-The Economic Times   Jairam Ramesh may have stirred up a hornet's nest when he, as environment minister, complained of MPs indulging in conflict of interest by lobbying for environmental projects, but a look at the Register of Interest of Rajya Sabha members proves how MPs have managed to find a place in many House panels despite having business interests in the sectors concerned. According to the register of interest, made public...

Economic status, education, access to clean water and sanitation, nutrition and the environment determine the level of health of persons, communities or countries, and so does the extent to which rights are enjoyed or denied. The World Conference on Social Determinants of Health, held Oct. 19-21 in Brazil, defined 15 commitments that should be undertaken by governments, international organisations, the private sector and civil society.  The final document, the Rio Political Declaration...

-The Shillong Times   Lack of awareness on the oral hygiene in the state coupled with excessive intake of Tobacco has gave way to high dental-related diseases like oral cancer. People are less concerned about dental health and even those living in the urban areas lacked proper knowledge on this health related issue and this poor oral hygiene can result to cancer, heart disease and other ailments. “The scenario of oral hygiene in the...

-The Telegraph   The Centre has decided to take the help of the church to minimise the use of Tobacco in Mizoram, after it was found that the state was home to the highest number of Tobacco users in the country. The chief medical officer of the directorate-general of health services, Jagdish Kaur, revealed this here today during the release of the northeastern region’s factsheet of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey at NEDFi...

The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) invested more than Rs 3,600 crore last year in the Tobacco industry, anti-Tobacco activists and cancer specialists said today, describing the investments as ironical and unethical. Figures obtained through the right to information route by a consortium of activists and doctors show that in 2010-11, LIC had invested in shares of ITC and VST Industries and in debentures of Dharampal Satyapal Ltd, which makes chewable Tobacco...