BHUBANESWAR: Even as Odisha battles with high incidence of diarrhoea among children, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is all set to launch an extensive programme on ‘Management and prevention of childhood diarrhoea’ to combat the menace in the State. The programme would be launched in five districts of Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Kandhamal in association with Unicef and NRHM. These five districts, which are predominantly tribal, have been witnessing frequent outbreaks of cholera over the recent years.

Millions of Indians are facing a new health risk. Increasing water scarcity is forcing farmers to grow vegetables and fodder using untreated sewage waste water across urban and rural cities.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FAAI) has in the past issued several warnings on pesticide residues and crop contaminants, including aflatoxins, patulin and ochratoxin in Indian fruit and vegetables. These pesticides are known to adversely effect the nervous system and can result in lung damage and cancer

BHUBANESWAR: Experts have called for inculcation of proper sanitary and personal hygiene habits among children right from their early age to tackle the menace of enteric diseases. Simple habits and practices like regular washing of hands and taking daily baths can minimise the risk of infections among children.

Two ICDDR,B doctors, also experts in cholera management, returned home Wednesday after a two-week visit to the Horn of African countries —Somalia and Kenya — where they trained more than 50 health professionals, including doctors and nurses, in cholera case management.
Heavy rainfall caused increased fears of a wide- scale cholera outbreak in an already volatile region marred by warfare and subsequent breakdown in basic infrastructure and services.

MADURAI: A week-long inspection by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department at the hostel inside the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) revealed that unhygienic living conditions, poor maintenance of water tanks and supply of contaminated food were to blame for the recent outbreak of diarrhoea among nursing students.

On Thursday, when a team from the department checked the hostel canteen, they found that cool drinks and milk products in the refrigerator were contaminated.

Study claims more than half of them died in the first 28 days of their life

More than 16.8 lakh children under five years died of infectious, but preventable, diseases in India in 2010 and more than half of them could not complete the first month of their life, a new study has claimed. Of the total deaths, 52 per cent, or about 0.875 million, were among the children who died in the first 28 days of their life, according to the study published in The Lancet on Thursday.

Of the 74 districts monitored in February, five reported 189 incidents of child mortality as compared to the preceding month when 157 children died in seven districts.

Also, 51 such deaths were recorded in seven districts in December, says a Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) report issued here on Tuesday.

Child mortality refers to children who died before attaining five years of age.

While on average there were seven deaths per district in December and 22 in January, the month of February had on average 38 children dying before their 5th birthday.

Fruits should be thoroughly washed with fresh/salt water to remove pesticides and other chemicals

Consuming seasonal fruits is one of the best ways to stay healthy when braving scorching summer days. Doctors and dieticians say that fruits provided necessary nutrients while keeping diseases away. But, there is concern over carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents being used to ripen the fruits quickly for higher volume of sales.

HUL Bets on Innovations to Reach Sustainable Goal. Unilever can achieve some of its audacious sustainability targets only if it relies more on product innovation & research, and perhaps less on the mercurial ways of consumers.
NAREN KARUNAKARAN NEW DELHI