-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The monsoon is months away but mosquitoes are already unleashing mayhem in the city. Officials said there has been a boom in mosquito population that is reflected in very high number of chikungunya, dengue and malaria for this time of the year. As on April 8, Hospitals in Delhi had reported 79 chikungunya, 24 dengue and 13 malaria cases this year — by far the highest...

-Down to Earth The study establishes relation between litchi consumption and encephalitis after conducting a hospital-based surveillance on 390 patients A recent study has linked occurrence of neurological disease—commonly known as encephalitis—to consumption of litchi in Muzaffarpur district in Bihar. Published in Lancet on March 31, the study recommends minimising Litchi consumption and also ensuring that the evening meal is not skipped as the latter modifies the effect of eating litchis on...

-The Times of India Carrying anti snake venom in ambulances can mean the difference between life and death for snake bite victims. The impact of this practical intervention was observed while transporting snake bite victims to health facilities in 108 emergency ambulance service across the country, which is free of cost. The first documentation of the life-saving innovation, wherein snake bite victims were administered anti-snake venom (ASV) in the emergency ambulance on...

-The Indian Express The rights-based approach departs from the ‘assurance-based approach’ of the new National Health Policy, which essentially perpetuates the status quo, explains The Indian Express. Since the time the Mental Health Bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha in 2013, decriminalisation of suicide has been its calling card. However, the legislation travels beyond just that colonial era relic, assuming a rights-based approach to mental healthcare, and creating circumstances for removal of...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Kerala-based Ayana Charitable Trust, the new name under which US charity Gospel for Asia is reportedly funding projects in India, has emerged on top of the list of Indian NGOs with the highest foreign funding in 2015-16. It is one of three Christian evangelical NGOs -- the other two being Believers Church India and World Vision India -- that figure among the top four foreign contribution...