Category Archives: Health

L V Prasad Eye Institute organises Whitathon Run, an annual cause-related awareness event

Hyderabad, May 11: The eighth edition of Whitathon Run, the annual cause-related awareness and fundraising event organised by L V Prasad Eye Institute, was held on Sunday morning at the University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli. The run commenced at 5:30 a.m. and witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 2,000 runners, families, students, healthcare professionals, volunteers and supporters from across Hyderabad.

The event featured four race categories — 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K.

The 21K Half Marathon was flagged off by Dr Prashant Garg, Dr Vijay Anand Reddy, Arun Kumar Kalliapan and Dr Swati Kaliki.

The 10K run was flagged off by Dr Prashant Garg, Sri Venkatesh Reddy, Dr Vijay Anand Reddy and Dr Swati Kaliki.

The 5K run was flagged off by Dr Merle Fernandez, Srinivasa Rao and Dr Swati Kaliki. The dignitaries also joined in flagging off the other race categories.

Supported by Hyderabad Runners, Whitathon 2026 continued its mission of raising awareness about Retinoblastoma, a life-threatening eye cancer that primarily affects children below the age of three. The event also aimed to mobilise support for free treatment and research initiatives for underprivileged children diagnosed with the disease.

In the Men’s Half Marathon category, Suraj Sarkar secured first place with a timing of 1:30:02, followed by Tapan Rai at 1:37:51 and Md. Shahbaz at 1:42:40. In the Men’s 10K category, Pradeep Thakur emerged winner with a timing of 0:45:05, while Viresh Sharadi and Ranbir Singh Bagga finished second and third with timings of 0:45:26 and 0:46:14 respectively. In the Women’s 10K category, Kitu Sheron topped the field with a timing of 0:49:57, followed by Aishwarya Agarwal at 0:56:18 and Anisha Sharma at 0:58:57. In the Men’s 5K category, Mohd Yonus finished first with a timing of 0:21:15, followed by Umesh Bishwakarma at 0:21:48 and Vennam Anand at 0:22:28. In the Women’s 5K category, Pranika Dixit secured first place with a timing of 0:29:22, while Swarna and Nikhitha George finished with timings of 0:32:16 and 0:33:49 respectively.

The central message of Whitathon — recognising the “White Reflex” in a child’s eye as an early warning sign of eye cancer requiring immediate medical attention — was amplified throughout the event through awareness activities and participant engagement.

Speaking on the occasion, representatives from LVPEI emphasised the urgent need for early detection and timely intervention in Retinoblastoma cases. While more than 90% of children treated at LVPEI survive the disease, vision can be preserved in only about 45% of cases due to delayed diagnosis and presentation.

India accounts for nearly 20–25% of Retinoblastoma cases worldwide. Globally, nearly half of affected children lose their lives because of late detection and inadequate treatment. Medical experts reiterated that Retinoblastoma is highly curable when identified early, helping save the child’s life, eye and vision.

Funds raised through Whitathon 2026 will support treatment for children from economically disadvantaged families and contribute towards research into advanced and novel treatment options for Retinoblastoma.

Since its inception in 2018, Whitathon has steadily grown into a major community-driven awareness initiative in Hyderabad, reflecting the city’s strong culture of social responsibility and public participation.

Over the past decade, LVPEI has treated more than 2,500 patients with Retinoblastoma. The institute continues to provide over 50% of its services entirely free of cost, irrespective of the complexity of care required, through its unique cross-subsidy and Eye Health Pyramid models.

Established in 1987 with the vision “to create excellent and equitable eye care systems that reach all those in need,” L V Prasad Eye Institute is a comprehensive eye health institution and a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness. LVPEI is also globally recognised for its cutting-edge eye research, with more than 5,000 scientific papers published in leading international journals.

Whitathon 2026 concluded on a high note, with participants pledging to continue spreading awareness about childhood eye cancer and the importance of early eye screening for children.

The Scores

Winners and Timings

In the Men’s Half Marathon category, the top three finishers were:

• Suraj Sarkar — 1:30:02
• Tapan Rai — 1:37:51
• Md. Shahbaz — 1:42:40

In the Men’s 10K category, the top three finishers were:

• Pradeep Thakur — 0:45:05
• Viresh Sharadi — 0:45:26
• Ranbir Singh Bagga — 0:46:14

 In the Women’s 10K category, the top three finishers were:

• Kitu Sheron — 0:49:57

• Aishwarya Agarwal — 0:56:18
• Anisha Sharma — 0:58:57

In the Men’s 5K category, the top three finishers were:

• Mohd Yonus — 0:21:15
• Umesh Bishwakarma — 0:21:48
• Vennam Anand — 0:22:28

In the Women’s 5K category, the top three finishers were:

• Pranika Dixit — 0:29:22
• Swarna — 0:32:16
• Nikhitha George — 0:33:49

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Women’s Health Claims Rise Sharply as Maternity Costs Increase, Finds Care Health Insurance

May 10, 2026: India’s maternity healthcare landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with more women accessing formal, institutional care than ever before. As per data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with over 88–90% of births now occurring in institutional settings, the share of institutional deliveries has reached 97.3% in 2023–24, signalling a sustained shift towards formal, hospital-based maternal care. Government data presented in 2025 further showed that C-section deliveries accounted for over 27% of all reported births in India during 2024–25, reinforcing the growing shift towards medically intensive maternity care.

Against this backdrop, Care Health Insurance highlights a clear expansion in women’s health claims, both in scale and intensity. Women’s health insurance claims rose 37% from FY25 to FY26, with the 20–40 age group continuing to drive this growth, increasing from 25% over the same period.

At the same time, maternity-related claims are becoming more cost-intensive with Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities continue to account for a larger share of overall claims contributing to 60% of all maternity claims reported to the company.

A shift in maternal age profile is also visible. In FY26, women aged above 35 years accounted for 12% of total maternity claim volumes which was higher as compared to previous years and increasing. The cost of this age group was 18% of the overall claim amount, indicating higher cost intensity associated with later-age pregnancies.

Overall maternity claim outgo has risen by 25% over the last two years, even as claim volumes have fluctuated, indicating a shift towards higher spend per case.

While deliveries are becoming increasingly institutionalized and becoming more efficient, the proportion of women discharged within five days for maternal care has increased from 75% in FY24 to 82% in FY26. This duration of discharge is not resulting in cost reduction, instead the company has seen an upward trend in cost intensity for maternal treatment.

Taken together, these trends reflect a structural shift in maternal healthcare, with rising cost intensity and evolving care patterns driving higher financial exposure. The findings are further reinforced by broader public health data, which indicates that a majority of women in India are accessing formal antenatal care services, while three out of four continue to have inadequate dietary iron intake, highlighting persistent nutritional gaps and long-term health vulnerabilities beyond maternity.

Commenting on the findings, Manish Dodeja, Executive Director & Chief Business Officer, Care Health Insurance, said, “Women’s health insurance claims are no longer following a linear growth pattern; they are expanding in both scale and intensity. We are seeing a clear shift in the maternity landscape, with costs rising steadily. While care pathways are becoming more efficient, the financial exposure associated with maternal healthcare is increasing. This is not just a utilisation trend; it reflects a broader shift in how women are accessing and experiencing healthcare today. It is therefore important for individuals to periodically reassess their coverage to ensure it remains aligned with evolving needs.”

As maternal healthcare continues to formalise and utilisation rises, ensuring adequate and timely health insurance coverage remains critical to managing financial exposure and ensuring continuity of care.

Optum India and United Way Bengaluru power last-mile healthcare with 45 e-Bikes for PHCs

May 08 | Bengaluru: Reinforcing their commitment to strengthening primary healthcare systems, United Way Bengaluru (UWBe), in partnership with Optum India, handed over 45 ebikes to primary health centers (PHCs) at an event held at the Bengaluru Rural Deputy Commissioner’s Office. Designed to enhance last-mile connectivity, these e-bikes will significantly improve the reach, efficiency, and responsiveness of frontline healthcare workers, enabling them to better serve remote and underserved communities across the Bengaluru rural district, such as Hoskote, Doddaballapur, and other areas.

The event was inaugurated by Dr. Vasanthi Amar B V, CEO Bengaluru Rural; Uma Ratnam Krishnan, Managing Director (MD), Optum India, and Rajesh Krishnan, CEO, United Way Bengaluru, along with district officials, representatives from Optum and United Way Bengaluru, PHC staff, and community stakeholders.

“The e-bike program supports the Government of Karnataka’s vision of inclusive healthcare, where strong partnerships with NGOs, corporates, and communities ensure timely, accessible services reach every rural doorstep through innovative e-mobility. By empowering frontline health workers with efficient last-mile connectivity, this initiative not only improves service delivery but also strengthens trust within communities,” – Dr. Vasanthi Amar B V, IAS, CEO, Bengaluru Rural Zilla Panchayat.

“The future of healthcare will be defined by how well we empower those working closest to the community. By investing in mobility at the primary care level, we are enabling a more proactive and responsive system, one that is grounded in the everyday realities of the people it serves. As a force for good in India for India, our partnership with United Way Bengaluru aligns our shared vision to strengthen primary healthcare systems and drive meaningful impact at the grassroots,” said Uma Ratnam Krishnan, Managing Director (MD), Optum India.              

“This collaboration signals the start of a purposeful partnership with Optum India, built on a common focus on advancing public health outcomes. It reflects a shared, long-term commitment to strengthening community health systems and supporting models of care that are better equipped to meet local needs,” said Rajesh Krishnan, CEO, United Way Bengaluru.

Mandaviya Launches Nationwide Free Annual Health Check-Up

New Delhi, May 7 (BNP): Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday launched a nationwide initiative offering free annual health check-ups for workers aged 40 years and above.

Speaking at ESIC Medical College & Hospital in Delhi, the Minister said the initiative is aimed at strengthening preventive healthcare for workers and improving early detection of health issues through regular medical screening.

He added that the rollout of the four Labour Codes reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing dignity, welfare, and social security for workers across the country under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Describing the occasion as a tribute to “Shram Shakti,” Mandaviya said the government is focused on expanding social security coverage and ensuring better healthcare access for the workforce.

Officials said the initiative is expected to improve occupational health outcomes and promote a more structured approach to worker welfare through timely and preventive medical care.

Government Launches JANANI Platform to Digitally Transform Maternal and Child Healthcare

New Delhi, May 7 (BNP): The Government has launched JANANI (Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care), a QR-enabled digital health platform designed to improve monitoring and delivery of maternal and child healthcare services across the country.

The platform is an upgraded version of the existing Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) system and creates a continuous digital health record covering the full cycle of care—from pregnancy and delivery to postnatal and newborn services, as well as family planning.

Key features of JANANI

The system enables QR-enabled digital Mother and Child Health (MCH) cards, allowing easy access and portability of health records. It also supports real-time tracking of beneficiaries, automated alerts for high-risk pregnancies, and digital dashboards for health officials to monitor service delivery and identify gaps.

JANANI integrates with national health platforms such as U-WIN and POSHAN, ensuring seamless data sharing across programmes and improving coordination between healthcare services. It also allows registration through multiple identifiers, including ABHA, Aadhaar, and mobile numbers, helping reduce duplication and improve accuracy.

The platform further supports self-registration via web and mobile access, along with reminders for antenatal visits, immunisation schedules, and critical health milestones.

Progress so far

According to official data, JANANI has recorded over 1.34 crore beneficiary registrations, including more than 30 lakh pregnant women. It has also generated over 30 lakh MCH cards and completed more than 1 lakh biometric verifications.

Importance and benefits

Officials said the platform is expected to significantly strengthen maternal and child healthcare delivery by ensuring timely monitoring and early intervention in high-risk cases. It is also designed to improve continuity of care, particularly for migratory populations, by maintaining portable digital records accessible across the country.

By combining real-time tracking, automated alerts, and integrated health data systems, JANANI is expected to enhance efficiency in service delivery, reduce missed health check-ups, and support better health outcomes for mothers and children.

The government said the initiative reflects a broader push toward digital health transformation and more inclusive, technology-driven public healthcare services in India.

ESIC Launches Free Health Check-Up Drive for Workers Under New Labour Framework

New Delhi, May 6 (BNP): A free health check-up initiative for workers has been launched under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation), marking early implementation efforts linked to the new labour framework reforms.

The initiative aims to improve preventive healthcare access for insured workers by offering routine medical screening and early detection services. It is part of a broader effort to strengthen workplace welfare and enhance social security coverage for the workforce.

Officials stated that the programme will help identify health risks at an early stage, reduce long-term medical complications, and improve overall productivity by ensuring timely medical attention for workers.

The drive also reflects the government’s focus on expanding worker welfare benefits under evolving labour reforms, with an emphasis on accessible and preventive healthcare.

Authorities noted that the initiative is expected to benefit a large section of the organised workforce and reinforce India’s commitment to improving occupational health standards.

Swasth Bharat Portal Launched to Strengthen India’s Integrated Digital Health System

New Delhi, May 6 (BNP): Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has launched the Swasth Bharat Portal, a unified digital platform designed to integrate fragmented health programme systems and advance India’s digital health transformation.

The portal was unveiled during the 10th National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity, marking a significant step toward building a more connected, efficient, and scalable public health infrastructure.

Developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the platform serves as a single-window system that connects multiple national health programme applications through API-based integration. It aims to eliminate data silos, reduce duplication, and improve the overall efficiency of health service delivery.

The system enables frontline health workers such as ASHAs, ANMs, Community Health Officers, and Medical Officers to access multiple programmes through one interface, reducing the need for multiple logins and repetitive data entry. It also includes data visualization tools to support real-time monitoring and informed decision-making at the local level.

Aligned with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the portal facilitates secure exchange of health records and is expected to integrate with national registries, including healthcare professionals and health facility databases, to improve interoperability across the ecosystem.

According to the Ministry, the platform is expected to reduce infrastructure load by 20–30% and cut data entry and duplication efforts by 20–40%, leading to improved efficiency and faster decision-making across health programmes.

Officials stated that the Swasth Bharat Portal represents a major step toward data-driven governance in the health sector, streamlining processes, improving coordination, and strengthening India’s digital public health infrastructure.

India Expands Rare Disease Care Network to Strengthen Diagnosis and Treatment Access

New Delhi, May 5 (BNP): The Government of India has further strengthened its framework for rare disease management under the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021, building on the National Health Policy, 2017.

The policy is being implemented through 15 Centres of Excellence across the country, including two in the North-East, to improve access to specialised diagnosis and treatment services.

Officials said the focus is on early detection, improved clinical care, and stronger health system support to ensure timely treatment for patients with rare diseases. The government is also encouraging research and innovation in the field through leading medical institutions.

Steps have also been taken to reduce treatment costs by exempting life-saving medicines from basic customs duty.

Health authorities said the initiative reflects India’s continued efforts to build a more integrated and responsive healthcare system for rare disease patients.

SimonMed Scales AI Across Routine Imaging to Deliver Preventive Insights Nationwide

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – May 5th, 2026 – SimonMed, a national outpatient imaging provider and leader in radiology innovation and longevity health technology, today announced the expansion of its AI-enabled imaging platform, embedding advanced, FDA-cleared technologies directly into routine diagnostic exams across its nationwide network.

The expansion reflects a broader shift in healthcare from imaging as a one-time diagnostic test to a continuous source of preventive insight, enabling earlier detection and personalized risk assessments.

The new offerings—Calcium Score+, CT Bone Density, and MR Lumbar Spine+—apply AI to standard imaging exams, providing additional clinical insights from scans patients are already undergoing, without requiring extra scan time or radiation exposure.

Patients who opt into these services receive results through SimonMed’s Digital Health Platform, an interactive, mobile-first experience designed to make complex findings easier to understand and act on. Reports include clear summaries, visual explanations, guided next steps, and one-click access to a patient navigator who can support follow-up care and coordination.

“AI is accelerating a fundamental shift in healthcare, from reacting to disease to managing health over time,” said Dr. John Simon, CEO and Founder of SimonMed. “By embedding AI directly into routine imaging, we’re able to extract more meaningful insights from exams patients are already having and make those insights easier for patients to understand and act on.”

Calcium Score+ and CT Bone Density provide additional insight into heart and bone health—two leading drivers of long-term risk—from CT scans patients are already receiving. Both cardiovascular disease and bone loss often develop silently, progressing without symptoms until advanced stages. By unlocking additional insights from existing imaging, SimonMed enables earlier identification of risk and supports more proactive care.

Calcium Score+ enhances traditional coronary calcium scoring with AI-enabled analysis and a more guided reporting experience, helping quantify calcified plaque in the coronary arteries which is an established marker of cardiovascular risk from existing CT images.

CT Bone Density uses AI to assess bone mineral density opportunistically from CT scans that include the spine, enabling evaluation of bone health without the need for a dedicated DEXA exam. This approach can help identify osteopenia and osteoporosis in patients who may not otherwise be screened.

Both services can be added, individually or together, to non-contrast CT chest exams, including lung cancer screening. CT Bone Density may also be applied to abdomen and pelvis CT exams, expanding opportunities to assess fracture risk across a broader patient population.

MR Lumbar Spine+ applies FDA-cleared AI to standard lumbar MRI exams, transforming complex imaging into quantitative measurements, severity grading, and annotated visualizations. The result is more standardized, objective insights to support both clinical interpretation and patient understanding, without additional scan time or workflow disruption.

“Imaging has always been one of the most powerful tools in medicine, but for too long its value has been locked inside reports that patients struggle to act on,” said Dr. Sean Raj, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at SimonMed. “What we’ve built is one of the most comprehensive AI platforms in outpatient imaging – bringing FDA-cleared technologies directly into routine care, at scale, across the country. We’re not just adding AI, we’re fundamentally redefining how imaging drives earlier detection, personalized risk insight, and proactive health.”

SimonMed’s AI platform is designed to integrate seamlessly into routine workflows, enabling advanced diagnostics to be delivered in community-based settings, not just academic centers. By scaling AI across its national footprint, SimonMed is expanding access to more advanced, data-driven insights for millions of patients each year.

These new offerings are part of SimonMed’s broader strategy to build an integrated, AI-driven imaging ecosystem, where advanced analytics, patient engagement, and preventive screening come together to support earlier detection and more continuous care.

The expansion also complements SimonMed Longevity, the company’s preventive imaging division, which combines whole-body MRI with multi-modality screening to help patients establish a baseline, track changes over time, and identify risk earlier—when intervention can have the greatest impact.

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