Health, India, said India had to ramp up its efforts if it had any hope of meeting its WHO targets of a 30 per cent reduction in salt consumption by 2025. Professor Jha said:“ We need a country wide educational program teaching people about to eat and how to reduce the salt in their diet. It can be done but it needs investment and it needs to be made a priority given our rapidly rising levels of CVD and high blood pressure.
FSSAI TO SHELL OUT RS 482 CRORE ON UPGRADING FOOD TESTING INFRASTRUCTURE
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India( FSSAI) has rolled out a major scheme for strengthening of Food Testing Infrastructure in the country at an estimated cost of Rs 482-crore, in the light of the recent observations by Mumbai High Court, regarding the urgent need to upgrade Food Testing Laboratories in India.
The Empowered Committee constituted for implementing this scheme held its first Meeting on November 2, 2016 in New Delhi, which was chaired by Chairperson, FSSAI. Representatives from various Ministries such as Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Export Inspection Council, NABL and seven States / UTs were present. Proposals from 7 States / UTs, namely, Goa, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab were considered for strengthening their food Testing infrastructure. Two proposals, from Chandigarh( Punjab) and Calicut( Kerala), were approved in principle. The other States were requested to revise and resubmit their proposals according to the scheme guidelines with mentorship support from FSSAI.
The Committee also approved the proposal for strengthening the Referral Food Laboratory at Central Food Technology Research Institute( CFTRI) through provision of state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Introduction of these equipment facilities would significantly enhance the testing capability of CFTRI for adulteration of honey and pesticide and antibiotic residues in food samples.
INDIA TO UNDERTAKE TB RESEARCH UNDER UNIQUE MISSION MODE
The“ India TB Research and Development Corporation”( ITRDC), a flagship initiative by ICMR, aims to bring together all major national and international stakeholders to develop new tools( drug, diagnostics, vaccines) for TB. The vision of the corporation is“ To achieve Elimination of TB from India by investing in new tools( drugs, diagnostics, vaccines) as well as provide these solutions to the world.”
Elaborating on the initiative, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, DG( ICMR) stated that under the guidance of the Prime Minister of India, TB has been taken as a national priority. The aim is to reduce the incidence of new TB cases by 95 percent and also reduce mortality by 95 percent. She also stated that research will be accelerated to improve cure rates and to accelerate decline in new cases. She added that implementation research will focus on finding and framing strategies to treat TB patients by
involving all stakeholders. The aim is to ensure that all TB patients get assured quality diagnosis and treatment.
The initiative has been undertaken after a consensus from the various Government, Non-Government and international research organizations in a high level meeting with officials from MOH & FW, DBT, CSIR, DST, TDB, WHO, Gates Foundation in Feb 2016 wherein all the members agreed to support the Corporation. The concept also has an in-principle by PMO for setting up a new entity. In a few months time the detailed landscape analysis of the national and global leads in four thematic areas namely diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics and implementation research has been done and most advanced leads have been identified for taking forward. The first International Scientific Advisory Group( ISAG) meeting was convened on 9th and 10th November in New Delhi bringing together the eminent international and national TB experts from four thematic areas. The ISAG consisted of 6 international experts and 3 experts from India.
GOVT TO RECONSIDER ITS EARLIER BAN ON E-PHARMACIES?
If reports are to be believed, the government may very soon reverse its earlier order on ban on online sale of
health medicines. The decision could be based on expert committee ' s comments that keeping prescription drugs out of the online platform may not be justified to the consumers in present times. The Drugs Consultative Committee has submitted its report to the Drugs Controller General of India( DCGI) in this regard. The DCGI ' s office is now set to forward the recommendations by expert committee to the health ministry, which will then take a decision on the implementation.
In May last year, the government had asked the drug regulator to draft guidelines and introduce provisions in the law to monitor and regulate online sale of medicines. However, the regular chemists and pharmacists opposed the move and even went on a daylong strike across the country in October 2015.
The committee has reportedly suggested number of safeguards, including a legal framework and maintenance of prescription record, while allowing sale of medicines online. It has indicated the consensus in the government as well as among regulators to allow sale of medicines through e-commerce platforms.
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