“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
Millennium Development Goal
Editorial: Strengthening care of the newborn
Tamil Nadu has come to realise in a most tragic manner the high mortality risk faced by preterm babies (those born before 37 completed weeks of gestation), and its unfinished task of saving these lives. Of the 13 neonates who died recently in district hospitals in Dharmapuri and Salem, five were preterm. Both preterm and … Continue reading Editorial: Strengthening care of the newborn
Editorial: Sterilisation targets endanger lives
It is at once sobering and shocking that the sterilisation procedures (laparoscopic tubectomy) carried out on 83 women at a camp in Pendari village of Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district on November 8 ended up killing 11 women and leaving 69 others ill, some of them critically. In another such sterilisation camp held in Guarella in the … Continue reading Editorial: Sterilisation targets endanger lives
‘India has the potential to end all preventable child deaths’
Dr Mickey Chopra, global head of UNICEF’s health programmes explained to me why he was very encouraged by the efforts taken by the government to reduce child mortality, and how these efforts are paying off, especially in States like Bihar. How is India doing as far as meeting the MDG 4 target is concerned? … Continue reading ‘India has the potential to end all preventable child deaths’
Coverage of antenatal care in India has to be increased: WHO
In 2013, globally, preterm birth complications were responsible for 15 per cent (0.96 million) of deaths in children under five years of age. It is a leading cause of death in neonates (0-27 days after birth). According to WHO, about 15 million babies are born preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) every year. … Continue reading Coverage of antenatal care in India has to be increased: WHO
Preterm births and pneumonia kill most children under five years in India
Of the 6.3 million deaths in children under the age of five years, nearly 44 per cent of deaths during 2000-2013 occurred during the neonatal period (0-27 days after birth). Preterm birth complications, pneumonia and intrapartum-related complications have been found to be the three main causes of death in children globally. The results are … Continue reading Preterm births and pneumonia kill most children under five years in India
‘There is fantastic immunisation coverage in India’
Both child and maternal mortality have reduced by 50 per cent since 1990, and compared with previous decades, the average rate of reduction in child mortality during this decade has more than doubled. Dr. Flavia Bustreo , Assistant Director General at WHO explained to me that the reasons why the Millennium Development Goal ignored newborn mortality reduction … Continue reading ‘There is fantastic immunisation coverage in India’
Fastest decline in child mortality rates witnessed
New data released today (September 16) by the United Nations Organisation show that under-five mortality rates have dropped by 49 per cent between 1990 and 2013. There has been accelerated average annual reduction during this period but overall progress is still short of meeting the global target of two-thirds decrease in under-five mortality by … Continue reading Fastest decline in child mortality rates witnessed
India scores by battling HIV/AIDS but falls short fighting TB and malaria
The global burden and mortality from HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria across the world, and in the developing countries in particular, have dropped significantly since 2000, a report published today (July 24) in The Lancet points out. According to the report, the HIV epidemic appears “smaller than previously estimated,” while in the case of malaria, the … Continue reading India scores by battling HIV/AIDS but falls short fighting TB and malaria
Keeping girls in school cuts child, maternal mortality
“Educate them [girls] and empower them and keep them in school as long as you can and those women are the best agents of change. No question about it,” said Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO answering a question on how to reduce teenage pregnancy at a recently concluded Partners’ Forum conference in Johannesburg. Despite … Continue reading Keeping girls in school cuts child, maternal mortality
Science Chronicle 