
744 state health facilities honoured for excellence in implementing nat'l-quality services
The event recognized 744 healthcare facilities across the state for their exceptional efforts in delivering high-quality services.
Health minister Irfan Ansari, who graced the occasion as chief guest, said, "Until the health system of state becomes truly people-centric and efficient, I will not rest."
He highlighted recent developments, including the establishment of six new medical colleges, the recruitment of 126 specialist doctors, and the upcoming launch of Rims 2.0 equipped with robotic treatment facilities.
Notably, sadar hospital emerged as the top performer, securing the Kayakalp National Award and won a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh for excellence in cleanliness, hygiene, and infection control. The hospital was also named the Eco-Friendly Winner, receiving an additional Rs 10 lakh. Civil Surgeon Dr Prabhat Kumar, stated, "It's an honour for sadar hospital to receive multiple national recognitions in the last 18 months.
We aim to continue setting new benchmarks in quality care." Several other hospitals in the district also received award under specific categories.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- Indian Express
China offers subsidy to promote fertility, but money can only solve part of the problem. Here's why.
China's government this week announced a childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan (about $500 or Rs 44,000) per year for every child under the age of three. The People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's newspaper, described it as a way of 'supporting fertility and to promote the building of a fertility-friendly society'. China has tried similar measures locally earlier, but the policy announced on July 29 was the first time it was rolled out nationwide. The population of China, the world's second most populous country (after India), has been contracting in recent years. There have been fewer Chinese births than deaths for three consecutive years since 2022. In fact, most parts of the world are grappling with declining Total Fertility Rates (TFR), which is the average number of children a woman is likely to bear in her lifetime. China's neighbours South Korea and Japan have some of the lowest fertility rates globally, and Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has frequently sounded the alarm for the United States. The Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD)-2021 estimated that globally, TFR more than halved from around 5 in 1950 to 2.2 in 2021. This signals better education and financial independence for more women, and greater agency in making reproductive choices. Infant mortality rates have come down drastically during this period, women are living increasingly healthier lives, and couples are able to give their children a higher quality of life. However, an extremely low TFR can have long-term consequences for societies. These include increasingly unsustainable proportions of people in the above-60 age group and a shrinking of the working-age (15-59 years) population, leading to labour shortages, higher dependency ratios, higher taxation to fund the cost of healthcare for the large numbers of the elderly, and changes in social structures and relationships. Individuals like Musk believe that collapsing birth rates can lead to the disappearance of entire populations, and present a bigger threat to civilisation than climate change. India's overall TFR stood at 1.91 in 2021. This is less than the 'replacement level' of 2.1, or the number of children that a woman would need to have to replace herself and her partner in the next generation. This figure assumes there will be no in- or out-migration, which is not the case in reality. India's lowered TFR is the result of decades of government investment in family planning, changing social attitudes about family sizes, rising costs of raising children, and improvements in the education of women. Many of these factors are common to other countries that have seen a decline in TFR. The only major region in the world with a high TFR today is sub-Saharan Africa, where medical advances have reduced child mortality, but fertility remains high due to cultural reasons, poverty, and the lack of decision-making powers for women. As countries around the world grapple with declining fertility rates, many, like China, have introduced subsidies and tax incentives to encourage couples to have more children. One reason for this is the understanding that the rising cost of living is a major deterrent to parenthood. Almost 4 in 10 respondents in an online survey of more than 14,000 adults in 14 countries carried out by the United Nations Population Fund and YouGov in June said financial limitations were stopping them from having the families they wanted. However, these measures have had only a limited impact. The think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies noted in a 2023 article that 'Representative studies on the expansion of financial assistance show that the effects are positive but limited.' The article cited a 2013 study that reported that child allowances, even if doubled, lead to the probability of childbirth increasing by only 19.2%. In 2006, demographer Peter McDonald identified two reasons for the decline in TFRs. One, rising social liberalism, in which individuals in modern societies were re-examining social norms and institutions, and increasingly focusing on individual aspirations. Two, the withdrawal of the welfare state in major Western economies in the 1980s and 1990s, which led to 'loss of trust in others, loss of a sense of the value of service (altruism), decline of community…and fear of failure or of being left behind'. Both processes deprioritised having children as a mandate for living a good life, McDonald concluded. 'The solution to low fertility…lies in providing a greater sense of assurance to young women and young men that, if they marry and have children, they will be supported by the society in this socially and individually important decision,' he wrote. McDonald also argued that incentivising policies have failed in countries like Japan and Singapore because they targeted particular types of women (like high earners) rather than reforming societal institutions. What more can governments do to address the situation? Guo Yanhong, deputy head of China's National Health Commission, said the new childcare subsidy 'works in tandem with related policies regarding childcare, education, employment, taxation and housing', Xinhua reported. Supporting childbirth requires a comprehensive policy package, including financial support, parental leave, and cultural measures, Guo said. Also, cultural shifts happen over a long time, and are often intangible and difficult to detect. Monetary support is something governments can directly control. Anne Gauthier, professor of comparative family studies at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, told the BBC that behind the higher-than-European-average TFR of France could be the generous social policies followed by the French Ministry of Families over the decades. However, countries such as Finland, which have some of the most progressive policies for parental leave after childbirth, as well as subsidies, continue to see low TFRs. While the specific context may be different in each country, it would seem that throwing money at the problem of falling TFRs can only do so much. Accompanying changes in how society treats the raising of children, and how people see work and fulfilment, are important as well. Rishika Singh is a Senior sub-editor at the Explained Desk of The Indian Express. She enjoys writing on issues related to international relations, and in particular, likes to follow analyses of news from China. Additionally, she writes on developments related to politics and culture in India. ... Read More


Hans India
29 minutes ago
- Hans India
India Nears Completion of Phase III Dengue Vaccine Trials
New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed significant progress in the Phase III trial of India's first dengue vaccine, 'DengiAll.' This clinical study, conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), aims to evaluate the efficacy of a live attenuated tetravalent vaccine against all four known serotypes of the dengue virus. This update was provided in response to a question raised by Eatala Rajender, a Member of Parliament, during a Lok Sabha session on Friday. The multi-centre trial has enrolled over 10,000 participants, with more than 70% of the enrollment completed. The study is being conducted at 20 designated research centres across India, including key sites such as JSS Medical College and Hospital in Mysore (Karnataka), Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute in Bengaluru (Karnataka), and AIIMS Bibinagar in Hyderabad (Telangana). Each site has been allocated a budget of approximately Rs 1.3 to Rs 1.5 crore. Dengue remains a major public health challenge in India. Data from the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) indicates that there were 573,563 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases reported in 2024, ranking the country among the top 30 worldwide for disease there is no licensed antiviral treatment or vaccine available for dengue in India. The treatment protocol is supportive, following national clinical management guidelines developed by the Union Health Ministry. These guidelines have been shared with all states and Union Territories to enhance preparedness and response capabilities during outbreaks. Given the circulation of all four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4) across different regions of India—sometimes even within the same individual—the ICMR has strategically selected trial zones that reflect this viral diversity. This method aims to assess the vaccine's broad-spectrum efficacy. In parallel, the government is implementing efforts under the National Health Mission (NHM), which include vector control measures, fogging operations, public awareness campaigns, and improved surveillance infrastructure. Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals and Apex Laboratories have been established to facilitate free diagnosis and reporting.


Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Maintain senior residency counselling seats'
1 2 Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed the state govt to maintain the current number of available seats in the ongoing counselling process for senior residency at govt hospitals in Rajasthan. It has also asked key officials of the medical education department to appear before the court to respond to allegations of arbitrariness in the seat allotment. The directions came during a hearing on July 30 after a group of post-graduate medical students from the 2021 batch challenged the counselling and seat allotment process, claiming it violated merit and fairness. The bench of Justice Sameer Jain ordered the chairman of the counselling board for senior residents to be present in court. It also directed the secretary of the medical education department to attend the next hearing either in person or through video conferencing. The court emphasised that any further delay could cause irreparable harm to the petitioners and dilute their career prospects. One of the counsels for the petitioners, Purvi Mathur, said the core issue in this case revolves around the discriminatory treatment faced by postgraduate medical students from the 2021 batch who pursued PG in Rajasthan and were out of state. These students, including the petitioners, completed their MD/MS degrees from govt colleges after signing a bond to serve the state for two years or pay a Rs 10 lakh penalty. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Indonesia (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo After their results, the state issued a single round of counselling for allotment to Senior Resident (SR) posts—a mandatory step for career progression. However, unlike previous batches, the 2021 batch was neither given multiple counselling rounds nor considered for leftover vacancies, which were instead filled through walk-in interviews and lateral entry via the principal's pool. The state explicitly barred the 2021 batch from participating in these later processes, denying them further opportunities for seat allotment or upgradation, and leaving many eligible candidates without senior residency postings at govt hospitals. The petitioners argued this violates the principles of parity, legitimate expectation, and equality. They also contend that the state's arbitrary policy change lacks transparency and fairness and imposes undue hardship on candidates contractually bound to serve. They are seeking judicial intervention to restore their right to fair and equal opportunity in public employment. They claimed the instruction booklet issued by the govt explicitly prohibited changes once allotments were made, yet the process was allegedly being manipulated. The high court has listed the matter for further hearing on Aug 1 and directed the concerned officials to furnish complete records related to the counselling and allotment process.