Sudden deaths likely linked to genetics and lifestyle, not Covid-19 vaccination: India's Union Health Minister Nadda
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Nadda highlighted the significant role of underlying health conditions and genetic factors in the rising number of unexplained deaths across the country.
'Covid-19 vaccination does not appear to increase the risk. On the other hand, underlying health issues, genetic predisposition, and risky lifestyle choices do contribute to unexplained sudden deaths,' said the BJP national president.
He referred to studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to investigate these incidents.
'These studies found that Covid-19 vaccination did not elevate the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India. However, past Covid-19 hospitalization, family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviours did increase the likelihood,' Nadda added.
He further stated, 'Preliminary data from the AIIMS-led study shows that heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions (MIs), continue to be the leading cause of sudden death in this age group. Importantly, no major change in the pattern of causes has been observed compared to pre-Covid years.'
Meanwhile, the government informed Parliament that 164 people have died from Covid-19 between April and July.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav shared updates on the recent trend in Covid-19 cases.
'There was a slight increase in Covid-19 cases reported by States and Union Territories from the end of May 2025, which declined significantly by mid-June,' Jadhav said.
'As of July 22, 164 deaths due to Covid-19 had been reported by the States and UTs since April 1; most of these cases involved individuals with comorbidities,' he added. - The Statesman/ANN
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Creative financing key to sustaining national healthcare, says Dzulkefly
PETALING JAYA: Bold, creative financing reforms are the only way forward to heal the deep cracks in Malaysia's healthcare system unmasked by the Covid-19 pandemic, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic). Unveiling plans for public-private collaboration under a government-linked investment company (GLIC) model, he warned that health security must be treated with the same urgency as national defence. Dzulkefly said this yesterday at the launch of a book titled Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia at Gerakbudaya here. On the concerns that the Health Ministry's Rakan KKM initiative is a form of healthcare privatisation, Dzulkefly said he will not reveal details but noted it was created due to budgetary allocation limits, national debt, and GDP ratios that restrict spending. He said health security must be dealt with 'the same urgency we defend our borders'. 'That means sustained investment in our healthcare workforce. 'I am introducing a game-changing initiative where public facilities collaborate with private sector specialists, likely under a GLIC model. 'The idea is to generate revenue through elective services (non-emergency), possibly in specialised private wings within public hospitals. 'Funds generated would cross-subsidise public health services and infrastructure,' said Dzulkefly. 'We want to retain our specialists, reduce the bleeding, and invest back into public facilities. 'I can't keep asking for more budget, so I'm unlocking value through reforms,' said Dzulkefly. He also said the Covid-19 had shown that the healthcare system has inadequate social safety nets for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the mentally ill. 'Future crisis governance must be targeted, empathetic, data-informed and inclusive. 'We must design interventions that are community-driven and flexible, not one-size-fits-all,' said Dzulkefly. At the forum, consultant paediatrician and child disability activist Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS said that Covid-19 has revealed the fragility of our institutional services. 'During the height of the pandemic, we experienced desperate cries for help to find an ICU bed for their family members. 'The support for carers was weak, and equipment and resources were limited even in non-pandemic times, stretched thin. 'Some doctors placed their children with grandparents and did not see them for months,' said Dr Amar. He said that there must be better preparation for the next pandemic by placing greater emphasis on building our institutional services, especially health, education and social services. He also urged making indoor air more clean, as he said most indoor air is filled with 'airborne diseases'. Ampang Hospital paediatrician Dr Tan Hui Siu narrated how medical officers and healthcare workers trudged the pandemic and had to make do with what they had as frontliners. Virologist and policy analyst Dr Lyana Khairuddin called for better education on the vaccine naysayers as well as more investments be made into vaccine research and development.
The Star
13 hours ago
- The Star
Japan discards state-acquired Covid-19 drugs worth US$1.6bil
TOKYO: (Bernama-Kyodo) The Japanese government discarded Covid-19 oral medicines believed to be worth around 240 billion yen (US$1.6 billion) in the fiscal year through March as they had passed their expiry dates, Kyodo News Agency reported, citing health ministry officials on Wednesday (July 16). While the exact purchase price remains unclear, the value was calculated in accordance with current prices. The amount is enough to treat some 2.5 million people. The government acquired the oral drugs at the height of the coronavirus pandemic and provided them free of charge to hospitals and clinics nationwide. But many of them were unused after Covid-19 was downgraded to the same category as seasonal influenza in May 2023, which required people to pay for Covid-19 treatment. Drugmakers had also started general distribution of Covid-19 medicine in Japan themselves. A Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare official said offering the drugs to other countries was considered but legally difficult. Among the two million doses of Pfizer Inc.'s nirmatrelvir and 1.6 million doses of Merck & Co.'s molnupiravir procured by the government, about 1.75 million doses of nirmatrelvir and some 780,000 doses of molnupiravir were disposed of, according to the ministry. The government also secured two million doses of Shionogi & Co.'s ensitrelvir but about 1.77 million of them are unused, the ministry said. They are expected to be discarded after they reach their expiration dates starting next fiscal year. - Bernama-Kyodo
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Getting 'creative' to reform nation's healthcare: Dr Dzul defends Rakan KKM initiative
PETALING JAYA: The controversial Rakan KKM initiative is an attempt to creatively reform the nation's healthcare system, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. The Health Minister said that due to government's budgetary constraints, he had no choice but to get "creative". 'If you can't give me the resource, allow me to be resourceful. 'We want to retain our specialists, reduce the bleeding, and invest back into public facilities. 'I can't keep asking for more budget - so I'm unlocking value through reforms,' said Dzulkefly. Rakan KKM is a new initiative by the Health Ministry to introduce a "premium economy" or paid service within public hospitals and clinics. Various quarters have voiced fears that the incorporation of Rakan KKM Sdn Bhd signalled a move towards the privatisation of public health services. Dzulkefly was speaking at a launch of the book titled 'Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia' at Gerakbudaya here on Sunday (July 27). The book is a compilation of essays on the Covid-19 crisis by all levels of society, edited by Bridget Welsh. At the forum, Dzulkefly insisted that health security must be dealt with 'the same urgency as we defend our borders". 'That means sustained investment in our healthcare workforce. 'I am introducing a "game-changing" initiative where public facilities collaborate with private sector specialists, likely under a GLIC (government-linked investment company) model. 'The idea is to generate revenue through elective services (non-emergency), possibly in specialised private wings within public hospitals. 'Funds generated would cross-subsidise public health services and infrastructure,' said Dzulkefly. He also stated that Covid-19 had shown that the healthcare system has inadequate social safety nets for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the mentally ill. 'We must never again frame public health and economic survival as rigidly opposed choices. 'Future crisis governance must be targeted, empathetic, data-informed, and inclusive. 'We must design interventions that are community-driven and flexible - not one-size-fits-all,' said Dzulkefly, revealing that Malaysia's struggle to get vaccines earlier in the pandemic exposed a global system skewed in favour of the rich.
