Full Coverage: Health

05/12/2008 Twenty-two Nobel Prize winners have written a letter to Indian prime minister and president for the release of Dr Binayak Sen, a public health and civil rights activist. There will be protests in several cities of India and the world to mark the first anniversary of his detention on May 14.

05/12/2008 Experts warn that non-availability of fresh drinking water, tardy relief work and health care measures are pushing the cyclone-hit Myanmar towards a major public health catastrophe. Inflexibility of military in not allowing most foreign aid workers is only adding to the woes of affected people.

05/09/2008 In Nepal, many women and children live with HIV/AIDS passed on to them by their husbands and fathers. UNICEF is helping them by taking care of their treatment and arranging for education of their children.

05/08/2008 The latest health report of international organisation Save the Children says 83% of all child deaths worldwide happen in 55 developing countries, including India. By pursuing right policies and targeting the poorest families, the governments can easily prevent these child mortalities.

05/08/2008 Increasing use of information communication technology by doctors in European countries has brought about massive improvement in healthcare services in the region. It is now being suggested that areas such as tele-monitoring, electronic prescriptions and cross-border e-health services need further development.

05/08/2008 Lavatories...homeopathy...What are the best and worst ideas in the history of medicine? Join the online debate.

05/07/2008 Considered a taboo and anti-Islamic during Taliban regime, condom usage in Afghanistan is slowly increasing. The government however feels a need to boost its demand to achieve public health targets on STD prevention and reduction in maternal mortality.

05/06/2008 Traditional midwives or dais have been overlooked by India’s National Rural Health Mission that focuses solely on institutional delivery. In a country having the highest maternal mortality rate and collapsing rural health care, there is a need to integrate these women in public health programmes.

05/05/2008 Hot weather and lack of safe drinking water have led to a severe spate in diarrohea cases in Bangladesh. According to health experts, poverty, rising food prices and low levels of awareness on sanitation are driving people to eat cheap contaminated food.

05/02/2008 The US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 has left an indelible impact on country’s health and environment. Scientists believe that rising incidence of diseases and birth defects in Afghan children are attributed to the weapons used by the American forces containing depleted uranium.

05/01/2008 As May 1st commemorates the late 19th century workers’ protests for rights, it becomes vital to take a look at occupational safety and health of workers today, vital to the dignity of work. More than 2 million people die every year from work-related accidents, deaths or diseases globally, says the latest ILO report.

05/01/2008 Rural health practioners in Alaska are being facilitated through videoconferencing to cater to the needs of the mentally ill. Through lectures and consultations, the health providers will build their technical skills related to nutrition and surgeries.

05/01/2008 For N.Nandadevi, a dedicated health activist in Manipur in north-eastern India, mere counseling on HIV/AIDS is not enough to tackle the fatal disease. A believer in pragmatic solutions, she distributes disposable syringes among drug users to prevent transmission through shared needles.