Progressive strengthening of public facilities is the only way to reach medical services to the population as a whole. “The best form of providing health protection would be to change the economic system which produces ill health, and to liquidate ignorance, poverty and unemployment. The practice of each individual purchasing his own medical care does not work. It is unjust, inefficient, wasteful and completely outmoded ... In our highly geared, modern...

-PTI   A Jadavpur university professor was arrested today for allegedly posting a cartoon on the internet showing West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in poor light after she forced out Dinesh Trivedi and put Mukul Roy in his place as railway minister.  The arrest of Ambikesh Mohapatra, a chemistry professor, sparked an outrage with opposition CPM and the academic community saying the police action is "highly atrocious" and a "clear assault" on...

Unless data gathering for the Socio Economic and Caste Census is refined, the exercise could cast out the real claimants. Have the census enumerators recently knocked on your door with swanky tablet computers in hand? If they have, it's because they have begun to go door-to-door in most States to complete the final phase of the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC). This mammoth exercise is being coordinated by more than...

Bamboo bows drawn taut and lethal arrow heads catching the sun's glint, the Baigas- a dwindling tribe in the remote jungles of Ranjara in Madhya Pradesh's Dindori district - are standing guard for their gods against whom they consider state-sponsored marauders. These lush jungles have been their homes for generations and Baigas worship trees as gods. Tribal men, women and children now stand guard, armed against axes and saws - ironically,...

Each time 25 year old Salma takes her one year old son Zubair to the Batla Clinic (a private clinic in Delhi) for a shot of the DPT, the cost of transportation and the vaccine adds up to approximately Rs.500.   When it is time for Zubair to take the next immunization dose, Salma may find that the expenses have entirely spiraled out of her reach. New vaccines and expensive brands of baby...