WHO changes approach to treating severely malnourished children
New guidelines say children suffering from severe acute malnutrition need not be hospitalised, and can be treated more effectively at home
Bedaquiline to be used in TB treatment, but with caution
Final phase trials of drug pending; World Health Organization issues guidelines on interim use
One Health: FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH launch research agenda for antimicrobial resistance
Interface addresses global health issues necessitating multisectoral, multidisciplinary response to AMR
Pasteurisation inactivates SARS-CoV-2 virus in breast milk: Study
Cold storage of human milk having the virus did not significantly impact infectious viral load over a 48-hour period, the study found
Coronavirus vaccines: TRIPS waiver caught in WTO labyrinth
Little change in the position of countries opposing waiver of intellectual property rights; India-South Africa proposal being through hoops …
3.3 million people died of excessive drinking in 2012: WHO report
Alcohol consumption rising in Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions, stable in Europe, Americas and Africa
Diesel exhaust linked to lung cancer
WHO agency says there is compelling evidence to classify diesel fumes as deadly carcinogen along with tobacco, asbestos
COVID-19: Hong Kong University ‘confirms’ first case of reinfection, WHO advises caution
Whether reinfection cases existed at a population level or the Hong Kong case was an exception had to be studied, WHO said
China shifts focus to variant-specific vaccines as it faces an imminent Omicron wave
XBB subvariant has potential to wreak more havoc in China as large number of people immunologically susceptible
One in six people worldwide affected by infertility, finds WHO
Urgent need to expand access to prevention, diagnosis and treatments; rates of infertility are similar across all countries and regions
Laws alone won’t end female genital mutilation in India: Mariya Taher
Down To Earth speaks to Mariya Taher, the co-founder and United States executive director of non-profit Sahiyo on Female Genital …
Global spread of vaccine-derived polio still a high risk: WHO
Recommends declaring transmission as a national public health emergency, ensuring vaccinations for travellers and residents
Countries don’t report disease outbreaks soon enough: WHO chief Ghebreyesus
United Nations health organisation report on IHR implementation tabled in the 73rd World Health Assembly paints a mixed picture
Ignoring WHO, ICMR to go ahead with HCQ for COVID workers
Indian studies yet to be completed; Indian Council of Medical Research says drug is safe
34% of environmental indicators under SDGs lack standards
Lack of standards means there is no benchmark from which to calculate the Sustainable Development Goals
Food standards save lives, say FAO and WHO on World Food Safety Day
An estimated 600 million or almost 1 in 10 people worldwide fall ill after eating contaminated food; 420,000 die every year
Maternal and neonatal mortality rate high despite improvement in childbirth practices
A study conducted in public health centres in Uttar Pradesh shows complying to essential childbirth practices did not significantly alter …
World Health Statistics 2015: some achievements, many concerns
Down To Earth highlights the world’s performance on health-related development goals, where our successes lie and where efforts are still a …
‘Out of control’ Ebola claims about 500 lives in west Africa
There is social stigma attached to the disease because of which people are believed to be hiding from health care workers
Rapid privatisation has worsened health care services in poor and middle-income nations: study
But public sector, too. needs quality improvement, say researchers from University of California
No health net for 3.1 bln by 2023 deadline
The World Health Organization (WHO) 13th General Programme of Work targeted universal health coverage (UHC) between 2019 and 2023
Rewind 2018: State of the air India breathes
Here are the major policies framed, studies conducted and steps taken in the last year over air and its quality
Ivermectin for COVID-19: Mismatch between global and Indian policies
Union health ministry guidelines say the drug "may be" used for COVID-19 patients even as global agencies don't recommend
Acute malnutrition risking 30 million children’s lives: WHO
8 million children severely malnourished; UN agencies call for urgent action to protect the most vulnerable in 15 countries
Short-term hormone therapy raises ovarian cancer risk
Researchers say these findings will have implications for international guidelines on Hormone Replace Therapy