Latest news with #India-specific
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
"Running Out of Cures": Experts warn of India's silent AMR catastrophe
New Delhi: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is no longer a looming global health threat—it is already here, silently claiming thousands of lives across India every week. Infections that were once treatable are now proving deadly, and doctors are increasingly witnessing the failure of even last-resort antibiotics. In a recent ETHealthworld webinar titled 'Running Out of Cures: A Deep Dive into India's Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis,' leading clinicians, researchers, and public health experts dissected the alarming rise of AMR and what India must do—urgently—to contain the fallout. 'When Nothing Works': A Clinician's Dilemma Dr. Tanu Singhal, Infectious Disease Specialist at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, recalled devastating cases where no antibiotic proved effective. One such case involved a liver transplant patient battling multiple infections, including a highly drug-resistant Enterococcus faecium. 'The infection was resistant to vancomycin, daptomycin, and linezolid. The only option was tigecycline—unsuitable for bacteremia. We eventually lost her. She left against medical advice, unable to afford prolonged care, and died en route to her home,' she said. Even when effective drugs exist, the cost can be prohibitive. 'We had to import cefiderocol rupees four lakh per day—for an patient with Acinetobacter pneumonia. Though we cured the infection, the patient eventually died of a heart attack due to prolonged hospitalization,' she added. In neonatal care, the scenario is no better. 'Gone are the days when ampicillin and gentamicin were enough. We now see newborns with carbapenem-resistant infections requiring colistin and even imported drugs like cefiderocol,' Dr. Singhal warned, citing India-specific studies showing alarmingly high resistance rates in neonatal sepsis. Hospitals Prepared, But Surveillance Still Fragile While larger hospitals are equipped to manage outbreaks, challenges persist, particularly in smaller and rural facilities. 'Accredited hospitals have adequate manpower and isolation infrastructure for MDR cases,' said Dr. Anita Arora, Director of Medical Operations and IPC Head at Fortis Healthcare. 'But gaps exist in standardization and surveillance, especially across the country's vast non-accredited and tier-2, tier-3 healthcare facilities.' Dr. Raman Gangakhedkar, former ICMR scientist and Distinguished Professor at Symbiosis International University, pointed out the lack of robust, generalizable AMR surveillance data as a major impediment to public health action. 'ICMR's surveillance network includes 20-odd urban tertiary hospitals. That doesn't reflect the national AMR burden. Surveillance must extend to secondary and primary care levels—and even into communities—if we want real change,' he emphasised. India's National Action Plan on AMR, nearing a decade since launch, remains limited in its implementation. 'We have a policy, but not a vertical program like for TB or HIV. That's why AMR doesn't get priority in funding or policy enforcement,' Dr. Gangakhedkar noted. Despite sepsis from multi-drug resistant organisms becoming one of India's top infectious killers, there is no emergency response system. 'We lack a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach. Without demand from the public or advocacy from clinicians, every death remains anecdotal,' he warned. Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, Director and CEO of C-CAMP, highlighted the emerging biotech response to AMR through the India AMR Innovation Hub (IAIH). 'Over 80 new diagnostic and therapeutic innovations are in the pipeline, including point-of-care detection tools, small-molecule therapies, peptides, and even mAbs,' he said. Within five years, IAIH aims to bring 15–20 AMR solutions to market. 'Our focus is on affordability, accessibility, and adaptability to Indian healthcare settings. We are also partnering with state governments to test and deploy these solutions,' Dr. Saiyed said. What Fuels the AMR Crisis? Rampant over-the-counter (OTC) use and physician-driven overprescription are key drivers. 'We frequently see patients self-medicating with azithromycin for fever,' said Dr. Singhal. 'There's an urgent need for public campaigns discouraging this behavior and educating people that antibiotics are not for viral infections.' Physician behavior must also change. 'Nearly 70% of outpatient visits are viral, yet antibiotics are often prescribed. Pharmacies dispensing antibiotics without prescriptions must be stopped. The government should crack down on irrational fixed-dose combinations and improve antibiotic quality,' she added. India's AMR crisis is tightly linked to its infectious disease burden. 'If we reduce infections, we automatically reduce antibiotic use,' Dr. Singhal argued. 'Better water, sanitation, hygiene, and vaccination—like typhoid vaccines—are critical long-term AMR containment tools.' A Call for National Coordination and Accountability All experts agreed that AMR cannot be tackled in silos. 'This is not just a medical or regulatory issue. It's a community issue, a veterinary issue, a poultry issue, a pharma issue. Everyone must be accountable,' Dr. Gangakhedkar stressed. Dr. Arora echoed that sentiment: 'No irrational antibiotic combinations should be manufactured or prescribed—anywhere. Regulatory agencies must crack down at the state level, and hospitals must not allow irrational drugs inside their doors.' India's AMR crisis is no longer silent—it is deafening for those willing to listen. But without systemic surveillance, public advocacy, rational prescription practices, and coordinated innovation, the country risks running out of curative options. As Dr. Gangakhedkar summed it up: 'Every patient asking, 'Do I really need this antibiotic?' is a step forward. Every death from untreatable infection must not be forgotten—it must become a rallying cry for urgent action.'
News18
5 days ago
- Business
- News18
Do & 'Dye': Govt Seeks 10,000 Kg Banknote Security Ink; Firm Can't Have China, Pak Links
Last Updated: Foreign companies would have to give an undertaking that their operations in Pakistan or China, if any, shall be 'suitably firewalled from the contract/operations with India' The government is placing a big global order for nearly 10,000 kg of colour security pigment used to print banknotes, but it has specified that the company should have no Pakistani or Chinese link whatsoever. Counterfeiting of banknotes is a major concern for India. Nearly 2.6 lakh counterfeit notes of the Rs 500 denomination were detected in India between 2021 and 2024. Safeguards are hence being specified regarding the colour security ink, which is to be procured from abroad. Foreign companies vying for this big contract would have to give an undertaking that their operations in Pakistan or China, if any, shall be 'suitably firewalled from the contract/operations with India", as per a document reviewed by News18. The company will also have to ensure that no employee who has previously worked or been posted in Pakistan or China in any capacity is engaged for the Indian project. Also, no Pakistani or Chinese national or person of Pakistani/Chinese origin can be engaged by the company for the Indian project. The company will not post any employee who has worked for India operations in Pakistan or China. It is incumbent upon the company not to reveal the specifications, etc, of the colour shifting pigment in Indian banknotes to any third party. The company also cannot supply India-specific colour shifting pigment to any other third party or country and will be responsible for maintaining secrecy, security, and exclusivity in case a contract is awarded. This colour shifting pigment is used to manufacture colour shift intaglio security ink suitable for printing of Indian banknotes. This forms a key security feature in the Indian banknotes to make counterfeiting difficult. The company is also supposed to inform if there is any change in the board of directors/key personnel and in the ultimate beneficial ownership of 10% and above. The bidder is, therefore, required to submit an undertaking that any such change will be intimated without any delay to the government. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
A tariff deal with US will end current fluctuation and uncertainty for India: Manishi Raychaudhuri
Live Events You Might Also Like: Get ready for a narrower market over next 2-4 years where earnings surprises will drive share prices: Rakshit Ranjan (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel , Veteran Investor In Asian Equities, highlights the potential of tariff deals between ASEAN and India, noting existing US agreements with Vietnam, the UK, Indonesia, and Japan. India currently has an interim 10% tariff deal till 1st August, and is waiting for an India-specific deal. A deal similar to Japan's 15% would be ideal. Policy certainty regarding tariff rules is crucial for investment decisions, ending the current fluctuation and also says that the sentiment for emerging markets as a whole has improved considerably over the last two months and there are a few drivers for that. Emerging markets are in a much better position to give both fiscal and monetary stimulus to revive their undoubtedly it has been in the offing for a while but the timeline and the conclusion of this deal does come as a surprise to me because even about a week or so ago, it was under a cloud. I have not seen the details of this deal because the sticking point was on cars, on autos, which is the biggest quantum of Japanese exports to the United States. But if one looks at the headlines, then it seems kind of agreeable to both sides and that is indeed a positive general, I would say that the sentiment for emerging markets as a whole has improved quite considerably over the last one to two months and there are a few drivers for that. It is now clear that emerging markets are in a much better position to give both fiscal and monetary stimulus, particularly monetary stimulus to revive their economies. The emerging markets never faced inflation scare and if you look at the trajectory of CPI inflation in almost most of the emerging markets particularly in Asia, they have come down fact, most of the Asian economies are in the range of zero to 2% inflation which gives a lot of room for their central banks to give monetary stimulus, so that is reason number one. Second, the US dollar has depreciated about 10% this year and compared to what economists call the real effective exchange rate of the dollar, there could be more depreciation of the US dollar in the offing. Maybe the pace of depreciation may not be as fast as we have seen in the last few months, but there could be depreciation nonetheless and that is a very strong tailwind for emerging the investors are waiting to encounter are whether the earnings estimates bottom out and begin to move up. As of now, only Korea and Taiwan have seen up-moves in earnings estimates. India could turn out to be the next with the rate cuts and the government spending coming back, but it would possibly be relegated to the later part of this year. In the meantime, we could see some more time correction and that is not a bad outcome because it is reducing the valuation premium that India has and making the market more attractive for international ones to look forward to are ASEAN and India. Now the US has struck deals with Vietnam, with the UK, and with Indonesia, which has a 19% tariff. So among the major economies, it is only the other ASEAN economies like Thailand, Malaysia, and the giant economy India which is still awaiting. If India gets a deal that is similar to Japan's which is 15% or so, that would be a good in the interim, India has a 10% tariff deal which is valid till August 1 and even those deadlines are really up in the air because they are constantly changing depending on who you speak to – President Trump or the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. But if it is somewhere in around the mid-teens kind of range, that would be a good outcome for India and the best part is we would have left this policy uncertainty behind us because as long as these numbers keep changing, as long as they keep fluctuating, no investment decision can be made. It is basically some degree of certainty about these tariff rules and the policy decisions that is very much essential in the present circumstances.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
A tariff deal with US will end current fluctuation and uncertainty for India: Manishi Raychaudhuri
Manishi Raychaudhuri , Veteran Investor In Asian Equities, highlights the potential of tariff deals between ASEAN and India, noting existing US agreements with Vietnam, the UK, Indonesia, and Japan. India currently has an interim 10% tariff deal till 1st August, and is waiting for an India-specific deal. A deal similar to Japan's 15% would be ideal. Policy certainty regarding tariff rules is crucial for investment decisions, ending the current fluctuation and uncertainty. Raychaudhuri also says that the sentiment for emerging markets as a whole has improved considerably over the last two months and there are a few drivers for that. Emerging markets are in a much better position to give both fiscal and monetary stimulus to revive their economies. Does it come as a surprise that finally the US has a deal with Japan? Equity markets, of course, are rejoicing in this move. Manishi Raychaudhuri: No, undoubtedly it has been in the offing for a while but the timeline and the conclusion of this deal does come as a surprise to me because even about a week or so ago, it was under a cloud. I have not seen the details of this deal because the sticking point was on cars, on autos, which is the biggest quantum of Japanese exports to the United States. But if one looks at the headlines, then it seems kind of agreeable to both sides and that is indeed a positive surprise. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Auto exports account for almost 28% of all the Japanese shipment to the US and that is indeed big for the auto counters. Along with that, help us understand how the sentiment is building up for the emerging markets as well because on the India front we have been waiting to see what sort of a rate actually comes through. Also, what do you think of the macro setup now? Manishi Raychaudhuri: In general, I would say that the sentiment for emerging markets as a whole has improved quite considerably over the last one to two months and there are a few drivers for that. It is now clear that emerging markets are in a much better position to give both fiscal and monetary stimulus, particularly monetary stimulus to revive their economies. The emerging markets never faced inflation scare and if you look at the trajectory of CPI inflation in almost most of the emerging markets particularly in Asia, they have come down drastically. In fact, most of the Asian economies are in the range of zero to 2% inflation which gives a lot of room for their central banks to give monetary stimulus, so that is reason number one. Second, the US dollar has depreciated about 10% this year and compared to what economists call the real effective exchange rate of the dollar, there could be more depreciation of the US dollar in the offing. Maybe the pace of depreciation may not be as fast as we have seen in the last few months, but there could be depreciation nonetheless and that is a very strong tailwind for emerging markets. What the investors are waiting to encounter are whether the earnings estimates bottom out and begin to move up. As of now, only Korea and Taiwan have seen up-moves in earnings estimates. India could turn out to be the next with the rate cuts and the government spending coming back, but it would possibly be relegated to the later part of this year. In the meantime, we could see some more time correction and that is not a bad outcome because it is reducing the valuation premium that India has and making the market more attractive for international investors. Live Events You Might Also Like: Not top-down, it's time to go stock-specific; wait for clarity on consumption stocks: Harsha Upadhyaya This deal imposes a 15% tariff on Japanese imports and it has been slashed lower from 25%. Come the 1st August deadline, could we see similar reductions with major economies compared to their earlier announced tariffs? Manishi Raychaudhuri: The ones to look forward to are ASEAN and India. Now the US has struck deals with Vietnam, with the UK, and with Indonesia, which has a 19% tariff. So among the major economies, it is only the other ASEAN economies like Thailand, Malaysia, and the giant economy India which is still awaiting. If India gets a deal that is similar to Japan's which is 15% or so, that would be a good outcome. Currently in the interim, India has a 10% tariff deal which is valid till August 1 and even those deadlines are really up in the air because they are constantly changing depending on who you speak to – President Trump or the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. But if it is somewhere in around the mid-teens kind of range, that would be a good outcome for India and the best part is we would have left this policy uncertainty behind us because as long as these numbers keep changing, as long as they keep fluctuating, no investment decision can be made. It is basically some degree of certainty about these tariff rules and the policy decisions that is very much essential in the present circumstances. You Might Also Like: Get ready for a narrower market over next 2-4 years where earnings surprises will drive share prices: Rakshit Ranjan
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Apple iPhone 17 series set for September launch: Specs, features, colours, and camera upgrades revealed
Apple's next flagship, the iPhone 17 Pro, is expected to be officially unveiled during the second week of September. Multiple reports, including one from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, point to a launch event on either Monday, 8 September or Wednesday, 10 September stated, 'Apple is likely to hold its iPhone 17 keynote on Tuesday, September 9, or Wednesday, September 10.' Pre-orders are expected to begin by Friday, 12 September, with global retail availability likely from 19 Apple has yet to confirm India-specific dates, the Pro model is widely expected to follow the global timeline. Early estimates suggest pricing in India will start at ₹1,45, year's lineup will include four models: the iPhone 17, the slimmer iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the top-end iPhone 17 Pro Max. The Pro models, especially the iPhone 17 Pro, are at the centre of Air variant, expected to be the slimmest iPhone ever at just 5.5mm, will cater to those prioritising sleek design. However, the trade-off could be reduced battery life, as early leaks suggest only 60 to 70 percent of users might get through a full day on a single charge. The Air will come with a 6.6-inch OLED screen, Dynamic Island, and a single 48MP rear camera. A dedicated battery case might also be in the works, aimed at compensating for the smaller the heart of the iPhone 17 Pro is the new A19 Pro chipset, built on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process. Apple is also reportedly developing a 2nm version, but the A19 Pro remains the highlight for this release Pro models will come with 12GB RAM, compared to 8GB on the standard versions. This increase is designed to power upcoming Apple Intelligence features and enable better multitasking. The Pro models are also said to include a vapour chamber cooling system for improved thermal performance during demanding tasks like reports, 'The iPhone 17 Pro is said to feature A19 Pro chipset along with 12GB RAM to smoothly run Apple Intelligence features. It may also get a vapour cooling chamber for better thermal management.' The iPhone 17 Pro will ship with iOS 26, which is currently in beta testing. The iPhone 17 Pro will feature Apple's most significant design change in years. According to MacRumors and other sources, the rear camera layout will now be arranged horizontally across the top of the phone, in a triangular formation. This is a marked departure from the current vertical or square stacks seen in recent Singh at Digit notes, 'You can expect a rectangular camera bump with triangular camera setup. It could launch in silver, black, grey and dark blue, plus a new copper-like orange colour.'Beyond copper-orange, Apple is also testing pastel finishes across the entire series. Standard models might arrive in pastel purple and green, while the Pro variants could launch in a muted sky blue tweaks include a repositioned Apple logo and a hybrid aluminium-glass back for a more refined iPhone 17 Pro will retain a 6.3-inch screen, slightly larger than the standard iPhone 17's 6.1 inches. The Pro Max will keep its 6.9-inch display. The Air, at 6.6 inches, will sit between the Pro and Pro Max in size, but will be significantly the front, the Dynamic Island is rumoured to shrink slightly, with narrower bezels offering a cleaner, more modern is overhauling its entire camera system for the iPhone 17 series. All models, including the base iPhone 17, are expected to get a 24MP front-facing camera, doubling the resolution of the iPhone 16' iPhone 17 Pro will include a triple-camera setup, each sensor rated at 48MP: wide, ultrawide, and a new telephoto with 3.5x zoom. The Pro Max may continue with its periscope lens for longer zoom Fusion tech will still play a role in image processing, enhancing detail in low or mixed lighting conditions. Dual-camera video recording from both the front and rear cameras at the same time is also likely to be exclusive to the Pro confirms, 'The device is said to get a triple camera setup including a 48MP wide, 48MP telephoto and 48MP ultrawide sensor. It can also get a 24MP selfie shooter.' All models in the iPhone 17 range are expected to support Wi-Fi 7 and will be equipped with Apple's new C1 modem. For the Air, battery capacity might be scaled back due to its thin build, but Apple is reportedly working with TDK to introduce a high-density silicon-anode battery that can deliver comparable performance. Battery life across the board should improve with more efficient chipsets and software-level enhancements, but the Pro and Pro Max will likely have the upper hand in suggest Apple is likely to begin mass production of the iPhone 17 series in August 2025. While final India launch dates are unconfirmed, the company usually synchronises its global releases across major iPhone 17 Pro, sitting between the standard and Pro Max in the lineup, appears to be Apple's key focus this year. With better cameras, a new design, and a boost in processing power, it aims to push the iPhone's boundaries once Mark Gurman noted, Apple is 'sticking to its long-standing tradition of releasing new iPhones in the second week of September.' And this year, all signs point to the iPhone 17 Pro being front and centre.(With inputs from Bloomberg, TOI)
