Health

A landmark study and a sweeping legal move have thrust India’s air-quality crisis into the spotlight, urging policymakers and courts alike to treat polluted air not just as an environmental issue but a full-blown public health emergency.

According to a report in the The Kathmandu Post, state-run health clinics have not received key contraceptive supplies, including the widely used shot Depo‑Provera and intrauterine devices, for months. This has raised concern among health officials and experts.

The cost of Tuesday’s two flights alone is estimated at ₹1.2 crore (approximately) as part of the pilot. While rainfall did not materialise, IIT Kanpur reported modest reductions in particulate matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀) at test locations, roughly 6 to 10 per cent lower concentrations.

This allows researchers to recreate the compound in controlled settings, speeding up pharmaceutical development and reducing dependence on scarce natural sources.

In a landmark public health achievement, the World Health Organization (WHO) has validated the Maldives for eliminating mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of hepatitis B.

As Nepal moves further into the post-monsoon season, the health sector faces a precarious balance. On one side are the improving weather conditions and fading monsoon rains; on the other, the remnants of mosquito-friendly conditions – standing water, warm afternoons, high humidity – that sustain dengue transmission.

The warning came during a workshop in Kabul on child and adolescent mental health. Alice James, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, urged Afghan authorities, humanitarian agencies, and civil society to adopt a unified, national strategy to address the burgeoning mental health crisis.