Mumbai: After the issue of delay and irregularities in the construction of maternity hospital in Bhiwandi was raised in the Assembly, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar announced that local MLA Rais Shaikh will personally visit the hospital along with senior officials and necessary action will be taken on his report. Abitkar announced that he will work to equip the hospital and arrange personnel there to make it operational as soon as possible.

Abitkar made this remark while responding to the issue raised by Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh during the Q&A session in the Assembly on Wednesday. Bhiwandi city and rural areas have a population of 1.8 million, yet there is only one IGM hospital. MLA Rais Shaikh said that this hospital is able to provide service to only 27 percent of the women of the area, while the remaining 73 percent women have to go to Mumbai and other places for treatment.

Highlighting the delay and irregularities in the construction of the Mother and Child Hospital, MLA Rais Shaikh said that the deadline for this project is 400 days. Today, 376 days have passed since the work order was issued, but only 36 per cent of the work has been completed. Is it possible for the government to complete the remaining 74 per cent work in just 24 days? MLA Rais Shaikh said that despite the huge delay, no action has been taken against the responsible officials or contractors.

Will the government take action against those responsible for the delay and poor quality work? How many more days will it take to complete this project? What will happen to the equipment and manpower required for the hospital? MLA Rais Shaikh demanded that a parallel process be initiated so that the hospital can start functioning as soon as possible.

Responding to various issues raised by Shaikh, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar suggested that MLA Rais Shaikh should visit the hospital within a month along with the Deputy Director and Superintending Engineer. A report of this visit will be prepared. Action will be taken against the irregularities mentioned in the report and your suggestions will be implemented to start the hospital as soon as possible. The work of the mother and child hospital is expected to be completed by November. We will soon place the necessary orders for the required equipment and manpower, Abitkar said.

New Delhi, March 10: The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has asked officials at the Indian Premier League to ban all forms of tobacco and alcohol advertisements from upcoming sports events.

Notably, the letter by Prof. (Dr.) Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services urges Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairperson, IPL, to regulate tobacco and alcohol advertisements including surrogate advertisements and sales during the upcoming cricket season, slated to begin on March 22.

The ban extends both to stadium premises as well as a live telecast on television.

“The IPL being India’s most viewed sports event, direct or indirect promotion of tobacco/alcohol on any platform linked to sports sends a contradictory message to the public about health and fitness,” said Goel, in the letter, dated March 5.

He cited that tobacco and alcohol are significantly responsible for the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in the country. “Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, hypertension, etc. account for more than 70 per cent of deaths annually.

Tobacco and alcohol use are key risk factors for NCDs. “India ranks second in tobacco-related deaths worldwide; with nearly 14 lakh annual deaths while alcohol is the most common psychoactive substance used by Indians,” the health ministry official said.

The letter, also marked to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, asked IPL officials to “strictly implement” the regulations to ban all forms of tobacco/alcohol advertising, including surrogate advertisements, “within the stadium premises where the games and related IPL games/events are held as well as during telecast sessions on national television”.

The sale of tobacco or alcohol products must also be regulated “in all affiliated events and sports facilities”.

The letter also sought to “discourage the promotion of sportspersons (including commentators) who directly or indirectly endorse products directly or indirectly linked to alcohol or tobacco”.

The letter stated that “cricket players are role models for the youngsters” and that promoting tobacco or alcohol products by them can have a poor impact on youngsters’ minds.

Instead, they should promote “a healthy, active lifestyle”. Goel asked IPL to share a “social and moral obligation to promote public health and support health initiatives of the government”.

Sydney, Feb 26: The number of deaths from a disease linked to heavy rainfall and flooding in northeast of Australia’s state of Queensland has more than doubled to 12, local health authorities said.

Health authorities in the tropical north coast region of Queensland confirmed that the death toll from melioidosis in the current wet season has risen to 12, up from five deaths that had been reported as of February 21.

Of the 12 deaths, nine occurred in and around Cairns, the largest city in the region, and three in the city of Townsville, almost 300 km south.

Melioidosis is a rare tropical disease caused by bacteria commonly found in soil and water in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. After heavy rainfall it becomes airborne.

Queensland’s tropical northern coast was hit by widespread flooding earlier in February, with many towns getting record rainfall for the month in a matter of days.

There have been 53 confirmed cases of melioidosis in Carins and 34 cases in Townsville since the start of 2025, Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported, citing Jacqueline Murdoch, director of the Tropical Public Health Services.

“It absolutely is a record-breaking year. Certainly we haven’t seen anything like this and the numbers are very alarming,” said Murdoch on Tuesday.

“It’s a very severe disease and it has a reasonably high fatality rate, so we do have a large number of deaths now, which is reflecting the large number of cases.”

She said that most of the patients were older people and that the majority had contracted the disease through the air.

Murdoch urged people to be careful about being outside in heavy rain, being in contact with soil and to wear a mask when using a high-pressure hose.

Anyone with a cough or difficulty breathing has been advised to visit their doctor or nearest emergency department.