Nov 22, 2024 New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) comprehensively reviewed sector-specific enforcement actions taken by the concerned NCR State governments/Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) and Punjab to abate air pollution in the region. During the 18th meeting of the Sub-Committee on Safeguarding and Enforcement held on Wednesday ordered to ensure strict enforcement of measures to control air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR) According to the press release of CAQM, after a detailed review of action taken by NCR State Governments/ GNCTD, the following directions were given by the Commission in which “(a) mismatch in a number of cases where EC has imposed and the cases where FIR has been filed u/s 223 of BNS, 2023 needs to be sorted out for Punjab and Haryana.” “Gap in cumulative amount of EC imposed and EC realised needs to analysed and redressed on an urgent basis. Inspection protocol for verification of fire incidences be revised to within 24 hrs from 48 hours, especially by Punjab,” Meanwhile, for all Delhi NCR states all actions prescribed under different stages of GRAP need to be enforced strictly in true letter and spirit. “Special attention must be given to all identified hotspots in Delhi. The same must be taken up on priority, except those actions which are prohibited under GRAP. Special attention must be given for controlling the C&D dust and all C&D activities must stop keeping in provisions under GRAP Inspections must be intensified in the entire Delhi NCR. Stringent actions must be taken against the violators as per directions issued by the Commission,” it added. For all Delhi NCR States, a special drive must be launched for impounding of EOL vehicles. “The data from Traffic Police, Transport agencies and municipal authorities must be compiled and submitted to the Commission through the nodal agency. Efforts for challaning the non-possession of PUC must be enhanced.” The auditing of the PUC Centres needs to be carried out on priority in all Delhi NCR states. “The entry points of Delhi must be checked for the non-permitted vehicles and proper arrangements be made at the border. The congestion points and barricades on the road to be managed properly. Barricading to be done only during inspection and to be removed immediately thereafter. Patrolling vehicles to check for these points creating congestion and inform the Traffic Police to take immediate corrective action,” it added. The Commission also directed to augment the MRSMs on priority to achieve the target for GNCTD and Haryana. “Expedite the collection of pending Environmental Compensation (ECs) from violators. Ensure compliance to the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court regarding brick kilns regulation for NCR districts of Haryana, UP and Rajasthan,” it added. Moreover, for all Delhi NCR states the biomass and MSW burning activities must be stopped in open areas through strict enforcement of regulations and improved waste management practices. “Pending complaints from citizens on different Apps and social media platforms till date must be resolved in a time-bound manner. CAQM must be tagged on social media page while forwarding and resolving the complaint so that they are properly tracked and monitored,” it added. The Nodal officers for all agencies have been directed to coordinate actions in their respective agencies and concerned DPCC to also monitor the actions by different agencies, besides action required to be taken by themselves. “Daily reporting of actions under GRAP must be provided to the Commission on daily basis without fail Officials of concerned agencies shall be held accountable for any laxity in the enforcement of the directions of the Commission and the same may attract action under provisions of CAQM Act for all Delhi NCR states,” it said. The authorities of Punjab and Haryana were asked to ensure the implementation of in-situ and ex-situ measures for the prevention of paddy stubble burning. Further, it was reiterated that considering the prevailing AQI levels in Delhi-NCR, there should not be any laxity in monitoring and taking enforcement actions after expeditious verification of fire incidences within 24 hrs. It was committed at the meeting by all implementing agencies that they will regularly review air pollution control measures and take strict and effective action across various sectors as well as those listed under GRAP. A layer of smog has engulfed several parts of Delhi, but the quality of the air improved marginally. After the air quality in the national capital reeled into ‘severe’ and ‘severe plus’ category for the past few days, the level of air pollution slightly improved on Thursday as the air quality fell into to ‘very poor’ category with a thin layer of smog reducing visibility in several parts of Delhi. Source: Economic Times

Nov 20, 2024 Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that the state government has been very serious about the medical education and services, adding that Medicity will be built in Ujjain district. The proposed Medicity in Ujjain will include a medical college along with comprehensive facilities such as nursing, paramedical services, research centres, and accommodations for doctors, specialists, and staff. “The Madhya Pradesh government has been serious about medical education and medical services. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a different concept has come to the country in medical services, through the AWSH department. I would like to say that in the last 20 years, the Madhya Pradesh government has taken revolutionary steps in the medical sector,” CM Yadav told ANI. He highlighted that currently there are 17 medical colleges at government level in the state and eight more colleges will be constructed soon in the state. “There were 5 medical colleges here in 2004-05. Now in 2024, there are 17 medical colleges operational at the government level. Eight more colleges are in the pipeline which will be built here. I would like to mention that Ujjain Medical College will have the new concept of Medicity, given by PM Modi. It will not be just a medical college but nursing, paramedical, different types of research labs and staff quarters, doctor quarters, administrative building, new research campus will be there. The Madhya Pradesh government will try to provide all the facilities required in the Medicity,” CM Yadav added. The Chief Minister also extended greetings to the people of the state and Ujjain district and shared that he would perform the Bhoomi Pujan of the campus. He further added that during the ‘Simhastha’ period, there would be a crowd of about 15 crores in Ujjain. Even in normal times, about 5 to 7 crore travellers are visiting Ujjain every year. Therefore, the formation of Medicity here is useful and important. Notably, Simhastha Kumbh is held every 12 years in the Ujjain city. The last ‘Simhastha’ took place in 2016 and the next would be held in 2028. (ANI) Source: Economic Times

Nov 18, 2024 New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday said north India is facing a medical emergency due to hazardous air quality caused by stubble burning. Addressing a press conference here, Atishi said the BJP-led central government has been doing politics over the issue of pollution but has taken no step to check stubble burning in states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh all ruled by the saffron party. Lauding the AAP-ruled Punjab, she said it is the only state where the cases of stubble burning have come down significantly. In BJP-ruled states, they have gone up, she claimed. Atishi said due to Delhi’s worsening air quality, the elderly are being hospitalised and children need inhalers and steroids to breathe. Delhi’s air quality worsened to the ‘severe plus’ category on Monday with the city recording an AQI of 484. Tighter pollution control measures, including a ban on truck entry and suspension of construction at public projects, came into force in the morning. The dense toxic smog caused visibility to drop sharply in the morning. Source: Economic Times

Nov 20, 2024 The Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), a non-profit organisation working in the healthcare sector, on Tuesday (November 19, 2024), announced the completion of a study on drug treatment optimisation for blood pressure in India. The research initiative tested the effectiveness of three double anti-hypertensive pill combinations in South Asian populations with uncontrolled hypertension. Conducted over two years in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Imperial College, London, the study demonstrated that all the three combinations were equally effective and safe in regulating blood pressure. The study evaluated three two-drug combinations — Amlodipine + Perindopril, Amlodipine + Indapamide, and Perindopril + Indapamide — and revealed that all three combinations were similarly effective in achieving blood pressure (BP) control. South Asians account for 25% of the global population, and India alone is burdened with over 300 million individuals suffering from high BP. This is the first randomised study to test the choice of anti-hypertensives in them. “These findings will provide clinicians a roadmap for addressing the burden of hypertension,” said a press release. Dorairaj Prabhakaran, executive director, CCDC, and one of the principal investigators said that the study demonstrates that a once-a-day single pill combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs can control blood pressure effectively. “This is in conformity with several international guidelines, eases the management of hypertension, and provides wider choices to doctors. With this evidence, healthcare professionals can be better equipped in recommending any of these three combination therapies in managing hypertension among South Asians,” he said. For the study, the participant base spanned 35 clinical sites across all four regions of India and incorporated both rural and urban populations. The participants, aged 30 to 79 years, had a wide range of clinical profiles, making the results applicable to a diverse population. “The study bridges a critical knowledge gap in hypertension treatment for South Asians. It provides novel evidence to choose any of these three combinations to treat high blood pressure in Indians. It is important to note that the blood pressure control achieved with a single pill a day in 70% of the participants in the study exceeded the current control rates in India by five times. This has important implications for management of hypertension, a major public health burden in India,” Ambuj Roy, Professor, Department of Cardiology, AIIMS, said. Source: The Hindu

Nov 23, 2024 HYDERABAD: In a big boost to state’s pharma sector, six companies have come forward to establish green pharma units and expand their operations in the Green Pharma City. The firms MSN Group, Laurus Labs, Gland Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Aurobindo Pharma and Hetero Labs signed MoUs with the state government in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday. These companies will invest around Rs 5,620 crore and create 12,490 jobs. The government has agreed to allot land to these companies in the Green Pharma City. As per the MoUs, the MSN Group will establish a manufacturing unit and an R&D centre and Aurobindo Pharma and Laurus Labs will set up formulation units, while Gland Pharma will build an R&D centre as well as injectable drug substance manufacturing units. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will set up an injectable and biosimilars unit, while Hetero Labs will establish a finishing dose and injectable drugs manufacturing unit. The chief minister directed officials to expedite the land allotment process and provide necessary facilities to ensure that construction works begin within the next four months. TGIIC chairperson Nirmala Jagga Reddy, Special Chief Secretary to Industries Department Jayesh Ranjan and representatives of the six companies were present on the occasion. Source: Indian Express

Nov 22, 2024 India’s pharmaceutical industry, often called the “pharmacy of the world”, is seeing a slowdown in voluntary licensing and technology transfers—mechanisms essential for improving access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries (LMlCs), according to the 2024 Access to Medicine Index. Published biennially by the non-profit Access to Medicine Foundation, the report is supported by the I-JK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Dutch Ministry. India has long been a crucial provider of affordable generics, underpinning global healthcare systems. However, a decline in licensing agreements for patented drugs has raised concerns about healthcare delivery in nations dependent on these arrangements. The index, which evaluates 20 major pharmaceutical companies, highlights a drop in non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements critical for the generic production of essential medicines. Voluntary licensing allows pharmaceutical companies to permit other manufacturers to produce patented medicines at lower costs, but the report highlighted a decline in such agreements, potentially restricting access to affordable medicines in poorer nations. Similarly, technology transfers, which involve sharing the knowledge needed for local medicine production, are largely concentrated in wealthier countries, leaving regions like sub-Saharan Africa facing critical medicine shortages. Despite these challenges, India remains integral to global manufacturing efforts. Five of the 20 pharmaceutical companies assessed have set up production facilities in the country, reducing costs and strengthening supply chains. Additionally, India has participated in 11 of the 47 global technology transfer projects, including end-to-end production capabilities. Collaborations between Indian and global pharmaceutical firms underscore the potential to address pressing healthcare needs. One such partnership is between Takeda and Biological E. Limited for the production of the dengue vaccine QDENGA@ (TAK-003), aimed at alleviating India’s significant dengue burden. This initiative targets the manufacture of 50 million doses annually by 2030, addressing India’s disease burden from dengue, which accounts for 59.5 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 population. Partnerships like this demonstrate the critical role of technology transfers in improving access to medicines and mitigating supply chain risks. Claudia Martinez, Director of Research at the Access to Medicine Foundation, emphasised the need for more proactive measures. “There are some very clear opportunities for companies to scale up access and promote health equity, but more deliberate action is needed,” said Martinez. “Developing inclusive business models for low-income countries, engaging in voluntary licensing and technology transfers, and diversifying clinical trial locations are shown to be effective mechanisms for improving access. Real progress will require companies to reassess and adapt their policies to meet access equity goals,” she added. Source: Business Today