Hospitals

Face masks mandatory in civic-run hospitals in Mumbai as Covid cases rise

Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, the use of face masks has been made mandatory for employees, patients and visitors in all civic-run hospitals in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Monday. The step has been taken as a safety measure, said the BMC in a release issued after a coronavirus review meeting conducted by municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal at the civic headquarters in south Mumbai. The release, however, did not mention since when the masks will be mandatory in its hospitals. The BMC appealed to citizens above 60 years of age to wear face masks as a precautionary measure though it is not mandatory for them. The release said the civic body will also issue guidelines on home isolation of COVID-19 patients.

Nationwide Covid mock drill underway to take stock of preparedness

Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases, mock drills to take stock of hospital preparedness are being held in several public and private facilities across the country on Monday. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya visited the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in the city to review the mock drill there. India logged 5,880 new coronavirus cases, while the active cases have increased to 35,199. The death toll has increased to 5,30,979 with 14 deaths, according to the health ministry data updated on Monday. In a review meeting held on April 7, Mandaviya had urged state health ministers to visit hospitals and oversee the mock drills on April 10 and 11. In the meeting with state health ministers, and principal and additional chief secretaries held virtually, Mandaviya had stressed the need to identify emergency hotspots by monitoring trends of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, ramping up testing and vaccination, and ensuring readiness of hospital ...

Delhi hospital launches smart vision glasses for visually impaired, blind

The glasses project images, provide walking assistance, and include face recognition capabilities, accompanied by a smart earpiece that reads and understands, and relays information to the wearer

People rush back to vaccination centres as Covid-19 scare resurfaces

Hospitals check equipment, trial run of oxygen plants ahead of mock drills

Tamil Nadu Health Ministry to inspect govt hospitals for 2 days from Apr 10

The Tamil Nadu Health Ministry will carry out inspection in all government hospitals across the State for two days from April 10 to increase the facilities to meet the challenges of surge in COVID cases and other infections, Health Minister M Subramanian said on Saturday. Speaking to reporters after reviewing the Government Hospital in nearby Mettupalayam, the Minister said that there was an increase in the COVID infections and variants of Omicron and considering them, the government has made wearing masks mandatory for all those visiting hospitals including doctors, patients and visitors. The government wanted to ensure required facilities like beds and oxygen are available and decided to review all the 11,300 health facilities across the State, he said. Though States like Kerala, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh reported 300 to 500 infections, Tamil Nadu recorded 139 cases of Omicron variant XBB and BA 2 on Friday, the Minister said. The Health department is also carrying out rand

Mansukh Mandaviya lays foundation stone of 500 bedded hospital in Dehradun

"The Government of Uttarakhand is speeding up the work in the health sector, where a total of 14 critical care blocks are being constructed, 7 under the PM-ABHIM scheme and 7 under ECRP-II," he said

CBI raids Safdarjung Hospital, arrests neurosurgeon on corruption charges

The investigation further revealed that Rawat directed his patients to deposit bribes ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1.15 lakh into a middleman's bank account, the officials said

Mumbai: Five women hospitalised after fire breaks out in high-rise flat

Five women, including three senior citizens, were hospitalised after a fire broke on the fourth floor flat of a residential high-rise in Kanjurmarg in Mumbai on Sunday morning, an official said. The fire broke out in the flat in the gound-plus-14 storey building in Mhada Colony in Karve Nagar at 9:26am and was doused some 45 minutes later, he said. "The fire was confined to the wiring, electric installation in the common meter cabin on the ground floor as well as the electric duct. Fire brigade and police personnel arrived at the spot and rescued five persons who were trapped," he said. "They have been hospitalised after suffering injuries and suffocation from smoke inhalation. Their condition is stable," he added.

Private hospitals to clock 10-11% revenue growth in FY23, FY24: Report

Revenue of private hospitals will grow 10-11 per cent in financial year 2022-23 and 2023-24, supported by increasing domestic demand and pick-up in medical tourism, says a report. According to the Crisil Ratings report, revenue of private hospitals will grow on the back of healthy bed occupancy and sustenance of high average revenue per occupied bed (ARPOB). In FY22, private hospitals had reported an all-time high operating profitability of 19 per cent due to a surge in treatment during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, which also pushed up occupancy levels, and, later, pent-up demand for elective surgeries, it said. "Growing health awareness, especially after Covid-19, leading to increase in domestic demand together with recovery in medical tourism, will ensure bed occupancy being maintained at almost similar levels of 60 per cent (past five fiscals average) even as bed addition continues," Crisil Ratings Senior Director Anuj Sethi said. Sethi further noted that occupancy

Rise in H3N2 cases in Delhi hospitals; patients experience persistent cough

Delhi hospitals are witnessing a spike in cases of H3N2 virus that triggers symptoms like fever, cold and body aches, but in certain cases, leaves behind persistent cough making patients extremely weak, doctors said. There has been a nearly 150 per cent rise in patients coming to OPDs with such complaints, they said. Elaborating about the possible reasons behind the surge, Dr Viny Kantroo, Consultant, Respiratory, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Consultant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said the outbreak could have been triggered due to seasonal change, mutation of virus and the economy being fully open. "Children are going to school and they are transmitting it to the elderly. A lot of cross-country travel is happening. In the last two years, Covid was the dominant virus and there were restrictions but with relaxation of norms and return of normalcy, these outbreaks are being observed," she opined. Delhi government's LNJP Hospital has set up a 20-bed isolation ward in the emerge

Kauvery Hospitals gets $70 mn investment from PE fund managed by IIFL AMC

Money will help company to expand business and expand capacity in South India

Sonia Gandhi admitted to Ganga Ram hospital, condition stable: Doctors

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here due to fever, doctors said on Friday. According to a health bulletin issued by the hospital, her condition is stable. She was admitted to the hospital on Thursday, a spokesperson of the hospital said. D S Rana, Chairman, Trust Society, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said Gandhi has been admitted to the hospital under the supervision of Arup Basu, senior consultant, Department of Chest Medicine, and his team, "on account of fever". "Gandhi is under observation and undergoing investigations. Her condition is stable," the bulletin added.

ESIC to have 28,116 beds, 241 hospitals in coming days: Bhupender Yadav

Union minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday said the number of beds and hospitals of Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) will be increased to 28,116 and 241, respectively, in coming days. Yadav was addressing a function to mark 71 foundation day of ESIC here. The minister informed that there were 18,933 beds and 151 hospitals of ESIC in 2014. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi started ESIC 2.0 and in a span of eight years, the number of ESIC beds and hospitals increased to 20,211 and 160 respectively. In coming days the beds would be increased to 28,116 and hospital number will be 241." The minister also referred to government's commitment to provide social security to unorganised workers in the country saying almost 29 crore informal workers are registered on eSharm portal. He was of the view that this national database will be an aid to provide various social security benefits to informal sector workers in the country. Labour ministry stated in a statement that the eShram por

Pristyn Care expands presence to eastern India, partners with 60 hospitals

The company's goal is to double its presence in the country by the end of 2023 by expanding into more cities

Infosys Foundation partners with Karnataka govt, rebuilds 100-bed hospital

This initiative aims to provide quality maternity and childcare to help the underprivileged, advancing the Foundation's commitment towards rural development, and to provide better health infra

Mahindra Lifespace acquires 4.25 acres of land parcel in Bangalore

The project is located just off Hosur Road and offers access to well-developed social infrastructure with educational institutes, healthcare facilities, and retail avenues in proximity

Karnataka CM Bommai lays foundation of 400-bed hospital in Ballari

"The 400-bed hospital will be the panacea for all the problems of women and children in the entire district," said Bommai

Sonia Gandhi admitted to Ganga Ram Hospital for routine check-up: Report

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was admitted to Ganga Ram Hospital here on Wednesday for routine check-up, sources said. Her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied her to the hospital, they said. According to them, Sonia Gandhi has been suffering from a respiratory infection. Sources added that Sonia Gandhi has been unwell since Tuesday which is why Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had returned to Delhi after walking seven kilometres in the Bharat Jodo Yatra that entered Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday evening. The Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed its journey at 6 am on Wednesday after halting for the night at Mavikalan in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat. Priyanka Gandhi did not, however, join Rahul Gandhi at the yatra's resumption. She is likely to join after noon, party sources said.

Jammu & Kashmir admin inspects fire safety systems in health institutions

Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday reviewed the fire safety measures in health institutions across the Union Territory, an official spokesperson said. Secretary, Health and Medical Education department, Bhupinder Kumar chaired a high level meeting here to review the measures, the official said. Kumar sought institution-wise status of fire fighting systems and other alternative mechanisms available in hospitals from heads of the institutions, the official said. Noting that fire incidents are more prone to occur in winter conditions as there is over-usage of heating devices, the secretary cautioned all officers to remain vigilant. He stressed the need to conduct mock drills, conduct fresh fire audits through the Fire and Emergency department besides addressing the deficiencies identified in the previous audits, the spokesperson aid. On various projects to install fire fighting systems under execution, he exhorted officers to chase the executing agencies for early completio

Mock drills held across 20,000 hospitals to check Covid preparedness

Over 11,000 oxygen plants are functional and nearly 2.8 lakh isolation beds are available in over 20,000 health facilities across the country where mock drills were conducted on Tuesday to check the operational readiness to deal with Covid amid a surge in cases in some countries, officials said. The Centre had asked states and Union Territories to conduct the drill as part of precautionary measures following an increase in Covid cases in China and other countries. According to officials, 20,021 facilities, including 15,424 government ones conducted the exercise across 37 states and UTs. Of the total 3,37,710 isolation beds across these facilities, 2,79,202 are functional. Out of the total 2,82,229 oxygen supported-Covid beds, 2,45,894 are operational, they said. Besides, of the 70,073 ICU beds and 57,286 ICU-cum-ventilator beds, 64,711 and 49,236 are functional, respectively. During the drill, it was found that 88 per cent of the 70,996 ventilators across 20,021 facilities are ..