The former Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief and Additional Director General of Police in Maharashtra committed suicide on May 11. Himanshu Roy had been fighting cancer since 2000. Some have speculated that post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have played a rolein his death. This high profile incident has spotlighted lacking mental healthcare … [Read more...] about Suicide of former Maharashtra ATS chief highlight lack of mental healthcare
health
The high death toll of gender discrimination
Gender discrimination and missing women The price of gender discrimination in India is the lives of almost 240,000 girls under five every year. Much attention is given in India to the issue of female foeticide. Sex-selective abortions are considered the major driver of India’s skewed sex ratio at birth (SRB) and its resultant 63 million … [Read more...] about The high death toll of gender discrimination
Aadhaar a must for nutrition schemes in Maharashtra
Those looking to avail a nutrition scheme in Maharashtra will need an Aadhaar card. This follows a notification from the state’s department of Women and Child Development. More than 500,000 women and 6.1 million children under six years old in Maharashtra receive free meals and nutritional supplements through the state’s 97,287 anganwadis. … [Read more...] about Aadhaar a must for nutrition schemes in Maharashtra
Indian biotech, vaccines and device industries get World Bank cash
Indian innovation will benefit from a US$125 million loan from the World Bank. This follows an agreement signed by the Indian government and the World Bank’s investment arm, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The loan will target India’s biopharmaceutical and medical devices sectors through the ‘Innovate in India … [Read more...] about Indian biotech, vaccines and device industries get World Bank cash
New tobacco health warnings from September
India is stepping up efforts to encourage its 120 million smokers to kick the habit. From September, tobacco product packaging will be required to showcase a new set of pictorial and textual health warnings. They will also have to carry the number for a toll-free line to help tobacco users quit. The new guidelines were issued by the Ministry of … [Read more...] about New tobacco health warnings from September
As the Taj Mahal changes colour, pollution leaves Indian cities gasping for breath
The changing face of the Taj Mahal One of the most visible effects of India’s rapidly escalating pollution crisis is the changing face of one of its most iconic landmarks. The Taj Mahal, a marble mausoleum which stands 240 feet tall on the banks of Yamuna river in Agra, is famous for its ivory white complexion. However, in recent years … [Read more...] about As the Taj Mahal changes colour, pollution leaves Indian cities gasping for breath
What else we’re reading: Emerging infectious diseases in India: the scourge that could boost urban development
This article has been republished under a Creative Commons license from The Conversation. The piece was authored by Olivier Telle, research scientist at CSH, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). It can be accessed here. Full credit goes to the original author and publisher. … [Read more...] about What else we’re reading: Emerging infectious diseases in India: the scourge that could boost urban development
What else we’re reading: Traditional health claims about India’s ayurvedic foods help make them big business
This article has been republished under a Creative Commons license from The Conversation. The original piece was authored by Ajay Patel, senior lecturer in food law at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. It can be accessed here. Full credit goes to the original author and publisher. … [Read more...] about What else we’re reading: Traditional health claims about India’s ayurvedic foods help make them big business
Why do just one percent of HBV-positive Indians receive treatment?
Just five countries account for 57 percent of the world’s cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV). India is one of them. Almost 292 million people worldwide have HBV. Of these, just five percent receive the treatment they need. Ninety percent are undiagnosed, according to a study published earlier this year in The Lancet. The study drew on a plethora … [Read more...] about Why do just one percent of HBV-positive Indians receive treatment?
India: The myth of the vegetarian nation?
India is stereotypically portrayed as a predominantly vegetarian country. Even government estimates project that a large proportion of the population live a vegetarian lifestyle. However, recent investigations indicate this may not be the case. Research by US-based anthropologist Balmurli Natrajan and India-based economist Suraj Jacob has … [Read more...] about India: The myth of the vegetarian nation?