Sat Dec 27 23:35:00 UTC 2025: Summary:
This article from The Hindu e-paper on December 28, 2025, discusses critical health challenges facing India. These challenges include inadequate healthcare funding (remaining below 2% of GDP), the impact of the US withdrawal from the WHO, the resurgence of infectious diseases, abysmal air quality, the fight against tuberculosis (TB), and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The article also highlights a tragic incident where 25 children died after consuming contaminated cough syrup, raising serious questions about pharmaceutical quality control. It emphasizes the urgent need for India to address these issues to achieve “health for all” and uphold its reputation as the “pharmacy of the world.”
News Article:
India Grapples with Health Crisis: Funding Shortfalls, Disease Resurgence, and Pharmaceutical Quality Concerns Plague Nation
The Hindu, December 28, 2025
New Delhi – India faces a multifaceted health crisis as 2025 draws to a close, according to a report in The Hindu e-paper. The nation’s healthcare system is strained by chronic underfunding, a resurgence of infectious diseases, alarming air quality levels, and rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), coupled with recent deaths of 25 children after consuming contaminated cough syrup.
The report points out that India’s health budget remains below the target of 2.5% of GDP outlined in the National Health Policy, hindering its ability to meet the goal of “health for all.” This shortfall has been exacerbated by the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) in early 2025, which has led to the sudden cessation of funding for key health intervention projects in India.
Adding to the strain, India is battling resurgent infectious diseases, like Tuberculosis. Though advancements have been made in diagnosis and drug regimens, challenges remain, particularly with multidrug-resistant TB.
The report also highlights India’s abysmal air quality. The issue is particularly serious in northern cities, drastically affecting public health, and especially impacting children, seniors, and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
A particularly alarming aspect of the report is the growing threat of AMR. Recent WHO data reveals that one in three bacterial infections in India are resistant to antibiotics, highlighting the urgency for stronger regulations and responsible antibiotic usage. The state of Kerala provides an example of success in this sector, by lowering levels of AMR in the community.
The most pressing issue of the year came in the last quarter. 25 children in Madhya Pradesh died after consuming cough syrup. Lab analysis revealed an industrial chemical in the syrup. The article questions if quality control mechanisms failed and if other drugs have made it past the regulator.
The report concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for India to address these challenges to ensure public health and maintain its reputation as a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer. The article emphasizes the need to overcome regulatory glitches that threaten mortality and morbidity.
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