Public Health News
Sri Lanka’s Dengue Epidemic Crosses 67,000 Cases — What It Means for India This Monsoon
- Source: MResPilot
Sri Lanka's dengue epidemic has surpassed 67,143 cases and 47 deaths in 2026, with daily infections exceeding 1,000. As monsoon conditions fuel mosquito breeding across South Asia, India's own dengue vigilance becomes more urgent.
India Tightens Rules on High-Alcohol Medicines
- Source: MResPilot
India has amended the Drugs Rules, 1945, moving high-alcohol formulations from the exempted Schedule K to the prescription-only Schedule H1, closing a licensing loophole long exploited for over-the-counter intoxication.
🎯 KEY INSIGHT: India ends OTC sale of high-alcohol medicinal formulations nationwide.
Wild Poliovirus Type 1 in Afghanistan 2026: Six Cases, One Last Battle to End Polio Forever
- Source: MResPilot
Afghanistan has confirmed six wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in 2026, with infections spanning Kunar and Helmand provinces. As the world's last polio reservoir, Afghanistan's eradication challenge holds the entire global goal hostage
🎯 KEY INSIGHT: Six Afghan children paralysed in 2026 — polio eradication remains painfully incomplete.
Clinical Pearls 🩺
Drugs for Obesity
- BMI ≥30 or ≥27 + comorbidities
- GLP-1 most effective
- Orlistat safest
- Avoid phentermine in CVD
- Long-term therapy needed
Decision Challenge 💡
Scenario: Obesity prevalence is rising in urban India.
You are a top level public health officer. What is your FIRST intervention?
WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
- Source: UN News
The WHO has declared the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing surging cases, cross-border transmission, and deep uncertainty about the epidemic's true scale.
🎯 KEY INSIGHT: WHO declares Ebola a global emergency as cases cross borders
Ebola Outbreak Declared in DR Congo: 246 Cases and 65 Deaths Reported in Ituri Province
- Source: (Featured), BBC
Africa CDC has declared an Ebola outbreak in DRC's Ituri province. With 246 cases and 65 deaths in Mongwalu and Rwampara, health authorities are racing to contain the spread
No Panic, No Pandemic: WHO Confirms Hantavirus Is ‘Not Another COVID-19’ — Risk Remains Low
- Source: WHO
Health officials are pushing back against rising public concern, with the World Health Organization confirming that hantavirus poses a low risk to the general public and bears little resemblance to the conditions that drove the COVID-19 pandemic.
India Pushes Lifestyle Changes And Mental Health At Brazil, Russia, India, China And South Africa Meet
- Source: The Times of India
India chairs first BRICS 2026 Health Working Group meeting, uniting nine member nations around the 'Building for Resilience' theme. Virtual summit prioritizes tuberculosis research, digital health architecture, mental wellness, and affordable medicine access across continents.
🎯 KEY INSIGHT: India drives inclusive health cooperation across four-continent BRICS bloc
Experts Push Salt Reduction Strategy to Combat India’s Rising Hypertension Burden
- Source: The Indian Express
AIIMS and public health experts advocate replacing regular salt with low-sodium alternatives and reducing table salt intake to address India’s growing hypertension burden through scalable, population-level dietary interventions.
🎯 KEY INSIGHT: Population salt reduction is the fastest path to hypertension control
World Health Day 2026: Together for health. Stand with science
- Source: MResPilot
World Health Day 2026 highlights the power of science and global collaboration. Embracing the One Health approach, it calls for trust, evidence-based action, and collective efforts toward a healthier future.
🎯 KEY INSIGHT: Global collaboration strengthens health system resilience