Union health ministry

Kerala reported India’s first case of Monkeypox, and the government has now announced measures it will take to curtail the spread of this disease.

Studies have shown that about 25 per cent of drugs made in India are either counterfeit or substandard. Even popular brands are victims of this. This important step by the Health Ministry promises to ensure the authenticity of medicines.

This includes giving a cash prize of Rs 50,000 to the hospital where the organ is retrieved and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to the family of the donor. This prize will be given every year for five years.

In Australia, it has only been tried in-vitro (outside a living body, in artificial conditions, usually a test tube) and has been found to be effective.

The FSSAI wants to spell out safe levels of certain ingredients in food.

Anyone can get suspicious food products tested at FSSAI laboratories, and they will even be reimbursed for the cost of the testing if any adulteration is detected.

The reason behind banning the sale of non-tobacco products such as toffees, candies, chips, biscuits, and soft drinks at these shops is that they attract many youngsters and non-smokers who are quite susceptible to taking up the practice.