National Diabetes Week highlights the importance of prevention and early detection of the disease

The government has announced the dates for the national census. According to official information, the census process will take place from January 25 to February 28, 2027. This work will cover the entire country, with the exception of snow-covered regions and states where elections are being held.

The reference date for the census is set for midnight on March 1, 2027. Residents have the opportunity to submit their data independently between January 10 and January 24, 2027. Following this main data collection, a revisional round will take place from March 1 to March 5, 2027.

The government specified which territories will be excluded from the census process. The census will not take place in states where elections are held, including Manipur, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. Furthermore, data collection will not occur in snow-covered areas such as Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and the snowy regions of Jammu and Kashmir.

A voluntary self-enumeration option has been organized. This means participation is optional for citizens. This period is available from January 10 to January 24, 2027, allowing people to provide their information before the main census begins.

The process will proceed in stages: first, self-enumeration from January 10 to January 24, 2027, followed by the main census from January 25 to February 28, 2027. The reference date, which determines the basis for statistical collection, is set for 00:00 on March 1, 2027. The entire cycle concludes with a revisional round from March 1 to March 5, 2027, as reported in the government notification. The revisional round is intended for rechecking and analyzing previously collected information.

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has granted registration for five new GLP-1 pens intended for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. This authorization was formalized on Thursday, October 29th, through Resolution No. 4,244/2026, published in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU).

With these new additions, the agency reaches a total of 20 approved pens in this category during 2026. The drugs in question use liraglutide or semaglutide and are produced by Indian companies.

Of these five products, three are specifically indicated for diabetes, while the other two are intended for the treatment of obesity. It is possible to check the details of the products, their respective indications, and the companies responsible for both registration and manufacturing.

This approval is part of a strategy that began in August 2025, motivated by a request from the Ministry of Health. The focus of this prioritization is to meet the needs of the Unified Health System (SUS) within the Health Economic-Industrial Complex (Ceis), in addition to ensuring adequate supply to the domestic market.

This initiative culminated in the publication of Call Notice No. 12/2025, a document that established preference in the analysis of medications based on liraglutide and semaglutide.

Both substances are part of the GLP-1 receptor agonist class. These medications mimic the function of a hormone released by the intestine, which plays a role in modulating blood glucose and satiety and appetite processes.

It is important to note that sanitary registration does not imply that the products are already available in pharmacies. The exact launch dates and commercial prices for these five pens have not yet been disclosed. In Brazil, the maximum prices of these medications are monitored by the Drug Market Regulation Chamber (CMED).

Since 2025, the sale of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications requires a medical prescription, which must be kept under custody at the pharmacy.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda discussed in detail the roadmap for the country's healthcare system, government expenditure, and making medical facilities accessible to the general public at the India Today Healthwealth Summit 2026 held in Noida. Nadda emphasized that the government is focusing not only on providing treatment but also on identifying diseases in their early stages. Screening and primary healthcare services are being strengthened through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, aiming to detect serious illnesses in their initial phases.

Specialist medical care will reach smaller cities

Addressing the issues of increasing burden on AIIMS Delhi and the shortage of specialist medical services in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, the Health Minister stated that medical colleges have been extensively expanded in recent years. He gave examples of new colleges established in districts where neither government nor private medical colleges previously existed, such as Siwan and Purnia in Bihar, Dumka, Deoghar, and Daltonganj in Jharkhand. He said that with each new medical college, the number of MBBS, nursing, and PG seats increases, ensuring the availability of local specialist doctors in the future.

It will take time to reach the level of AIIMS Delhi

When asked about the fact that many complex procedures, such as cochlear implant surgery for children, still require months of waiting at AIIMS Delhi, he acknowledged that all new AIIMS institutions will take time to attain the status of AIIMS Delhi. However, he assured that the government is gradually expanding specialized services and has opened several new AIIMS across the country, where patients are being provided with advanced healthcare facilities.

Redressal of complaints related to Ayushman Bharat scheme

Regarding complaints related to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, J.P. Nadda stated that special committees have been formed in states and districts to resolve these grievances. He clarified that efforts will be made to find solutions at the district level for complaints, such as hospitals refusing treatment citing low payment from private hospitals, with a maximum time limit set at one month.