India faces a serious childhood obesity crisis, ranking second globally while still battling undernutrition. Rapid urbanization, ultra-processed foods, and sedentary lifestyles drive the problem. Rising obesity increases non-communicable diseases, psychological stress, and economic costs, demanding stronger policies, awareness, and healthier food environments.
Click to View MorePradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana reduces healthcare costs by providing quality generic medicines at 50–80% lower prices through Jan Aushadhi Kendras. It lowers out-of-pocket expenditure, promotes women’s health via the Suvidha initiative, and supports entrepreneurship, though awareness gaps, doctor reluctance, and supply issues remain challenges.
Click to View MoreIndia is advancing AI in healthcare through the SAHI framework and BODH platform, ensuring ethical, patient-centric adoption that supports medical professionals. Built on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, success depends on addressing algorithmic bias, data privacy under the DPDP Act 2023, and AI transparency challenges.
Click to View MoreA Phase I trial reported in The Lancet shows in-utero stem cell therapy for myelomeningocele is safe and feasible. Placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells applied during fetal surgery improved healing. For India, with high birth-defect incidence, it may reduce lifelong burdens and support early detection goals of RBSK.
Click to View MoreThe government has paused the rice fortification scheme after an IIT Kharagpur study found nutrient loss during storage. Critics say universal fortification ignores anemia’s complex causes, risks groups like Thalassemia patients, and sidelines dietary diversity. The pause enables targeted, evidence-based, and nutrition-focused interventions.
Click to View MoreIndia is set to launch a free nationwide HPV vaccination programme targeting adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer, a major public health concern in the country. Using the quadrivalent vaccine that protects against high-risk HPV types responsible for most cervical cancer cases, the initiative aims to provide early protection before exposure to the virus. Implemented through government health facilities with support from global partners, the programme seeks to ensure equitable access across all States and Union Territories. Along with regular screening and awareness, the vaccination drive represents a crucial step towards reducing cervical cancer incidence and advancing women’s health in India.
Click to View MoreResearchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have developed a gentler method to recover lab-grown T-cells, a crucial step in CAR T-cell therapy. Using the mild enzyme Accutase instead of harsher alternatives helps improve cell survival and preserve immune function. The approach enhances the reliability and efficiency of immunotherapy production, supports cost reduction, and strengthens India’s efforts to make advanced cancer treatments more affordable and accessible.
Click to View MoreIndia has released its first nationally developed evidence-based guidelines for lung cancer treatment and palliation to standardise diagnosis, stage-wise treatment, and early integration of palliative care across public and private healthcare systems. The guidelines provide 15 context-specific recommendations tailored to India’s high disease burden, where nearly 70–80% of cases are diagnosed at advanced stages and mortality remains high. By emphasising early detection, molecular testing for personalised therapy, multidisciplinary care, and patient-centric decision-making, the framework aims to improve survival and quality of life. It also supports broader cancer control efforts under Ayushman Bharat and NPCDCS, while promoting indigenous, cost-effective clinical practices suited to India’s resource settings. Overall, the initiative seeks to reduce treatment disparities, strengthen health system capacity, and advance equitable, evidence-based cancer care nationwide.
Click to View MoreCervical cancer remains a major rural health crisis in India despite being preventable, due to low screening coverage, late diagnosis, weak referral systems, limited access to diagnostic and treatment facilities, and gaps in HPV vaccination. The high burden reflects systemic health inequities rather than medical limitations, underscoring the need for integrated prevention, early detection, and equitable healthcare delivery aligned with global elimination goals.
Click to View MoreIndia is strengthening its mental healthcare system with a renewed policy focus on access, equity, and early intervention. The expansion of national institutions like NIMHANS, the rollout of tele-mental health services such as Tele-MANAS, and integration of mental health into primary healthcare reflect a shift toward treating mental health as a core public health priority. These efforts aim to reduce the large treatment gap, address regional disparities, tackle stigma, and build a stronger mental health workforce, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations.
Click to View MoreThe Jal Jeevan Mission has rapidly expanded tap water infrastructure in rural
India, achieving near-universal coverage of household connections. However,
recent assessments show that actual water supply, reliability, and quality lag
behind coverage figures, with many households not receiving regular or safe
water. Issues such as groundwater depletion, weak operation and
maintenance, and water contamination remain key challenges. The focus now
needs to shift from infrastructure creation to ensuring sustainable, reliable, and
community-managed rural drinking water services.
India’s public health spending remains persistently low, with total government expenditure hovering around 1.5–2% of GDP, far below the 2.5% target set by the National Health Policy. While States have gradually increased their health allocations, the Union government’s share as a percentage of GDP has declined after a temporary rise during COVID-19. This underinvestment leads to overburdened public hospitals, weak primary healthcare, high out-of-pocket expenses, and regional inequalities. Despite major initiatives like Ayushman Bharat and the National Health Mission, inadequate and inconsistent funding continues to limit progress toward universal, affordable, and equitable healthcare in India.
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