Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh launched Bharat Biotech's nasal Covid vaccine, iNCOVACC, on the occasion of Republic Day on Thursday. The world's first made-in-India intranasal vaccine was launched at Mandaviya's residence here. The nasal vaccine -- BBV154 -- had received the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) approval in November for restricted emergency use among adults as a heterologous booster dose. According to a statement issued by Bharat Biotech earlier, 'iNCOVACC' is priced at Rs 800 for private markets and at Rs 325 for supplies to the government of India and state governments iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-fusion stabilised spike protein. This vaccine candidate was evaluated in phase I, II and III clinical trials with successful results, the Hyderabad-based vaccine maker had said. Clinical trials were conducted to evaluate iNCOVACC as a primary dose
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya extended his full support for a global plan for a new tuberculosis vaccine by 2025 and said India is fully prepared and in an advanced stage for taking this forward
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya invited all the global stakeholders to partner with India to make the world a healthier place and said that the govt is institutionalizing medical tourism
The minister also said that there is no risk of data theft in digitisation of medical records of Indian citizens
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday urged the Odisha government to implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the state so that beneficiaries can avail benefits of cashless hospitalisation. Speaking to the media after participating in the 4th annual convocation of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, he said the Health Ministry has also written to the state government in this regard. The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PM-JAY) aims to achieve the target of universal health coverage and provide access to free and affordable healthcare services to the people residing in the remotest of the areas. The scheme aims to provide free and cashless healthcare services up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to over 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families (over 53 crore beneficiaries) as per the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC)-2011 database. The AB-PMJAY is implemented in all states and Union territories barring West Bengal, NCT of Delhi and Odisha.
All manufacturing activities at Marion Biotech's Noida unit have been stopped in view of reports of contamination of its cough syrup Dok-1 Max, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday. Further investigation in connection with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan allegedly linked to the cough syrup is going on, he said in a tweet. "Following inspection by @CDSCO_INDIA_INF team in view of reports of contamination in cough syrup Dok1 Max, all manufacturing activities of Marion Biotech at NOIDA unit have been stopped yesterday night, while further investigation is ongoing," Mandaviya said. The company's legal representative had said on Thursday that the manufacture of Dok-1 Max has stopped "for now". Mandaviya had said Thursday that further action would be taken based on the inspection of the pharma company. Marion Biotech does not sell Dok-1 Max in India and its only export has been to Uzbekistan, an Uttar Pradesh government official had said. Samples of the cough s
Health Minister Mandaviya asks pharma firms to ensure adequate stock of Covid-19 drugs
Many hospitals across the country held mock drills on Tuesday to check preparedness of health facilities to deal with any spurt in COVID-19 cases, with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya saying it was important to gauge operational readiness of equipment and human resources. Mandaviya oversaw the drill at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital here, while health ministers reviewed the drill in their respective states. The Centre has asked states and union territories to conduct the drill as part of precautionary measures following an increase in infection in China and other countries. Officials said the mock drill focused on parameters such as the availability of health facilities in all districts, the capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds, and optimal availability of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Mandaviya said the drill was necessary to know how ..
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday visited Safdarjung Hospital to review a mock drill carried out to assess Covid management preparedness.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday virtually interacted with about 100 doctors from across the country and members of the Indian Medical Association
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday stressed on the importance of preventing an infodemic and sharing only authentic and verified information on COVID-19, and urged doctors to educate the public on various aspects of the disease and its prevention and management. While it is important to be on the alert and follow COVID-19-appropriate behaviour including wearing of masks, it is equally important to prevent an infodemic and share only authentic and verified information on the disease, he said during a virtual interaction about 100 doctors and members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) from across the country. "The Union Ministry of Health has been sharing information on various aspects of Covid prevention and management. I urge everyone to access and share only verified information and encourage others to also do so," he said. He urged the doctors to continue to spread authentic information about COVID- 19, according to a health ministry statement. "You have been
The IMA informed that Mandaviya will hold the meeting via video conferencing at 4 pm regarding the Covid-19 situation and preparedness
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said RT-PCR test for the detection of COVID-19 would be made mandatory for passengers from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand for their travel to India. Any passenger from these countries found symptomatic or testing positive for coronavirus would be quarantined, he said. "Passengers from China, Japan, Singapore and Bangkok (Thailand) are being monitored through the 'Air Suvidha' portal," Mandaviya told reporters. In view of the pandemic situation, passengers of flights from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Bangkok are required to upload their RT-PCR report in advance. Even after landing in India, they will undergo thermal screening, he said. "We have issued an order for them to be quarantined in the country if found positive or with fever," the minister said. With China and other countries witnessing a surge in Covid cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday cautioned against complacency, called for
Catch all the live updates from across the globe here
Catch all the live updates from across the globe here
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will hold a meeting with health ministers of states and Union territories on Friday over rising COVID-19 cases in some parts of the world. Mandaviya made a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday on India's preparedness. "We are constantly monitoring the situation. There are no direct flights between China and India but people come via other routes," he said. He said the focus is to ensure that no unknown variant of the virus enters India and at the same time there is no impediment to travelling. As China and some other countries witness a surge in Covid cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday cautioned against complacency, called for strict vigil and directed that the ongoing surveillance measures, especially at international airports, be strengthened. "Covid is not over yet," Modi reiterated at a high-level Covid review meeting and urged people to wear masks in crowded places. The Union Health Ministry asked the Civil ..
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said states have been asked to focus on heightened surveillance within the community, undertake requisite control and containment measures, and ensure coverage of precaution doses for COVID-19 vaccination, amid a spurt of coronavirus cases in some parts of the world. In a statement in both houses of Parliament, Mandaviya said two per cent random sampling of international travellers arriving at airports has already started from Thursday to minimise ingress of any new variant in the country. "Our enemy is changing with time and we need to continue our collective fight against it with perseverance and determination," he said. The minister said India has been reporting 153 new cases daily on an average as against 5.87 lakh new cases being reported on a daily basis across the world. He said the Ministry of Health was monitoring the situation on a regular basis and has proposed specific interventions to manage the ongoing challenge. "In view
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the government is coming up with "excuses" to stop the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', days after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote to him to consider suspending the march if Covid protocols could not be followed. The yatra, which started in Kanyakumari on September 7, has covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. "This yatra will go to Kashmir. Now, they have come out with a new idea. They wrote me a letter that Covid was spreading, stop the yatra," Gandhi said while addressing a gathering in Ghasera village in Haryana's Nuh district. The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by him entered the state through Nuh on Wednesday after its Rajasthan leg. "Now, they are coming up with excuses to stop the yatra. Wear masks, stop the yatra, Covid is spreading, these are all excuses," he said. Targeting the BJP, which is in power at the Centre and in Haryana, Gandhi said it is scared of the .
Amid a spurt in Covid cases in some parts of the world, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday asked states to remain alert and create awareness about wearing face masks and using hand sanitisers, especially in view of upcoming festivals and new year celebrations. Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Mandaviya said the continuously evolving nature of the virus poses threat to global health in a way that impacts virtually every country. The minister said India has been reporting 153 new cases on an average every day as against 5.87 lakh on a daily basis across the world. "In view of upcoming festivals and new year celebrations, states also need to focus on ensuring effective awareness within the community on adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour which includes use of masks, hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene practices, besides following physical distancing," he said. Mandaviya said states have been advised to focus on heightened surveillance within the community and to ...
Accusing the government of selectively picking on the Bharat Jodo Yatra over Covid concerns, the Congress on Wednesday pointed to the BJP taking out marches in Karnataka and Rajasthan, and asserted public health is far too serious an issue to play party politics on. The assertion by the Congress came after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, citing concerns raised by three BJP MPs over the spread of coronavirus, urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to consider suspending the Bharat Jodo Yatra if adherence to Covid protocols cannot be followed. In a statement, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Union health minister has written to Gandhi on the basis of a letter sent to him by a BJP MP from Rajasthan who alleges that Bharat Jodo Yatra has not been following Covid protocols. "This MP's letter was sent following the enormous success of Bharat Jodo Yatra in his state," Ramesh said. "Parliament is meeting normally. Masks are no longer compulsory anywhe