Health News - India Together

ODD-EVEN FORMULA
With road rationing, Delhi fights air pollution

Delhi, infamous for high air pollution, has been experimenting with odd-even formula by curbing the movement of private vehicles from Jan 1st. After one week of the execution of the programme, there is no visible change in the pollution level. Will road rationing help to reduce the pollution level or does Delhi need much more action to control the pollution, writes Akshatha M.

Government opinions Environment

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EYE CAMP FIASCO

Why must only the poor suffer?
In Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, people lost their sight after botched up cataract surgeries. Was it because the organizers, the medical and paramedical staff of the district hospital did not take necessary steps? Or was the quality of medication used questionable? Or, because the victims are too marginalised and too poor to protest? Asks Shoma Chatterji.

Public Health Poverty Madhya Pradesh

WORLD AIDS DAY FEATURE

Surviving stigma: HIV care and the aftermath
Much has been said about India’s success in containing the spread of the AIDS epidemic. But can it build on the progress so far and ensure that survivors receive the dignity and social security they need? Pushpa Achanta’s conversations on the eve of World AIDS Day aren’t heartening.

AIDS Health Laws and Governance

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

How long before we can address mental health issues humanely
On World Mental Health Day, Pushpa Achanta shares the struggle of some mental illness survivors she met recently and hopes that our nation's Mental Health Program is implemented by the government earnestly.

SANITATION & HYGIENE

Slum dwellers in Assam suffer from poor sanitation and hygiene
Sanitary conditions in most of the slum areas in Assam are abysmal. Ignorance about cleanliness, lack of water supply and proper working toilets, absence of covered drainage and sewage, and no action from the local and state government are to be blamed for the mess, reports Nilotpal Bhattacharjee.

Urban Sanitation ASSAM

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

Why rural girls need more than just sanitary napkins
Handing out non-biodegradable sanitary pads to rural school girls who have reached menarche will not address their menstrual hygiene issue. Clean and functional toilets with water supply, awareness about menstruation, economical and biodegradable pads and more is needed, finds Puja Awasthi.

Girls' Education Women's Health

ACCESS TO HEALTH

Nowhere near to being a healthy nation
The out-of-pocket health expenditure by the poor is spiraling and the government spending on public health care is reducing. The existing public health programes and insurance schemes are failing; private health care sector is not properly regulated; Shambhu Ghatak finds the health of our nation worrisome.

Health Laws and Governance

DISABILITY IN DELHI

In the national capital, no policy for Persons with Disabilities
The Comptroller and Auditor General performance audit of the social welfare schemes for Persons with Disabilities run by the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Delhi, covering the years from 2009 to 2014, which got tabled recently brought forth some shocking facts, writes Himanshu Upadhyaya.

Disability DELHI

TOILETS FOR ALL

India’s sanitation puzzle: Missing the complete picture?
The focus on ending open defecation and ensuring a toilet in every home is a limited one. Lasting success will require a much larger focus on sanitation, writes Aditya Bhol.

Waste Urban Poor

PRIVATE HEALTHCARE

Is your blood sample flowing down the laboratory sink?
Unnecessary tests, forced hospitalisations to meet the targets set for employed physicians, and the infamous but real ‘sink test’: the shocking realities in the private healthcare sector are many, as Pavan Kulkarni finds out at a panel discussion on the issue. Is more regulation the need of the hour?

People Society

MAGGI CONTROVERSY

Food Safety: The devil could be elsewhere!
As the country boils over in outrage against Nestle following the detection of dangerous levels of lead in its popular Maggi brand, Sarika Agarwal takes an objective look at the possible real sources of contamination and the core issues related to food safety.

Environment Laws

MEDICAL CORRUPTION

When an honest doctor chose to give up medical practice
Tales of medical malpractice and its impact on patients are all too common in India. But what does the culture of corruption mean for one who wishes to remain true to the noble profession that he had chosen for himself? Pavan Kulkarni finds out.

Health Laws and Governance People

PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARD

Coal energy and pollution: Can communities fight the threat?
A recent workshop in Karnataka focused on the health impact of coal-based power plants and other industrial pollutants and shared valuable inputs on how to empower local communities to combat the same. Shripad Dharmadhikary reports.

Energy Environmental Hazards Public Health

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