Stillborn in Africa: UN pegs number at a million every year

Situation has worsened in 2 decades, may slip further due to COVID-19 pandemic, warns Unicef report

Topping the wrong chart: India has highest number of stillbirths

India recorded 0.34 million stillbirths in 2019; COVID-19 has disrupted health systems and added to the existing burden

Short on paramedics

Hospitals employ untrained staff due to acute shortage of qualified paramedics in the country

Beyond The Billion

If post-Independence leaders of India had ensured full literacy, a solution would have been in sight for a lot of problems. Population, for one. …

COVID-19 damaged cognitive development, lifetime earnings of an entire generation, finds Word Bank

Report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the young, children finds jeopardy to well-being of generations and growth of economies

What is in the Union Budget 2021-22 for children? Not much

The budget continues to deprive pregnant women, lactating mothers and children from vital benefits of schemes and interventions 

Alarming rise in fungal infection cases: PGIMER study

In spite of higher incidence of cases as compared to the West, India lacks infrastructure required for testing of fungal infections

The poverty quibble

Government claims a huge drop in poverty numbers but critical indicators—health, malnutrition and wages—continue to be grim. So how …

'We need to promote the culture of donating breast milk'

Armida Fernandez, founder trustee of Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action, started the first human milk bank in India in 1989 in …

Matter of life and death

Cradles of hope

A recent health survey throws up figures that defy logic. Some districts in India’s nine most backward states have curbed infant mortality …

Simply Put: COVID-19 and students

New UN report gives recommendations to improve human development in Asia-Pacific

Proposes green growth approach, among others

New Religion

The saffron-clad sadhus and former dacoits now find a ritual for social restructuring and acceptance: water harvesting. They are building "…

Poverty high in Ghana, but so is school enrollment

Households claim improvement in living conditions over last 10 years

Overcoming digital divide key to achieving Digital India goal

Those with gender, caste and class privileges enjoy enhanced access to technology & internet, contributing to their progress

Out of favour

Focus on Alphonso has resulted in neglect of native mango varieties grown in the Western Ghats, some of which are on the brink of extinction

Can India be ‘atmanirbhar’ by cutting budget for children

While total allocations to Union budget 2021-22 saw an increase of 14.5%, the share for children declined by 10.8% compared to 2020

A mixed bag

The Bangladesh government sends thin plastic bags packing, but has Dhaka seen the last of them? Pinaki Roy on the ban's efficacy

Why Bihar serves poor quality meals to school kids

There are no guidelines for hygienic preparation and handling of mid-day meals for children; monitoring at local level virtually non-existent

As told to Parliament (March 15, 2023): Only 16% of India’s researchers are women

The total number of women researchers in the country is 56,747

Bihar slashes spending on education and social welfare

Coal-based power receives a major boost in the state budget presented on March 12

Punjab, cancer capital of India

Government survey shows cancer cases in the state exceed national average

Count the natural debt, too

The beacon

Several social groups are trying to restore the link between Hinduism and the environment