The Times Network India Health Awards 2024, held on August 3rd in New Delhi, honored the outstanding contributions and innovations in the Indian healthcare industry. The prestigious event highlighted the significance of artificial intelligence (AI), value-based care, and the adoption of tech for improved accessibility & affordability in shaping the future of healthcare.

In his opening address, Times Network's President & COO- Digital Rohit Chadda, emphasized the transformative power of technology in healthcare and the critical requirement for a robust healthcare system, highlighting the urgent need for resilience and preparedness.

The awards ceremony celebrated the remarkable advancements and contributions made by healthcare organizations and professionals across the country with 50 awards given in various categories at the event.

The Health Awards also marked the launch of Healthandme.com, the new digital arm of Times Network. Owned and operated by BCCL, the website aims to provide reliable, engaging, and easy-to-understand one-stop content on everything health. The platform is developed in collaboration with doctors, healthcare professionals, nutritionists, fitness trainers, and mental health experts, ensuring that the information is both accurate and practical.

“Healthandme.com is designed to be your daily health companion and the go-to destination for every Indian seeking reliable and up to date healthcare information,” Rohit mentioned during the launch.

A memorable segment of the event featured actor and fitness icon, Milind Soman, who shared practical fitness tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The actor highlighted the importance of regular health checkups and to bring the focus to the 'gap' between two consecutive health check-ups to work on building a healthier body.

The evening also saw great minds and innovators from the healthcare community leading discussions on future of Indian healthcare, making healthcare sustainable with optimal use of tech and the adoption of tech for improved accessibility & affordability. They addressed the challenges of infrastructure gaps and the need for robust value-based care models.

Here's who won what- Categories with names

1. All India Best Multi-Speciality Hospitals Group, Apollo Hospitals Group, Mr. Madhu Sasidhar - President & CEO - Apollo Hospitals Group

2. All India Best Varicose Veins Hospital, AVIS Hospitals, Dr. Rajah V Kopala - Managing Director & Sr. Varicose Veins Specialist

3. All India Best Multi-Speciality Cancer Care, Apollo Cancer Centres, Ms. Mansi Rajpoot - AVP - Apollo Hospital

4. All India Best Single Specialty Cancer Hospital, HCG - Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, Dr. Sachin Trivedi - Director Medical Oncology; Dr. Trinanjan Basu - HOD Radiation oncology; Mr. Nikhil Kulkarni - Sr. Manager Corp Marketing

5. All India Best Liver Transplantation Hospital, Dr. Rela Institute & Medical Centre, Dr. Ilankumaran - CEO

6. All India Best in Paediatric & Child Care, Apollo Children's Hospitals Network, Dr. Karan Thakur - Vice President

7. All India Best Technologically Advanced Oncology Centre, Omega Hospitals, Ch. Haragovind - President - Omega Hospitals Group

8. All India Best Diabetes Care Chain, Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre, Mr. Saravanan Raman - Chief Marketing Officer

9. Leadership in Community Cancer Care (West), Mumbai OncoCare Centre, Dr. Mangesh Mekha & Dr. Abhishek Kakroo - Consultant Medical Oncologists

10. All India Best in Pain Management, Indo British Advanced Pain Clinic, Dr. Vijay Bhaskar - Founder & Director

11. Excellence in Cardiology, Dr. Vanita Arora, Sr. Consultant Cardiology - Apollo Hospitals (Delhi)

12. Excellence in Dental Implants (Hyderabad), Dr. Venkat Ratna Nag, Managing Director - The Dental Specialists

13. Best Liver Transplant Centre in Western India, Sahyadri Hospitals, Dr. Sunil Rao-Group COO; Dr. Manish Pathak, Transplant Anaesthetist

14. Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Arvind Lal, (Hony) Brig Dr. Arvind Lal, Padma Shri, Executive Chairman, Dr. Lal PathLabs Ltd

15. Excellence in Cardiology, Dr. Sai Satish, Sr. Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals (Chennai)

16. Excellence in Gastroenterology, Dr. Mahesh Goenka - Apollo Hospitals (Kolkata), Director & Head of dept Gastroenterology/GI - Apollo Hospitals (Kolkata)

17. Rising Voice in Dermatology, Dr. Alekya Singapore, Founder & Chief Dermatologist - The Skin Sense

18. Excellence in Neurosurgery, Dr. Gaurav Tyagi, Sr. Consultant - Apollo Hospitals (Delhi)

19. Excellence in Interventional Cardiology (Hyderabad), Dr. J Shiv Kumar, Head of Cardiology Dept

20. Excellence in Otology & Middle Ear Implants (Hyderabad), Dr. Jaswinder Singh Saluja, Sr. Consultant ENT Dept

21. Bharat Health-Tech AI Innovation, Dozee, Gaurav Parchani, Co-Founder & CTO, Dozee

22. All India Excellence in Robotic Surgery in Gynecology, Dr. Rooma Sinha, Chief Gynecologist & Clinical Lead-Gynecology Robotic Surgery

23. Most Valuable Health Tech Company, Human Fractal, AI, Mr. Rajshekhar Pullabhatla

24. All India Best in Organ Transplants, MGM Healthcare, Chennai

25. Excellence in Internal Medicine & Music Therapy (Hyderabad), Dr. Jagannami Sreekanth, Sr. Consultant & Head of the Academics

26. Excellence in Neonatology (North Region), Dr. Avneet Kaur, Sr. Neonotologist & Director - Dept of Neonotology, Apollo Cradle (New Delhi)

27. Excellence in ENT (Hyderabad), Dr. E C Vinaya Kumar, Head of ENT Dept - Apollo Health City

28. Excellence in Hip Replacement Surgeries (Hyderabad), Dr. Balavardhan Reddy R, Sr. Consultant Orthopaedics

29. Excellence in First Aid & Preventive Pediatrics, Dr. Sivarajnini Santosh, Paediatrics & Social Activist, Magna Centres

30. Best Single Specialty Cancer Hospital (West), ACI - Cumballa Hill Hospital, Dr. Rahul Bajpai - Group CEO & Director

31. Excellence in Breast Surgery, Dr. Geetha Kadayaprath, Sr. Consultant Apollo Cancer Centre (Delhi)

32. Excellence in Neurology, Dr. C Rajesh Reddy, Apollo Health City (Hyderabad)

33. Excellence in Neurosurgery, Dr. Alok Ranjan, Apollo Health City (Hyderabad)

34. All India Best Emerging Neurology Hospital, MGM Healthcare, Chennai, Dr. Aakanksha Chandak - Head Doctor

35. All India Best Dental Clinic Chain, Dentzz Dental, Chairman Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory & Sleep Medicine

36. Excellence in Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Sr. Consultant - Apollo Hospitals (Delhi)

37. Excellence in Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Dr. Niranjan Hiremath, Sr. Consultant - Apollo Hospitals (Chennai)

38. Excellence in Neurosurgery, Dr. Srinivasan Paramasivam, Sr. Consultant - Apollo Hospitals (Chennai)

39. Excellence in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy Practitioner & Osteopath (Chennai), Dr. Balakumaran, Managing Director - Krishna Health Centre

40. Excellence in Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Dr. Sathyaki P Nambala, Head Cardiac Surgery unit - Apollo Hospitals (Bengaluru)

41. Excellence in Diabetic Foot Specialist & Podiatric Surgeon (Chennai), Dr. Prem Kumar, MD, Chennai Diabetes Foot Care

42. Excellence in Varicose Veins Treatment, Dr. Rajah V Kopala, Managing Director & Sr. Varicose Veins Specialist - AVIS Hospitals

43. Excellence in Fertility Care (Mumbai), Dr. Rohan Palshetkar, Head of Unit, DY Patil Fertility Centre, Bloom IVF

44. Most Promising Company in Pharma - SME, Radhe MedTech Pvt Ltd

45. Best Orthopaedic Hospital (Chennai), MGM Healthcare, Chennai

46. Pioneer in Healthcare AI, Elsevier, Mr. Shanker Kaul, MD, Elsevier - Health Solutions India

47. Excellence in Cardiac Electrophysiology & Pacing (Hyderabad), Dr. Soumen Devidutta, Sr. Consultant Cardiology

48. All India Expert in Robotic Joint Replacement Surgery, Dr. A V Gurava Reddy, Managing Director & Chief Joint Replacement Surgeon - KIMS Sunshine Hospitals

49. Excellence in Trichology (Mumbai), Dr. Suti Khare Shukla, Founder & Chief Dermatologist, SKS Elements of Aesthetics & Dr. Akshat Shukla

50. Best Fertility Pharma Company, Samarth Lifesciences, Samarth Lifesciences Team

51. Excellence in Fertility Care (Delhi), Dr. Suyesha Khanijao, OBGYN, Infertility Specialist

52. Excellence in Integrative Medicine (Hyderabad), Dr. Praveen K Saxena, Managing Director - Dr. Saxena Integrative Medicine

53. Best Health Tech Solution, Fedo.AI, Prasanth Madavana, Co-founder & CEO, FEDO

54. Excellence in Nephrology (Hyderabad), Dr. Aswini Kumar Panigrahi, Sr. Consultant Nephrology

As per the latest data from the Union Health Ministry, India has crossed the 6,000 mark for total COVID-19 cases. 796 new cases were also reported in more than last 48 hours. As per the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), among these cases, 163 are from the newly emerging COVID-19 variant XFG.

What Is The XFG Variant?

As per a June 2025 Lancet Report, the recombinant XFG variant originates from LF.7 and LP.8.1.2 and harbours four key spike mutations including His445Arg, Asn487Asp, Gln493Glu, and Thr572Ile and has achieved rapid global spread following its initial detection in Canada.

The Lancet study also reveals that it is a descendant of the Omicron subvariant of the Coronavirus.

The XFG variant also displays “strong immune evasion,” which allows the virus to survive and spread as it manages to evade the body’s natural defences.

As of now, the new variant has been detected in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Who Could Be The Worst Affected?

Several groups in India face a higher risk during spikes in respiratory infections. These include older adults, people with underlying conditions such as heart disease, lung disorders, diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity, as well as those with weakened immune systems like cancer patients and transplant recipients. Pregnant women, due to physiological changes, and children under five—particularly those who are unvaccinated—are also more vulnerable.

Health experts recommend that individuals in these categories take extra precautions: wear masks in public places, avoid crowded settings, stay indoors when possible, and maintain regular hand hygiene.

What Is The Plan Of Action?

Hospitals have been instructed to follow the updated ABC Guidelines 03, released in June 2023, for managing patients showing symptoms of COVID-19 or influenza. Anyone with signs of ILI (Influenza-Like Illness), ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection), or SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) must be tested. If a Rapid Antigen Test is negative, an RT-PCR test is mandatory. The health department has also directed that district RT-PCR testing facilities be used to their full capacity.

Though the preventive measures are not new, their importance has been renewed. Respiratory viruses often follow seasonal patterns, bringing repeated waves of infection. People with symptoms—or those at high risk—are strongly advised to avoid crowded, closed, and poorly ventilated spaces such as public transport, offices, malls, and theatres, particularly if not wearing a mask. While rapid testing is easily accessible in cities, limited access in rural areas highlights the need for wider distribution.

What Is Happening Globally?

On May 28, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a global rise in SARS-CoV-2 activity, based on data from its Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. Since mid-February, test positivity rates have been climbing steadily, reaching 11 per cent—levels last seen in July 2024.

The surge is most noticeable in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific regions, driven by emerging subvariants such as LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1. Among these, NB.1.8.1 has drawn special attention and has been classified by WHO as a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM). By late April, 518 sequences of NB.1.8.1 had been reported from 22 countries, making up 10.7 per cent of global submissions.

While NB.1.8.1 appears to spread more easily, current evidence shows no increase in disease severity. Reported symptoms remain familiar—sore throat, fever with chills, nasal congestion, fatigue, and headache.

Shocking to many, expected for more, the US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr on Monday removed every member of a scientific committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to use vaccines. He has also pledged to replace them with his own picks.

This is the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), from where 17 members have been removed. This step has been criticized by many physicians and public health groups.

It may come as a shock to many, but in all fairness, it was known that Kennedy was among the nation's leading anti-vaccine activists before he became the nation's top health official. While he has revealed that the members will be his own pick, he has not said who would he appoint. However, as per reports, this should convene in two week in Atlanta. It is also important to note that the entire roster of committee members were in fact, Biden appointees.

In an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy wrote: “Without removing the current members, the current Trump administration would not have been able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028. A clean sweep s needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science."

The reports say that the former panel members received an email on a late Monday afternoon that said that their services had been terminated without any reason. Many of whom had not served a full term.

While his steps are being criticized, they must not be seen as a shock as Kennedy had already taken the unusual step of changing COVID-19 recommendations without first consulting the committee.

As per Kennedy, the committee members had too many conflict of interests. However, as the US News reports, Dr Tom Frieden, who is the president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of CDC said that Kennedy's actions were based on false conflict of interest claims and that they set a "dangerous and unprecedented action that makes our families less safe". As this step can significantly reduce vaccine access to many people.

“Make no mistake: Politicizing the ACIP as Secretary Kennedy is doing will undermine public trust under the guise of improving it,” he said in a statement. “We’ll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigor, undermined public trust, and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts.”

ALSO READ: What Are The Key Takeaways From RFK Jr.'s CDC Press Conference On Autism Report?

RFK Jr.'s Past Remarks On Vaccines

In a podcast interview, he said, "There is no vaccine that is safe and effective" and told FOX News that he still believes in the now long-debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism. In another 2021 podcast, he urged people to "resist" CDC guidelines on getting their kids vaccinated. "I see somebody on a hiking trail carrying a little baby and I say to him, better not get them vaccinated," he said.

His non-profit also led an anti-vax campaign sticker and he appeared next on the screen to a sticker that read: "If you are not an anti-vaxxer you are not paying attention," reports AP. He told the FOX News that "autism comes from vaccine". However, vaccination has indeed saved more lives.

After taking the charge of the office, Dr Peter Marks, one of the top US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s leaders and scientist in vaccine regulation had also been ousted. Several sources have also reported that his resignation was not voluntary, in fact he was reportedly told to 'resign or get fired'.

Stay Updated On CDC and RFK Jr. Here

The Unites States reported 122 new cases of measles last week, which has brought the national total to 1,168 in 2025. This data is released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Michigan have officially ended, others across North America continue to unfold, including in parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Canada.

Resurgence of a Vaccine-preventable Disease

Measles is caused by a highly contagious airborne virus that spreads through coughing, sneezing, or even breathing near an infected person. It had been declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 thanks to widespread vaccination efforts. However, recent declines in vaccination rates and increased international travel have led to a resurgence. The disease can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), and death, especially in unvaccinated individuals.

The best defense against measles remains the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, typically administered in two doses during early childhood. Yet, the U.S. has seen a growing number of vaccine exemptions, which health experts say undermine community immunity.

Texas Update

Texas experienced the country’s largest outbreak this year, with 742 cases reported across 35 counties. Most were concentrated in Gaines County, where a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community accounted for more than half of the state’s total cases. Two unvaccinated children — aged six and eight — died in separate incidents earlier this year.

As of this week, fewer than 10 individuals in Texas are estimated to still be infectious. State health officials will now provide updates weekly instead of daily, suggesting the worst of the outbreak may be over.

Active Outbreaks In Other States

As per CDC if a state reports three or more related cases, it would be defined as an outbreak:

• New Mexico has reported 81 total cases and one death. Most are in Lea County.
• Oklahoma has 15 confirmed and three probable cases, though locations remain undisclosed.
• Colorado has logged 12 cases, including a seven-case outbreak tied to a Turkish Airlines flight in May.
• Illinois reports eight cases in its southern region and two in Cook County.
• Kansas has 71 cases, mostly in Gray County.
• Montana, facing its first outbreak in 35 years, has 17 cases.
• North Dakota now has 34 cases, all among unvaccinated individuals.
• Ohio has reported 34 cases in two separate outbreaks.
• Canada and Mexico See Major Outbreaks Too

Canada’s Ontario province has seen the longest outbreak in North America, with 2,009 cases and one death in a baby with congenital measles. Alberta has 761 cases. In Mexico, the state of Chihuahua reported 1,940 cases and four deaths.

Symptoms and Treatment

Measles symptoms start with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a spreading rash. Complications can be severe, especially for young children and immunocompromised individuals. There is no specific antiviral treatment; care typically focuses on symptom management and avoiding further spread.