1.5 million children in Pakistan are blind. Many from eye diseases which are preventable and treatable. Often children don’t know they have a vision problem because they assume they see […]
South Asia
Chris Baker: Child obesity in India? Tell me something I don’t know!
In recent years an abundance of observational studies have drawn attention to the rising prevalence of child overweight and obesity in India. A recent meta-analysis of studies in South Asia, […]
Soumyadeep Bhaumik’s review of South Asian medical papers—January 2016
“Study the past if you would define the future,” said the great Chinese philosopher Confucius, and what better way to start the year than to look back at what happened […]
Vithika Pande: Lessons from dais—can we learn from traditional systems?
Many attempts have been made recently to better understand the social determinants of health (World Health Organization report “Commission on Social Determinants of Health). However, understanding health from a cultural lens […]
Yogesh Jain: A community based epilepsy programme in India
Many non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are diagnosed in outpatient clinics and hospitals when patients present with acute illnesses. After receiving a diagnosis during the healthcare visit, the chronic management of most […]
Kaaren Mathias: The lack of access to anti-epileptic drugs in rural India
“He says that anti-seizure medications can have serious side effects. That’s why they can’t be stocked in our community health centre,” reports Jeevan, after returning from meeting the medical officer […]
Arun Jithendra on reducing tobacco production in India
India is the third largest tobacco producer and exporter of tobacco globally. Flue Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco, which is used in the manufacturing of cigarettes, is one of the main […]
Meena P: A lack of resources for community health nursing in India
With a shortage of doctors, it is the nurses and other allied health professionals who run the show in many of the primary healthcare settings in India. Nurses make up a […]
Bheemaray Manganavar: Managing hypertension and diabetes in resource poor settings
According to the Diabetes Atlas 2006, the number of people with diabetes in India is currently around 40.9 million and is expected to rise to 69.9 million by 2025. Similarly, […]
Arun Jithendra: Pan masala—a way for the tobacco industry to bypass the gutkha ban?
Gutkha, a chewing tobacco product responsible for oral cancer and several other negative health effects, has been banned in 26 states and six union territories in India since 2011. The […]