WHO flagship Initiative on Tuberculosis launched on World TB Day WHO flagship Initiative on Tuberculosis launched on World TB Day Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti March 25, 2023 WHO News section End TB, World TB Day 2023, Infectious Disease On World TB Day, WHO launched the Director General's Flagship Initiative to end TB, "Universal access to TB prevention and care: Towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) 2023-2027 " following the 2023 "UN High-Level Meeting on TB". Building upon the strategy of 2018 to find, and treat, this initiative will focus on universal access to TB treatment, Rapid diagnostic tests, and Preventive management to all. Financial risk protection to provide equal access to health and social benefits . Licensing at least one new TB vaccine. Sustained and adequate financial support for TB services and research . This year's theme on World TB Day is 'Yes! We can end TB! '. Further reading - Click here

Persistent gender disparities in medical research: The need for inclusion Persistent gender disparities in medical research: The need for inclusion PHC Editor November 8, 2024 Social trends Gender disparities, Medical research, Women's health, Sex differences, NIH Historical Male Dominance : Medical research has traditionally focused on male subjects, leading to findings that may not accurately represent women's health needs. Biological Differences : Men and women often exhibit different symptoms for the same diseases and respond differently to medications, underscoring the necessity for gender-specific research . Progress and Challenges : Initiatives like the NIH's "Sex as a Biological Variable" policy have promoted the inclusion of women in studies, yet significant gaps remain in understanding sex-specific health outcomes. Recent Developments : In March 2024, President Biden signed an executive order to advance women's health research, aiming to address longstanding disparities. Call to Action : Experts advocate for increased funding and comprehensive research that considers sex differences to improve health outcomes for all genders.

Poshan bhi Padhai bhi- a new initiative to strengthen Early childhood care and education Content Editor: Dr. Himabindu Reddy May 15, 2023 at 5:19:52 PM Public health laws, Maternal and child health With recommendations from the National education policy (NEP) , the ministry has initiated “Poshan bhi padhai bhi” (PBPB) a novel early childhood care and education (ECCE) program, ensuring that India has the largest comprehensive network of high-quality preschools in the world. With the PBPB initiative, NEP stated that all 13.9 lakh Anganwadis across the country will be upgraded with quality infrastructure and trained teachers . It also stipulates that every child will receive two hours of quality preschool lessons every day. PBPB will promote a holistic approach emphasizing the interlinking of child health nutrition and early education . Using the mother tongue as the medium of instruction, community participation will be encouraged in boosting the foundations of our nation’s future generations. Previous Next

05. Total 691 children adopted as per New Adoption Regulations 2022 05. Total 691 children adopted as per New Adoption Regulations 2022 December 21, 2022 Press Information Bureau Public Health Laws & Regulation In order to promote in-country adoptions, a new provision has been mandated in Adoption Regulations 2022 where in those children who could not find families within their stipulated referral cycles, are now being offered to RI, NRI, OCI, PAPs, irrespective of their seniority. This step has been immensely welcomed by Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs). After the issue of notification total 691 children have been adopted till today. On the date of notification 905 number of adoption orders were pending. As on date the pendency has come down to 617.

The Cutter's symposium: Emphasizing the necessity of accurate data analysis in nutritional research The Cutter's symposium: Emphasizing the necessity of accurate data analysis in nutritional research Content Editor: Dr. Anubhav May 18, 2024 Harvard School of Public Health Medical research, Nutrition The Cutter’s Symposium consists of lectures on preventive medicine. These are organized by the Department of Epidemiology and are held once or twice a year, funded by a bequest from John Clarence Cutter. During this year’s lecture, the importance of confounding factors in nutritional studies was discussed. In the 1970s, researchers discovered a link between ingesting fats and oils and the development of cancer. But since then, researchers have demonstrated that this relationship does not hold up. It is a common practice that those who follow a healthy diet, also have a healthy lifestyle. Hence, if the other factors of a healthy lifestyle aren't taken into consideration, spurious associations between diet and disease may be found. Various software and tools have been developed to address this confounding effect. Click here to read more.

The Rise of cVDPV cases Content Editor: Dr. Akhila Nandan August 3, 2023 at 12:30:00 PM Global Health, Outbreak, Communicable disease WHO reported three new cases of circulating Vaccine derived Polio virus(cVDPV) Tanzania and Kenya. t The case in Tanzania was a < 2-year-old child who had received 3 doses of bOPV and 1 dose of IPV along with 2 doses of bOPV during SIA Out of the two cases of AFP reported in Kenya, one was a 2-year-old and the other was a 2.7-year-old,both had received 3 doses of bOPV. Also, two asymptomatic, healthy children (community contact), were detected in a refugee camp. WHO has advised strict AFP surveillance along with guidelines to vaccinate all travelers to the endemic areas. As per the Temporary Recommendations, countries reporting a case of poliomyelitis should: Declare the outbreak as a national “public health emergency” Hasten-up vaccinations of the residents and long-term visitors. Previous Next

Jal Jeevan Mission: Process in water accessibility Content Editor: Dr. Sumana September 5, 2024 at 4:30:00 PM Environmental health, Water access, National programmes The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched by the Government of India in partnership with States, has made significant strides in providing potable tap water to rural households. As of August 2024, more than 15.04 crore rural households (77.87%) now have tap water connections, a substantial increase from 3.23 crore in August 2019. The mission also emphasizes community participation, with over 5.32 lakh Pani Samitis formed at the Gram Panchayat level and 24.64 lakh women trained to test water samples using Field Test Kits (FTKs). The mission's success is largely attributed to its digital monitoring systems , including the JJM dashboard and mobile app , which provide real-time data on water supply status across villages. Moreover, sensor-based IoT solutions are used to measure and monitor water quality, ensuring the supply meets BIS:10500 standards. Digital tools also enable the geo-tagging of assets and linking of AADHAR for targeted delivery, promoting transparency and accountability. Challenges such as water scarcity, geogenic contaminants, and technical capacity issues are being addressed through various government measures, including financial assistance and skill development programs. The mission's success is further bolstered by the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign , focusing on sustainable water management. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Menstrual Health Study Highlights Stigma Among Youth in Tamil Nadu Menstrual Health Study Highlights Stigma Among Youth in Tamil Nadu Content Editor: Dr. Manu Goel July 8, 2025 American Institutes of Research Menstruation, Women And Child Health, Adolescent Health American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Sanitation First , two non-profit organisations, had collaborated to conduct a baseline-level survey in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu exploring the stigma surrounding menstruation and the barriers girls face towards meeting their needs. The following are the findings - 43% of boys believed that girls shouldn’t enter the kitchen while 58% believed they shouldn’t enter religious places during menstruation. 77% of girls shared this belief . 70% of boys and 30% of girls believed that menstruation was disabling for girls . This reflected an undercurrent of stigma towards menstruation. 15% of girls had missed school due to heavy and painful menstrual bleeding. This showed the significant burden of an oft-ignored issue. Meanwhile, 95% of teachers and school leaders believed that mothers should be the primary source of information about menstruation for girls. A majority of girls also followed unsafe practices related to the disposal of sanitary products . 72% of women burnt the sanitary products while 3% of them buried it. Following the findings of this study, Sanitation First plans to conduct the ‘Happy Period s' training programme across 62 schools in the district. These will be compared with other groups acting as a control in the district. An endline survey will then be conducted to assess the impact of this project. Happy Periods is a program conducted independently in Tamil Nadu to create awareness among adolescents and teachers regarding menstruation.Click here to read more

India fights back for climate resilient agriculture Content Editor: Shayari Nag August 2, 2024 at 4:00:00 PM Sustainability, Agriculture, Climate Change, Climate change is a major threat to India's agriculture. ICAR assessed the impact of climate change on 573 agricultural districts. 109 districts are categorized as 'very highly' vulnerable , and 201 as 'highly' vulnerable , with significant yield reductions in staple crops like rice, wheat, and maize by 2050 and 2080 without adaptation. The following adaptation and mitigation measures have been taken: National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) implemented climate-resilient technologies in 448 villages across 151 vulnerable districts. Technologies include improved crop varieties, efficient irrigation, soil health management, and renewable energy. District Agricultural Contingency Plans (DACP) were prepared for all 651 agricultural districts. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) was launched with components like Rainfed Area Development, Farm Water Management, and Soil Health Management. Additional programs like Soil Health Card, Organic Farming, and Per Drop More Crop were also initiated. Click here to read more. Previous Next