Educationist Manoj Soni took oath as the chairman of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Soni, who joined the Commission as the member on June 28, 2017, has been performing the duties of the UPSC chairman since April 5, 2022.
He was administered the oath of office and secrecy as chairman, UPSC by Smita Nagaraj, senior most member in the Commission.
The UPSC conducts civil services examination to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.
The Commission is headed by a chairman and it can have a maximum of 10 members.
Established on 1 October 1926 as Public Service Commission, it was later reconstituted as Federal Public Service Commission by the Government of India Act 1935; only to be renamed as today's Union Public Service Commission after the independence.
H. K. Kripalani was the first Indian chairman of UPSC from April 1, 1947 to January 13, 1949.
May 15, 2023
AIIMS Delhi Partners with WHO, Duke-NUS on Patient Safety and Quality Control
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi (AIIMS) collaborated with World Health Organization (WHO-SEARO) to ensure patient safety and quality control. According to WHO, the current challenge in global public health is patient harm, which is a leading cause of avoidable mortality and morbidity.
In this regard, a core committee for Patient Safety and Quality at AIlMS is being constituted for implementation of advanced patient safety and quality initiatives across various departments. AIIMS will follow the learning curriculum proposed by WHO in collaboration with the Duke-NUS (Institute of Patient Safety &Quality -IPSQ).
May 14, 2023
WHO Declares End of mpox Global Health Emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the global health emergency for mpox, a viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, has ended after 10 months. This came after confirmed cases in over 100 countries since the disease started spreading globally in May 2022. The emergency committee of the WHO made the recommendation to end the health emergency, and WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the decision.
Mpox is a viral disease that spreads through direct contact with body fluids and was first observed in humans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970. Since then, the disease has mainly been limited to West and Central African countries. However, last May, the disease started to spread globally, prompting the WHO to declare it a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
Although the WHO declared an end to the global health emergency for mpox, Tedros emphasised that the threat of resurgent waves of the disease remains.
ICMR, AYUSH Ministry Sign MoU for Health Research in Integrated Medicine
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Health Ministry and Ministry of AYUSH signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to enhance collaboration and cooperation in health research in the field of Integrated Medicine.
This move will help Ayush departments in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) evolve into departments of Integrated Medicine across the entire AIIMS infrastructure in India.
The MoA will also explore the areas of convergence and synergy between the two organisations for integrative health research and strengthening research capacity. It will also look into efforts to conduct high-quality clinical trials jointly on identified areas/disease conditions of national importance with promising therapies of Ayush system to generate evidence for wider acceptance.
May 13, 2023
IIT Madras Launches Department of Medical Sciences and Technology
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) launched a Department of Medical Sciences and Technology, which will offer four-year B.S. program in medical sciences and engineering. This course is a first-of-its-kind in India.
The course offers an interdisciplinary approach to prepare students for designing life-saving medical devices, drug discovery, artificial intelligence in medicine, and fundamental medical research. The department will train physicians to effectively apply technology in their clinical practice and lay the foundation for physician-scientists training in India.
Top medical doctors in India and abroad, who were also closely involved in the development of the curriculum, will be 'Professors of Practice' in this department, which has already established tie-ups with premier hospitals and medical institutions in India.
May 11, 2023
NMC Allows Foreign Graduates to Intern in Non-teaching for this Year
The National Medical Commission (NMC) relaxed its norms for a year, allowing foreign medical graduates who have passed their screening test to intern at non-teaching hospitals. Internships at 679 designated hospitals across the states will be allowed till May 2024. The relaxation was announced in view of some students – especially those who completed their training from China and Ukraine last year – having to do two year internship to fill gaps in their practical learning that was hampered due to the pandemic and the war.
This relaxation is granted only as one-time measure. The allotment of FMGs in these non-teaching hospitals shall also be done through concerned state medical councils.