One of the prevention measures to limit spread of certain respiratory diseases, including novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in affected areas is by wearing a mask, says WHO. Ever since the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak began in China in end-December 2019, various measures have been mentioned to reduce the risk of infection. The World Health Organization guidelines … Continue reading Explained: Wash coronavirus away with soap, reduce risk with a mask
Diarrhoea
Women in Kerala live 10 years longer than women in Uttar Pradesh
The first comprehensive analysis of the health of India’s 1.34 billion citizens has been published on November 14 in The Lancet. The study estimates the key drivers of ill health, disability, and premature death in all 29 States. It has analysed 333 diseases and injuries and 84 risk factor trends for each State between 1990 … Continue reading Women in Kerala live 10 years longer than women in Uttar Pradesh
Serum’s rotavirus vaccine is safe and efficacious
In Phase III trial, Serum Institute's rotavirus vaccine (ROTASIIL) was found to have nearly 55% efficacy against the very severe form of rotavirus diarrhoea and nearly 39% efficacy in severe rotavirus cases. A rotavirus vaccine tested on children during a Phase III trial for efficacy has been found to be safe and efficacious. The vaccine … Continue reading Serum’s rotavirus vaccine is safe and efficacious
Preterm babies don’t gain growth by early initiation of complementary food
Babies born preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) have a higher energy requirement than babies born full term and therefore fail to gain weight adequately. Parents of preterm babies and doctors alike are not sure whether breast milk or formula milk alone will meet the energy requirements after the first four months and whether … Continue reading Preterm babies don’t gain growth by early initiation of complementary food
Can health spending of 2.5% of GDP only by 2025 help achieve the goals set by India’s National Health Policy?
The long awaited National Health Policy announced a few days ago proposes to raise public health expenditure as a percentage of GDP from the current 1.15% to 2.5% by 2025. The resource allocation to individual States will be linked with their development indicators, absorptive capacity and financial indicators. “There will be higher weightage given to … Continue reading Can health spending of 2.5% of GDP only by 2025 help achieve the goals set by India’s National Health Policy?
Indian researchers turn to zebrafish to study microvillus inclusion disease
Indian researchers have finally found an ideal animal model to study microvillus inclusion disease (MVID) that may affect children born out of consanguineous marriages and to screen potential drugs to treat the disease. Currently, children with MVID disease have no treatment and mostly die premature as babies as they suffer from malabsorption of nutrients and … Continue reading Indian researchers turn to zebrafish to study microvillus inclusion disease
Women live four years longer than men in India
People in India live significantly longer now compared with 1990. Life expectancy increased by 6.9 years for men and 10.3 years for women between 1990 and 2013, notes a study published in the British medical journal The Lancet . In 1990, the figures were 57.25 for men and 59.19 for women. This rose to 64.16 … Continue reading Women live four years longer than men in India
India turns spotlight on adolescent health
“India has demonstrated very strong leadership in positioning adolescent health as part of continuum of care. India has taken the lead to present to the rest of the States why it is important to have a discussion on adolescent health,” said Dr. Flavia Bustreo, Assistant Director-General of Family, Women’s and Children’s Health, WHO, Geneva. She … Continue reading India turns spotlight on adolescent health
Editorial: Under-5 mortality – The cost of negligence
The failure of successive governments in India, especially those in States that have the highest mortality rates among children younger than five years, to address the critical issue of training health-care providers in rural areas to correctly diagnose and treat children suffering from diarrhoea and pneumonia, has had tragic consequences. These ailments account for the … Continue reading Editorial: Under-5 mortality – The cost of negligence
Why rural children in India die of diarrhoea and pneumonia
The reason why a large number of children under the age of five years die of diarrhoea and pneumonia, generally in rural India and especially in Bihar, has become abundantly clear. The results of a study were published a couple of days ago in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. Diarrhoea and pneumonia are the biggest killer diseases … Continue reading Why rural children in India die of diarrhoea and pneumonia
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