-The United Nations   Road traffic injuries, HIV/AIDS and suicide are the top killers of adolescents globally, while depression is the predominant cause of illness and disability, the United Nations reported today, urging a stronger focus on the health of boys and girls in their pre- and teen years. "We hope this report will focus high-level attention on the health needs of 10 to 19-year-olds and serve as a springboard for accelerated action...

-The United Nations   People everywhere are living longer, the United Nations health agency today reported, mostly because fewer children are dying, certain diseases are in check, and tobacco use is down, but conditions in low-income countries continue to plague life quality there. According to the UN World Health Organization's (WHO) World Health Statistics 2014, a girl born in 2012 can expect to live around 73 years and a boy to the...

-Down to Earth   Adivasis, Bengali Muslims worst hit by child malnutrition in Assam They have low access to nutritious food in spite of increase in number of anganwadis under Integrated Child Development Scheme Adivasis and Bengali Muslims have highest rate of malnutrition in Assam. A comparison with data of 2005-06 for Assam, collected for children of all age groups by the Central government, shows that their condition has not improved despite a...

-Down to Earth   HIV/AIDS, suicide among other top causes. The good news is that rates of cigarette smoking are decreasing in 10-19 years age group in some countries A report released by World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday says depression is the predominant cause of illness and disability for both boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years. The top three causes of global adolescent deaths are road traffic injuries, HIV/AIDS, and...

-Down to Earth   Poverty line figures hide people's aspirations There are lies, damn lies and statistics, American author Mark Twain once wrote echoing a similar statement by the British statesman Benjamin Disraeli. Statistics aim to reveal a lot, but they conceal vital information. This concealing tendency of statistics explains much of the flak received by the Planning Commission when it released figures on the poverty line. In 2012, the commission announced that...