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
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
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
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 …
Measles outbreaks show legal challenges of balancing personal rights and public good
Health officials must protect citizens from communicable diseases, but within the legal framework
Africa's non-communicable disease burden likely to worsen without political will
Africa has the resources and support to tackle non-communicable diseases; all it requires is political will to seize the opportunity
Why 275,000 National Health Mission workers have been protesting for 3 years
National Health Mission workers are up in arms, demanding salary and perks at par with the government's regular staff
Why we should test everyone's genes to predict disease
If a test could reveal the diseases you and your family might be more likely to get, would you get it?