As told to Parliament (March 24, 2023): India has eliminated leprosy, as per WHO criterion
All that was discussed in the House through the day
Climate impact on health threats in focus at pan-Africa meet in Rwanda
Four-day Africa Health Agenda International Conference 2023 at Kigali; to discuss steps to build climate-resilient health systems
Most stillbirths due to air pollution in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa: Study
A quarter of stillbirths is attributable to PM 2.5 exposure during gestation; Highest average PM2.5-related stillbirths in India
India’s life expectancy falls to 67.2 in 2021, decade-long improvement undone
Human Development Report finds decline in life expectancy in 70% countries; Decline in income in 2020 for 85%
Fourth wave on in Bengal but experts say COVID-19 endemic, less virulent this time
INSACOG plans sewage testing for early prediction future waves
COVID-19 & the ‘Dharavi Model’: Reportage from the ground
Down To Earth hit the ground to see how the densely populated Dharavi was tackling the pandemic. This 3-part series delves into …
Antibacterial resistance: Microbial rebellion
Rampant use of antibiotics is changing the character of bacteria and making them resistant. Curing diseases is becoming difficult leading to …
Bulk of India’s COVID-19 cases and deaths concentrated in 20 cities: Study
Tourism, better air connectivity and high population density major causes behind urban areas being hubs of COVID-19
COVID-19: The novel pandemic may extract a heavy human cost
It was foretold, but we never believed that a crumbling infrastructure in the wealthy world would make all of us victims
Arsenic: Lurking in the shadows across Ganga, Brahmaputra basins
As the geography of arsenic contamination spreads, there is an urgent need for governments to reorient mitigation measures. That’s because …
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo a global health emergency
The declaration was made after case was registered in Goma city, which shares a border with Rwanda
Prevention better than cure: Why World Bank bats for One Health to combat pandemics
Report finds cost of prevention a third of fighting off pandemic as pace of emerging infectious outbreaks increase
World Health Summit: Global leaders pledge $2.5 billion for polio eradication
2022-2026 strategy to end polio needs $4.8 billion
Tackling ‘hidden hunger’: Strategies to combat micronutrient deficiencies
In the face of the global hidden hunger crisis, it is imperative that we address the micronutrient deficiencies that silently erode our health
Kenya: Ruto proposes insurance reforms for universal health coverage; evokes mixed responses
The proposal will replace the current contribution system with a flat rate of 2.75 per cent of contributors’ gross salary
Bird flu pandemic threat as high as in 1997; focus on wild bird migration routes, say experts
Experts urge investment in developing newer generation vaccines based on mRNA technology
How dosage of fever drugs has again highlighted nexus of pharma firms, doctors
No regulation on marketing strategies by drug companies has created a medical autocracy, the Dolo-650 controversy shows
No integration in India’s disease data collection systems: Niti Aayog
White paper highlights several lacunae including shortage of human resources, occupational health, surveillance; suggests series of measures …
COVID-19: A global survey shows worrying signs of vaccine hesitancy
Only 46.3% of Nigerians said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine. This was slightly higher than the results found in Spain, Sweden, …
COVID-19 holds lessons for South Africa’s universal healthcare plans
The country’s health system will need rehab post-COVID-19 to overcome divisions and build a national health system from the bottom up
The DRC is on the road to being Ebola free: how it got here
At the beginning of March the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced that the last Ebola patient had been discharged from a …
Learning from COVID-19: Here’s what is needed to prepare for the next global health emergency
A new pandemic may already be on the horizon as highly pathogenic avian influenza is raising growing alarm
TB battle took a backseat during COVID-19 pandemic; Cases, drug resistance go up, finds WHO
Global spending on essential tuberculosis services decreased from $6 billion in 2019 to $5.4 billion in 2021.
Using sugar substitutes to lose weight could cause harm long-term, warns WHO
Continued consumption doesn’t reduce weight; could increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults
Health must be fast-tracked for 2030
The world needs more and better skilled health workers to attain the SDG targets and continue to foster global health beyond 2030