Preventive healthcare

The EPA, which enforces federal environmental laws, said it would stop estimating the economic value of health benefits from reducing ozone and fine particulate matter, even though it acknowledges that they contribute to pulmonary disease, heart attacks, and premature deaths. 

The meeting also reviewed management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, with emphasis on designating C&D waste sites, stopping demolition activities during peak pollution periods, and partnering recycler associations for scientific disposal.

These twin initiatives – ministerial oversight of state action plans and on-ground inspections by CAQM – reflect an intensified government push to address chronic air pollution in the NCR.

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...

Despite the obstacles, Pakistan has shown significant reductions in reported polio cases in recent years, though sporadic outbreaks serve as stark reminders of how tenuous progress can be.

Awareness messages on tuberculosis, reducing the digital divide, the PC&PNDT Act, 1994, and other key issues have been displayed both inside the coaches and on the exterior of the metro.

Experts point out that recovery fund and planned reconstruction must also prioritise restoring agricultural capacity, irrigation and roads – because Sri Lanka’s food security and export-based economy depend critically on them.