-The Hindu ‘Most cancer deaths are preventable if detected early' Contrary to the perception that cancer mortality is higher in urban areas, a recent study published in The Lancet said the death rate is similar in both urban and rural areas. The study, pointing to an interpretation that literacy can prevent cancer deaths, said mortality rates were two times higher in the least-educated than in the most-educated adults. Conducted between 2001 and 2003 —...

BHOPAL: The sterilization fiasco in Madhya Pradesh refuses to die down. Lamenting the decision of making his wife undergo sterilization two months ago, a 35-year-old man, father of six daughters committed suicide in Betul district on Wednesday. His wife, who went under the scalpel in February, alleged that her husband was promised a plot of land and cash by the panchayat secretary and sarpanch of the village in exchange for the...

-PTI Amendments to a bill meant to check sexual harassment of women in the workplace failed to get the Union cabinet’s nod today as several ministers frowned on certain provisions. Sources said the Sexual Harassment of women in the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redress) Bill was referred to a group of ministers headed by Union home minister P. Chidambaram. Human resource development minister Kapil Sibal and woman and child development minister Krishna...

The Vidarbha region of Maharashtra which has gained notoriety for its farm suicides, is also reporting a high incidence of child deaths. Data compiled under the Right to Information (RTI) Act shows that in Yavatmal district alone 565 children below five died due to various causes between January and September 2011. In addition, the district reported 489 still births for the same period. Yavatmal is second only to Amravati district which...

Do psychiatry patients have the right to access records of their treatment? While the Central Information Commission (CIC) directed a mental health Hospital to provide this information to a patient, the Hospital has moved court citing confidentiality. The Delhi High Court has given the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) a stay order against disclosing the information till the next hearing in September. The case pertains to a 32-year-old married...