This Week in Health: Breastfeeding, A New Blood Group, Organ Transplants & More
🍼 The Ongoing Struggles with Breastfeeding Support
Even today, breastfeeding in public is often met with awkward stares and discouraging comments. Lack of breastfeeding rooms, insufficient postnatal support, and limited help from health workers continue to make it difficult for new mothers—despite the fact that breastfeeding is the best, most cost-effective form of newborn nutrition.
Only 63.7% of Indian infants receive exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended first six months, far from ideal. To improve this, experts recommend:
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Early skin-to-skin contact to promote “breast crawling”
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Better training for healthcare workers
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Counselling, lactation pods, and mobile crèches post-discharge
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Normalising public breastfeeding in daily life
As one writer aptly points out: society has no issue with men baring their chests—so why should mothers feel ashamed for doing something essential for their child?
🧠 First 1,000 Days: A Golden Window for Child Development
Dr. Sathyanarayana L.D. reminds us that a child’s brain develops the fastest during the first 1,000 days of life. Nutrition, care, and a safe environment during this period are critical for lifelong health and cognitive growth.
🇮🇳 India’s Health Updates at a Glance
🩸 New Blood Group Identified in Bengaluru
A historic medical discovery: a new blood group antigen has been identified in a 38-year-old South Indian woman. Named CRIB (Cromer–India–Bengaluru), it is the first of its kind worldwide and part of the Cromer blood group system, as reported by Rotary Bangalore TTK Blood Centre.
🍛 FSSAI Tightens Rules for Food Safety
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has now made it mandatory for restaurants, dhabas, and eateries to display their license/registration certificate along with a QR code linked to the Food Safety Connect app. This move aims to empower consumers to report grievances directly and promote transparency.
🏥 India’s Organ Transplant Milestone
India achieved a record 18,900+ organ transplants in 2024, according to Health Minister J.P. Nadda. While this is a major accomplishment, a huge demand-supply gap still exists, and the number of people with organ failure is increasing—an issue requiring urgent attention.
⚖️ New Guidelines for Live Surgeries
To protect patient rights and ethical standards, the National Medical Commission has released new guidelines regulating live surgeries. These steps aim to prevent misuse and uphold transparency in medical practice.
🌐 International Highlights
💉 Falling Vaccination Rates in the U.S.
A concerning trend: vaccination rates are dropping in the U.S., especially among children. This decline raises fears of the return of previously controlled infectious diseases.
🍺 Liver Cancer is Largely Preventable
According to a Lancet Commission report, 60%+ of liver cancer cases globally are preventable. Major risk factors include:
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Hepatitis B and C
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Alcohol misuse
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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Tackling these could drastically reduce the global liver cancer burden.
🦟 Malaria, Mosquitoes, and a Glimmer of Hope
In the tailpiece this week, Anirban Mukhopadhyay delves into the long battle against malaria—a disease that continues to haunt millions. He discusses India’s progress in vaccine development, the ongoing innovations, and what lies ahead in public health preparedness.
🔍 Health Explainers to Watch Out For
This week’s expert-backed explainers include:
☀️ UV Safety Awareness
Dr. Monisha Madhumita busts the myth that darker skin doesn't need sun protection. UV safety is essential for everyone, all year round in India.
🦷 Mouthwash and Nutrient Absorption
Smruthi Prabhu explores how your daily mouthwash routine might be interfering with your nutrient absorption.
🧔 Men’s Role in Fertility
Dr. Vilvapathy S. Karthikeyan highlights the crucial role men play in IVF and fertility treatments, breaking the stereotype that it’s only a “woman’s issue”.
💧 Can Gut Microbes Detox 'Forever Chemicals'?
“Forever chemicals” are in the news everywhere—but new research suggests your own gut microbes may help flush some of them out. Experts explain how.
🎗️ Fighting Cancer in India
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Late lung cancer detection and the importance of awareness (Dr. Ray George)
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Personalised radiation therapy (Dr. K. Satish Srinivas)
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Kidney cancer and robotic surgery (Dr. Raghunath S.K.)
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Need for more cancer research funding (Dr. Venkataraman Radhakrishnan)
✨ Final Thought
From breastfeeding rights to blood group breakthroughs, and from liver cancer prevention to malaria innovations — India's health landscape is rapidly evolving, but the challenges remain deeply human. Health is no longer just a hospital issue — it's a societal, systemic and everyday concern.
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