Become iron woman, eat veggies

The beauty & beast of malnutrition

Lack of governance, not figure-conscious girls, behind undernourished Gujarat

Money matters

At the entrance of the district hospital in Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand, the photographer with me was threatened that her sunglasses would be crushed. Reason: she had wished a baby girl for 22-year-old Suneeta Pawar who was in labour. Rakhi Devi, Suneeta’s sister-in-law and a mother of four girls, threatened her with determination. “We already have five girls in the house. My sister-in-law also has a girl. We do not want more girls,” Rakhi said defending her wish for a boy.

Health goals of 11th Five-Year Plan unmet. 12th Plan hopes to achieve them

A recently released report of the Planning Commission's working group on National Rural Health Mission shows the government has been unable to meet the health goals set by the 11th Five-Year Plan. The group submitted its report for the Twelfth Five-Year Plan recently. The report scrutinised whether targets were met under the 11th Five-Year Plan, in an effort to guide the next plan starting April 2012.

India set to grow biofortified crop

INDIA will soon be the first country to commercially cultivate biofortified pearl millet, or bajra. The crop has been biofortified to improve its iron and zinc nutrients, and will be released in 2012 by HarvestPlus, a global alliance of research and implementing agencies.

Worms can be good for kids

SEVERE anaemia is the major cause of death in malaria patients.

The iron bar

DESPITE a 40-year national programme to mitigate its prevalence, anaemia remains the second most common cause of maternal deaths in India. Since 1970, government doctors have been recommending iron and folic acid tablets to pregnant women—and distributing them free—to combat anaemia.

Me likes what me likes

Anaemic people might not get what they need from folic acid supplements

Nutrition challenge

Glaxo pulls out anti-malaria drugs

pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline is recalling its malaria drug Lapdap and has discontinued development of another malaria drug, Dacart, saying the drugs can lead to anaemia in some patients. Experts say the move is a setback to fight the disease.