Lathi charge, arrests and office-seizure of NBA condemned
NBA condemns as reprehensible the lathi charge, illegal arrests and seizure of office of long-standing peaceful and lawful mass people’s struggle in the Narmada Valley in Khandwa
Narmada Bachao Andolan severely condemns the unjust and unlawful treatment meted out by the Government of Madhya Pradesh to the displaced people of Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar and other dams and the activists working with them to realize their right to lawful rehabilitation. According to information received, activists Alok Agrawal, Kailashbhai, Kalubhai and some other villagers were unlawfully arrested today afternoon and the NBA office in Khandwa was forcefully seized and sealed by the police, without any prior intimation. The whole process of arrest and seizure, we are informed, was illegal, not following law and procedure. This only re-inforces our assertion of the total absence of rule of law in the state.
It may be noted that only yesterday, after a mass rally of thousands of displaced farmers on the 28th, Chittaroopa Palit, Ramkuwar, Kamla Yadav and 18 other activists who were staging a dharna at the Khandwa Collctorate were brutally lathi charged and arrested. The only crime they have committed is to seek enforcement of the directives of the Hon’ble High Court of Jabalpur to rehabilitate the displaced as per law and policy. All of them have been charged under various provisions of criminal law, including non-bailable offences.
The saga of development induced displacement due to the giant dams pushed by the Narmada Valley Development Authority, NHDC and Government of M. P, while displacing thousands of farmers, adivasis, fish workers, labourers in each dam, without complying with the basic environmental conditionalities is now well-known and condemned even by the judiciary. But it is unfortunate that the Government metes out a ‘terrorist-type’ treatment to the displaced and activists who are asserting basic established constitutional, legal and human rights and are challenging the state atrocity, discrimination and injustice in the Court and in the field.
We strongly object to NBA’s office being taken into custody, particularly the files of the people, all of which is nothing but an assault on the basic constitutional right to freedom of association and the freedom of speech and expression. The behavior of the State is nothing short of contempt of court and interference in count-administered justice to the displaced.
Today, not just in Madhya Pradesh, but all through the country, even as the Government trumpets of ‘combating the menace of naxalism’, it is only increasingly curbing and curtailing non-violent people’s struggles, which we feel would prove counter-productive and the anger and struggle of the displaced and marginalized, far from lessening, will only intensify. We warn the
Government to behave as per the law and Constitution and unconditionally and immediately release al the arrested activists and displaced persons, withdraw all false cases foisted against them and restitute their office.
We urge you to write to the National and State Human Rights Commission to take legal against those responsible for these violations and also to the Chief Minister calling upon him and his administration to respect law and people’s rights.
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"Across the world, the threat [of diabetes] is ignored and under-funded": Kofi Annan
"Across the world, the threat [of diabetes] is ignored and under-funded": Kofi Annan
Diabetes Leadership Forum 2009 seeks solutions to reduce long-term public healthcare costs
"A recent survey showed that the age-standardized rate of diabetes among adults living in urban areas is up to 9.7% in China," said Prof. Yang Wenying, chairman of Chinese Diabetes Society. That means approximately 92.4 million people in China have diabetes, Prof. Yang revealed on 31st October 2009 in Beijing at The Diabetes Leadership Forum 2009 China, an international conference co-hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Health and the World Diabetes Foundation. The Chinese government is taking the threat seriously, implementing concrete actions to fight the epidemic.
"Chronic diseases such as diabetes are becoming public health challenges," said Chinese Minister of Health Chen Zhu to an audience of more than 600 delegates, including government officials, medical professionals, and experts from around the world. "Improving prevention and treatment is critical for realising the goals of the country's new reform plan, Healthy China 2020." Minister Chen revealed that in the coming months he will be announcing a national plan on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases from 2010-2020.
The forum's core message was a national and global call for action to reverse the diabetes epidemic, thereby improving people's lives, reducing long-term healthcare costs, and securing productivity and growth. Speakers encouraged cooperation across sectors and borders to advance diabetes treatment and prevention, increase public education of the disease, and improve early diagnosis and care in pregnant women, infants and children.
Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan underlined the need for global action: "Across the world, the threat [of diabetes] is ignored and under-funded. Tackling diabetes must be a priority. It is so serious that we all have to be involved if we are to reverse this epidemic.".
The annual direct costs of diabetes in China in 2004 were estimated at RMB 57,469 billion, about 7.5 % of total healthcare spending. Direct spending for a person with diabetes was 2.5 times more than for a person without it. Furthermore, two-thirds of Chinese people who have diabetes do not realise they have it until they start to develop its late-stage and costly complications such as damage to eyes, kidneys and heart. Diagnosing diabetes earlier and giving proper care will reduce healthcare costs by preventing or delaying the development of such complications.
"We need to learn how to handle the increasing number of people with chronic diseases and build healthcare systems that can effectively deal with the new situation," said Anil Kapur, managing director of the World Diabetes Foundation, stressing the need to find a model that balances community-based prevention and care with hospital-based acute care.
Lars Rebien Sørensen, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, said: "Novo Nordisk is proud to support the dialogue in China around solutions to tackle the diabetes epidemic. The key to change the course of diabetes lies in prevention, early detection, access to care, and improved treatment. That way, we not only reduce the number of people who develop diabetes in the first place, but we also increase our capacity to tackle complications more effectively, and ultimately reduce the cost to society."
The Chinese Diabetes Society and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control have organised the Diabetes Leadership Forum 2009 China with the support of the International Diabetes Federation. Novo Nordisk, a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care, has sponsored the event.
Published in:
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Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
Diabetes Leadership Forum 2009 seeks solutions to reduce long-term public healthcare costs
"A recent survey showed that the age-standardized rate of diabetes among adults living in urban areas is up to 9.7% in China," said Prof. Yang Wenying, chairman of Chinese Diabetes Society. That means approximately 92.4 million people in China have diabetes, Prof. Yang revealed on 31st October 2009 in Beijing at The Diabetes Leadership Forum 2009 China, an international conference co-hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Health and the World Diabetes Foundation. The Chinese government is taking the threat seriously, implementing concrete actions to fight the epidemic.
"Chronic diseases such as diabetes are becoming public health challenges," said Chinese Minister of Health Chen Zhu to an audience of more than 600 delegates, including government officials, medical professionals, and experts from around the world. "Improving prevention and treatment is critical for realising the goals of the country's new reform plan, Healthy China 2020." Minister Chen revealed that in the coming months he will be announcing a national plan on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases from 2010-2020.
The forum's core message was a national and global call for action to reverse the diabetes epidemic, thereby improving people's lives, reducing long-term healthcare costs, and securing productivity and growth. Speakers encouraged cooperation across sectors and borders to advance diabetes treatment and prevention, increase public education of the disease, and improve early diagnosis and care in pregnant women, infants and children.
Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan underlined the need for global action: "Across the world, the threat [of diabetes] is ignored and under-funded. Tackling diabetes must be a priority. It is so serious that we all have to be involved if we are to reverse this epidemic.".
The annual direct costs of diabetes in China in 2004 were estimated at RMB 57,469 billion, about 7.5 % of total healthcare spending. Direct spending for a person with diabetes was 2.5 times more than for a person without it. Furthermore, two-thirds of Chinese people who have diabetes do not realise they have it until they start to develop its late-stage and costly complications such as damage to eyes, kidneys and heart. Diagnosing diabetes earlier and giving proper care will reduce healthcare costs by preventing or delaying the development of such complications.
"We need to learn how to handle the increasing number of people with chronic diseases and build healthcare systems that can effectively deal with the new situation," said Anil Kapur, managing director of the World Diabetes Foundation, stressing the need to find a model that balances community-based prevention and care with hospital-based acute care.
Lars Rebien Sørensen, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, said: "Novo Nordisk is proud to support the dialogue in China around solutions to tackle the diabetes epidemic. The key to change the course of diabetes lies in prevention, early detection, access to care, and improved treatment. That way, we not only reduce the number of people who develop diabetes in the first place, but we also increase our capacity to tackle complications more effectively, and ultimately reduce the cost to society."
The Chinese Diabetes Society and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control have organised the Diabetes Leadership Forum 2009 China with the support of the International Diabetes Federation. Novo Nordisk, a healthcare company and a world leader in diabetes care, has sponsored the event.
Published in:
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
"US should be liberal in transferring technology for clean energy": Dr Farooq Abdullah
"US should be liberal in transferring technology for clean energy": Dr Farooq Abdullah
Alka Pande
The new and renewable energy minister of India - Dr Farooq Abdullah - has said that the developed nations, especially the US, should have liberal policies for transfer of technologies for clean energy production in poor and developing nations, like India.
Advocating use of clean and renewable energy on mass scale to fight the challenges of climate change, the minister said the Indian manufacturers making solar panels, are exporting 85 percent of their products to the west because they are too highly priced for the consumption in the Indian market.
"The only way we can deal with the deteriorating climate, is by shifting our focus to alternative energy resources like sun and wind, which the country has in abundance and is available free of cost. But the challenge before the nation, is to make the alternative energy cost effective," he said.
The minister was speaking at a five-day environment and wildlife film festival which was inaugurated in the national capital Delhi, on Tuesday. The festival being organised by CMS (Centre for Media Studies) Vatavaran, will screen over 200 documentaries in the next four days. These film are made by national and international environment and wildlife lovers – who have raised issues relating to wildlife and environment.
Asserting on potential of natural energy resources in meeting the challenges of deteriorating environment, Abdullah said the solar mission was a challenge before the country. ``It has to have the viability for industrialists so that they can make money only then they will invest in it’’, he rued adding that ``after extensive investment in natural energies India would no more need to be subservient to countries that were supplying it gas and coal’’.
The minister said the ministry gives as high as 90 percent financial help to states for its schemes based on renewable energy resources, ``still, no state is showing interest in these schemes. On the contrary, the Chief Ministers of all the states are rushing for coal-based power station’’. The reason, he stated for this, is that coal based power plants are easy to set up.
"On the other hand everyone talks about clean energy. How can coal produce clean energy’?" the minister argued.
The renewable energy or natural energy resources can be helpful in rural electrification programmes and also for commercial and industrial usage. According to Farooq Abdullah, "In Ladakh, the army alone, uses diesel worth Rs 1,200 crore (Rs120 million) in a year. With the use of solar power, Rs 400 crore (Rs 40 million) could be saved, annually."
Some of the schemes and areas where Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is extending help to States and private investors:
Industrial and commercial applications:
- Biomass (non-bagasse) based co-generation and `waste to energy’ projects for rural electrification.
- Solar powered water heating system projects.
- Solar air heating / steam generation systems - for community cooking and for institutions etc
- Solar lights - for streets, hoardings etc.
- Akshay Urja Shops – for sale and after sale service of solar powered products.
Grid Interactive / off grid renewable power:
- Wind Power:
- Bio-power:
- Small Hydro Power: upto 25 MW capacity
- Solar Power
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior Journalist)
Published in:
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Elites TV News, USA
Little about
Delhi Energy, India
World News Network, USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Alka Pande
The new and renewable energy minister of India - Dr Farooq Abdullah - has said that the developed nations, especially the US, should have liberal policies for transfer of technologies for clean energy production in poor and developing nations, like India.
Advocating use of clean and renewable energy on mass scale to fight the challenges of climate change, the minister said the Indian manufacturers making solar panels, are exporting 85 percent of their products to the west because they are too highly priced for the consumption in the Indian market.
"The only way we can deal with the deteriorating climate, is by shifting our focus to alternative energy resources like sun and wind, which the country has in abundance and is available free of cost. But the challenge before the nation, is to make the alternative energy cost effective," he said.
The minister was speaking at a five-day environment and wildlife film festival which was inaugurated in the national capital Delhi, on Tuesday. The festival being organised by CMS (Centre for Media Studies) Vatavaran, will screen over 200 documentaries in the next four days. These film are made by national and international environment and wildlife lovers – who have raised issues relating to wildlife and environment.
Asserting on potential of natural energy resources in meeting the challenges of deteriorating environment, Abdullah said the solar mission was a challenge before the country. ``It has to have the viability for industrialists so that they can make money only then they will invest in it’’, he rued adding that ``after extensive investment in natural energies India would no more need to be subservient to countries that were supplying it gas and coal’’.
The minister said the ministry gives as high as 90 percent financial help to states for its schemes based on renewable energy resources, ``still, no state is showing interest in these schemes. On the contrary, the Chief Ministers of all the states are rushing for coal-based power station’’. The reason, he stated for this, is that coal based power plants are easy to set up.
"On the other hand everyone talks about clean energy. How can coal produce clean energy’?" the minister argued.
The renewable energy or natural energy resources can be helpful in rural electrification programmes and also for commercial and industrial usage. According to Farooq Abdullah, "In Ladakh, the army alone, uses diesel worth Rs 1,200 crore (Rs120 million) in a year. With the use of solar power, Rs 400 crore (Rs 40 million) could be saved, annually."
Some of the schemes and areas where Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is extending help to States and private investors:
Industrial and commercial applications:
- Biomass (non-bagasse) based co-generation and `waste to energy’ projects for rural electrification.
- Solar powered water heating system projects.
- Solar air heating / steam generation systems - for community cooking and for institutions etc
- Solar lights - for streets, hoardings etc.
- Akshay Urja Shops – for sale and after sale service of solar powered products.
Grid Interactive / off grid renewable power:
- Wind Power:
- Bio-power:
- Small Hydro Power: upto 25 MW capacity
- Solar Power
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior Journalist)
Published in:
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Elites TV News, USA
Little about
Delhi Energy, India
World News Network, USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Rickshawallas Day At Loreto
Rickshawallas Day At Loreto
It was indeed a programme with a difference. In keeping with the true spirit of Loreto, Tuesday, the 27th of October (which incidentally is also the International Hand Washing Day), saw this missionary school, open its gates to 55 odd rickshaw (a three
wheeled pedalled vehicle, used as a common mode of transport in Indian towns) drivers, as a gesture of respect to this marginalised section of society.
Every morning and afternoon, come rain or blistering sunshine, these men of all ages, old and young, ferry the school children from their homes to school and back. But today those very children and their class mates and teachers joined hands to recognize the services which largely go unheeded. It was indeed a proud moment for all of us at Loreto to be part of a 'Giving, gentle as silence'.
It was an afternoon filled with meaningful entertainment. The students presented a street play on the theme of 'God Helps Those Who Help Themselves'. Two doctors from the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) gave a presentation on general hygiene and maternal health under the banner of Health Oriented Programme and Education (HOPE).
Dr Prashant Agarwal, stressed upon the importance of clean toilet habits and washing of hands. This itself, reduces the incidence of many diseases by 45%. The simple gesture of washing hands thoroughly before eating is an effective way of reducing
diarrhoea and pneumonia. Keeping our surroundings clean, does not require money, but just the right attitude which should be developed in all of us, irrespective of our social status. Another very pertinent observation made by the medical team was about the infamous spitting habit of Indians. Most of the rickshaw drivers confessed to be habitual tobacco/ gutkha users. They were exhorted to get rid of this habit. The doctor asked them to perform a simple test by putting their fingers inside their mouths. The pan masala/gutkha users' mouth was bound to open less as the skin inside the mouth contracts on prolonged use of tobacco products.
Dr Banani Poddar spoke on Maternal and Child Health. She stressed on the need of taking good care of the mother during pregnancy, in order that she deliver a healthy child, who should be fed on mother's milk alone during the first four months of infancy. No other nourishment, not even water, is required-such is the nutritional value of this diet. Tinned food
supplements should be a big No No, as they are merely of cosmetic value, and may do harm than good.
The Principal of Loreto Convent requested them to send their children to school, offering to admit them in parallel run school of Loreto for under-privileged children.
A free medical check up of all the special invitees was done by doctors of SGPGI and by Dr Verma of the Civil Hospital. They seemed a little hesitant in the beginning but gradually each one gave his blood for blood group and haemoglobin testing.
The programme ended with a sumptuous feast arranged for the guests by the students. Each invitee was also presented with one kilogram of rice and ‘daal’, packed in eco friendly paper bags made by the students of the college.
This event marks just the beginning of a social change which needs to sweep across the country for a more equitable distribution and re allocation of resources, and to reduce the divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
Let there be enough for all, and let no one die of over consumption. Amen.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
It was indeed a programme with a difference. In keeping with the true spirit of Loreto, Tuesday, the 27th of October (which incidentally is also the International Hand Washing Day), saw this missionary school, open its gates to 55 odd rickshaw (a three
wheeled pedalled vehicle, used as a common mode of transport in Indian towns) drivers, as a gesture of respect to this marginalised section of society.Every morning and afternoon, come rain or blistering sunshine, these men of all ages, old and young, ferry the school children from their homes to school and back. But today those very children and their class mates and teachers joined hands to recognize the services which largely go unheeded. It was indeed a proud moment for all of us at Loreto to be part of a 'Giving, gentle as silence'.
It was an afternoon filled with meaningful entertainment. The students presented a street play on the theme of 'God Helps Those Who Help Themselves'. Two doctors from the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) gave a presentation on general hygiene and maternal health under the banner of Health Oriented Programme and Education (HOPE).
Dr Prashant Agarwal, stressed upon the importance of clean toilet habits and washing of hands. This itself, reduces the incidence of many diseases by 45%. The simple gesture of washing hands thoroughly before eating is an effective way of reducing
diarrhoea and pneumonia. Keeping our surroundings clean, does not require money, but just the right attitude which should be developed in all of us, irrespective of our social status. Another very pertinent observation made by the medical team was about the infamous spitting habit of Indians. Most of the rickshaw drivers confessed to be habitual tobacco/ gutkha users. They were exhorted to get rid of this habit. The doctor asked them to perform a simple test by putting their fingers inside their mouths. The pan masala/gutkha users' mouth was bound to open less as the skin inside the mouth contracts on prolonged use of tobacco products. Dr Banani Poddar spoke on Maternal and Child Health. She stressed on the need of taking good care of the mother during pregnancy, in order that she deliver a healthy child, who should be fed on mother's milk alone during the first four months of infancy. No other nourishment, not even water, is required-such is the nutritional value of this diet. Tinned food
supplements should be a big No No, as they are merely of cosmetic value, and may do harm than good. The Principal of Loreto Convent requested them to send their children to school, offering to admit them in parallel run school of Loreto for under-privileged children.
A free medical check up of all the special invitees was done by doctors of SGPGI and by Dr Verma of the Civil Hospital. They seemed a little hesitant in the beginning but gradually each one gave his blood for blood group and haemoglobin testing.
The programme ended with a sumptuous feast arranged for the guests by the students. Each invitee was also presented with one kilogram of rice and ‘daal’, packed in eco friendly paper bags made by the students of the college.
This event marks just the beginning of a social change which needs to sweep across the country for a more equitable distribution and re allocation of resources, and to reduce the divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
Let there be enough for all, and let no one die of over consumption. Amen.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
MSI commits to promote the microbicides research in India
MSI commits to promote the microbicides research in India
Some of the readers might be interested to know about the various factors which had helped regarding the formation of Microbicides Society of India (MSI), the first of its kind in any country. After talking to various scientists in the field of microbicides and HIV prevention in India , a brief summary regarding the genesis of MSI is given below
The research and development programs in India from its own national resources and funds on the treatment and / or prevention of Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including the HIV, had been going on since 1990s, but in patches and in a low key manner. Amongst the international partners, CONRAD started screening compounds from Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow in the early 1990's. The National Institute of Health (NIH) / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) started some work in these areas at YRG Care Chennai as well as National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) Pune around 1998, and later on, also supported at these centres, the establishment of a Clinical Trials Unit starting around 2005.
However, it was CONRAD USA which had initiated the microbicides research activities in India around 1999, by supporting a TOPCAD Program at the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)'s Institute (National Institue of Pharmaceutical & Educational Research - NIPER) in Chandigarh with Dr Sanjay Garg in collaboration with Dr Zananveld from University of Chicago, for the formulations of several newer microbicidal products. It, also concurrently had supported the clinical trials of two types of female condoms. Later on, CONRAD signed MOUs with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as well as with DBT for Microbicides Research and broadened it base of collaborative researches covering through research training and project grants to the various scientists ranging from basic researches to clinical trials as well as hands on laboratory training workshops on Pre-clinical Toxicology screening In-Vitro Methods for the Microbicidal Products. The Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) through PATH India, in early 2000s, started several sensitization meetings with the NGOs, several community based organizations, general public and journalists about the possibility of the microbicidal products being available for the HIV prevention and how should they be used.
The ICMR and DBT had also started a expanded joint R & D program for the microbicidal products during 2006. Thereafter, India had hosted the Microbicides 2008 Conference in February 2008 at New Delhi. All these factors, led to internal discussions amongst the few like minded Indian scientists working in the field of microbicides, and felt the need to form a professional society. That is how, the Microbicides Society of India (MSI) was formed. Several international scientists and partners - specially like CONRAD, always had also encouraged and supported the idea of the formation of MSI, which became a reality from June 31, 2009.
Published in:
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Healthcare Industry Today
Some of the readers might be interested to know about the various factors which had helped regarding the formation of Microbicides Society of India (MSI), the first of its kind in any country. After talking to various scientists in the field of microbicides and HIV prevention in India , a brief summary regarding the genesis of MSI is given below
The research and development programs in India from its own national resources and funds on the treatment and / or prevention of Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including the HIV, had been going on since 1990s, but in patches and in a low key manner. Amongst the international partners, CONRAD started screening compounds from Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow in the early 1990's. The National Institute of Health (NIH) / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) started some work in these areas at YRG Care Chennai as well as National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) Pune around 1998, and later on, also supported at these centres, the establishment of a Clinical Trials Unit starting around 2005.
However, it was CONRAD USA which had initiated the microbicides research activities in India around 1999, by supporting a TOPCAD Program at the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)'s Institute (National Institue of Pharmaceutical & Educational Research - NIPER) in Chandigarh with Dr Sanjay Garg in collaboration with Dr Zananveld from University of Chicago, for the formulations of several newer microbicidal products. It, also concurrently had supported the clinical trials of two types of female condoms. Later on, CONRAD signed MOUs with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as well as with DBT for Microbicides Research and broadened it base of collaborative researches covering through research training and project grants to the various scientists ranging from basic researches to clinical trials as well as hands on laboratory training workshops on Pre-clinical Toxicology screening In-Vitro Methods for the Microbicidal Products. The Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) through PATH India, in early 2000s, started several sensitization meetings with the NGOs, several community based organizations, general public and journalists about the possibility of the microbicidal products being available for the HIV prevention and how should they be used.
The ICMR and DBT had also started a expanded joint R & D program for the microbicidal products during 2006. Thereafter, India had hosted the Microbicides 2008 Conference in February 2008 at New Delhi. All these factors, led to internal discussions amongst the few like minded Indian scientists working in the field of microbicides, and felt the need to form a professional society. That is how, the Microbicides Society of India (MSI) was formed. Several international scientists and partners - specially like CONRAD, always had also encouraged and supported the idea of the formation of MSI, which became a reality from June 31, 2009.
Published in:
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Healthcare Industry Today
Finally to the rescue
Finally to the rescue
Anjali Singh
They plan to take up the case of sick, abandoned and destitute animals and by the looks of it are serious this time round. Having earned a dubious reputation ever since their inception ten years back, the People For Animals (PFA) Lucknow Chapter, are now all set to earn the city folks trust post a total revamp of their management and working committee.
Says Anand Sharma, the newly elected President of PFA Lucknow, "A lot has been changed within PFA as the need to involve more youth was being felt by all. All the good work being done was going in vain as a lot credibility was being lost due to the loss of trust of the people. So Maneka Gandhi too decided to make some positive changes and since the past five months we have been functioning as a new team. We have improved the shelter at Hanskhera at Para and begun to answer rescue calls regularly as well."
A charitable organisation formed to champion the cause of stray animals, PFA has a nationwide network that has over 2.5 lakh members, 180 units and 26 hospitals. The main objective of which is to uphold the rights of the animals by giving them shelter, medical care and checking atrocities on them. All of these services will now also be available to animals in Lucknow.
Explains PK Sharma, a well known vet who is also among the newly elected trustees, "There is so much focus on highlighting the negatives of PFA that no one sees the fact that ours is the only animal rights group that has achieved hundred percent success rate in the ABC sterilization programme we have taken on. The effort and intention both is to get relief to a suffering animal as soon as possible, for which we have strategies planned, an ABC infrastructure in collaboration with Animal Welfare Board and the Lucknow Nagar Nigam is also on the anvil and will shortly begin in the city."
As upbeat as that sounds one of their biggest challenge remains the hostile attitude of the police. With most police thanas not as amicable as one would like them to be where animal rights is concerned, the rescue operations become cumbersome for PFA volunteers. But the new President has that worked out as well.
“Police sensitisation is among the top of our priority list as their intervention is a must in cases of altercation. Apart from that sometimes we have to book people under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act and it is very essential to lodge FIRs. But the police do not cooperate, in addition we plan to also hold awareness drives at various thanas in the city to make the police aware of Section 34 IPC of Police Act 1861 which empowers then to arrest offenders of cruelty to animals without a warrant,” avers Sharma.
So far so good as PFA plans to target no less than 600 districts in UP to promote vegetarianism, advocate compulsory introduction of education of animal rights in schools, establish a veterinary hospital and to launch a membership drive apart from focussing on animal treatment and medication.
With so much planned for the animals in UP PFA Lucknow is more than eager to set the record straight where animal rights is concerned. As informs Kavita Dass, a trustee of PFA, “aim is do something constructive and that cannot be done without the support of the people. A beginning has been made by PFA and a new helpline number has also been installed on 9236012078 and animal lovers can also reach us on mail at pfa.news@gmail.com.”
Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saaksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)
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Anjali Singh
They plan to take up the case of sick, abandoned and destitute animals and by the looks of it are serious this time round. Having earned a dubious reputation ever since their inception ten years back, the People For Animals (PFA) Lucknow Chapter, are now all set to earn the city folks trust post a total revamp of their management and working committee.
Says Anand Sharma, the newly elected President of PFA Lucknow, "A lot has been changed within PFA as the need to involve more youth was being felt by all. All the good work being done was going in vain as a lot credibility was being lost due to the loss of trust of the people. So Maneka Gandhi too decided to make some positive changes and since the past five months we have been functioning as a new team. We have improved the shelter at Hanskhera at Para and begun to answer rescue calls regularly as well."
A charitable organisation formed to champion the cause of stray animals, PFA has a nationwide network that has over 2.5 lakh members, 180 units and 26 hospitals. The main objective of which is to uphold the rights of the animals by giving them shelter, medical care and checking atrocities on them. All of these services will now also be available to animals in Lucknow.
Explains PK Sharma, a well known vet who is also among the newly elected trustees, "There is so much focus on highlighting the negatives of PFA that no one sees the fact that ours is the only animal rights group that has achieved hundred percent success rate in the ABC sterilization programme we have taken on. The effort and intention both is to get relief to a suffering animal as soon as possible, for which we have strategies planned, an ABC infrastructure in collaboration with Animal Welfare Board and the Lucknow Nagar Nigam is also on the anvil and will shortly begin in the city."
As upbeat as that sounds one of their biggest challenge remains the hostile attitude of the police. With most police thanas not as amicable as one would like them to be where animal rights is concerned, the rescue operations become cumbersome for PFA volunteers. But the new President has that worked out as well.
“Police sensitisation is among the top of our priority list as their intervention is a must in cases of altercation. Apart from that sometimes we have to book people under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act and it is very essential to lodge FIRs. But the police do not cooperate, in addition we plan to also hold awareness drives at various thanas in the city to make the police aware of Section 34 IPC of Police Act 1861 which empowers then to arrest offenders of cruelty to animals without a warrant,” avers Sharma.
So far so good as PFA plans to target no less than 600 districts in UP to promote vegetarianism, advocate compulsory introduction of education of animal rights in schools, establish a veterinary hospital and to launch a membership drive apart from focussing on animal treatment and medication.
With so much planned for the animals in UP PFA Lucknow is more than eager to set the record straight where animal rights is concerned. As informs Kavita Dass, a trustee of PFA, “aim is do something constructive and that cannot be done without the support of the people. A beginning has been made by PFA and a new helpline number has also been installed on 9236012078 and animal lovers can also reach us on mail at pfa.news@gmail.com.”
Anjali Singh
(The author is a Special Correspondent to Citizen News Service (CNS) and also the Director of Saaksham Foundation. Email: anjali@citizen-news.org)
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Negotiating Climate change - a filmi way
Negotiating Climate change - a filmi way
Alka pande
New Delhi: The timing for the screening of an environment documentary - 'Negotiating Justice' - could not have been more appropriate. The film, which talks about India's negotiating position in crucial Copenhagen meet, has been nominated for Fifth CMS Vatavaran Wildlife and Environment Award - popular as Indian Green Oscar.
The award festival ready to start in the national capital Delhi from October 27 will see the presence of eminent personalities like Indian minister for new and renewable energies Farooq Abdullah, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit, Netherlands ambassador Bob Hinesh, group general manager and country head of HSBC bank Naina Lal Kidwai, social activist Anna Hazare and noted Indian film maker Mahesh Bhatt.
The screening of the film coincides with national conference on climate change, which the country is hosting in New Delhi these days. During the conference, the UN climate chief Yvo de Boer strongly advocated "significant financial support by the developed countries to help poor nations comply with the emission targets''. Boer stressed, "any agreement at Copenhagen would need to include ambitious emission cuts for industrialised countries, limiting emission growth from developing nations and enough financial support to help poor nations comply with the targets." His message came with a warning - "if any of these inter-related issues failed to work out, the Copenhagen Summit would be a futile exercise."
Weeks ahead of December 2009, when the world meets in Copenhagen to fix a new climate agreement, the film 'Negotiating Justice' explains India's negotiating position on climate change. The film takes the viewers through a series of initiatives that India has taken voluntarily, to work towards a clean and energy-efficient economy. It reiterates that India will continue to grow even as it fights climate change.
The film raises the climate change issue in the same pitch as of Boers. It's director Rishu Nigam, who is one of the 10 women directors, whose films have been nominated for the current CMS Vatavaran Award, feels the earth's atmosphere belongs equally to all human beings, irrespective which part of it they live in. She says the dialogue on climate change is on but there are several misinformation relating to issue. "The film clears those misinformation" says Rishu.
"The film reminds us of this universal truth that was endorsed by all nations of the world in the summer of 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio. Today, several rich nations of the world are blatantly denying this reality. Despite their own remarkable legacy in polluting the planet, they demand the developing nations to cut down their greenhouse gas emissions," rues Rishu, who works In the film division of TERI and specialises in making films on environment and development issues.
This year 12 films by women directors have reached the nomination stage including the one directed by Rishu. Incidentally all these women are from the national capital. Through their films these environment lovers have raised issues like vanishing water reservoirs, disappearing lakes in and round Delhi, shortage of water, or disappearing wildlife and many more such issues.
Including Rishu's film Negotiating Justice, there are 12 films by women directors, which have reached the nomination stage for the Indian Green Oscar. Incidentally all these women are from the national capital. Through their films these environment lovers have raised issues like vanishing water reservoirs, disappearing lakes in and round Delhi, shortage of water, or disappearing wildlife and many more such issues.
Some of them have focused on intervention/success stories such as Nutan Manmohan's Brown Power. The film narrates the story of a small town - Haebowl - in the state of Punjab. Located between Satluj river and Buddha Nala - at one time it was famous for its beautiful landscape, its large milk dairies, its superior quality of milk products and its hard working people. But over the years - as more and more dairies opened up - and number of livestock began to exceed number of people - Haebowl became infamous for its foul smell and large dumps of cow dung scattered all over the town. Possibility of change emerged when Punjab Energy Development Board set up a demonstration plant in which high rate of biomethanation converted the waste into electricity - which was fed into the main grid and the by product was sold as organic manure to local farmers. "In one bold stroke - a waste product became precious resource, many new jobs were created, a town was saved from become a dump yard-filled with disease and illness and most importantly it demonstrated a sustainable technology that ran on its own spawning great environmental and economic benefit to all," according to Nutan.
Then there is Akanksha Joshi's Chilika Banks which will be screened in the livelihood category. The film is about a banyan tree, on the banks of the lake Chilika, silently whispers tales of the lake and her fisher folk. From the times when there was no export bazaar to the time when there maybe no lake. The film bagged the First Prize at Jeevika 2008: South Asia Livelihood Documentary Film Festival.
The bi-annual event organised by Centre of Media Studies (CMS) has got more than 100 films from 17 states of India and 15 from different other countries, which are competing with each other for the prestigious award. All films are based on the festival theme "climate change and sustainable technology''. There are 25 awards carrying the prize money of Rs 2 million in India and International categories. "The aim of the festival is to take the green cause to the masses through these Indian and international films, seminars, workshops, panel discussions and exhibitions, all of which will be the part of the five day event," says Alka Tomar, the festival director.
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)
Published in
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Alka pande
New Delhi: The timing for the screening of an environment documentary - 'Negotiating Justice' - could not have been more appropriate. The film, which talks about India's negotiating position in crucial Copenhagen meet, has been nominated for Fifth CMS Vatavaran Wildlife and Environment Award - popular as Indian Green Oscar.
The award festival ready to start in the national capital Delhi from October 27 will see the presence of eminent personalities like Indian minister for new and renewable energies Farooq Abdullah, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit, Netherlands ambassador Bob Hinesh, group general manager and country head of HSBC bank Naina Lal Kidwai, social activist Anna Hazare and noted Indian film maker Mahesh Bhatt.
The screening of the film coincides with national conference on climate change, which the country is hosting in New Delhi these days. During the conference, the UN climate chief Yvo de Boer strongly advocated "significant financial support by the developed countries to help poor nations comply with the emission targets''. Boer stressed, "any agreement at Copenhagen would need to include ambitious emission cuts for industrialised countries, limiting emission growth from developing nations and enough financial support to help poor nations comply with the targets." His message came with a warning - "if any of these inter-related issues failed to work out, the Copenhagen Summit would be a futile exercise."
Weeks ahead of December 2009, when the world meets in Copenhagen to fix a new climate agreement, the film 'Negotiating Justice' explains India's negotiating position on climate change. The film takes the viewers through a series of initiatives that India has taken voluntarily, to work towards a clean and energy-efficient economy. It reiterates that India will continue to grow even as it fights climate change.
The film raises the climate change issue in the same pitch as of Boers. It's director Rishu Nigam, who is one of the 10 women directors, whose films have been nominated for the current CMS Vatavaran Award, feels the earth's atmosphere belongs equally to all human beings, irrespective which part of it they live in. She says the dialogue on climate change is on but there are several misinformation relating to issue. "The film clears those misinformation" says Rishu.
"The film reminds us of this universal truth that was endorsed by all nations of the world in the summer of 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio. Today, several rich nations of the world are blatantly denying this reality. Despite their own remarkable legacy in polluting the planet, they demand the developing nations to cut down their greenhouse gas emissions," rues Rishu, who works In the film division of TERI and specialises in making films on environment and development issues.
This year 12 films by women directors have reached the nomination stage including the one directed by Rishu. Incidentally all these women are from the national capital. Through their films these environment lovers have raised issues like vanishing water reservoirs, disappearing lakes in and round Delhi, shortage of water, or disappearing wildlife and many more such issues.
Including Rishu's film Negotiating Justice, there are 12 films by women directors, which have reached the nomination stage for the Indian Green Oscar. Incidentally all these women are from the national capital. Through their films these environment lovers have raised issues like vanishing water reservoirs, disappearing lakes in and round Delhi, shortage of water, or disappearing wildlife and many more such issues.
Some of them have focused on intervention/success stories such as Nutan Manmohan's Brown Power. The film narrates the story of a small town - Haebowl - in the state of Punjab. Located between Satluj river and Buddha Nala - at one time it was famous for its beautiful landscape, its large milk dairies, its superior quality of milk products and its hard working people. But over the years - as more and more dairies opened up - and number of livestock began to exceed number of people - Haebowl became infamous for its foul smell and large dumps of cow dung scattered all over the town. Possibility of change emerged when Punjab Energy Development Board set up a demonstration plant in which high rate of biomethanation converted the waste into electricity - which was fed into the main grid and the by product was sold as organic manure to local farmers. "In one bold stroke - a waste product became precious resource, many new jobs were created, a town was saved from become a dump yard-filled with disease and illness and most importantly it demonstrated a sustainable technology that ran on its own spawning great environmental and economic benefit to all," according to Nutan.
Then there is Akanksha Joshi's Chilika Banks which will be screened in the livelihood category. The film is about a banyan tree, on the banks of the lake Chilika, silently whispers tales of the lake and her fisher folk. From the times when there was no export bazaar to the time when there maybe no lake. The film bagged the First Prize at Jeevika 2008: South Asia Livelihood Documentary Film Festival.
The bi-annual event organised by Centre of Media Studies (CMS) has got more than 100 films from 17 states of India and 15 from different other countries, which are competing with each other for the prestigious award. All films are based on the festival theme "climate change and sustainable technology''. There are 25 awards carrying the prize money of Rs 2 million in India and International categories. "The aim of the festival is to take the green cause to the masses through these Indian and international films, seminars, workshops, panel discussions and exhibitions, all of which will be the part of the five day event," says Alka Tomar, the festival director.
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)
Published in
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Behavioral change in sanitation practices will lead to lasting social development
Behavioral change in sanitation practices
will lead to lasting social development
"One of the biggest challenges before us is to bring about sustained behavioral change in the mindset of people towards sanitation. It is important that the man on the street understands that a clean environment will lead to a much healthier individual and society," said Mr Amit Mehrotra, UNICEF water, environment and sanitation (WES) specialist. Mr Mehrotra was addressing the media at the bi-monthly Media for Children, jointly organized by Media Nest and UNICEF at UP Press Club in Lucknow. Listing the challenges in Uttar Pradesh's rural sanitation programme Mr Mehrotra said that the biggest challenge is to ensure quality construction of proper toilets in the rural areas followed by proper maintenance system. "Study done by UNICEF has shown that 72 per cent toilets constructed in the villages are below standards. As a rule there should be one train mason for construction of these toilets but fact is that there are a total of just 16 per cent trained masons in UP villages, this is grossly inadequate" he said. Improper constructed toilets stink, fail to function and are generally abandoned, serving as garbage dumps. Dwelling on the great need for promoting personal hygiene Mr. Mehrotra said that just the simple act of washing one’s hand after going to the toilet will lead to a healthier individual. "Hand-washing with soap after defecation will reduce diarrhea deaths of children by 40 per cent," he said. This shows how important it is to train children in adopting healthier sanitation practices. "One gram human excreta carries 100,000,000 viruses, so you can imagine the virus which abound in our society where 65 per cent people are defecating in the open," said Mr Mehrotra. "Construction of toilets may not be a rocket science but it is a science never the less and it must be respected and practiced by using only trained masons for making the toilets defect- proof," he said. Mr YD Mathur, advisor Sulabh International, national expert on sanitation who was the second resource person for the programme said that there are three points that will take the sanitation programme further, especially in the rural areas. "Quality control of the construction of toilets by trained masons, use of pour flush instead of tank fill system and last but not the least sanitation motivators are the basics of a sound sanitation system," said Mr Mathura as he addressed the media persons. He said sanitation motivators can play a very vital role as centuries of behavioral pattern cannot be changed overnight. Taking off from this point Mr Mehrotra said that since the past few months ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) are being trained by UNICEF to work as motivators. He said in Lalitpur over 700 ASHAs have taken on this additional responsibility of motivators. Mr Mehrotra said soon the other districts of the state will also be trained. The resource persons urged media to do its bit in carrying forward the great need for hygiene in our life. This will mean less people falling sick.
Ms Kulsum Talha, secretary general, Media Nest, while thanking the experts said that a vast and important topic like sanitation can not be explained in just an hour but she said that these experts can be contacted for more details for writing in-depth stories. "Media Nest is an organization which is by the journalists, for the journalist and of the journalists and these sessions are aimed at sensitizing journalists on development issues."
Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)
Published in:
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Thai-India News, Bangkok, Thailand
Punjab Newsline Network, Punjab, India
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/ Thailand
India Education Diary
Elites TV News,USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Reddit.com
Twitter.com
will lead to lasting social development
"One of the biggest challenges before us is to bring about sustained behavioral change in the mindset of people towards sanitation. It is important that the man on the street understands that a clean environment will lead to a much healthier individual and society," said Mr Amit Mehrotra, UNICEF water, environment and sanitation (WES) specialist. Mr Mehrotra was addressing the media at the bi-monthly Media for Children, jointly organized by Media Nest and UNICEF at UP Press Club in Lucknow. Listing the challenges in Uttar Pradesh's rural sanitation programme Mr Mehrotra said that the biggest challenge is to ensure quality construction of proper toilets in the rural areas followed by proper maintenance system. "Study done by UNICEF has shown that 72 per cent toilets constructed in the villages are below standards. As a rule there should be one train mason for construction of these toilets but fact is that there are a total of just 16 per cent trained masons in UP villages, this is grossly inadequate" he said. Improper constructed toilets stink, fail to function and are generally abandoned, serving as garbage dumps. Dwelling on the great need for promoting personal hygiene Mr. Mehrotra said that just the simple act of washing one’s hand after going to the toilet will lead to a healthier individual. "Hand-washing with soap after defecation will reduce diarrhea deaths of children by 40 per cent," he said. This shows how important it is to train children in adopting healthier sanitation practices. "One gram human excreta carries 100,000,000 viruses, so you can imagine the virus which abound in our society where 65 per cent people are defecating in the open," said Mr Mehrotra. "Construction of toilets may not be a rocket science but it is a science never the less and it must be respected and practiced by using only trained masons for making the toilets defect- proof," he said. Mr YD Mathur, advisor Sulabh International, national expert on sanitation who was the second resource person for the programme said that there are three points that will take the sanitation programme further, especially in the rural areas. "Quality control of the construction of toilets by trained masons, use of pour flush instead of tank fill system and last but not the least sanitation motivators are the basics of a sound sanitation system," said Mr Mathura as he addressed the media persons. He said sanitation motivators can play a very vital role as centuries of behavioral pattern cannot be changed overnight. Taking off from this point Mr Mehrotra said that since the past few months ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) are being trained by UNICEF to work as motivators. He said in Lalitpur over 700 ASHAs have taken on this additional responsibility of motivators. Mr Mehrotra said soon the other districts of the state will also be trained. The resource persons urged media to do its bit in carrying forward the great need for hygiene in our life. This will mean less people falling sick.
Ms Kulsum Talha, secretary general, Media Nest, while thanking the experts said that a vast and important topic like sanitation can not be explained in just an hour but she said that these experts can be contacted for more details for writing in-depth stories. "Media Nest is an organization which is by the journalists, for the journalist and of the journalists and these sessions are aimed at sensitizing journalists on development issues."
Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)
Published in:
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Thai-India News, Bangkok, Thailand
Punjab Newsline Network, Punjab, India
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/ Thailand
India Education Diary
Elites TV News,USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Reddit.com
Twitter.com
Call for concerted action to stop diabetes epidemic
Call for concerted action to stop diabetes epidemic
Newly published data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) show that number of people with diabetes continues to grow unchecked. The figures reveal that, if action is not taken to change the path of the epidemic, the numbers of people with diabetes will be close to 440 million by 2030. At a press conference held at the close of IDF's 20th World Diabetes Congress, President Jean Claude Mbanya of Cameroon voiced his concern at the figures.
"We have just released the dismal news that some 285 million people live with diabetes today. Our data show that the low and middle-income countries, where 4 out of every 5 people with diabetes will soon to be found, are bearing the brunt of the disease. The men and women most affected are of working age – the breadwinners of their families. Diabetes is now a development issue that threatens to undermine economies."
The elected President of the diabetes world, says that two burning issues in diabetes care will define his term of office. First, the need to ensure that people with diabetes receive the quality of care and informed instruction they need to best manage their disease and avoid its complications and, second, the need to stop people from developing diabetes in the first place.
The IDF President stressed the need to increase access to diabetes education so that people living with the disease can play an informed and central role in their own care. "From the global perspective, many people with diabetes can find themselves alone on a path that can lead them towards complications, depression and early death. We will need to increase awareness and deliver health education to make sure that diabetes is detected early and to make sure that the newly diagnosed are guided along a path of treatment and informed self-care that empowers them to avoid or delay the potentially devastating consequences of the disease."
IDF figures show the number of people with Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT - sometimes called pre-diabetes), who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, have also reached alarming levels. An estimated 344 million now have pre-diabetes with the estimated figure set to grow to 472 million by 2030 if the current rate continues. For Professor Mbanya, this signals a need for health promotion supported by health education. "We need to stop people before they start the diabetes journey. We need to act before people develop the disease. This will be a huge challenge. Affecting the required behavioural change and creating healthy environments will require unparalleled cross-sectoral collaboration."
Professor Mbanya described the unhealthy lifestyle as a successful global brand and recognized that it would be an enormous challenge to fight the powerful social, cultural and market forces that are fuelling the diabetes epidemic. He insisted, however, that action must be taken. He called on the international community and donors to respond to the epidemic of diabetes and other related diseases with the same vigour with which they have tackled the infectious diseases. He called on governments to make sure that healthy life choices be made available and affordable, and to do their utmost to help prevent diabetes and other so-called lifestyle diseases.
"It will not be easy," said Professor Mbanya, "but it is a battle that we will all have to fight. Our choice is simple. Either we spend all our time mopping the floor, or we get up and turn off the tap."
Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
International Diabetes Federation
Elites TV News, USA
Healthcare Industry Today
Wikio.com
Scoopasia News
Celebrifi.com
ryt9.com
Newly published data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) show that number of people with diabetes continues to grow unchecked. The figures reveal that, if action is not taken to change the path of the epidemic, the numbers of people with diabetes will be close to 440 million by 2030. At a press conference held at the close of IDF's 20th World Diabetes Congress, President Jean Claude Mbanya of Cameroon voiced his concern at the figures.
"We have just released the dismal news that some 285 million people live with diabetes today. Our data show that the low and middle-income countries, where 4 out of every 5 people with diabetes will soon to be found, are bearing the brunt of the disease. The men and women most affected are of working age – the breadwinners of their families. Diabetes is now a development issue that threatens to undermine economies."
The elected President of the diabetes world, says that two burning issues in diabetes care will define his term of office. First, the need to ensure that people with diabetes receive the quality of care and informed instruction they need to best manage their disease and avoid its complications and, second, the need to stop people from developing diabetes in the first place.
The IDF President stressed the need to increase access to diabetes education so that people living with the disease can play an informed and central role in their own care. "From the global perspective, many people with diabetes can find themselves alone on a path that can lead them towards complications, depression and early death. We will need to increase awareness and deliver health education to make sure that diabetes is detected early and to make sure that the newly diagnosed are guided along a path of treatment and informed self-care that empowers them to avoid or delay the potentially devastating consequences of the disease."
IDF figures show the number of people with Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT - sometimes called pre-diabetes), who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, have also reached alarming levels. An estimated 344 million now have pre-diabetes with the estimated figure set to grow to 472 million by 2030 if the current rate continues. For Professor Mbanya, this signals a need for health promotion supported by health education. "We need to stop people before they start the diabetes journey. We need to act before people develop the disease. This will be a huge challenge. Affecting the required behavioural change and creating healthy environments will require unparalleled cross-sectoral collaboration."
Professor Mbanya described the unhealthy lifestyle as a successful global brand and recognized that it would be an enormous challenge to fight the powerful social, cultural and market forces that are fuelling the diabetes epidemic. He insisted, however, that action must be taken. He called on the international community and donors to respond to the epidemic of diabetes and other related diseases with the same vigour with which they have tackled the infectious diseases. He called on governments to make sure that healthy life choices be made available and affordable, and to do their utmost to help prevent diabetes and other so-called lifestyle diseases.
"It will not be easy," said Professor Mbanya, "but it is a battle that we will all have to fight. Our choice is simple. Either we spend all our time mopping the floor, or we get up and turn off the tap."
Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
International Diabetes Federation
Elites TV News, USA
Healthcare Industry Today
Wikio.com
Scoopasia News
Celebrifi.com
ryt9.com
People in Developing Countries Pay More for Diabetes Care and Have Poorer Health Results: IDF Study
People in Developing Countries Pay More for Diabetes Care and Have Poorer Health Results: IDF Study
Type 2 diabetes is often seen as a condition affecting older, unproductive adults in wealthy countries. However, the reality is that 70% of people with diabetes now live in low and middle-in
come countries and the economic impact of diabetes is much greater in poorer countries. Yet the majority of the spending, 90% of all medical expenditures for diabetes care, is made in the United States, Canada, the countries of Western Europe, and other wealthy countries. This is the conclusion of the most comprehensive investigation of the economic impact of diabetes ever to be conducted in low and-middle-income countries.
The new data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) comes from researchers in five African countries who interviewed 2,300 men and women with type 2 diabetes and an additional 2,300 of their neighbours who did not have diabetes. The studies reveal that people with diabetes have roughly 3 times the rates of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and heart failure than their otherwise similar neighbours. People with diabetes also have; more tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria. All these diseases lead to very high out-of-pocket medical expenses and lost income due to complications such as blindness, paralysis, amputation, pain, cognitive deficits, and other disabling problems. One out of 6 of the people interviewed said that they could not work at all because of their health; 1 out of 3 said they could not work as much they wanted, and 3% said that they had to work more than they wanted to cover their medical expenses. 1 out of 5 reported that they were not able to buy much needed food because of medical expenses, and more than half said they could not buy all the medicines they needed.
Perhaps the most surprising findings were that 15% of the family members had quit work to care for a family member with diabetes, 20% had to cut back on work and 15% had to work more to contribute to the cost of medicines and care for a family member with diabetes. The result of this, according to Jonathan Betz Brown, PhD, Chair of the IDF Task Force on Health Economics and of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, the global study leader, is that “children are kept out of school and deprived of food, families lose farms and businesses, and women and girls are forced to stay home to care for parents. In the end, these family tragedies add up to a less educated and smaller workforce, greater social disorganization, and slower economic growth.”
“You might think that the best way to help children in Africa would be to ignore chronic illnesses like diabetes,” said the African study leader and IDF Vice President, Dr. Kaushik Ramaiya, of Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, “but, in developing countries, children’s’ lives and prospects depend on the survival and strength of their parents and grandparents. When a father is fired because of a stroke, or a mother cannot raise crops and animals, or cook, because of blindness or an amputation, the entire family can find themselves homeless and pulled into dire poverty.”
Findings from the African study show that people with diabetes on the continent have many more medical problems than people of comparable age and sex; are much less able to function physically and work; are more frequent and more intensive users of medical care and drain precious economic resources from their family and society.
The lead investigators in each study were recruited locally and all enjoy international reputations for their research. IDF President Professor Jean Claude Mbanya led the study in Cameroon, Dr. Eva Njenga in Kenya, Mr. Stephane Besançon in Mali, Dr. Paul Rheeder in South Africa, and Dr. Kaushik Ramaiya in Tanzania. Other studies are underway in 17 cities in China, in Kazakhstan and in three countries in Central America.
These are preliminary results and the data continue to be analysed. Final results will be published at a later time.
Published in:
Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/ Thailand
Modern ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Bihar and Jharkhan News (BJNS)
Med India News, India
Type 2 diabetes is often seen as a condition affecting older, unproductive adults in wealthy countries. However, the reality is that 70% of people with diabetes now live in low and middle-in
come countries and the economic impact of diabetes is much greater in poorer countries. Yet the majority of the spending, 90% of all medical expenditures for diabetes care, is made in the United States, Canada, the countries of Western Europe, and other wealthy countries. This is the conclusion of the most comprehensive investigation of the economic impact of diabetes ever to be conducted in low and-middle-income countries.The new data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) comes from researchers in five African countries who interviewed 2,300 men and women with type 2 diabetes and an additional 2,300 of their neighbours who did not have diabetes. The studies reveal that people with diabetes have roughly 3 times the rates of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and heart failure than their otherwise similar neighbours. People with diabetes also have; more tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria. All these diseases lead to very high out-of-pocket medical expenses and lost income due to complications such as blindness, paralysis, amputation, pain, cognitive deficits, and other disabling problems. One out of 6 of the people interviewed said that they could not work at all because of their health; 1 out of 3 said they could not work as much they wanted, and 3% said that they had to work more than they wanted to cover their medical expenses. 1 out of 5 reported that they were not able to buy much needed food because of medical expenses, and more than half said they could not buy all the medicines they needed.
Perhaps the most surprising findings were that 15% of the family members had quit work to care for a family member with diabetes, 20% had to cut back on work and 15% had to work more to contribute to the cost of medicines and care for a family member with diabetes. The result of this, according to Jonathan Betz Brown, PhD, Chair of the IDF Task Force on Health Economics and of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, the global study leader, is that “children are kept out of school and deprived of food, families lose farms and businesses, and women and girls are forced to stay home to care for parents. In the end, these family tragedies add up to a less educated and smaller workforce, greater social disorganization, and slower economic growth.”
“You might think that the best way to help children in Africa would be to ignore chronic illnesses like diabetes,” said the African study leader and IDF Vice President, Dr. Kaushik Ramaiya, of Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, “but, in developing countries, children’s’ lives and prospects depend on the survival and strength of their parents and grandparents. When a father is fired because of a stroke, or a mother cannot raise crops and animals, or cook, because of blindness or an amputation, the entire family can find themselves homeless and pulled into dire poverty.”
Findings from the African study show that people with diabetes on the continent have many more medical problems than people of comparable age and sex; are much less able to function physically and work; are more frequent and more intensive users of medical care and drain precious economic resources from their family and society.
The lead investigators in each study were recruited locally and all enjoy international reputations for their research. IDF President Professor Jean Claude Mbanya led the study in Cameroon, Dr. Eva Njenga in Kenya, Mr. Stephane Besançon in Mali, Dr. Paul Rheeder in South Africa, and Dr. Kaushik Ramaiya in Tanzania. Other studies are underway in 17 cities in China, in Kazakhstan and in three countries in Central America.
These are preliminary results and the data continue to be analysed. Final results will be published at a later time.
Published in:
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Citizen News Service (CNS), India/ Thailand
Modern ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Bihar and Jharkhan News (BJNS)
Med India News, India
Asian injecting drug users unite to form regional organization
Asian injecting drug users unite to form regional organization
Over twenty-five injecting drug users from nine different countries met in Bangkok on 16-17 October 2009 to finalize the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD) Constitution and elect a Steering Committee for the first regional network of people who use drugs. Based on the principles of Meaningful Involvement of People who Use Drugs (MIPUD), ANPUD has been setup by people who use drugs to advocate for the rights and unify the voices of their communities across Asia. ANPUD has over 150 members throughout the Asia region who are collaborating to influence decisions that affect their lives.
Despite being the region with the largest number of people using injecting drugs in the world, access to effective services such as needle and syringe exchange programs and opioid substitution therapy to prevent HIV and hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) transmission, the Asia region, has the lowest coverage of harm reduction services across the globe. The lack of affordable HIV and HCV prevention, treatment, care and support services is largely driven by the stigma and discrimination associated with drug use.
The Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Regional Support Team, Dr. Prasada Rao, spoke of the urgent need to engage with drug user networks and offered his support to ANPUD, saying that "for UNAIDS, HIV prevention among drug users is a key priority at the global level. I am very pleased today to be here to see ANPUD being shaped into an organization that will play a key role in Asia's HIV response. It is critical that we are able to more effectively involve the voices of Asian people who use drugs in the scaling up of HIV prevention services across Asia."
Jimmy Dorabjee, a key guiding figure in ANPUD’s development, explained the raison d’etre for ANPUD: "People who use drugs are stigmatized, criminalized and abused in every country in Asia. Our human rights are violated and we have little in the way of health services to stay alive. If governments do not see people who use drugs, hear us and talk to us, they will continue to ignore us."
By forming ANPUD, people who use drugs in Asia will be able to work together to engage organizations and policymakers involved in the Asian response to HIV and drug use. ANPUD's existence is critical to efforts to improve policies and services that affect the lives of drug using communities, and can contribute expertise, resources and peer support to strengthen national responses and build drug user networks. ANPUD will also focus its advocacy efforts on improving the quality of lives for people who use drugs, harmonization of policies, decriminalization, access to evidence-based, locally-driven harm reduction services, HIV prevention and treatment services and increased access to hepatitis C treatment for drug users in Asia.
By 31st December 2009, ANPUD will be officially registered as an organization. In the meantime, the constitution and governance documents have been approved. An interim Steering Committee composed of six representatives was formed, with Mohamad Firdaus (Apit) from Malaysia, Bun Bong from Cambodia, Ekta Thapa Mahat from Nepal, Hadi Yusfian from Indonesia, Myo Kyaw Lynn (Tom) from Myanmar and Yvonne Sibuea from Indonesia as elected representatives.
The Steering Committee is supported by a Technical Support Team who will mentor the members of the Steering Committee over the next few months.
At the end of the meeting, Ekta was proud to be taking back something concrete to Nepal: "When I go back home, I am now responsible for sharing the experiences with the 250 or so drug users who are actively advocating for better services at the national level. It will be a great way for us to work together and help build the capacity of people who use drugs in Asia."
Ele Morrison, Program Manager, Regional Partnership project, of Australian Illicit and Injecting Drug Users League (AIVL), said that "the results of the meeting exceeded my expectations. The participants set ambitious goals for themselves and they have achieved a lot in just two days to setup this new organization. The building blocks for genuine ownership by people who use drugs is definitely there." This meeting was organized by drug users, for drug users, with financial support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Regional Task Force and AIVL.
Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Human Right Today
World News Report
International Development News Today
Over twenty-five injecting drug users from nine different countries met in Bangkok on 16-17 October 2009 to finalize the Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD) Constitution and elect a Steering Committee for the first regional network of people who use drugs. Based on the principles of Meaningful Involvement of People who Use Drugs (MIPUD), ANPUD has been setup by people who use drugs to advocate for the rights and unify the voices of their communities across Asia. ANPUD has over 150 members throughout the Asia region who are collaborating to influence decisions that affect their lives.
Despite being the region with the largest number of people using injecting drugs in the world, access to effective services such as needle and syringe exchange programs and opioid substitution therapy to prevent HIV and hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) transmission, the Asia region, has the lowest coverage of harm reduction services across the globe. The lack of affordable HIV and HCV prevention, treatment, care and support services is largely driven by the stigma and discrimination associated with drug use.
The Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Regional Support Team, Dr. Prasada Rao, spoke of the urgent need to engage with drug user networks and offered his support to ANPUD, saying that "for UNAIDS, HIV prevention among drug users is a key priority at the global level. I am very pleased today to be here to see ANPUD being shaped into an organization that will play a key role in Asia's HIV response. It is critical that we are able to more effectively involve the voices of Asian people who use drugs in the scaling up of HIV prevention services across Asia."
Jimmy Dorabjee, a key guiding figure in ANPUD’s development, explained the raison d’etre for ANPUD: "People who use drugs are stigmatized, criminalized and abused in every country in Asia. Our human rights are violated and we have little in the way of health services to stay alive. If governments do not see people who use drugs, hear us and talk to us, they will continue to ignore us."
By forming ANPUD, people who use drugs in Asia will be able to work together to engage organizations and policymakers involved in the Asian response to HIV and drug use. ANPUD's existence is critical to efforts to improve policies and services that affect the lives of drug using communities, and can contribute expertise, resources and peer support to strengthen national responses and build drug user networks. ANPUD will also focus its advocacy efforts on improving the quality of lives for people who use drugs, harmonization of policies, decriminalization, access to evidence-based, locally-driven harm reduction services, HIV prevention and treatment services and increased access to hepatitis C treatment for drug users in Asia.
By 31st December 2009, ANPUD will be officially registered as an organization. In the meantime, the constitution and governance documents have been approved. An interim Steering Committee composed of six representatives was formed, with Mohamad Firdaus (Apit) from Malaysia, Bun Bong from Cambodia, Ekta Thapa Mahat from Nepal, Hadi Yusfian from Indonesia, Myo Kyaw Lynn (Tom) from Myanmar and Yvonne Sibuea from Indonesia as elected representatives.
The Steering Committee is supported by a Technical Support Team who will mentor the members of the Steering Committee over the next few months.
At the end of the meeting, Ekta was proud to be taking back something concrete to Nepal: "When I go back home, I am now responsible for sharing the experiences with the 250 or so drug users who are actively advocating for better services at the national level. It will be a great way for us to work together and help build the capacity of people who use drugs in Asia."
Ele Morrison, Program Manager, Regional Partnership project, of Australian Illicit and Injecting Drug Users League (AIVL), said that "the results of the meeting exceeded my expectations. The participants set ambitious goals for themselves and they have achieved a lot in just two days to setup this new organization. The building blocks for genuine ownership by people who use drugs is definitely there." This meeting was organized by drug users, for drug users, with financial support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Regional Task Force and AIVL.
Published in:
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Human Right Today
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International Development News Today
More capacity in place to tackle Malaria in Timor-Leste
More capacity in place to tackle Malaria in Timor-Leste
Malaria, a disease without borders, has recently received a boost here in Timor- Leste. With an additional 62 personnel recruited to work in the country's malaria control programme, districts and sub-districts in Timor Leste will now have the resources to tackle this disease.
"The control programme was challenged up until now due to a lack of human resources but today we are more confident that with these district and regional malaria officers and the assistants on board, we will have the basic tools to carry out an effective control programme," said Dr Nelson Martin, Minister of Health of the IV Constitutional Government.
These individuals received an intensive month long training recently which taught them about the way malaria is transmitted, how to carry out proper diagnosis and treatment as well as the effective management of the mosquito.
In addition, 80 existing analysts with the malaria control programme attended a two-week refresher training session on Malaria microscopy to further improve their diagnostic capabilities.
This is just the first of many crucial interventions taken by the Ministry of Health, with the financial assistance of The Global Fund and technical expertise of the World Health Organization, to address the country's Malaria situation. There are annually over 100,000 reported cases of Malaria and children under the age of five years are usually the victims to this disease.
"Malaria is a preventable disease and sleeping under a long-lasting insecticidal net is one way of keeping away the diseases. It's also curable, but those on medication must complete the entire course in order to recover completely," said Dr Paramita Sudharto, the World Health Organization's representative in Timor-Leste.
Malaria thrives in coastal landscapes and forested areas however it is endemic throughout this country. It particularly affects pregnant women, children under the age of five, remote groups, urban poor, mobile populations, young adults and border communities.
Published in:
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Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
World News Report
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Malaria.com
Malaria, a disease without borders, has recently received a boost here in Timor- Leste. With an additional 62 personnel recruited to work in the country's malaria control programme, districts and sub-districts in Timor Leste will now have the resources to tackle this disease.
"The control programme was challenged up until now due to a lack of human resources but today we are more confident that with these district and regional malaria officers and the assistants on board, we will have the basic tools to carry out an effective control programme," said Dr Nelson Martin, Minister of Health of the IV Constitutional Government.
These individuals received an intensive month long training recently which taught them about the way malaria is transmitted, how to carry out proper diagnosis and treatment as well as the effective management of the mosquito.
In addition, 80 existing analysts with the malaria control programme attended a two-week refresher training session on Malaria microscopy to further improve their diagnostic capabilities.
This is just the first of many crucial interventions taken by the Ministry of Health, with the financial assistance of The Global Fund and technical expertise of the World Health Organization, to address the country's Malaria situation. There are annually over 100,000 reported cases of Malaria and children under the age of five years are usually the victims to this disease.
"Malaria is a preventable disease and sleeping under a long-lasting insecticidal net is one way of keeping away the diseases. It's also curable, but those on medication must complete the entire course in order to recover completely," said Dr Paramita Sudharto, the World Health Organization's representative in Timor-Leste.
Malaria thrives in coastal landscapes and forested areas however it is endemic throughout this country. It particularly affects pregnant women, children under the age of five, remote groups, urban poor, mobile populations, young adults and border communities.
Published in:
Elites TV News, USA
UNMIT News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
World News Report
Wikio.com
Reliefweb.com
Malaria.com
Mounting pressure against new uranium mining and nuclear power plants
Mounting pressure against new uranium mining and nuclear power plants
There is a growing civil society movement against the new uranium mining and nuclear power plants in India. The National Alliance of Anti-nuclear Movements (NAAM) is mobilizing citizens to protest against the reported decision of the government of India to take a quantum leap in installed capacity for nuclear power generation, from the current level of 4,120 MW to 63,000 MW by 2032. "This decision is but an invitation to disaster" says activists.
"Nuclear power, contrary to orchestrated hypes, is actually costlier than power from conventional sources like coal, gas and hydro. And once all the hidden costs are factored in, it would be costlier than even from renewable sources, like wind, in particular" says the NAAM petition that is swelling with citizens signing and endorsing the petition addressed to Ms Pratibha Patil, President of India; Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and Mr Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
"More importantly, it is also intrinsically hazardous, as large amount of radiation is routinely released at every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. An even more intractable problem is that of safe storage of nuclear waste and safe disposal of outlived power plants, given the fact that the half-lives of some of the radioactive substances involved are over even millions of years" further reads the petition.
"Even more disconcerting is, considering the complexity of the technology of a nuclear reactor; there is no way to ensure that a major accident at a nuclear power plant will never take place. And a major accident, given the nature of things, will just turn catastrophic affecting a very large number of people, over a large territory, over a very long period. The disastrous accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in the Ukraine province of the then USSR, on April 26 1986 is a chilling illustration."
"The promise of nil greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is also nothing more than a myth if the entire fuel cycle - including mining, milling, transportation and construction of the power plant - is considered. Moreover, nuclear energy with its highly centralized power production model would only further aggravate the problem by accentuating the current development paradigm reliant on mega-industries and actively blocking any possibility towards ecologically benign decentralized development. The strong linkage between nuclear power and weapons - in terms of large overlaps in technology, in turn triggering strong political push - of which India itself is a graphic illustration can also be overlooked only at our own peril given the genocidal, and suicidal, character of the nuclear weapon" reads the signature petition of NAAM.
The NAAM petition further adds:
As nuclear power is economically unattractive and socially unacceptable, on account of radiation hazards and risks of catastrophic accidents, no order for new nuclear reactors was placed in the USA and most of West Europe during the last 30 years, since the Three Mile Island accident in the US in 1979.
The US and European companies in nuclear power plant equipment and nuclear fuel business are thus looking to Asia for markets - India, China and Japan spearheading the current expansion programme.
It is unfortunate that the Indian government is becoming their willing collaborator in this in pursuit of its megalomaniac hunt for nuclear power and weapon. It has thus, over a period of just one year, rushed to enter into agreements with as many as seven countries, viz. the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Mongolia and Argentina.
So far, nuclear power production capacity in India is very small, only about 3 percent of the total electricity generation capacity; and the veil of secrecy surrounding the existing nuclear power plants in the country, and absence of any truly independent monitoring agency, has seriously hindered dissemination of information on accidents - large and small - at these plants and their public scrutiny. That explains the current low level of popular awareness as regards the grave threats posed by the nuclear industry.
Taking advantage of this, the government of India is now set to steamroll its massive expansion program.
The contention that nuclear power is indispensable to meet future energy needs is false; for energy demand, and "need", is obviously a function of the development paradigm chosen and pursued. And "energy security" is not an autonomous entity or objective, but must be in alignment with other chosen objectives which must include equitable growth and concerns for ecology.
Viewed thus, "energy security" may be achieved by: (I) Increasing efficiency of electricity generation, transmission and distribution. (II) Doing away with extravagant and wasteful use of energy. (III) Pursuing a path of low-energy intensity and decentralised development. (IV) Making optimum use of alternative energy options. (IV) Radically raising investment in development of sustainable and renewable energy sources and technologies, especially wind and solar energy.
As a part of its expansion program, the government of India has announced plans to expand the nuclear power plant coming up at Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu). Additional four reactors from Russia of 1,200 MWe each, in the immediate or near future, are to come up over and above the two of 950 MWe each, presently under construction. The process for setting up a nuclear plant at Jaitapur (Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra) has also reached an advanced stage. The French company Areva is set to supply two new generation reactors of 1650 MWe each, to be followed by another two. Land acquisition notices have been served on the local people to acquire 981 hectare of land.
The government has reportedly already approved 15 new plants at eight sites.
These sites are Kumharia in Haryana - meant for indigenous reactors; Kakrapar (indigenous reactors) and Chhayamithi Virdi (reactor from US) in Gujarat; Kovvada (reactor from US) in Andhra Pradesh; Haripur (reactor from Russia) in West Bengal; Koodankulam (reactor from Russia) in Tamil Nadu; and Jaitapur (reactor from France) in Maharashtra.
Similarly, the mad rush for more and more power plants is matched by an accelerated drive for uranium mining in newer areas: Andhra and Meghalaya, in particular. And this, despite the horrible experience of uranium mines in different parts of the world, as also in our own Jadugoda - where appalling conditions continue despite strong popular protests, spanning decades.
The signatories of this NAAM petition demand that the government of India put a complete stop to the construction of all new uranium mines and nuclear power plants, and radically jack up investments in renewable and environmentally sustainable sources of energy.
[To sign the petition, click here or go to: http://www.petitiononline.com/Nonukes/petition.html ]
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Technology Today, Ukraine
There is a growing civil society movement against the new uranium mining and nuclear power plants in India. The National Alliance of Anti-nuclear Movements (NAAM) is mobilizing citizens to protest against the reported decision of the government of India to take a quantum leap in installed capacity for nuclear power generation, from the current level of 4,120 MW to 63,000 MW by 2032. "This decision is but an invitation to disaster" says activists.
"Nuclear power, contrary to orchestrated hypes, is actually costlier than power from conventional sources like coal, gas and hydro. And once all the hidden costs are factored in, it would be costlier than even from renewable sources, like wind, in particular" says the NAAM petition that is swelling with citizens signing and endorsing the petition addressed to Ms Pratibha Patil, President of India; Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and Mr Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
"More importantly, it is also intrinsically hazardous, as large amount of radiation is routinely released at every stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. An even more intractable problem is that of safe storage of nuclear waste and safe disposal of outlived power plants, given the fact that the half-lives of some of the radioactive substances involved are over even millions of years" further reads the petition.
"Even more disconcerting is, considering the complexity of the technology of a nuclear reactor; there is no way to ensure that a major accident at a nuclear power plant will never take place. And a major accident, given the nature of things, will just turn catastrophic affecting a very large number of people, over a large territory, over a very long period. The disastrous accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in the Ukraine province of the then USSR, on April 26 1986 is a chilling illustration."
"The promise of nil greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is also nothing more than a myth if the entire fuel cycle - including mining, milling, transportation and construction of the power plant - is considered. Moreover, nuclear energy with its highly centralized power production model would only further aggravate the problem by accentuating the current development paradigm reliant on mega-industries and actively blocking any possibility towards ecologically benign decentralized development. The strong linkage between nuclear power and weapons - in terms of large overlaps in technology, in turn triggering strong political push - of which India itself is a graphic illustration can also be overlooked only at our own peril given the genocidal, and suicidal, character of the nuclear weapon" reads the signature petition of NAAM.
The NAAM petition further adds:
As nuclear power is economically unattractive and socially unacceptable, on account of radiation hazards and risks of catastrophic accidents, no order for new nuclear reactors was placed in the USA and most of West Europe during the last 30 years, since the Three Mile Island accident in the US in 1979.
The US and European companies in nuclear power plant equipment and nuclear fuel business are thus looking to Asia for markets - India, China and Japan spearheading the current expansion programme.
It is unfortunate that the Indian government is becoming their willing collaborator in this in pursuit of its megalomaniac hunt for nuclear power and weapon. It has thus, over a period of just one year, rushed to enter into agreements with as many as seven countries, viz. the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Mongolia and Argentina.
So far, nuclear power production capacity in India is very small, only about 3 percent of the total electricity generation capacity; and the veil of secrecy surrounding the existing nuclear power plants in the country, and absence of any truly independent monitoring agency, has seriously hindered dissemination of information on accidents - large and small - at these plants and their public scrutiny. That explains the current low level of popular awareness as regards the grave threats posed by the nuclear industry.
Taking advantage of this, the government of India is now set to steamroll its massive expansion program.
The contention that nuclear power is indispensable to meet future energy needs is false; for energy demand, and "need", is obviously a function of the development paradigm chosen and pursued. And "energy security" is not an autonomous entity or objective, but must be in alignment with other chosen objectives which must include equitable growth and concerns for ecology.
Viewed thus, "energy security" may be achieved by: (I) Increasing efficiency of electricity generation, transmission and distribution. (II) Doing away with extravagant and wasteful use of energy. (III) Pursuing a path of low-energy intensity and decentralised development. (IV) Making optimum use of alternative energy options. (IV) Radically raising investment in development of sustainable and renewable energy sources and technologies, especially wind and solar energy.
As a part of its expansion program, the government of India has announced plans to expand the nuclear power plant coming up at Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu). Additional four reactors from Russia of 1,200 MWe each, in the immediate or near future, are to come up over and above the two of 950 MWe each, presently under construction. The process for setting up a nuclear plant at Jaitapur (Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra) has also reached an advanced stage. The French company Areva is set to supply two new generation reactors of 1650 MWe each, to be followed by another two. Land acquisition notices have been served on the local people to acquire 981 hectare of land.
The government has reportedly already approved 15 new plants at eight sites.
These sites are Kumharia in Haryana - meant for indigenous reactors; Kakrapar (indigenous reactors) and Chhayamithi Virdi (reactor from US) in Gujarat; Kovvada (reactor from US) in Andhra Pradesh; Haripur (reactor from Russia) in West Bengal; Koodankulam (reactor from Russia) in Tamil Nadu; and Jaitapur (reactor from France) in Maharashtra.
Similarly, the mad rush for more and more power plants is matched by an accelerated drive for uranium mining in newer areas: Andhra and Meghalaya, in particular. And this, despite the horrible experience of uranium mines in different parts of the world, as also in our own Jadugoda - where appalling conditions continue despite strong popular protests, spanning decades.
The signatories of this NAAM petition demand that the government of India put a complete stop to the construction of all new uranium mines and nuclear power plants, and radically jack up investments in renewable and environmentally sustainable sources of energy.
[To sign the petition, click here or go to: http://www.petitiononline.com/Nonukes/petition.html ]
Published in:
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Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Elites TV News, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
News From Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
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World News Network, USA
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Social median
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Latest Headline
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International Diabetes Federation elects new leadership to address global diabetes epidemic
International Diabetes Federation elects new leadership to address global diabetes epidemic
The International Diabetes Federation is proud to welcome Professor Jean Claude Mbanya of Cameroon as its new President at the close of the IDF 20th World Diabetes Congress on October 22. He will lead the Federation for the next 3 years. IDF is delighted to announce that Sir Michael Hirst of the United Kingdom was voted President-Elect today the IDF General Council that is made up of more than 200 IDF Member Associations from over 160 countries. Sir Michael will take over from President Mbanya in 2012.
Jean Claude Mbanya is Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Yaounde, Cameroon and Chief of the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Unit at the Hospital Central in Yaounde. He was instrumental in the IDF-led ‘Unite for Diabetes’ campaign, which led to passage of the United Nations Day Resolution on Diabetes in December 2006. He now steers IDF strategic direction to encourage governments to implement policies for the treatment, care and prevention of diabetes.
Professor Mbanya’s research focuses on cultural diabetes-related factors, which are often unique to the African countries and communities he studies. His practice and research have largely contributed to increase the world’s awareness on diabetes in Africa, a continent where non-contagious diseases such as diabetes are too often overlooked.
He takes charge at a time when diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are exacting a severe global toll, with most of the burden falling in the developing world. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases cause 60% of all deaths worldwide, with four in every five of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Diabetes contributes significantly to the NCD burden. Over 250 million people live with diabetes worldwide.
“The challenge ahead is to put diabetes care within the reach of all people living with diabetes. It is my hope that my time as President of the Federation will see an increase in spending on global health, with a major shift in funding for diabetes and non-communicable diseases. We have to act together to ensure that accidents of geography and history do not determine who should live or die,” said Professor Mbanya.
Sir Michael Hirst has served as a Vice-President of IDF since 2006 and as co-Chair of the IDF TIDES programme, which addresses diabetes care in emergency situations. He became interested in diabetes over twenty years ago when his youngest child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a very young age.
Then a Member of the British Parliament, Sir Michael championed the cause of diabetes in Parliament, as a result of which he was co-opted to the Board of Trustees of the British Diabetic Association, now Diabetes UK. There he served as a trustee in a variety of capacities for 17 years, most recently as the first non-medical Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2001-2006. As Chairman, he oversaw major changes in the operations and governance of Diabetes UK, Europe's largest organization for people with diabetes.
Sir Michael Hirst is a graduate in law of the University of Glasgow and was an exchange student at the University of Iceland. He later qualified as a chartered accountant and became a partner in KPMG, the international accounting firm, until he entered the British Parliament. Sir Michael held a number of senior positions in frontline politics until 1997 and was knighted for political and public service in 1992. He has also served on the board of a number of leading charities and public bodies, and is currently Chairman of two companies in the UK.
“I am deeply touched by the honour bestowed upon me by IDF’s member associations. I look forward to the opportunity to continue the work of the Federation. I will serve my apprenticeship under an inspiring leader and expect to learn a great deal over the next three years. There is a huge job to be done for people with diabetes and it will require a united global effort to improve their lives. It will be a challenge, but one that I shall relish. My retirement has been postponed,” said Hirst.
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The International Diabetes Federation is proud to welcome Professor Jean Claude Mbanya of Cameroon as its new President at the close of the IDF 20th World Diabetes Congress on October 22. He will lead the Federation for the next 3 years. IDF is delighted to announce that Sir Michael Hirst of the United Kingdom was voted President-Elect today the IDF General Council that is made up of more than 200 IDF Member Associations from over 160 countries. Sir Michael will take over from President Mbanya in 2012.
Jean Claude Mbanya is Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Yaounde, Cameroon and Chief of the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases Unit at the Hospital Central in Yaounde. He was instrumental in the IDF-led ‘Unite for Diabetes’ campaign, which led to passage of the United Nations Day Resolution on Diabetes in December 2006. He now steers IDF strategic direction to encourage governments to implement policies for the treatment, care and prevention of diabetes.
Professor Mbanya’s research focuses on cultural diabetes-related factors, which are often unique to the African countries and communities he studies. His practice and research have largely contributed to increase the world’s awareness on diabetes in Africa, a continent where non-contagious diseases such as diabetes are too often overlooked.
He takes charge at a time when diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are exacting a severe global toll, with most of the burden falling in the developing world. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases cause 60% of all deaths worldwide, with four in every five of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Diabetes contributes significantly to the NCD burden. Over 250 million people live with diabetes worldwide.
“The challenge ahead is to put diabetes care within the reach of all people living with diabetes. It is my hope that my time as President of the Federation will see an increase in spending on global health, with a major shift in funding for diabetes and non-communicable diseases. We have to act together to ensure that accidents of geography and history do not determine who should live or die,” said Professor Mbanya.
Sir Michael Hirst has served as a Vice-President of IDF since 2006 and as co-Chair of the IDF TIDES programme, which addresses diabetes care in emergency situations. He became interested in diabetes over twenty years ago when his youngest child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a very young age.
Then a Member of the British Parliament, Sir Michael championed the cause of diabetes in Parliament, as a result of which he was co-opted to the Board of Trustees of the British Diabetic Association, now Diabetes UK. There he served as a trustee in a variety of capacities for 17 years, most recently as the first non-medical Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2001-2006. As Chairman, he oversaw major changes in the operations and governance of Diabetes UK, Europe's largest organization for people with diabetes.
Sir Michael Hirst is a graduate in law of the University of Glasgow and was an exchange student at the University of Iceland. He later qualified as a chartered accountant and became a partner in KPMG, the international accounting firm, until he entered the British Parliament. Sir Michael held a number of senior positions in frontline politics until 1997 and was knighted for political and public service in 1992. He has also served on the board of a number of leading charities and public bodies, and is currently Chairman of two companies in the UK.
“I am deeply touched by the honour bestowed upon me by IDF’s member associations. I look forward to the opportunity to continue the work of the Federation. I will serve my apprenticeship under an inspiring leader and expect to learn a great deal over the next three years. There is a huge job to be done for people with diabetes and it will require a united global effort to improve their lives. It will be a challenge, but one that I shall relish. My retirement has been postponed,” said Hirst.
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Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights
Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights
The nights are laden with the intoxicating smell of the white flowers of ‘queen of night’. There is a rosy nip in the morning air, hinting at the approaching winters. The granaries are brimming with the recently harvested rice crop. For many businesses, the traditional (not the official) new financial year is about to begin. So what could be a more auspicious time to worship ‘lakshmi’ the goddess of wealth, and ‘ganesha’ the elephant god who removes all hurdles from our lives, than the festival of DEEPAWALI (which literally means ‘rows of earthen lamps’).
Diwali, the ‘festival of lights’ is celebrated on a dark moon night in the month of Kartik (according to the Hindu calendar), contrasting the power of brightness over darkness. As myriads of fireworks light up the black skies, and multi coloured twinkling lights of earthen lamps, candles, electric bulbs adorn the earth, all seems to be right with the world, with God in Her proper place.
Yet, Diwali is, in a way, symbolic of the many contradictions and contrasts that abound in our lives. Dhanteras, the first of the 5 days long Diwali festivities, is associated with the buying of some new utensil/ornament/household goods , symbolising prosperity. This year, in the city of Lucknow alone, 100kg of gold, 700 kg of silver, 750 cars, 3500 two wheelers, besides electronic goods and utensils, were estimated to have been sold on the day of Dhanteras itself, global recession notwithstanding. At the same time, the number of people subsisting below the poverty line has also increased. So, while many may not have a square meal on this day, few amongst us would be buying a special ‘mithai’, made of pine nuts, saffron and gold, priced at Rs 250 a piece.
The intense ‘anti cracker campaigns’ spearheaded by the environmental conscious brigade, go hand in hand with the nerve wrecking booms of cracker-bombs deafening the environs and polluting the air. The so called ‘green’, but expensive fireworks rub shoulders with ‘terminator' and other weirdly named rockets, which become deadlier with each passing year. There are Diwali Fireworks Displays alongside ‘Say No To Crackers’ drives. But it was heartening to hear from my students that at least 25% of them had stopped burning crackers in an effort to save the environment.
As the double meaning song goes, ‘playing with matches, a girl can get burnt’, so also the light which dispels darkness also causes devastating fires. In my school, the anti cracker drive was immediately followed by the city Fire Officer telling us the dos and don’ts in case of injuries / burns caused by crackers or an erring candle/diya.
All said and done, Diwali does give all of us an excuse to forget our woes, at least for a while and join in the festivities with gay abandon; to add some light and sweet moments to an otherwise mundane life. So let us imbibe the true meaning of this festival and enjoy it with moderation. Let us not make a vulgar display of riches, brushing aside the poor. Rather let wealth shake hands with poverty, and leave some of its sparkles forever in indigent palms.
Let the lights of diwali light up the hearths of the hungry and the hearts of the lonely. Let the festive air blow from the lowliest huts of India to the domes of the White House, and let the true spirit of Diwali (which signifies the victory of light over darkness and of truth over dishonesty) pervade all, irrespective of caste, colour, creed and social status.
Let us wish each other a peaceful, safe and happy Diwali.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in:
The Asian Tribune, Sri Lanka
Thai-Indian News, Bankok, Thailand
Darjeeling Times, West Bengal
Modern Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Elites TV News, USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Khabar Express News
Wikio news.com
Kisaso.com
The nights are laden with the intoxicating smell of the white flowers of ‘queen of night’. There is a rosy nip in the morning air, hinting at the approaching winters. The granaries are brimming with the recently harvested rice crop. For many businesses, the traditional (not the official) new financial year is about to begin. So what could be a more auspicious time to worship ‘lakshmi’ the goddess of wealth, and ‘ganesha’ the elephant god who removes all hurdles from our lives, than the festival of DEEPAWALI (which literally means ‘rows of earthen lamps’).
Diwali, the ‘festival of lights’ is celebrated on a dark moon night in the month of Kartik (according to the Hindu calendar), contrasting the power of brightness over darkness. As myriads of fireworks light up the black skies, and multi coloured twinkling lights of earthen lamps, candles, electric bulbs adorn the earth, all seems to be right with the world, with God in Her proper place.
Yet, Diwali is, in a way, symbolic of the many contradictions and contrasts that abound in our lives. Dhanteras, the first of the 5 days long Diwali festivities, is associated with the buying of some new utensil/ornament/household goods , symbolising prosperity. This year, in the city of Lucknow alone, 100kg of gold, 700 kg of silver, 750 cars, 3500 two wheelers, besides electronic goods and utensils, were estimated to have been sold on the day of Dhanteras itself, global recession notwithstanding. At the same time, the number of people subsisting below the poverty line has also increased. So, while many may not have a square meal on this day, few amongst us would be buying a special ‘mithai’, made of pine nuts, saffron and gold, priced at Rs 250 a piece.
The intense ‘anti cracker campaigns’ spearheaded by the environmental conscious brigade, go hand in hand with the nerve wrecking booms of cracker-bombs deafening the environs and polluting the air. The so called ‘green’, but expensive fireworks rub shoulders with ‘terminator' and other weirdly named rockets, which become deadlier with each passing year. There are Diwali Fireworks Displays alongside ‘Say No To Crackers’ drives. But it was heartening to hear from my students that at least 25% of them had stopped burning crackers in an effort to save the environment.
As the double meaning song goes, ‘playing with matches, a girl can get burnt’, so also the light which dispels darkness also causes devastating fires. In my school, the anti cracker drive was immediately followed by the city Fire Officer telling us the dos and don’ts in case of injuries / burns caused by crackers or an erring candle/diya.
All said and done, Diwali does give all of us an excuse to forget our woes, at least for a while and join in the festivities with gay abandon; to add some light and sweet moments to an otherwise mundane life. So let us imbibe the true meaning of this festival and enjoy it with moderation. Let us not make a vulgar display of riches, brushing aside the poor. Rather let wealth shake hands with poverty, and leave some of its sparkles forever in indigent palms.
Let the lights of diwali light up the hearths of the hungry and the hearts of the lonely. Let the festive air blow from the lowliest huts of India to the domes of the White House, and let the true spirit of Diwali (which signifies the victory of light over darkness and of truth over dishonesty) pervade all, irrespective of caste, colour, creed and social status.
Let us wish each other a peaceful, safe and happy Diwali.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in:
The Asian Tribune, Sri Lanka
Thai-Indian News, Bankok, Thailand
Darjeeling Times, West Bengal
Modern Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Elites TV News, USA
Bihar and Jharkhand News (BJNS)
Khabar Express News
Wikio news.com
Kisaso.com
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