Politician Jaya Bachchan has expressed India’s failure to deal with the practice of manual scavenging “is a pity” in a recent address, drawing attention to the continued scourge of the practice which – while illegal – continues to cost lives. “I cannot understand why we have not yet been able to provide them with protective […]
Sanitation
Behavioural changes a key aspect of Phase-II of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission for improved sanitation
The second phase of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which is being implemented between 2020-21 and 2024-25 after approval by the Cabinet, is planned to help the country continue to address both sanitary and environmental issues. The Mission is the Narendra Modi administration’s flagship policy when it comes to sanitation and has been a cornerstone of its […]
Shigella outbreak at medical camp in Kerala
A shigella outbreak has been identified in a special medical camp taking place in Kottamparamba near Mayanad in Kerala. Thus far, an eleven-year-old boy has reportedly died due to an infection, with others being hospitalised. Health officials in the Kozhikode district of Kerala convened emergency meetings and began issuing preventative measures last week after the […]
Child malnutrition: Is India backsliding?
The latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data indicates that child malnutrition remains a major social crisis in India, with the advances made in tackling child malnutrition over the course of recent years coming undone. Results from NFHS-5 paint what Scroll.in aptly describes as “a disconcerting picture.” Multiple states, Scroll.in reports, have seen hard-won gains […]
WASH: WHO, UNICEF issue stark warning about sanitation
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF issued a dire warning about the state of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in health facilities. Almost two billion people worldwide rely on healthcare delivery in settings where those services are substandard – or lacking altogether. The global progress report on WASH services in […]
Hospital waste handling in sights of Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has taken note of hospital waste handling in the national capital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Protocols outlined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for disposal of waste such as swabs and testing kits ought to be “scrupulously followed”, the High Court told the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government. This […]
World Food Day: An opportunity to reflect
American psychologist Abraham Maslow theorised in 1943 a hierarchy of needs essential to every human. Enshrined in this hierarchy is the need for food. Sustenance is a basic requirement for survival, yet many across the globe – including in India – go without. World Food Day this year comes, as the overwhelming majority of observances […]
Biomedical waste a challenge during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a challenge for those tasked with the handling of biomedical waste. As The Times of India reported last month, “COVID-19 presented a unique challenge before the country where it has currently to deal with unestimated [sic] amount of biomedical waste…exclusively from dedicated COVID hospitals, quarantine centres and home quarantine facilities in […]
Workplace safety is important, even without a pandemic
What does it mean to be safe at work? Such a notion is multifaceted. The freedom from violence and harassment in the workplace, the freedom from exposure to infectious diseases and the freedom from vulnerability to accidents are among the components of workplace safety. The era of COVID-19 means the world is witnessing a global […]
Water availability on the decline: World Water Day 2020
India is home to around eighteen percent of the global population — with numbers set to increase in the coming years. Despite such a vast population, India only has access to around four percent of global freshwater resources. Meanwhile, India’s per capita water availability is on the decline, presenting the very real possibility of a […]