WHO published its World health statistics report 2025, revealing the deeper health impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on loss of lives, longevity and overall health and well-being. In just two years, between 2019 and 2021, global life expectancy fell by 1.8 years—the largest drop in recent history— reversing a …
Lead poisoning is a much greater threat to the health of children than previously understood reveals this new analysis released by the UNICEF today. According this 1 in 3 children – up to approximately 800 million globally – have blood lead levels at or above 5 micrograms per decilitre (µg/dL) …
The sex ratio at birth (SRB) in India has become more masculine in the recent decades. The imbalance in sex ratios stems from strong son preference combined with declining fertility, and the availability of and access to sonographic scanning during pregnancy. The practice of gender biased sex selection continues even …
The discovery of diagnoses and treatments that could save or improve lives requires access to large data sets, but such access has historically been blocked by variations in data security, patient privacy and data interoperability issues globally. Over the course of two years, the World Economic Forum led the Breaking …
The new UN report examines how COVID-19 has affected eleven countries in South-East Asia and proposes action-oriented recommendations on mitigating immediate impacts and planning pathways out of the crisis.The uneven landscape of social protection systems has placed tackling inequality at the centre of both short and long-term recovery efforts, according …
The device called “AJO-Neo” is developed by Professor Samir K. Pal &his group at S.N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata, an autonomous research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. According to the study conducted by the SNBNCBS team in NRS medical …
Coronavirus is changing the face of hunger across the world, according to a report published by the United Nations. The UN’s ‘Policy Brief on COVID-19 in an Urban World’, confirms fears that cities are on the front lines of the current rise in acute hunger. The new “epicentre” of the …
The COVID‑19 crisis is affecting everyone, but women and girls are being differently impacted and could face disproportionate economic, health and social risks. These gender-differentiated socio-economic risks must be recognized for an effective COVID-19 response and recovery. This in-depth checklist can be used to guide UNDP Country Offices, UN sister …
The COVID-19 crisis has thrown into sharp focus the importance of digital connectivity in daily life. As many countries underwent lockdown periods, digital infrastructure was critical to mitigate the impact of stay-at-home restrictions. Connectivity players have contributed by taking short-term actions to ensure continued access during the crisis. More importantly, …
The Asian Development Bank conducted a Philippine enterprise survey from 28 April to 15 May 2020 to gauge the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the business community. Questions focused on production, finance, workforce, supply chains, and other issues. The survey also asked about the support measures needed …
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region faces an unprecedented triple threat to food security caused by the combined effects of recent severe floods, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and an upsurge of desert locusts. Additionally, there is an increased risk of below-average rains during the upcoming October to December season …
This paper aims, first, to estimate the short-run behavioural, social and environmental impacts of air travel reductions due to COVID-19, and, second, to explore the potential for different policy measures to curb demand and reduce carbon dioxide emissions beyond the lifetime of the pandemic with minimal impacts on welfare. Focusing …
In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, while it is of paramount importance to provide early diagnosis and treatment to all infected individuals, it is also critical to promote research and development for larger public health benefit. For development and validation of new diagnostics, therapeutics or vaccines, access to different …
The objective of this case study is to share Ghana's experience related to the national social behavioural change communication (SBCC) campaign that was launched to promote the consumption of locally produced specialized nutritious foods (SNFs) and other locally available nutritious foods. The SBCC strategy, which was a part of a …
The COVID-19 crisis that has engulfed the world during 2020 challenges children’s education, care and well-being. Many parents struggle to balance their responsibilities for childcare and paid employment, with a disproportionate burden placed on women. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation of families had been described as ‘a global …
POSHAN Abhiyaan, or National Nutrition Mission, is the Government of India’s flagship program to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Launched in 2018, it strives to reduce the levels of stunting, undernutrition, anaemia and low birth weight babies and address the problem of malnutrition in a …
The latest survey on household social consumption related to health was conducted by the National Statistical Office during the period July 2017 to June 2018, as a part of 75th round of National Sample Survey (NSS).The main objective of this survey was to gather basic quantitative information on the health …
Based on information from 25 countries of operation, Action Against Hunger is highly alarmed at how COVID-19 is impacting food and health systems and its impact on people. This report further examines how COVID-19 exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, more specifically with regards to food and nutrition security as well as access …
This revision-4 of guidelines issued to provide revised guidance on segregation of general solid waste and biomedical waste from quarantine centers/home-care/healthcare facilities treating COVID-19 patients and to recommend on disposal of PPEs. Healthcare Facilities having isolation wards including temporary Healthcare Facilities like rail coach wards, COVID Care Centers etc. for …
Genomic data collection is accelerating in historically understudied and excluded populations. The information will fill knowledge gaps, spur medical discoveries and lead to more targeted and appropriate care; however, it comes with significant risk if ungoverned. Insufficient genomic data policies expose communities to the risk that certain actors will extract …
The present report, submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 73/142, provides an overview of the situation of persons with disabilities, including in the light of the global response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, recovery and building back better towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable world. The adverse impact of …
