November 5, 2026 7:50 PM

Health Secretary reviews Delhi Arogya Mandirs, calls for weekly yoga sessions and digital health IDs for children

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Thursday reviewed three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Delhi and directed facilities to organise weekly yoga and wellness sessions, integrate digital health identification for children and initiate quality certification for urban sub-health centres. During visits to the Urban Primary Health Centres at Babar Road and Trade & Taxes, and the Urban Sub Health Centre at Golf Links, Srivastava assessed service quality and the implementation of compreh...

October 31, 2026 1:30 AM

Department of Posts Issues Commemorative Stamps to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

The Department of Posts on Friday issued two commemorative postage stamps and a set of picture postcards dedicated to breast cancer awareness, marking International Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The initiative aims to use the extensive postal network to spread messages on breast cancer awareness, early detection and preventive healthcare. The stamps were released by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and Director General Postal Services Manisha Sinha. The initiative was conceptuali...

October 12, 2026 1:40 PM

Centre asks states, UTs to ensure prominent display of healthcare charges

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has urged states and Union Territories to ensure that clinical establishments prominently display charges for their services and facilities, aiming to help patients make informed decisions and reduce billing-related disputes. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, in a letter to Chief Secretaries of all states and UTs, called for a review of compliance with applicable regulations and measures to make healthcare pricing information...

September 26, 2026 2:15 PM

India Pushes for Resilient Health Systems, Global Action on Pandemic Preparedness

Representing India at the UN High-Level Meeting on ‘Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response’ in New York on September 25, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening global health security through international cooperation, calling for sustained investment, stronger institutional capacity and resilient health systems based on the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. India Outlines Coordinated Approach to Pandemic Preparedness Addressi...

September 24, 2026 2:55 PM

1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, 900 M Health IDs, 497 M Teleconsultations: India Highlights Health System Scale at UNGA81

India highlighted its network of over 1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, which bring a wide range of healthcare services closer to communities, as Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery from primary to tertiary care and protecting people from financial hardship. The Health Secretary was speaking at the Seventh Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) & Global Health...

October 13, 2025 7:25 PM

Union Health Secretary launches CPR Awareness Week to empower citizens with lifesaving skills

In a major public health initiative, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched CPR Awareness Week 2025 on Monday to build mass awareness and community participation in lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques. The campaign, being observed from 13–17 October, was inaugurated by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava in New Delhi. The inaugural event saw the participation of over 15,000 people from the health sector, medical institutions, and civil society acro...

October 6, 2025 10:37 AM

Centre reviews cough syrup quality amid reports of child deaths in Madhya Pradesh

In the wake of the recent child deaths in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly linked to the consumption of contaminated cough syrups, the Union Health Ministry convened a high-level meeting on Sunday to review drug safety measures. The meeting focused on ensuring strict compliance with drug quality norms and promoting the rational use of cough syrups, particularly among paediatric patients, the ministry said in a statement. The discussions were prompted by reports from Chhindwara, where several child fa...