CNS

CNS coverage from TB and Poverty sub-working group meeting of the Stop TB Partnership (29-30 October 2010)

CNS provided on-site coverage from TB and Poverty sub-working group meeting of the Stop TB Partnership (29-30 October 2010) held in Gurgaon, India. The secretariat of the TB and poverty sub-working group of the Stop TB Partnership has now moved to the south east Asia regional office of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) since September 2010. Read more

World Diabetes Day is on 14th November
Diabetes, one the four priority non-communicable diseases (NCDs) identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), remains a misunderstood and neglected epidemic with numbers increasing alarmingly in every region of the world. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there are over 300 million people with diabetes worldwide with low- and middle- income countries account for 4 out of 5 cases of diabetes. There are 50.8 million people with diabetes in India and 92.4 million in China . To add fuel to fire, India seems to be at a threshold of an 'outbreak' of obesity, more so in urban Indian cities. Read more

Decreasing hunger, increasing health: Promoting awareness and accessibility to food and care

It is common knowledge that food grains rot and waste in government warehouses while millions of Indians starve or subsist on extremely little. This directly impacts their physical, mental and emotional health and very often their survival. Further, due to the rampant corruption in the public distribution system (PDS), the economically marginalized barely get their due from the 'fair' price shops. The integrated child development scheme (ICDS), anganwaadis, balwadis and government schools which are supposed to provide nourishment along with education, child and health care, are gradually heading the same way. Read more

With the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health hardly two weeks ahead of us, the issues which emerged at the 39th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Paris, France, where CNS was present, are worth re-visiting. With 50% of all deaths from lung disease linked to tobacco use, control of the tobacco related substances was high on the agenda of the 39th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Paris, France (2007). This year 2010, is also declared as Year of the Lung. Read more

Piles to Smiles book launched

Treating Piles without surgery is a reality now. With latest techniques and competent well-trained staff, getting relief from haemorrhoids (or piles) without surgical incision is a possibility. Patient's hospital stay is very brief, and clinical outcome outstanding. Noted Lucknow Surgeon Professor (Dr) Rama Kant who is a faculty at the forthcoming XII Annual Conference of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), Haryana Chapter, and Northern Region CME of ASI in Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, will also deliver a guest lecture on managing haemorrhoids (piles) without surgery by DGHAL/RAR technique. Read more

Alarm on diabetic foot: "People with diabetes take care of feet"

Prof (Dr) Rama Kant awarded Jharkhand Presidential Oration on diabetic foot
Professor (Dr) Rama Kant was awarded the prestigious Presidential Oration by Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) Jharkhand in Hazaribagh on 24th October. Prof (Dr) Rama Kant is currently the Managing Director of Piles to Smiles Clinic at Rama Consultations and Training Centre (RCTC), C-block crossing, Indira Nagar and also the Professor-Director at SIPS Hospital, Shahmina Road. He is the former Head of Surgery Dept, CSMMU (erst KGMC) and former Chief Medical Superintendent of Gandhi Memorial and Associated Hospitals, CSMMU. Read more

Dr Prakit Vathisathokit

During the 10th International Week of Resistance to Tobacco Transnationals (IWR) during 4-8 October 2010, civil society groups from around the world told the world: how tobacco industry interferes in the implementation of the global tobacco treaty, formally known as the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Thailand, was one of the countries where veteran tobacco control stalwarts like Professor (Dr) Prakit Vathisathokit, shared how tobacco industry interferes in the implementation of global tobacco treaty and also in enforcing their domestic tobacco control policies in the country. Prof (Dr) Prakit is the Executive Secretary of ASH Thailand. Read more

National Alliance of
People's Movements (NAPM)

National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) is organizing its Eighth Biennial Convention in the Narmada Valley, at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, from 24-26 October 2010. Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), which is entering in 25th year of struggle, and is one of the founding members of NAPM will be hosting the convention this time. The journey that started in 1992 and took the shape of NAPM in 1996 has today reached a critical stage. Read more

24 Oct: UN Day

24 October is UN Day

On the anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations (UN) Charter on 24 October 1945, (UN Day), and to mark the UN Disarmament Week (24-30 October 2010), the key question to measure effectiveness of such initiatives is: will the governments of countries, say in regions like Asia, begin to act upon in a way so as to strengthen democracy and scale up disarmament? Read more

State Journalists' body resents atrocities on media

Uttar Pradesh (UP) State Accredited Correspondent Committee (UPSACC) expressed its strong resentment during the press briefing of the Home Department at media Centre before Home Secretary Dipak Kumar and ADG (Law and Order) Mr Brij Lal over police attack on the Kanpur office of the Hindustan Times and Dainik Hindustan, illegal detention of the mother of Yashwant Singh, Editor, Bhadas4media.com, at Nandganj Police Station of Ghazipur District, and no action taken against Imam Bukhari who thrashed a journalist in police presence during his press conference. Mr Brij Lal assured action in all the three issues raised at this meet. Read more

KANPUR: The activists of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Asha Parivar and Lok Rajniti Manch, have strongly condemned the attack by police on the offices of Hindustan Times and Dainik Hindustan in Kanpur. Instead of the police acting against those responsible for the alleged sexual assault and death of the child, police is harassing media agencies like HT that have boldly come out in support of justice for the child, said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and member, national presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch. Read more

Tallinn, Estonia: The call for a better, integrated approach to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) care has been getting louder worldwide in the past years. Equally, in terms of advocacy integration of the two diseases is gradually growing. People living with HIV speaking up on TB increasingly help put tuberculosis higher on the agenda. Read more

2010 is Year of the Lung

Lung diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, killing more than 10 million people each year. With a view to focus on the importance of breathing, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), celebrated the first World Spirometry Day on 14 October 2010, to raise awareness of the toll of suffering and death caused by lung disease – and to promote spirometry as a simple test that can reveal early warning signs of it. Read more

Urging media to help focus the attention of society on the inhuman practice of manual scavenging, UNICEF Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialist Mr Amit Mehrotra, said that, proper and sustained sanitation drives will surely help in eradication of many killer diseases, including diarrhea, typhoid, jaundice and most importantly polio. Read more

Dili: A greater number of new positive Tuberculosis (TB) cases are being detected now in Timor-Leste compared to nine years ago. Of these new cases, about 85% are being successfully treated. Timor Leste’s TB burden was first recorded in 1995 and averaged 707 cases per 100,000 of its population. Today it stands at 378 cases per 100,000 of its population. Read more

Comic book explains TB vaccine clinical trial

[To read the full comic book, click here]

TALLINN, ESTONIA: Finding participants for clinical trials is one of the challenges in the development of new vaccines against tuberculosis (TB). The South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) recently launched a new means to reach out to communities where trials take place: a comic book. Read more

Buddha looked at the water and then he looked up at the disciple and said,"See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be, and the mud settled down on its own - and you have clear water. Your mind is like that too! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time.... it will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless." Read more

This year's 10th International Week of Resistance to Tobacco Transnationals (10th IWR), which began on Monday, the 4th of October was kick started by Tobacco industry watchdog, Corporate Accountability International, Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) and its allies, releasing a new report documenting widespread tobacco industry interference in the implementation of the global tobacco treaty (formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - WHO FCTC). The IWR Week is part of the ongoing efforts to bring together anti-tobacco groups to expose industry obstructionism in implementing tobacco control policies in countries around the globe. It provides an opportunity for the global community to speak out in solidarity. Read more

On the occasion of the World Mental Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching its Mental Health Gap Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) this year on 7th of October which will be the inception of the implementation phase as well. World Mental Health Day is on 10 October and it raises public awareness about mental health issues. Read more

Babs Verblackt wrote on issues around the tuberculosis (TB) vaccines, on-site from the 2nd Global Forum on TB Vaccines, in Tallinn, Estonia (21-24 September 2010). Babs is freelance journalist, a Fellow of CNS Writers' Bureau and Associate Communications at TuBerculosis Vaccine Initiative – TBVI). Read more

National Alliance of
People's Movements (NAPM)

Narmada valley is facing yet another crisis beyond the gigantic dams, which has arisen due to the huge canal network of the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar canals. The canals of these two dams are not yet fully planned, yet certain estimates, which are not yet final by the Narmada Valley Development Authority show that not less than 10,000 hectares of agricultural land is to be acquired, but a larger acquisition is yet to come up in numerous villages, where even a basic socio-economic survey of the affected land and families is yet to be undertaken. Read more

Tallinn, Estonia: While progress is being made in the development of new vaccines against tuberculosis (TB), sufficient clinical trial capacity remains a major challenge, researchers reaffirmed at the Second Global Forum on TB Vaccines in Tallinn, Estonia (21-24 September 2010). Read more

Clinic manned by MSM doctors
providing medical aid to Kothis in Lucknow

Having faced ages of neglect, denial and invisibility, "Kothis" (feminised males) are now being mobilized by groups like 'Bharosa' in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (India) to be empowered and demonstrate leadership in reaching out within their community for increasing access to essential services including HIV prevention, care, treatment and support services. They are routinely encouraged to practice safer sexual practices and protect themselves from any kind of abuse or exploitation. Read more

Photo credit:
Deepak Srinivasan, Maraa

In August 2008, one of the worst communal genocide attempts on the Christian community occurred in Orissa's Kandhamal district, among India's poorest places. Over 100 people including women, differently-abled, children, Adivasis and Dalits were killed. 3 women were gang raped and many were injured. 295 churches were destroyed. Educational and medical institutions were not spared. 15,000 fearful and threatened survivors who cannot return to their villages unless they convert to Hinduism are still living in tents. Read more

The theme for the World Diabetes Day 2009-2013 campaigns is: "Diabetes Education and Prevention"; with a view to "Understand Diabetes and Take Control". Diabetes, mainly type-2 diabetes is very common in India and there are 50.8 million people living with diabetes currently in the country. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates this number to rise to 70 million by the year 2025. So there is an urgent need for a national diabetes control programme. Read more

We Indians have a tendency to delve in the past and then either gloat over it or cry over it. We love to waste time and energy, reminiscing about the yesteryears, with scant thoughts of improving our present and future. We do not let 'Bygones be Bygones', but rather cling to them in a sadistic sort of way. It rarely occurs to us to learn lessons from the past mistakes in order to improve upon our present. What’s the point in revelling about India being the land of ‘milk and honey’ in the eras gone by, when the present chaos (compounded by hunger and violence) promises to get worse with every passing day? Read more

Tallinn, Estonia: Tuberculosis (TB) is considered a major public health issue by decision makers, yet commonly doesn't get the place of importance it needs as a health care priority. These are the preliminary results of a study presented at the Second Global Forum on TB Vaccines in Tallinn, Estonia, on Wednesday, 22 September 2010. Read more

New effective TB vaccine would be 'game changer'

Tallinn, Estonia: Despite progress made in recent years, tuberculosis (TB) remains a challenge for the world, participants heard at the special opening session of the Second Global Forum on TB Vaccines in Tallinn, Estonia. New vaccines could make a significant difference. Read more

Justice Jha Commission Case: Jabalpur HC seeks full assistance of Chief Secretary

A Special Bench of Justice Shri K K Lahoti and Justice Shri Ajit Singh issued directions to the Chief Secretary of the Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) to personally ensure full assistance to the Court on all issues pertaining to the Justice Jha Commission of Inquiry which has been investigating into the massive corruption of a few hundred crore rupees in the rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar Project affected oustees. Read more

"Child protection is a way of ensuring that children, under-privileged children in particular, are brought under a safety net umbrella. It is a system under which the most unwanted child is ensured the warmth of security, and full enjoyment of the basic rights," said Ratna Saxena, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) consultant, UNICEF. Read more

UN High Level Summit On Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

With just a year to go, the countdown to the UN Summit on Non Communicable Diseases (to be held in September, 2011 in Brussels) has already begun. The Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Alliance, (consisting of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), World Heart Federation, Union for International Cancer Control, and the International Union for Tuberculosis and Lung Disease - The Union) is gearing up to play a prominent role in this movement to drive home strong outcomes. It is a unique alliance representing the four priority NCDs (cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases) identified by WHO, and has more than 880 member organizations in over 170 countries and territories. Read more

ASEAN health advocates push for sustainable funding mechanisms for health promotion and tobacco control

Tobacco control and other health advocates from 15 countries around the Southeast Asian and Western

Pacific regions, North America and Europe recently held a regional workshop in Hanoi, Vietnam, to strengthen capacity for health promotion and tobacco control through sustainable funding mechanisms such as dedicated tobacco taxes. The Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH) co-hosted the meeting with the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO-WPRO) and the Bangkok-based Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA). Read more