafter it was rolled out for implementation in the country near the end of financial year 2017-18.

The Ministry of Public Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced the launch of Ebola vaccinations for high risk populations in North Kivu province. The vaccinations have begun just one week after the announcement of a second outbreak of Ebola this year in the country. A total of 44 cases have been reported so far, of which 17 have been confirmed.
Work has begun to prepare ring vaccination in the Mangina health area, 30km from the town of Beni.

The Health Ministry  held a video conference with the States/UTs on various issues relating to regulation of Oxytocin including the status of preparedness of the State Governments for implementing the amended rules in regard to manufacture, distribution and sale of Oxytocin. The video conference also assessed the stock of Oxytocin in the States to ensure that there is no shortage after the restriction order on its manufacture for domestic use comes into effect from 1st September, 2018.