India and US sign agreement on collaboration in Diabetes research

Indian and US have signed an agreement on collaboration in Diabetes Research. The agreement was signed between Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Kathleen Sebelius, US Secretary, Health and Human Services during the bilateral meeting between India and the US. This is the eighth agreement between the two countries in the field of health and medicine.
The primary aim of this collaboration is to initiate a health research relationship between the two countries to generate a better understanding of the molecular and biological mechanisms underlying diabetes, to characterize the genetic, social and environmental determinants, and to identify innovative approaches for improving prevention and treatment of diabetes.

The main areas of cooperation will include identification of genetic and environmental etiologic factors and pathogenic mechanisms underlying development of diabetes and its complications; development of improved approaches and diagnostic tools to identify those with and at risk of diabetes and its complications; development and evaluation of innovative, sustainable intervention strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetes and its associated co-morbidities; development and testing new treatment methodologies, including point of care and telemedicine technologies, diabetes self-management approaches, and improved technologies for insulin delivery and monitoring of glycemic control; study of the impact of social, economic, cultural and environmental factors on diabetes risk and management etc

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/india-and-us-sign-agreement-on-collaboration-in-diabetes-research/articleshow/14233613.cms

India, Brazil to cooperate in production of essential drugs

India and Brazil have agreed to establish a working group for furthering cooperation in the areas of pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Brazil also expressed keen interest in collaboration with India in joint production of essential drugs for fighting HIV, AIDFS, malaria etc.
http://www.domain-b.com/industry/pharma/20120612_essential_drugs.html

India tops in rate of maternal deaths worldwide

India and Nigeria together accounted for a third of the deaths of pregnant women globally in 2010, latest UN figures said, even as maternal deaths declined by nearly half in the past two decades due to improvement in health systems and increased female education.
At the country level, India and Nigeria accounted for a third of global maternal deaths, with India at 19 per cent (56,000) and Nigeria at 14 per cent (40,000).
http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/exclusive/india-tops-in-rate-of-maternal-deaths-worldwide_17009.html

India to establish Technology Acquisition Fund

Aiming to acquire technologies that have been developed and which can be commercialised to put for public good, the Indian Government is planning to establish an ambitious technology acquisition fund by next year
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/ites/india-to-establish-technology-acquisition-fund/articleshow/13106185.cms

Technopak predicts worsening crisis in Indian health sector with poor hospital bed to population ratio, huge shortage of doctors

The present reality of hospital bed to population ratio at 0.5 is totally inadequate in a vast country like India. There is an additional requirement of 2.0 to 2.5 million hospital beds by 2020. The country also requires an additional 8 lakh to 1 million doctors and 1.8 to 2.0 million nurses besides a huge shortage of paramedics. Over 45 per cent of the population travels more than 100 kilometres to access higher level of medical care
Currently, India has 13.7 lakh hospital beds, but only 50 per cent which is about 650,000 are functional and relevant. The total health spending is estimated at 4.2 per cent of GDP which is way below the most of the developed countries. Over 80 per cent of healthcare spend is in the private sector; predominantly unorganised and fragmented
http://pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=68928&sid=1