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Indian News

India may need to spend $1.8 billion on COVID-19 vaccines in first phase, documents show

India, which has the world’s second highest caseload of coronavirus behind the United States, plans to inoculate 300 million people over the next six to eight months, likely with vaccines from AstraZeneca, Russia’s Sputnik, Zydus Cadila and India’s own Bharat Biotech.

The Indian government has not provided any estimate of the cost of its vaccine programme, though it has said all resources will be provided to protect the population.

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NGT rejects MP govt”s plea seeking extension of time for compliance of waste management directions

“They are to enforce the mandate of law laid down under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rules framed thereunder and binding directions of the Supreme Court,” the bench also comprising Justice S K Singh said.

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Vaccine ‘hesitancy’ rises among Indians as virus cases fall – survey

“It appears some of the key reasons for the hesitancy are limited information about side-effects, efficacy levels and a growing belief in parts of the population that COVID cannot affect them because of their high immunity levels,” LocalCircles said in a statement.

Many people in the survey, which had responses from nearly a third of India’s districts, said they believed “we are moving towards herd immunity”.

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Covid-19 vaccine pricing to help governments ensure minimal costs for people, says Pfizer

“Our pricing strategy is an outcome of volume, advanced commitment, equity and affordability principles. We are pricing in a way that can help governments to ensure that there is little to no out-of-pocket costs for their populations.We remain committed to engaging with the Government of India and explore opportunities to make this vaccine available for use in the country,” the statement said.

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Threat of growing antimicrobial resistance emerging; important to strengthen nodal bodies: Niti

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in such a way that the medications used to cure the infections they cause get ineffective.

In April 2017, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which highlighted the need to tackle AMR across multiple sectors such as human health, animal husbandry, industry and environment in line with the ‘One-Health’ approach.

”It would be important to strengthen nodal institutions with human resource, infrastructure, equipment and supplies for genotype, phenotype, detection of pathogenic mutants and for antimicrobial resistance,” the report added.

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