India chairs BRICS health meet, pitches lifestyle, mental health focus

IANS | April 15, 2026 9:29 PM

New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) The Union Health and Family Welfare held the first Health Working Group (HWG) meeting under the BRICS framework for 2026 here on Wednesday, bringing together senior health officials and delegates from nine member nations to advance cooperation on public health priorities ranging from tuberculosis research to digital health architecture and mental wellness.

President Murmu calls for tech push to end urban-rural healthcare gap

IANS | April 15, 2026 3:20 PM

Nagpur, April 15 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the present era marks a phase of rapid transformation in the healthcare sector, and stressed that technological advances must be used to reduce the gap between rural and urban healthcare access, ensuring quality care for all.

Over 80 pc of Balochistan lacks primary healthcare: Report

IANS | April 14, 2026 5:47 PM

New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Over 80 per cent of Balochistan’s population lack access to primary healthcare, according to its provincial health secretary, and budget shortfalls are central to this problem, a new report has said.

AI can serve as valuable enabler once sound clinical foundation is established: Minister

IANS | April 14, 2026 4:39 PM

New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday released the second edition of the postgraduate textbook of 'Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition', saying that once a sound clinical foundation is established, artificial intelligence (AI) can serve as a valuable enabler, assistant and facilitator.