Cabinet approves MoU between India and Tanzania in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) between India and Tanzania in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy. The MoU will provide structured frame work for the cooperation between the two countries for the promotion and propagation of Indian Traditional Systems of Medicine & Homeopathy in Tanzania. There is no additional financial implications involved. The financial resources necessary to conduct research, training courses, conferences / meetings will be met from the existing allocated budget and existing plan schemes of Ministry of AYUSH.
Background:
India is blessed with well-developed systems of traditional medicine including medicinal plants, which hold tremendous potential in the global health scenario. Traditional Medicine is an important element of life of Tanzanian people and Traditional medicines are used as first aid or stop-gap measure before the patient is referred to modern health facilities. Tanzania is an important East African country with historical ties with India and with substantial population of around 70 thousand Indian diaspora. Tanzania and India have traditionally enjoyed close, friendly and cooperative relations. In recent years, the relationship of the two countries has been marked by close contacts at the highest political level including cooperation in the field of Health and medicine. The Ministry of AYUSH as a part of its mandate to propagate Indian systems of Medicine globally had signed MoUs with several other countries which include China, Malaysia, Hungary, Bangladesh, Nepal, etc.
Organ donation should become a social movement. Donating organs is a gift of life: J P Nadda
I call upon all Indians to pledge to donate organs and save many precious lives: J P Nadda While noting that donating organs is a gift of life and is an altruistic, egalitarian and essentially moral act, Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare urged people to come forward and donate organs to save lives. He stated that organ donation can benefit the recipient largely by improving health, quality and span of his life and even save him from death or other critical conditions. He was speaking at a function organised by Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti ( DDDS) here today. The Samiti organised a Dialogue on framing of the protocol to develop respect for donated cadavers and the families of cadaver donors amongst the medical teaching community. Speaking on the occasion, the Health Minister urged the participants to list down the solutions that will encourage organ and body donation and assured that the Government will not delay its implementation. He further said that the Ministry has started taking concrete steps for harvesting of cadaver organs and tissues and hope that the government will be able to optimally utilise this vast national resource. Elaborating his ideas, the Health Minister said that the benefits of initiatives should reach out to every nook and corner of the country and should not be limited to cities only. He further added the demand for organs continue to increase manifold in future keeping in view the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases. So, there is a need to create a system for improving the rate of safe, effective and ethical donation of cadaver organs for transplantation in those who need them badly. The Health Minister acknowledging the work of Samiti said, that suggestions and inputs coming from the Samiti are very meaningful and full of experience and the Ministry is taking them very seriously. Dr. B D Athani, Special DGHS, informed that Government is taking various steps to simplify organ donor law/rules and procedures. He said that the Website of National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (www.notto.nic.in) provides updated information and online facility for registering pledges for organ donation. 13,443 donors have already pledged for organ donation. A 24x7 call centre with toll free helpline number (1800114770) has been established for providing information on organ donation and coordinating matters relating to retrieval and allocation of organs recovered from cadaver donors. Also present in the meeting were Dr S S Aggarwal, National President, IMA, Shri Alok Kumar, President, DDDS and the Heads of Medical Research Bodies of the Government and the representatives of Medical Colleges and NGOs
Shri J P Nadda reviews preparedness on Dengue in a high level meeting
Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, held a high level meeting to review the preparedness of the Government in prevention and control of Dengue in the country, here today. The Minister said that the Government has taken all the necessary steps to combat dengue in the upcoming monsoon season. He stated the Ministry has already issued ten advisories to the State Governments for prevention and control of Dengue. The Ministry has also has held eight review meetings including two video conferences to sensitize the States, the Health Minister said. Taking stock of the situation, Shri Nadda was briefed on the ongoing preparations of the Health Ministry. The Health Minister was informed that for augmenting diagnostic facility for Dengue, the number of Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals (SSHs) has been increased to 527 till date. These are linked with 15 Apex Referral Laboratories with advanced diagnostic facilities. ELISA based IgM test kits are supplied by GoI through National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The Health Minister also reviewed the awareness activities of the Ministry and said that there is an urgent need to further enhance them for widespread awareness of Dengue in the country. During the meeting the Health Minister directed the officers to conduct supervisory visits to various hospitals in Delhi for assessing the situation, preparedness and to provide on the spot technical guidance to the health authorities. The Minister has also directed to organize meeting through video conferencing with the State Health Ministers to review the situation. The Minister will also hold meetings with the Delhi Municipal Corporation and New Delhi Municipal Corporation to review the Situation in Delhi. Shri B P Sharma, Secretary (Health), B D Athani, Special DGHS, and other senior officers of the Ministry were also present in the meeting.