Better birth: Labour Ward project improves a community health centre in India

M4ID India HNN Team

In December, M4ID and partners inaugurated a new and enhanced Basta community health centre in Odisha, India. Final strokes of paint, last few screws tightened, new carpets rolled out, a final sweeping of the floors – and a hug! In December, product design lead Nicolas Flittner had an exciting trip to Balasore district in Odisha, … Continued

All mothers and newborns must get equitable health care

Hindustan Times India HNN Team

  Health care is not simply about treating disease. It is about promoting a complete state of physical, mental, and social well being. This requires a comprehensive approach, spanning a continuum of care from pregnancy and childhood, to adolescence, and finally adulthood. Nowhere is this more important than for the health of girls and women, … Continued

Is India’s Healthcare System Failing Premature Babies Even Before They Are Born?

First Post India HNN Team

An estimated 15 million babies are born too early every year, or in other words, preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation). That is more than 1 in 10 babies. Approximately 1 million children die each year due to complications of preterm birth. Many survivors face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual … Continued

6 In 10 Indian Babies Miss Out On Early Breastfeeding And Its Life-Saving Benefits

IndiaSpend India HNN Team

New Delhi: While there has been an improvement in the number of babies getting breastfed in the first hour of life in India–reflected in a rise from 23.1% in 2005 to 41.5% in 2015–the majority of Indian babies still miss out and could face life-threatening consequences, a new global report said. Early initiation of breastfeeding … Continued

2 million Chinese mothers carry strep bacteria that can be fatal to newborns, study finds

South China Morning Post China, India HNN Team

Nearly 2 million pregnant women in China are estimated to be carrying a strain of bacteria that can cause severe health problems or even prove fatal to newborn babies, according to an international study. The figure represents about 11 per cent of total annual births in China, and puts the country second globally in the … Continued

Better data and health worker training may cut stillbirths: study

The Hindu Business Line India HNN Team

Stillbirth, which is defined as a baby born without life at or after 28 weeks gestation, is one of the major problems facing the health sector across the world. It is estimated that about 26 lakh stillbirths occurred globally every year and India accounted for the largest proportion with 5.9 lakh cases. While the number … Continued

State Of Newborn In India

the india saga India HNN Team

By Aarti Dhar India contributes to one-fifth of global live births and more than a quarter of neonatal deaths. Nearly, 0.75 million neonates died in India in 2013, the highest for any country in the world. The current Neonatal Mortality Rate is 28 per 1000 live births. Given the infant and under-five child mortality rates of … Continued

The low-cost device saving newborns in India

The Guardian India HNN Team

Birth asphyxia – lack of oxygen – is the cause of 20% of newborn deaths in India. A simple piece of equipment is helping revive babies and prevent long-term damage Farzana Qureshi’s happiness over a smooth and uncomplicated pregnancy ended abruptly the day she went into labour. Tired by the end of eight hours of … Continued

India grants Pfizer patent on pneumonia vaccine in blow to aid group

Reuters India HNN Team

MUMBAI (Reuters) – India has granted Pfizer Inc a patent for its powerful pneumonia vaccine Prevenar 13, in a blow to some health groups that said this would put the treatment out of reach of thousands in poorer nations. The decision by India’s patent office bars other companies from making cheaper copies of the vaccine … Continued

From Planning Commission To Niti Aayog: Life comes a full circle for Dr Vinod Paul

The Indian Express India HNN Team

From a member of the High Level Expert Group on Universal Health Coverage formed by the erstwhile Planning Commission to becoming the first medical expert member of its successor, the Niti Aayog, life has come a full circle for Dr Vinod Paul. A neonatologist, Paul headed AIIMS’s paediatrics department for many years. He has been … Continued