Maternal mortality in Haryana dips by 17 points in 2 years
According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data on maternal mortality in India, Haryana's MMR dropped to 89 per lakh live births in 2020–22, compared to 106 per lakh live births in 2019–21—marking an impressive reduction of 17 points.
State Health and Family Welfare Minister Arti Rao Singh attributed this achievement to Haryana's sustained efforts in strengthening maternal healthcare services.
She noted that the reduction indicates that numerous mothers' lives were saved due to the dedicated work of medical and health professionals across the state.
State officials say the health department remains committed to further reducing MMR, aiming to meet the target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
To enhance the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare, several key initiatives have been implemented.
All government delivery points have been modernized and equipped with essential drugs, medical equipment, and logistics to ensure safe and dignified childbirth experiences.
Additionally, the number of designated First Referral Units– healthcare facilities to provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care including C-section surgeries and blood transfusion services has been increased.
Systematic identification and management of high-risk pregnancies are also being prioritized by ensuring quality antenatal care for pregnant women. Furthermore, the Surakshit Janani Maah (SJM) campaign, conducted monthly, focuses on screening and supporting high-risk pregnancies to enable early detection and intervention.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
4 minutes ago
- The Hindu
How far have we come in providing personalised radiation treatment for cancer patients?
Radiotherapy, also known as radiation oncology or radiation therapy, is an important arm of cancer therapy. It involves the use of high-energy ionizing radiation to predominantly treat malignancies, as well as certain benign conditions. In India, due to lack of awareness and inadequate cancer screening initiatives, a majority of cancer patients seek medical help when the disease is locally advanced, and hence are candidates requiring multi-modality treatment including various combinations of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy and immunotherapy. Nearly 70% of cancer patients need radiotherapy as a part of their cancer treatment protocol, where its role may be a primary curative treatment, additional or adjunct treatment or palliative therapy to relieve symptoms in advanced disease stages. Also Read: ICMR study finds only 28.5% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy in India Understanding radiotherapy There are 2 primary treatment modalities in radiotherapy: teletherapy or external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy. In the former, the patient is placed at a distance from the radiation-generating equipment (generating high-energy x rays or gamma radiation) and by virtue of the beam divergence, a homogenous dose is delivered to the tumour tissue. In brachytherapy, radiation-emitting radioactive sources are directly placed in contact with the tumour tissue and subsequently removed after a specific period of time, thereby delivering a high dose to the tumour directly. The last two decades have seen significant strides in the field of radiation oncology. Technological developments in hardware and software industries have led to development of equipment enabling high precision radiation delivery with sub-millimetre accuracy, resulting in better tumour control and reduction in treatment-related side effects arising out of damage to normal tissues adjacent to the tumour. Until a few years ago, access to this high precision radiotherapy treatment was restricted to large metropolitan cities. With the active involvement of government health agencies (both at the Centre and State levels) along with public private partnerships, there is currently a focussed attempt to reduce this disparity and improve the availability of radiotherapy treatment at most district-level hospitals. Contemporary radiotherapy treatment Contemporary high precision radiotherapy treatment techniques such as Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), Volumated Arc therapy (VMAT/Rapid Arc), Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRS and SRT), have enabled treatment of cancer tissues with higher radiation doses and with preferential sparing of normal tissue. These techniques have also enabled the feasibility of organ preservation in daily practice. In spite of these benefits, all cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy do not get cured of cancer. An important limitation of present-day cancer treatment, including radiation therapy, is that the response of a tumour to treatment varies from person to person ranging from complete response to partial response and in some cases, disease progression despite treatment. This is due to differences in the genetic and protein composition of the tumours which varies from patient to patient and which can influence treatment outcomes. Another important limitation is treatment-related side effects, which vary from patient to patient and can interfere with treatment compliance necessitating lifestyle modifications during, and post treatment. In simple terms 'one size does not fit all'. Although the prescribed radiotherapy treatment might be the global established standard of care for a particular disease condition and stage, individual variations in treatment response and tolerance are the norm, which cannot currently be predicted based on any assessment tool. While available radiotherapy guidelines are mainly based on the average response of disease population to treatment, this approach fails to account for individual tumour variations with respect to their molecular and genetic signature as well as patient heterogeneity with respect to their demography, genetic makeup and pattern of lifestyle. There is an unmet need to develop markers which can predict or identify non-responders to radiation and those patients who are likely to develop disease progression while on treatment. There is also an urgent need to identify patients who are likely to suffer significant toxicity and discontinue treatment. In this regard, there exists an unmet need to develop drugs which can reduce radiation- related toxicity without interfering with the radiation's anti-tumour capabilities. Can newer tech such as proton therapy solve the problem? The introduction of proton therapy in India along with its dosimetric capability of delivering radiation doses only at a particular range of depth within the patient's body, has significantly reduced early and late complications of radiotherapy with the latter being an important advantage in treatment of paediatric patients. But proton therapy is not a personalised radiotherapy solution and patients can still have residual disease or recurrent disease after proton therapy, based on the radiosensitivity of the tumour. Also, the limited availability of proton therapy presently in India and the high cost of treatment are other inherent issues that render it as a non-viable treatment solution for a majority of Indian patients who cannot afford the cost. Thus there is an inherent need for developing personalised radiotherapy treatment practises which can allow a physician to predict the possible treatment response and risk of recurrence of a particular disease based on its molecular and genetic composition. Such a personalised radiotherapy protocol would have the following advantages in that it can: Provide optimal radiation treatment tailored to each patient tumour's unique biological and clinical characteristics Predict tumour response to radiotherapy prior to initiation of treatment thereby avoiding treatment- related toxicity in potential non-responders Then the pertinent question which arises is whether such a personalised radiotherapy protocol or assessment tool is in existence or whether it can be developed? The answer is a resounding yes. The promise of research into genetics and AI In recent years, probing research in the field of molecular oncology, genetics and artificial intelligence (AI) are bringing the concept of personalized radiotherapy closer to actual realization. At one end, data-driven AI and deep learning models are being developed to identify predictors of radiation sensitivity. This information is being gathered by accessing huge quantities of data regarding tumour behaviour and their associated pathological and molecular characteristics collected over the years, and corelating them with the outcomes of radiotherapy treatment already delivered. The following areas of medical research are contributing in a big way to the development of personalised radiotherapy treatment in the near future. These include – Digital pathology – This involves acquisition and interpretation of pathology information in digital format and environment. This, in turn, improves rapid referral of cases between hospitals and doctors for expert opinions or second opinions and facilitates incorporation of digital training resources into pathology reporting, paving the way for integration of AI in pathological reporting. Radiomics in prognostication – This involves analysis of certain patterns and disease characteristics from radiological scans, and the use of this information to predict patient outcomes and treatment responses to cancer. Radiomics aims to provide more precise information to guide treatment decisions. Genomics and proteomics-based treatment decisions – The development of bioinformatics and its integration with tumour-related genetics and molecular information is being used to develop genomic and proteomic-based tumour biology panels, which can help in early diagnosis as well as predict response to treatment. This can lead to more personalised and effective cancer treatment strategies. AI-based adaptive radiotherapy – A revolutionary concept in radiotherapy, this involves the use of AI-based tools to analyse tumour-related changes during a course of radiotherapy. In adaptive RT, before a patient receives his scheduled daily radiotherapy treatment, he is subjected to a CT scan or MR images which are acquired on the radiotherapy machine, prior to treatment. These images acquired are interpreted by AI-based programmes, which then calculate changes in tumour geometry based on daily radiation response. The radiation plan is then altered real time, and adjusted on a daily basis to effectively target the tumour and reduce damage to healthy tissues. This approach enhances the therapeutic ratio of the treatment, potentially improving cure rates while minimising side effects. One other area of research which is going to influence personalised radiotherapy services positively, is work on nanoparticle technology, which can enable a higher concentration of drugs delivered directly inside the tumour or its related microenvironment thereby increasing radiotherapy associated tumour damage and minimising normal tissue damage. AI-driven assessment of oral and gastrointestinal microbiome changes in response to radiotherapy are also being assessed as a prognostic tool to predict radiation responses. Another important development is research aimed at integrating daily PET CT scans into adaptive radiotherapy (biological adaptive RT), which adds functional information of the treatment along with anatomical data to refine adaptive radiotherapy plans. Although a lot of research efforts are currently underway in multi-directional fields with a single-minded focus on enabling personalised cancer treatment strategies, a lot of validation needs to be further done in this regard to enable these modalities to be incorporated into daily treatment protocols. However, the good news is that we have indeed covered a lot of ground in realising this dream and the day is not far when the concept of personalised radiotherapy will be translated from the laboratory bench to bedside practise. (Dr. K. Satish Srinivas is professor and head of the department of radiation oncology, SRIHER, Chennai.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Indian doctors in France perform complex surgeries on 2 patients in Indore, courtesy robotics tech
Indian surgeons successfully performed two complex robotic surgeries in Indore while attending a conference in France, using the SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System. The cross-continental procedures—a gastric bypass and a heart defect repair—showcased India's advancement in telesurgery, offering affordable, real-time medical expertise across borders using indigenous robotic technology. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Indian surgeons performed complex surgeries on two patients in Indore while attending a conference around 8,000 km away at Strasbourg in France, showcasing the effectiveness and major advancements in cross-continent robotic telesurgery The two procedures, a gastric bypass and a cardiac atrial septal defect (ASD) closure, were performed by two Indian surgeons at the annual conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) held in Strasbourg using the indigenously developed SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System The conference held from July 16-20 was attended by scientists, surgeons and medtech partners from across the first procedure, a gastric bypass, was performed by Dr Mohit Bhandari, president of IRCAD India and founder of Mohak Bariatrics and Robotics, Indore, on July out remotely from Strasbourg, the surgery lasted just over 44 minutes and was completed without second surgery, a robotic closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD), a form of congenital heart defect, was carried out by Dr Sudhir Srivastava, founder-chairman and CEO of SS Innovations International Inc., from Strasbourg while the patient remained in procedure was moderated live at the conference by Dr Husam H Balkhy, president of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS), and director of robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery at the University of Chicago event served as a compelling demonstration of the growing feasibility of real-time, cross-continental surgical collaboration, Srivastava procedures were performed remotely from the Institut de recherche contre les cancers de l'appareil digestif (IRCAD) headquarters in Strasbourg at two medical centres in Indore -- Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) and IRCAD National in Indore, the patient-side support team ensured seamless coordination, led by Dr Lalit Malik, chief of cardiac surgery at Manipal Hospital, Jaipur; Dr Ram Krishna Shukla, cardiologist, and Dr Bipin Arya, anesthesiologist, both from SAIMS, procedures were supported by technical teams from both SS Innovations and SAIMS, ensuring real-time responsiveness and success of the surgeries highlights the viability of intercontinental robotic procedures as a real-world solution to longstanding healthcare access eliminating the need for travel and enabling remote expertise to be applied in real time, robotic telesurgery is redefining the boundaries of healthcare delivery - especially for patients in remote or underserved regions, Srivastava said."I am deeply grateful to Dr Vipul Patel, Dr Mohit Bhandari, the IRCAD India team, and everyone at SS Innovations for making the world's first intercontinental robotic cardiac telesurgery a reality."Importantly, such procedures are not only technically viable but also economically accessible, with costs comparable to conventional surgeries, typically ranging between Rs 80,000 and Rs 3.5 lakh, depending on the case and on the hospital, the complexity of the surgery, and the specific case requirements," Srivastava said, "Performing a complex gastric bypass remotely, across continents, marks a transformative moment in surgical science. It's not just about technological capability; it's about bridging gaps in access to quality healthcare."The success of the SSI Mantra system proves that the future of safe, precise, and inclusive surgery is here, and it's being shaped in India."At a conference dominated by global giants in medical technology, the execution of such high-stakes procedures using indigenous technology reflects a growing shift in innovation leadership and global collaboration in healthcare, he date, 35 telesurgeries - including 10 cardiac cases, and over 250 cardiac procedures - have been successfully completed using the SSI Mantra system, Srivastava Innovations International is the only surgical robotics company to have received regulatory approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for both tele-proctoring and telesurgery in India , he said.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Policy should focus on well-being than population control: Experts
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Ahead of World Population Day, experts said here on Wednesday that there is a pressing need to revise population control strategies according to demographic indices. The shift must be towards well-being and healthy ageing rather than population control, they observed. Binod Kumar Patro, professor of community medicine and family medicine at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said India achieved the total fertility rate (TFR) targets by 2022. "India's TFR stands at 2.0, as per the 2022 Sample Registration System (SRS) report released in June this year. This means, on average, a woman in India is expected to give birth to two children during her reproductive years," he added. "While it is a remarkable achievement for India to have a fertility rate below the replacement level of 2.1, it masks significant differences across the states that demand state-specific policy approaches rather than blanket solutions," said Patro. A TFR of below 2.1 children per woman indicates that the population is declining. States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have TFRs above the replacement level, whereas Sikkim has the lowest TFR of 1.1. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo Similarly, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha have TFRs of 1.3, 1.4 and 1.7, respectively. "The one-size-fits-all approach to population policy has outlived its utility. While the country has successfully stabilised overall population growth, with an average TFR of 2.0, which is below the replacement level, the complex challenge now is to manage different demographic stages across various states. It requires tailored approaches that address each region's specific needs and challenges," said Patro. Amarendra Das, an associate professor of humanities and social sciences at NISER Bhubaneswar, said India will have to worry about decline in population by 2047. "We need to think about and prepare a policy to tackle the problem. TFR of 11 states, including Odisha, is decreasing, which means population growth is stabilising there," he added. He said a support system should be provided to couples to encourage having a second child. "A crèche system at different govt and private offices should be made mandatory. Govt support in terms of leaves and other assistance should be given to couples having a second child," he added. B M Otta, former professor of population studies at Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, said the govt should consider preparing tailor-made policies, keeping in mind the TFR rate of the states. "When policies were framed for population control, we were struggling to bring down the increasing population of the country. But now the situation is changing fast," he added.
