-IANS New Delhi: Coordinated efforts by various ministries will strengthen the government systems and will help in enhancing maternal health care, Planning Commission member Syeda Hameed said Tuesday. "Planning Commission is considering having a meeting with multiple ministries like health and women and child development on urgent cross-cutting issues like health and nutrition," Hameed said. She suggested that recommendations on crucial health issues like maternal health care can be shared with the...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: A community-managed meal scheme that has shown encouraging results in improving the nutrition level of Pregnant Women and lactating mothers in Andhra Pradesh may be replicated across the country. Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh told The Telegraph that Andhra’s Nutrition cum Day Care Centre (NDCC) scheme was being studied and could be replicated in rural areas under the Centre’s Aajeevika scheme. “The NDCC scheme is being implemented by self-help...

-Outlook Thane: Maharashtra's Minister for Tribal Development Madhukar Pichad admitted here on Monday that large scale malnutrition deaths occurred in Thane district of Maharashtra due to non-availability of proper medical infrastructure and healthcare facilities. Pichad said this while visiting the predominently tribal Jawhar and Mokhada talukas of Thane district on Monday, where large scale child deaths have been reported since the last three months. It may be recalled that it was way back...

-Down to Earth Centre wants to treat anaemia with iron tablets. Can pills substitute nutritious food? Eleven-year-old Indumati Katla, who lives in Wazirpur, Delhi, went to school on July 17. There, her class teacher asked her to gulp down a maroon tablet. Two hours later, she was in hospital recuperating from severe nausea, giddiness and fatigue. She was among the 200 government school students in Delhi who fell ill that day after...

-The Hindu Per capita entitlements under the food security bill will not cover beneficiaries as comprehensively as household entitlements The government hopes to secure in this session of Parliament, approval for the National Food Security Bill (NFSB) so that it can replace the food security ordinance. The NFSB, on which the ordinance is based, guarantees supplementary nutrition services through anganwadis for all children under six, midday meals for schoolchildren, and, very importantly, maternity...