Increasing burden of communicable diseases among older children and adolescents Increasing burden of communicable diseases among older children and adolescents Content Editor: Dr. M Swathi Shenoy August 1, 2023 The Lancet Communicable disease, Child health, Adolescent health The Global Burden of Diseases study from 1990-2019 systematically analyzed the communicable disease burden among children and adolescents aged 0-24 years. The salient results of this study were: Reduction in overall burden (DALY) of communicable diseases except HIV. The incidence of rare diseases such as the RHD and the NTD has increased. In 2019, among individuals aged 0-24 years, 3 million deaths and 30 million Years of Healthy life lost to Disability (YLD) were attributable to communicable diseases. This represents 57.3% of the total communicable disease burden across all ages. Among the children and adolescents, 44.1% of the deaths and 16.6% of the total disability were attributable to communicable diseases. This burden disproportionately affected the countries with low sociodemographic development. Their incidence has declined drastically among children <5 years of age, especially in countries with low sociodemographic development. Among children and adolescents, 60% of the burden was attributable to 3 groups- enteric infections, LRTI, and malaria. However, URTI and infectious skin conditions were more prevalent among the countries with high sociodemographic development. Among older adolescents aged 20-24, HIV and TB were the leading causes. The study findings emphasize the need for continued capacity building of the National programs related to communicable diseases, with a focus on adolescents and older children . Click here to read more

Infodemics and COVID-19 vaccine intentions in the United States: Study findings Infodemics and COVID-19 vaccine intentions in the United States: Study findings Content Editor: Dr. Sangya July 18, 2024 Center for Infective Disease Research and Policy COVID-19 Vaccination, Research Findings A study in Science reveals that unflagged, factual, but misleading Facebook posts in the United States reduced the intent to receive the COVID-19 vaccine 46 times more than flagged false posts . Researchers from MIT and UPenn surveyed thousands about the influence of 130 vaccine-related headlines. They extrapolated results to predict the impact of 13,206 Facebook links on the vaccination intentions of 233 million US users. They found that unflagged, misleading content from credible sources was viewed hundreds of millions of times and significantly reduced vaccination intentions by 2.28 percentage points per user, compared to 0.05 percentage points for flagged content. The study highlights that exposure had a greater impact than flagging status, suggesting that content moderation should also prioritize reviewing widely viewed content rather than just identifying false information. Click here to read more.

India’s Inequality report: The key findings Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala July 26, 2024 at 2:30:00 PM Inequality, India, Gender Parity The salient highlights of India’s place in the World Inequality Report 2022 are as follows: Indians have an average national income of Rs 204,200 . However, when we look at the disaggregated data, the top 10% of the adult population hold 57% of the average yearly income, the top 1% hold 22% of it, and the bottom 50% of Indian adults hold 13% of the share of national income. The liberalization and deregulation of economic policies have fueled this extreme divide in income among Indian citizens. The average Indian household's wealth is Rs 983,010, which has marked inequalities. The top 10% hold 65% of the average wealth, the top 1% hold 33% of the average, and the bottom 50% hold only 6% of the wealth . The women’s labor income in India is much lower than the Southeast Asian average , which is one of the lowest in the world. It is only 18%, which needs to be 50% to reach gender parity. The Indian population consumes much less greenhouse gas per person . The bottom 50% of Indians emit CO2 five times and ten times less than the bottom 50% of the European Union and the United States, respectively. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Is adenovirus associated with severe hepatitis? Is adenovirus associated with severe hepatitis? Content Editor: Dr. Chinmay Kelkar April 3, 2024 Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Hepatitis, CDC, International Health News In the US, between October 2021 and June 2023 , there were 392 occurrences of severe childhood hepatitis with an unknown origin, according to recent CDC research. Out of the 392, 8 of them have died. Half the cases were shown to be positive for adenovirus infection. Adenovirus is known to cause mild symptoms and has not been connected to hepatitis in individuals with good immune systems. Of the 8 who died, 2 had compromised immune systems, and one youngster was healthy. The majority of them had received hepatitis A and B vaccinations. The majority had significant liver damage, of which seven were in liver failure, and two of them needed liver transplants. This study necessitates the need for further research to look into the cause of such infections. Click here to read more

FSSAI streamlines food standards: one Certification, many benefits Content Editor: Dr. Kishore February 28, 2024 at 1:30:00 PM FSSAI, Food safety regulation, Public Health Nutrition FSSAI eliminates the need for BIS or AGMARK certification , streamlining the certification process for food businesses. Revision of milk fat products standards ensures quality and safety in dairy products consumer preferences. Revision of milk fat product standards will ensure the quality and safety of dairy products . Haleem, a popular dish, received standardized regulations under meat product standards, enhancing consumer trust. The comprehensive compliance manual provides guidelines for regulatory adherence, promoting transparency and accountability. Stakeholder feedback was invited before finalizing amendments, ensuring inclusivity and consensus-building in the high-level meeting. Click here to read more. Previous Next

India’s lymphatic filariasis challenge: Bridging disability inclusion and welfare gaps Content Editor: Dr. Sivanthiga May 29, 2024 at 2:00:00 PM Physical disability, Rehabilitation, Filariasis India accounts for 40% of the world’s second-largest cause of physical disability i.e lymphedema and hydrocele due to lymphatic filariasis. In 2018, GOI officially enabled its inclusion to physical disabilities enabling them to be beneficiaries of various national and state-level schemes designed for the betterment of persons with disability. some of the schemes of GOI are Saksham Scholarship, Post matric scholarship etc., More than five years down the lane the state governments are unable to provide proper data on beneficiaries of the same which underscored that mere recognition and inclusion had not been translated to actual welfare. The Indian Council of Medical Research proposed a few strategies to overcome the barriers : 1.Inter-sectoral convergence involving disability rights department ,public health and social welfare etc. 2.Awareness and community engagement 3.Use of digital tools for record keeping ,development and usage of mobile apps etc. 4.Public Private Partnership to screen Lymphatic Filariasis patients and disability assessment 5.Advocacy needed for resource mobilization ,engagement of local and national stakeholders etc 6. Regular reviews and updates to review and overcome bottlenecks 7.Helplines and Information center establishment to improve LF patients’ access to support. Previous Next

Global food regulators summit 2024: Advancing food safety and innovation worldwide Global food regulators summit 2024: Advancing food safety and innovation worldwide Content Editor: Dr. Anamika October 10, 2024 Press Information Bureau Food safety, Food regulators, Food security, Nutrition The second edition of the Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 was inaugurated by the Union Health Minister. The summit emphasizes collaboration and innovation , aiming to share insights and best practices for ensuring safe and nutritious food worldwide . It aims to establish a global platform for food regulators to share insights on food safety systems. Focus areas include addressing foodborne illnesses, nutraceutical safety, novel foods, and microplastics. New initiatives launched include the Food Import Rejection Alerts (FIRA) portal for notifying food import rejections and the Food Import Clearance System 2.0 (FICS 2.0) for faster processing and transparency. The State Food Safety Index (SFSI ) 2024 was released, with Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, and Nagaland leading the rankings. Click here to read more.

WHO alerts about Naturcold: a toxin contaminated cough syrup WHO alerts about Naturcold: a toxin contaminated cough syrup Content Editor: Dr. Himabindu Reddy August 3, 2023 Reuters Global health, Child health, Pharmacovigilance, WHO Following the deaths of six children in Cameroon in April this year, the government, with support from the WHO, traced the toxin responsible to cough syrup sold under the trade name Naturcold. While the origins of the company are yet to be traced, the toxin responsible for the contamination has been identified. 28% Diethylene glycol, as opposed to the permitted 0.1%, is reported to be the contaminant responsible. Pharmaceutical experts explained that when the price of propylene glycol increased in 2021, many manufacturers substituted it with a cheaper but toxic alternative, diethylene glycol, which has caused many such poisonings across the world.

Unraveling the silent symphony of air pollution and mental health Unraveling the silent symphony of air pollution and mental health Content Editor: Dr Urmimala Maiti January 8, 2024 National Green Tribunal Environmental Health, Air Pollution, Mental Health The National Green Tribunal , on behalf of ICMR , released a report on the effect of air pollution on mental health and illnesses. Quoting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, the report emphasized the correlation between particulate matter in the air and mental health illness. Fine and Coarse particulate matter (PM 2.5 AND PM 10 ) has been associated with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Quoting published studies, the report also mentions the findings of studies conducted on pregnant women which have found a higher risk of depression following second-trimester exposure to NO2, PM2.5, and PM 10 . The report also underscores the relevance of effective measures to control air pollution.

7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah: Focus on addressing nutrition holistically Content Editor: Dr. Prachi September 13, 2024 at 1:00:00 PM Nutrition, Reproductive health, Anemia, Growth The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah launched on 31st August 2024, focuses on anemia, Growth Monitoring, Complementary Feeding, Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, and Technology for better governance. Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam promoted environmental sustainability through plantations at 13.95 lakhs Anganwadi centers. Key activity breakdown: 39 lakhs on anemia, 27 lakhs on Growth Monitoring, 20 lakhs on Complementary Feeding, and 18.5 lakhs on Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi. One key focus area, Technology for Better Governance, aims to help effectively implement and monitor nutrition indicators linked to the ICT application Poshan Tracker. The ministries of Education, Health, Rural Development, Ayush, and Panchayati Raj significantly contributed to Poshan Maah activities, including anemia camps, growth monitoring, complementary feeding, and environmental protection outreach. The campaign emphasizes reaching remote areas under the theme "Suposhit Kishori Sashakt Nari". Previous Next