COVID-19 & the ‘Dharavi Model’: Reportage from the ground

Down To Earth hit the ground to see how the densely populated Dharavi was tackling the pandemic. This 3-part series delves into …

Antibacterial resistance: Microbial rebellion

Rampant use of antibiotics is changing the character of bacteria and making them resistant. Curing diseases is becoming difficult leading to …

Bulk of India’s COVID-19 cases and deaths concentrated in 20 cities: Study

Tourism, better air connectivity and high population density major causes behind urban areas being hubs of COVID-19

COVID-19: The novel pandemic may extract a heavy human cost

It was foretold, but we never believed that a crumbling infrastructure in the wealthy world would make all of us victims

Arsenic: Lurking in the shadows across Ganga, Brahmaputra basins

As the geography of arsenic contamination spreads, there is an urgent need for governments to reorient mitigation measures. That’s because …

WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo a global health emergency

The declaration was made after case was registered in Goma city, which shares a border with Rwanda

Tackling ‘hidden hunger’: Strategies to combat micronutrient deficiencies

In the face of the global hidden hunger crisis, it is imperative that we address the micronutrient deficiencies that silently erode our health  

Kenya: Ruto proposes insurance reforms for universal health coverage; evokes mixed responses

The proposal will replace the current contribution system with a flat rate of 2.75 per cent of contributors’ gross salary

Bird flu pandemic threat as high as in 1997; focus on wild bird migration routes, say experts

Experts urge investment in developing newer generation vaccines based on mRNA technology 

Prevention better than cure: Why World Bank bats for One Health to combat pandemics

Report finds cost of prevention a third of fighting off pandemic as pace of emerging infectious outbreaks increase

World Health Summit: Global leaders pledge $2.5 billion for polio eradication

2022-2026 strategy to end polio needs $4.8 billion   

How dosage of fever drugs has again highlighted nexus of pharma firms, doctors

No regulation on marketing strategies by drug companies has created a medical autocracy, the Dolo-650 controversy shows

No integration in India’s disease data collection systems: Niti Aayog

White paper highlights several lacunae including shortage of human resources, occupational health, surveillance; suggests series of measures …

COVID-19: A global survey shows worrying signs of vaccine hesitancy

Only 46.3% of Nigerians said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine. This was slightly higher than the results found in Spain, Sweden, …

COVID-19 holds lessons for South Africa’s universal healthcare plans

The country’s health system will need rehab post-COVID-19 to overcome divisions and build a national health system from the bottom up

The DRC is on the road to being Ebola free: how it got here

At the beginning of March the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced that the last Ebola patient had been discharged from a …

Measles outbreaks show legal challenges of balancing personal rights and public good

Health officials must protect citizens from communicable diseases, but within the legal framework

Africa's non-communicable disease burden likely to worsen without political will

Africa has the resources and support to tackle non-communicable diseases; all it requires is political will to seize the opportunity

Why 275,000 National Health Mission workers have been protesting for 3 years

National Health Mission workers are up in arms, demanding salary and perks at par with the government's regular staff

Why we should test everyone's genes to predict disease

If a test could reveal the diseases you and your family might be more likely to get, would you get it?

WHO to discuss Zika impact on Rio Olympics next week

Concern over the spread of the disease is growing with athletes pulling out of the event and scientists writing to WHO to move or postpone the Games

Disease caused by reduced blood supply to heart now biggest health scare in India

Ischemic heart disease is biggest reason for deteriorating health of men as well as women, says a study

Learning from COVID-19: Here’s what is needed to prepare for the next global health emergency

A new pandemic may already be on the horizon as highly pathogenic avian influenza is raising growing alarm

Health must be fast-tracked for 2030

The world needs more and better skilled health workers to attain the SDG targets and continue to foster global health beyond 2030

WHO: Off-track progress in Africa could kill 70,000 cervical cancer patients

26 countries have introduced HPV vaccine, but just 31% girls under 15 received its first dose in 2022 in the African region