Health News

21.04.2008 Animal Angels Foundation, a Pune-based NGO in western India, works on the unique concept of using pets to bring about emotional stimulation among autistic children. This form of therapy has just begun to take roots and may eventually become part of mainstream healing procedures.

18.04.2008 Female community health workers are saving young lives in the country by providing key services and interventions to pregnant women and children. While Nepal’s success in reducing child mortality puts it on track to achieve Millennium Development Goal 4, neonatal mortality remains a challenge with over 50% less than one month old babies dying.

29.03.2008 Thousands of children in Pakistan succumb to measles every year. All these deaths can be easily prevented with effective immunisation. The government has launched a comprehensive campaign against the disease, which will help protect 63 million children in the country.

28.03.2008 The Slow Food Movement is globally picking pace amidst the fast food culture. Traditional and organic food is healthier, culture-specific and in tandem with one's natural environment, its proponents claim.

19.03.2008 Known as chars in local dialect, these river islands in Bangladesh are home to over 600,000 poor inhabitants, and are prone to acute erosion, flooding and period submersions. Sanitation and access to clean drinking water is particularly calamitous here, say health experts.

13.03.2008 Men who talk about sex are more likely to use condoms consistently. Keeping this in mind India's HIV and AIDS mass media campaign has launched its second contest to get men shed their inhibitions, using a local popular sport. The campaign hopes to reach out to an estimated 48 million men.

04.03.2008 Old habits die hard. Nothing can illustrate this better than the fact that 70% of Pakistan’s rural populace still defecate in the open. The problem of poor sanitation in the country is largely attributed to the lack of awareness and a mindset that refuses to adopt safe toilet habits.

04.03.2008 Experts are of the opinion that partial increase in expenditure in this year’s union budget on health and education is far short of expectations. If India has to achieve universal education and provide affordable health facilities to all its citizens, much more is needed to be done.

03.03.2008 UN Food and Agriculture Organisation is all praise for authorities in India for taking swift and comprehensive steps to curb bird flu in the state of West Bengal. Measures included prompt compensation to farmers, culling of infected chickens and effective collaborations among concerned departments.

22.02.2008 Andhra Pradesh government in southern India will provide cellular phones to rural health workers along with setting up mobile hospitals. In addition, two free caller services for emergency medical help or advice have also been introduced under public-private collaboration.