THE 1993 World Development Report (WDR) was subtitled ‘Investing in Health’ and advanced the argument that better health outcomes facilitate economic development.1 Even if one contests the direction of causation, correlation between better health outcomes and higher levels of economic development is not in doubt.

Interview with Satyen Gangaram Pitroda on technology mission on immunization.

The success of smallpox eradication in the mid-1970s drew attention to the immunization programme in India. The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), developed for immunizing children during the first year of life was launched in 1978 mainly in the urban areas. Through the subsequent years, more vaccines were included in the programme, e.g. OPV in 1979 and the vaccine to immunize pregnant mothers with tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine in 1983.

As both a doctor and a public health professional, I am transfixed by one compelling question: Why are public health issues and debates so often limited to just doctors and those with abbreviations like MBBS, MD, MS or MPH added to their names? Does the ambit of health not extend to other areas of specialization and expertise?

India has just won a landmark victory in the long-drawn-out war on polio. Fourteen months have gone since 13 January 2011 without a single case of polio caused by wild poliovirus (WPV). But how sure are we that in this vast country, with about 125 million under-five children and a poorly performing health management system, there is no case of wild virus polio? Rest assured, India’s polio eradication project is a shining example of how India can pull itself together, even without a robust infrastructure, and solve ad hoc, specific problems. India has really eliminated WPVs.

It has been 35 years since 1977, when the world observed the last recorded case of naturally occurring smallpox. We had finally defeated a disease that had devastated mankind for centuries. It was a critical victory for the many doctors, scientists and health workers who laboured tirelessly to eradicate this terrible disease. It clearly demonstrated what a resolute immunization campaign could accomplish with support from the global community and local governments. However, most of all, it was a validation of one of greatest advances in modern medicine – vaccines.

Money comes into Mysore, especially for real estate transactions, not only through legal, banking channels but also in gunny bags, and that has been a common practice. Real estate transactions, with the exception of new apartments purchased from builders, generally include both a legal white money payment through a bank instrument, and a black money component of cash. This flow of money into Mysore has been a constant feature of the last decade, and has mostly involved the real estate and construction industry. Consider this proposition.

The National Advisory Council (NAC) which was entrusted with the task of formulating the first draft of the proposed National Food Security Act (NFSA) finally came out with its recommendations.

There are a number of issues that need to be debated about India’s urbanization. While the popular perception is that of a deluge of migrants into urban areas, others (I among them) are concerned that our urbanization is too slow.

American and Indian corporates upset by the provisions of India’s civil nuclear liability law