-The Hindu High fluoride levels in water in 14,132 habitations in 19 States With drinking water in 14,132 habitations in 19 States still containing fluoride above the permissible levels, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry fears that a huge population is at risk of serious health conditions such as skeletal fluorosis. The Ministry has now urged the Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry to ensure the supply of safe drinking water in these...

-The Hindu New Delhi: While observing that the Court could not encroach into policy matters of the government, the Delhi High Court has dismissed a public interest writ petition seeking directions to the Centre to make available generic medicines and medical treatment to the public at large at a reasonable cost. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw had earlier this week said that the Centre and...

-Reuters   The government has ordered a cut of nearly 20% in its 2014-15 healthcare budget due to fiscal strains, putting at risk key disease control initiatives in a country whose public spending on health is already among the lowest in the world. Two health ministry officials told Reuters on Tuesday that more than 60 billion rupees, or $948 million, has been slashed from their budget allocation of around $5 billion for the...

-The Hindu The programme needs to retain the momentum of a movement than that of a litter-cleaning project "Slum districts... consisted of poorly built houses, a deficiency of ventilation and toilets, unpaved narrow streets, mud, and stomach-turning stenches due to the presence of decaying refuse and sewerage. In such conditions, ill health was observably endemic." This is not a description of Indian cities today (though it may well be), but of Britain around...

-The Hindu Business Line   Suicide is principally a mental health issue. This is why we must welcome its decriminalisation Our lawmakers need to be congratulated for setting aside their differences and acting in concert to remove one of the big colonial era blots on our statute books - Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, which treated attempted suicide as a crime. Since law and order is a State subject, a mere...