Health Bulletin 17/January/2026
Here are the top health stories for the day:
Doctors' Association Files Plea in Supreme Court Against NEET PG 2025 Reduced Cutoff
Amid the strong opposition from members of the medical fraternity against the National Board of Examinations (NBE) decision to lower the cut-off percentile, a doctors' body has taken up the matter before the Supreme Court.
Challenging the "arbitrary and unprecedented reduction of qualifying cut-off percentiles for NEET-PG 2025–26, including zero and negative scores", the United Doctors Front (UDF) National President Dr. Lakshya Mittal, along with others, has approached the Apex Court of India seeking directions to quash the NBEMS notification and issue directions to restore and protect minimum qualifying standards in postgraduate medical education.
HC Quashes Doctors' Criminal Proceedings, Mandates Expert Medical Opinion before Prosecution
Observing that the investigation officer should obtain an independent and competent medical opinion before prosecuting a doctor accused of medical negligence, the Punjab and Haryana High Court recently quashed criminal proceedings against doctors.
While pronouncing the verdict in the matter, the HC bench comprising Justice Manisha Batra observed, "The investigating officer and the private complainant could not always be supposed to have knowledge of medical science so as to determine whether the act of the accused medical professional amounts to rash or negligent act within the domain of criminal law under Section 304-A of IPC."
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Maharashtra Government Launches Special Weekly Menopause Clinics
The Maharashtra Public Health Department on Tuesday launched dedicated menopause clinics across the state to provide structured, accessible, and specialised care for women dealing with physical and mental health challenges associated with menopause.
Under a statewide directive, special outpatient departments (OPDs) will be conducted once a week, every Wednesday at government healthcare facilities. District civil surgeons, district health officers, and municipal health authorities have been instructed to ensure the smooth rollout and effective implementation of the programme.
For more details, check out the full story on the link below:
Maha launches weekly menopause clinics for women's health
India Hosts World's Second-Largest Diabetes Population in 2024, Lancet Study
India tops global diabetes charts with 90 million adults affected in 2024, second only to China's 148 million, as per the latest IDF Diabetes Atlas in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology—projecting a worldwide surge to 853 million by 2050. The eleventh edition, from IDF Belgium, India Diabetes Research Foundation, and Dr. A. Ramachandran's Chennai hospital, analyzed 246 studies across 215 countries from 2005-2024. One in nine adults (589 million aged 20-79) now lives with diabetes, peaking at 25% in the 75-79 age group. Men face higher rates than women, urban dwellers more than rural. China leads (148M), followed by India (90M), US (39M), with Pakistan eyeing third spot by 2050.
Low- and middle-income countries bear 80.64% of cases, poised for 95% of future rises due to population growth, ageing, and urbanization. Middle-income nations show highest prevalence (11.46%), then high-income (10.21%) and low-income (7.47%), as reported by NDTV.
Experts urge robust data collection in resource-poor areas and tailored strategies to curb the unchecked epidemic since 2000. "Stronger efforts are needed to slow progression across countries and groups," they warn, emphasizing prevention amid escalating burdens.
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