“It is dirty everywhere”, this is how Amish Das describes his home: Boragaon, a landfill site which sprawls across 94 acres of wetland in Guwahati City in northeastern Assam. Amish, whose story was recounted in a feature for The Independent last year, has lived in Boragaon his entire life. His living is made through scavenging, […]
Landfill garbage dumping trashes Indians’ health Read More »
India’s vast shipyards rake in nearly a billion dollars a year for the country. Here, decommissioned ships are sent from across the globe to be broken down for parts or scrapped. However, is this industry built at the expense of the health and lives of its workers? Alang-Sosiya in Gujarat is the largest of these
The health crisis in India’s shipyards Read More »
Indian innovation will benefit from a US$125 million loan from the World Bank. This follows an agreement signed by the Indian government and the World Bank’s investment arm, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The loan will target India’s biopharmaceutical and medical devices sectors through the ‘Innovate in India for Inclusiveness’ project, also
Indian biotech, vaccines and device industries get World Bank cash Read More »
Topical steroid creams can no longer be sold over the counter in India. This is per a notification issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), banning the sale of fourteen topical steroid creams and ointments without prescription. The ban comes after dermatologists raised concerns that overuse of such creams is leading to
No topical steroid creams without prescription, says Centre Read More »
India’s environmental performance is one of the worst in the world. On environmental health, it’s the worst. A global index places India 177th place in a list of 180 countries ranked on their environmental performance. Only the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bangladesh and Burundi place lower. The Economic Performance Index (EPI) measures rankings against
Why is India worst in the world for environmental health? Read More »
A controversial tobacco ruling has been stayed by India’s Supreme Court, leading public health advocates to rejoice – and the tobacco industry to fume. Last year, the Karnataka High Court (KHC) ruled against a Union health ministry directive which said pictorial health warnings had to cover 85 percent of the display area on tobacco product
Tobacco control rule back in force after Supreme Court stays KHC repeal Read More »
In a remarkable feat of Indian innovation, electrocardiograms (ECGs) may now become more readily available to those in rural environments. This has the potential diagnose many people who would otherwise unknowingly suffer from heart conditions, without the need to travel to specialist hospitals. Scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center — a group of individuals
Credit card-sized ECG: An Indian innovation Read More »
One of India’s leading cancer specialists has called for an investigation into the country’s tobacco lobby; its influence over the government; and efforts to derail the country’s tobacco control efforts. A full-scale inquiry Kailash Sharma – academic director of the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai (and a member of an NGO anti-tobacco coalition) – wrote
“So we have written to the government”: Doctors fight back against Big Tobacco Read More »
Paid menstrual leave is gaining popularity among companies in India. However, debate continues over whether it is a progressive or regressive policy. A number of Indian companies now allow women to take paid leave for dysmenorrhea, or period pain. Culture Machine, Magzter and Mathrumbi are among the firms to have taken this step in recent
Paid menstrual leave in India: Progress? Read More »
A lot of the research conducted by the team at Health Issues India has revolved around carrying out semi-structured, in-depth interviews with policymakers and bureaucrats who are a part of the landscape of the healthcare sector in India. Over the last year, a lot of stakeholders have expressed their concerns about the “Make in India” concept
“Make in India Week” in Mumbai Read More »