| |SEPTEMBER 20268TOP STORIESH1N1 SURGE SENDS FLU VACCINE DEMAND SOARING ACROSS INDIAAI COULD HALVE EARLY DRUG DEVELOPMENT COSTS: HUAWEIHEALTH MINISTRY REVIEWS PLAN TO BOOST DISTRICT HOSPITAL EMERGENCY CAREASTRAZENECA GIVES TEZSPIRE NEW SHOT AT INFLAMMATORY DISEASECONGO BATTLES FAST-GROWING EBOLA OUTBREAK WITH VACCINE CAMPAIGN India is seeing an H1N1 surge, and flu vaccine demand has jumped sharply as influenza cases rise across the country. Vaccine sales are now nearly three times higher than last year. The demand has also more than doubled compared with July. Several cities are facing supply constraints as more people seek vaccination.The rise comes during the monsoon season, when H1N1 and other influenza infections have increased. Cases have reportedly risen more than six-fold compared with previous years. Digital healthcare platforms are seeing stronger demand from both individuals and companies. People are increasingly choosing convenient vaccination services at home. PODrug development could see a major shift as Huawei expands its artificial intelligence partnerships with pharmaceutical companies. The Chinese technology company plans to deepen collaborations with domestic drugmakers across drug development and clinical practice.Emergency care capacity in district hospitals will rise by 50 percent under a key Budget initiative that Health Minister J.P. Nadda reviewed on Thursday. Nadda examined the progress of this AstraZeneca has scored with Tezspire in a third inflammatory disease in a Phase 3 trial. Developed with Amgen, Tezspire met both co-primary endpoints in the late-stage trial for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The study showed significant improvements in esophageal inflammation and swallowing difficulties compared with placebo.The results also held through week 52. The development comes at an important time for AstraZeneca as the company works toward its goal of USD 80 billion in annual sales by 2030. Tezspire generated USD 1.13 billion in sales in 2025, adding commercial weight to the latest trial result. POThe Democratic Republic of Congo has started an Ebola outbreak vaccination campaign as cases and deaths continue to rise. The Ebola outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus and has spread across six provinces.Government figures show 5,713 confirmed cases and 2,744 deaths as of Tuesday. The outbreak has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak recorded so far. Health workers in Kisangani, Tshopo province, received the first vaccine doses. The campaign will focus on frontline workers before expanding across affected areas. POHuawei already provides AI tools that screen potentially viable drug compounds. Its Ascend and Kunpeng chips support these applications. Industry forecasts suggest that machine learning could cut early-stage drug development timelines and costs by up to 50 per cent within the next three to five years. POemergency care expansion along with other health sector projects. He stressed timely implementation, inter-ministerial coordination and measurable outcomes.The review focused on turning budget announcements into concrete programs and stronger healthcare institutions within clear timelines. The Health Ministry now moves these Budget 2026-27 projects from planning into execution, with emergency care expansion in district hospitals forming a central pillar of the current review. PO
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