Health Policy

Horton’s final plea is therefore both scientific and moral: acknowledge the scale of the last disaster, confront the uncomfortable truths about how we live on this planet, and act before the next inevitable outbreak becomes the one we cannot contain.

The problem isn’t unique to Sri Lanka, but the country’s rapid adoption of sugar-focused measures without NSS safeguards has amplified it.

The survey’s outlook emphasises aligning state, private sector, and citizens to navigate global headwinds, positioning India for Viksit Bharat by 2047 through sectoral synergies and resilience.

Nepal faces international obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals to reduce stunting to 15 per cent, wasting to four per cent, and underweight rates to 10 per cent by 2030 – targets that appear increasingly challenging, particularly in remote and underserved regions like Sudurpaschim.

As India battles the latest Nipah virus cluster, health officials emphasise that vigilance, rapid response, and public cooperation will be critical to preventing a larger outbreak.

The episode marks a critical moment for global health diplomacy. As pandemics and health crises increasingly transcend borders, the debate over the US withdrawal from the WHO highlights the fragile balance between national interests and collective security in an interconnected world.

In the first quarter of 2025, Bangladesh reported only 641 malaria cases and one death – a dramatic fall from the 13,099 cases and six deaths recorded in 2024, and a far cry from the 84,690 cases and 154 fatalities seen in 2008 at the height of the country’s malaria burden.

The Global Health Index specifically highlights poor diet and lack of exercise as significant contributors to Sri Lanka’s low relative standing, noting that even...