-IBNLive.com Earlier in the month of April 2015, our country accomplished a formidable feat. In the first round of Mission Indradhanush, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, more than 50 lakh doses of vaccines were administered, free of cost, to nearly 20 lakh children and 6 lakh pregnant women. To put numbers into perspective, in a span of 7 days, more children were vaccinated in our country...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Centre is set to announce a scheme for providing free diagnostic tests, including several blood tests, x-rays and advanced CT scans, for those visiting public health facilities. Private service providers will be roped in wherever required. While the idea of providing free diagnostics has been hailed by all those aware of it, health economists and public health experts expressed concern over outsourcing the tests to...

-Down to Earth Over the years, research has shown there is an association between El Nino and deficient rainfall in India According to a few recent weather forecasts, the world is headed for an El Nino event. The recent data shown by Australian Bureau of Meteorology shows that the tropical Pacific has continued to warm in the past week and the sea surface temperatures now exceed El Niño thresholds and trade winds...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The National Monitoring Committee for midday meal (MDM) scheme that met on Tuesday was told there are areas of serious concerns with the flagship programme. For instance, it was pointed out there is unavailability of eating plates in most of the schools. Report by various Monitoring institutions (MIs) also said there is a delay in delivering cooking costs from state to school, cook-cum-helpers were getting irregular...

-International Institute for Environment and Development Blog In India, slum and pavement dwellers' organisations have designed and managed a programme of community toilets and washing facilities that are used by hundreds of thousands of households. Guest blogger Sheela Patel describes how this was achieved. Ongoing Monitoring of communal toilets has helped to improve design: here, smaller toilets for children are included in adult toilet blocks. Previously children's facilities were in separate buildings...