Rahul Gandhi expected to address Lok Sabha on Union Budget 2024 today
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, is expected to speak on the Union Budget 2024 in the Lower House today at 2 PM.
This comes after Congress MPs emphasized the significance of Gandhi's address, given his position as the Leader of the Opposition.
The first day of the Budget Session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on July 22, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting her seventh consecutive Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 on July 23. This was the first Budget by the BJP-led NDA government since its re-election in June.
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged bias against Opposition-ruled states in the Union Budget, stating that the Finance Minister's speech only mentioned projects for two states.
Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were disrupted on Friday due to protests and disruptions.
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Centre launches national childhood diabetes screening, treatment framework
New Delhi (PTI): The Union Health Ministry on Sunday released a guidance document providing a framework for screening, diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of childhood diabetes.
According to the ministry, the document, for the first time, establishes a structured and standardised national framework, positioning India among a select group of countries that have integrated childhood diabetes care into the public health system.
The "Guidance Document on Diabetes Mellitus in Children" was released at the National Summit on Best Practices in Public Healthcare Service Delivery, concluded on May 1-2.
According to a statement by the ministry, the framework aims to ensure universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years through community and school-based platforms for early identification of diabetes.
Suspected cases will undergo immediate blood glucose testing and be referred to district-level health facilities for confirmatory diagnosis and treatment, it said.
A key feature of the initiative is the provision of a comprehensive free-of-cost care package at public health facilities, including screening, diagnostic services, lifelong insulin therapy, glucometers, test strips and regular follow-up care.
The initiative seeks to reduce the financial burden on families and ensure uninterrupted treatment for children diagnosed with diabetes.
The document also lays down an integrated continuum of care linking community-level screening with district hospital-based management and advanced care at medical colleges to ensure seamless follow-up and treatment.
To strengthen early detection, the guidance promotes the "4Ts" awareness framework -- Toilet, Thirsty, Tired and Thinner -- to help parents, teachers and caregivers recognise early warning signs of type 1 Diabetes.
Besides clinical protocols, the document focuses on family and caregiver empowerment through structured training on insulin administration, blood glucose monitoring, emergency response and daily disease management.
The statement stated the initiative is expected to reduce mortality through early detection, prevent complications and improve the quality of life of affected children while strengthening the public health system's capacity to manage non-communicable diseases among children.
