Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is all set to visit India for the third time in three years. This has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing healthcare, technology, and development. His visit also marks the 25th anniversary of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, whose Board of Trustees is meeting in the Global South for the first time. India is where the foundation has been working for over two decades now. It has emerged as a hub for many new, rather, groundbreaking health initiatives.

What Has Gate Foundation Done So Far In India?

Gates in his piece "My 3rd trip in India in 3 years" has talked about the role his foundation has played in India's health advancements. This is especially true when it comes to disease eradication, vaccination and public health infrastructure.

Polio Eradication: Gates recalled his visit in 2011, when the country was one of the last battling polio. He also noted the efforts of relentless vaccination campaigns and government efforts that made India record its last polio case that year. Ever since, India has remained polio-free.

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He also wrote about the Avahan program, which adopted a community-driven approach to HIV prevention. Its success eventually led to its integration into the government’s broader health strategy.

He also spoke about world's highest TB burden to be in India. However, he appreciated innovations like AI-powered detection and improvement in treatment strategies and facilities that have accelerated progress toward elimination.

He also noted India's efforts in expanding its routine immunization programs, and utilizing digital dashboards to track vaccine coverage, monitor cold storage, and improve maternal and child healthcare outcomes.

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India Has an Evolving Health Landscape

Over the years, India’s healthcare system has undergone significant transformation, driven by public-private partnerships, technological advancements, and large-scale policy interventions. Some of the key developments include:

Expansion of Affordable Diagnostics: Indian companies are working on low-cost diagnostic solutions, such as a saliva-based TB test priced under $2, which could revolutionize early disease detection.

Growth in Vaccine Manufacturing: India has become a global leader in affordable vaccine production, ensuring life-saving vaccines reach millions worldwide.

Integration of AI in Healthcare: AI-powered tools are enhancing early disease detection, optimizing pregnancy care, and streamlining patient data management, improving overall healthcare accessibility.

Addressing Malnutrition: Gates has praised India for its focus on combating malnutrition through initiatives like fortified food distribution via the Midday Meal System and public feeding programs.

India's Global Health Leadership

India's health innovations are not just transforming the country but it has also benefitted the world. During its G20 presidency in 2023, India committed to sharing its advancements in vaccine manufacturing, AI-driven diagnostics, and public health strategies.

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As a woman entering her late 20s and early 30s, many women like me begin thinking about their reproductive health aka the biological clock. For some, the racing biological clock reminds them of the societal as well as personal pressures regarding family planning. Be they singles, highly committed to their careers, or going through an ambivalent relationship, the question of preserving fertility tends to knock on their minds.

Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is an option that has gained significant traction in recent years. It offers women the ability to pause their biological clock and preserve the possibility of having children in the future. But when is the right time to freeze your eggs? Is it a decision that should be made in your 20s, 30s, or later? It is essential to understand the medical procedure, personal factors, and risks involved to make an informed choice.

Egg freezing takes a woman's unfertilized eggs from her ovaries and stores them at sub-zero temperatures to be utilized later. It is made to enable women to keep their fertility intact, especially if they are not yet ready to have a baby.

Dr. Pavithra M, Obstetrician, Gynecologist, and Infertility Specialist, describes that the workup begins with hormone workup and evaluation of various parameters, such as age, body mass index (BMI), and ovarian reserve. "On the second day of the menstrual cycle, baseline ultrasound scanning is performed to assess the number of follicles; thereafter, various tests of blood are conducted to assess hormone levels. If a woman's parameters are all normal, then she is administered hormonal injections for about 10-12 days."

It causes ovarian hyperstimulation and multiple mature eggs, monitored through ultrasound scans. A trigger shot is administered once the follicles have reached optimal size to help with final egg maturation. It takes 34-35 hours from the trigger shot, wherein eggs are retrieved by minimally invasive procedures under general anesthesia.

"Using a transvaginal ultrasound probe with a needle, each follicle is punctured, and the follicular fluid is aspirated. The retrieved eggs are then screened for quality before undergoing vitrification—a rapid freezing technique that minimizes ice crystal formation and cellular damage," adds Dr. Pavithra. The eggs are then stored in liquid nitrogen tanks for long-term preservation.

Why Do Women Choose to Freeze Their Eggs?

The women freeze their eggs for significant medical, social, and personal reasons.

Medical Reasons

Egg freezing is considered a proactive measure among women whose medical conditions and treatments might influence their fertility. These include:

• Cancer treatment: Most women freeze their eggs since chemotherapy and radiation therapy can greatly reduce ovarian function.
• Risk of premature menopause: A family history of early menopause or genetic disorders like Turner syndrome makes the women want to freeze their eggs early.
• Ovarian diseases: Diseases such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis reduce the possibility of getting pregnant.

Therefore, freezing the eggs before treating the disease or getting the surgery will be advantageous.

Personal and Social Reasons

With the changing societal norms, most women focus on their career, education, and personal development before settling to raise a family.

• Postponing motherhood: Some females prefer to have an established financial capability and success in their careers before settling to have children.
• Not prepared to have a child: Because of personal reasons or lack of a good life companion, many females opt to freeze their eggs for use at the appropriate time.
• Relationship concerns: Egg freezing reduces the pressure of finding the right partner within a specific reproductive timeframe, allowing women to approach relationships with less urgency.

Age and Egg Freezing: Why Timing Matters?

While egg freezing is possible at various stages of life, experts recommend doing it at an optimal age for better outcomes.

"Egg freezing is best done in the late 20s or early 30s when the eggs are of higher quality," says Dr. Pavithra. "It can still be done in the late 30s, but since ovarian reserve diminishes with age, younger eggs have a better chance of resulting in successful pregnancies."

Women have only so many eggs at birth, which naturally decline in quantity and quality with age. With greater advancing age, there's a significantly increased risk of chromosomal anomalies with eggs, making conception increasingly difficult while raising the risk of miscarriage or birth defects.

Health Risks and Considerations Related to Egg Freezing

Egg freezing is considered safe in most cases; however, there are specific health risks to be concerned with, including:

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome: This is a rare but serious side effect in which an overstimulated ovary(s) will become swollen and painful, resulting in bloating, nausea, and abdominal pain

Risk of surgery: The procedure of collecting eggs is very minimal, with the chance of infection, bleeding, or damage to other organs

Emotional impact: This process may emotionally drain; hormone injections can be quite grueling, causing irritation or mood swings, general fatigue and anxiety.

Success rates: Not all eggs survive the freezing and thawing process and even though there is no absolute guarantee of a future pregnancy.

How to Judge if Egg Freezing Right Choice for You?

It is a highly personal decision to freeze your eggs or not, a decision determined by career aspirations, health conditions, and life circumstances. The procedure serves as a plan B for those wanting to delay motherhood; however, such individuals should expect little miracles in the form of success rates.

"Egg freezing empowers women to take control of their reproductive timeline," concludes Dr. Pavithra. "However, consulting with a fertility specialist and thoroughly understanding the process is crucial before making this decision."

Ultimately, if you’re considering egg freezing, early consultation with a reproductive specialist can provide clarity on the best time to proceed, ensuring the high

Dr. Pavithra M is an Obstetrician, Gynecologist, and Infertility Specialist at Garbhagudi IVF Centre, Ovum Hospital, Banaswadi, Bengaluru in India

In other news and amid all the other developments that have happened in the health sector, now, prescriptions for medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have increased at a steady rate of 18%. A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Huddersfield and Aston University analyzed the prescription data across England and found a consistent upward trend in every region. The study is published in BMJ Mental Health, and has examined national and regional prescribing patterns. It has also highlighted factors that may be driving this rise.

More Awareness Equals More Diagnoses

One of the major reasons for this surge is the growing awareness of ADHD. The most awareness comes from social media platforms. People are talking about it, sharing their stories, in fact healthcare provides too our sharing case studies and educating people about their health. Social media has allowed an easy access, without complex languages being involved when it comes to understanding such concepts. In fact, the medical professional who work as educators on social media also provide links to new studies, which makes the knowledge more authentic and efficient for people to follow through.

More people are recognizing symptoms and seeking formal diagnoses, leading to increased demand for treatment.

However, researchers also cautioned that misinformation on these platforms could contribute to misunderstandings about the condition. Misleading content may cause confusion about symptoms, diagnosis, and appropriate treatments, potentially influencing self-diagnosis and unnecessary medication use.

Did The Pandemic Impact ADHD?

Another factor behind the rise in ADHD prescriptions is the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The study found a strong link between pandemic-related stressors and worsening ADHD symptoms. Increased screen time, disrupted routines, isolation, and heightened anxiety may have exacerbated ADHD-related difficulties, prompting more people to seek medical intervention.

According to the study, prescription rates in England rose significantly, from 25.17 items per 1,000 population in 2019/20 (pre-pandemic) to 41.55 items per 1,000 population in 2023/24. This translates to an annual national increase of 18% in ADHD medication prescriptions.

What Kind Of Medicines Are Prescribed For Those Struggling With ADHD?

The research found that there are currently five licensed ADHD medications, which are both stimulants and non-stimulants. These include:

Methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin, Concerta, Delmosart) – remained the most commonly prescribed ADHD medication.

Lisdexamfetamine – showed the highest growth rate, increasing by 55% annually.

Dexamfetamine – another stimulant option.

Atomoxetine and Guanfacine – non-stimulant medications used as alternatives.

While the study confirmed a national upward trend, there were significant regional variations in prescription increases. The annual growth rates ranged from:

• 13% in the North East and Yorkshire
• 28% in London, the highest regional increase

These differences may reflect variations in healthcare access, ADHD awareness, and prescribing practices in different parts of the country.

How Does It Impact People's Lives?

For this disorder to be diagnosed in adulthood, a person may have shown symptoms much earlier, starting before the age of 12. To help diagnose ADHD, a primary care provider or mental health professional may ask to talk to people who know you well, such as a partner, family members, and friends, to learn about your behaviour in different situations and during childhood. They may look at school reports or other childhood records.

Treatment for ADHD can reduce symptoms and improve functioning. The most common treatments for ADHD in adults are:

• Medication, usually stimulant medications
• Psychotherapy, like behavioural and cognitive behavioural therapy
• Effective treatment often involves a combination of element

Having ADHD in adulthood implies that the person struggles with the ability to set limits on their behaviour. Moreover, having ADHD lowers the senstivity of the brain for dopamine. Now, eating junk food triggers the release of dopamine, thus leading to excessive eating.

Research has shown that almost half of the adults suffering from ADHD also have anxiety disorder. Separate studies have linked this mental disorder with increased risk of substance abuse. The reason remains the same as excessive eating. Substances like cannabis etc trigger the release of certain hormones, triggering the brain's reward centre.

ADHD symptoms can also be very stressful. It's likely that your stress level stays up for longer than most when you have the disorder. This disease can also hamper your efficiency to work and affect your performance.

Aging is a natural process, our body slowly deteriorates and as time passes by, many functions that we could do easily before, become difficult. However, one thing that you may not be aware of, is that aging is not as uniform as it seems. There is a difference between your chronological age and your biological age. So how does this concern people? A new study in the Lancet Digital Health has shown that when organs age faster than they should, it can make you more prone to sickness. Things like cancer, heart problems, and even losing your memory might happen sooner if your organs are aging quickly. It's like your body parts have their own clocks, and they don't always tick at the same rate.

What Did The Study Find?

Researchers also analyzed blood samples from 6,235 participants aged 45-69, part of the Whitehall II study in London, collected between 1997-99. They used a technique called SomaScan to determine the "biological age" of nine organs: arteries, kidneys, heart, brain, pancreas, lungs, immune system, and liver, comparing each person's organ age to others of the same age. Participants were then tracked for 20 years using national health records to see who developed 45 different age-related diseases. The study shows that faster biological aging of organs, as measured by protein levels in the blood, is linked to a higher long-term risk of age-related diseases. In many cases, accelerated aging of one organ increases the risk of diseases affecting multiple parts of the body.

• Arterial aging 2.03 times higher risk
• Kidney aging 1.78 times
• Heart aging 1.52 times
• Brain aging 1.52 times
• Pancreas aging 1.43 times
• Lung aging 1.37 times
• Immune system aging 1.36 times
• Liver aging 1.30 times

Potential for Early Disease Detection

Doctors are hoping that this research will lead to new ways to check on your health. They think they can make blood tests that can tell you how old each of your organs are. If they can do that, they could find out early if one of your organs is aging too fast. This could help people take better care of themselves.

How Can You Slow Down Your Biological Aging

Your lifestyle choices play a huge role in biological aging. According to American Heart Association Life’s Essential 8 checklist, here are some ways you can keep your organ health young and thriving.

Eat a Balanced Diet: Choose whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, and healthy oils. This supports overall health and reduces disease risk.

Move Your Body: Adults need 2.5 hours of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous weekly activity. Children require 60 minutes daily. Increased activity boosts energy and health.

Quit Tobacco Products: Stop smoking, vaping, or using e-cigarettes to prevent serious health issues. Protect yourself and others from secondhand smoke.

Prioritize Sleep: Adults aim for 7-9 hours of nightly sleep; children need more. Good sleep improves healing, brain function, and reduces chronic disease risks.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight for overall well-being. Use BMI as a guide (under 25 is optimal).

Control Cholesterol Levels: Manage "bad" cholesterol to protect your heart health. Consult your doctor for monitoring.

Manage Blood Sugar: Keep blood sugar in a healthy range to prevent organ damage. Monitor hemoglobin A1c, especially with diabetes.

Monitor Blood Pressure: Keep blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg. Manage high blood pressure to prevent heart disease and stroke.