CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare recently informed the Rajya Sabha about the implementation and progress of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), India’s flagship initiative aimed at eliminating leprosy through early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Recent analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study revealed that India and China have the highest burden of metabolic diseases in the Asia-Pacific region. In India, in particular, the incidence of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cholesterol-related diseases is rapidly increasing, posing a serious public health challenge.

A new biosurfactant has been synthesized by an institute under India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) in Northeast India. This compound has shown effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus.

Researchers have recently made significant progress toward developing a vaccine against the Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV). This virus infects nearly 95% of the world’s population at some point in life and has been linked to several serious diseases.

The Union government is preparing to launch a nationwide 90-day single-dose HPV vaccination campaign targeting 14-year-old girls to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in India. The initiative marks a major preventive public health intervention aimed at tackling one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Indian women.

The Exposome is an emerging scientific concept that refers to the totality of environmental exposures a person experiences throughout life — from conception to death — and how they influence health.

India's health policy is witnessing a revolutionary shift. The Union Budget 2026-27 has made it clear that traditional medical systems—Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH)—are no longer just alternatives..

The Economic Survey recently highlighted a sharp rise in digital addiction and screen-related mental health problems, especially among children and adolescents. Responding to these concerns, the Union Budget presented on February 1 announced major steps to strengthen India’s mental health infrastructure, including the establishment of a second National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in north India and upgrades to premier institutions in Ranchi and Tezpur.

Infertility is emerging as a serious public health challenge in India by 2026. Experts are now emphasizing that mental health is not only a consequence of infertility but also a physiological driver of reproductive failure across all genders.

In a significant decision, the Supreme Court clarified that stem cell therapy for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cannot be offered as a routine medical service. According to the Court, it should be limited to duly approved and monitored clinical trials or research settings.