05-Feb-15 The Government of Myanmar signed a new agreement with the World Bank to bring improved maternal, newborn and child healthcare to millions of mothers and their young children. The Essential Health Services Access Project will provide US$100 million in funding for increased and improved coverage of critical health services across Myanmar’s 330 townships. [image: Joint Learning Network]

05-Feb-15 A surge in cancer cases would have a paralysing effect on China’s economy, requiring the nation to spend 100 billion yuan (USD21.5 billion) a year, say health organisations and experts. February 4 marked World Cancer Day, during which the World Health Organisation unveiled that 2.2 million people in China succumb to cancer each year. In all, three million people develop cancer each year in China. [image: MaineNewsOnline]

23-Jan-15 India’s medical electronics market will almost double to USD11.7 billion by 2017, growing at an annual rate of 16%, an SVP of Chennai’s Medall Diagnostics said recently. Increased awareness of healthcare delivery systems, lifestyle diseases, exploding population and increased middle-class income are the main drivers. “The future of electronics is in the field of healthcare”, he added. [image: Business Standard]

02-Feb-15 A group of Indian healthcare operators, including Manipal Hospitals, Narayana Health and Pfizer, have got together with an investor to provide up to USD1.6 million in grants and investments to early-stage startups that seek to enhance access to affordable technology-driven healthcare products and services for the low-income population in India. [image: The Times of India]

01-Feb-15 Brazil has plans to engage a medtech company to improve cardiology in state-sponsored hospitals. Medtronic sees an opportunity post-acquisition of Covidien, and plans to position itself as an entire cabinet supplier for cardiac surgery. "We feel you need to be bigger if you really want to be on the speed dial of the president of Brazil" a spokesperson said. [image: StarTribune/Bloomberg, Ariana Lindquist].