Page 13 - Social Issues
Encephalitis: NHRC notice to Centre, Bihar govt over rising deaths of children in Muzaffarpur
The National Human Rights Commission Monday sent notices to the Union Health Ministry and Bihar government over reports of increasing deaths of children due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur, a senior official said. A total of 103 children have died of suspected Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in Bihar, where doctors strike has paralysed medical and health services. Most of these victims are from Muzaffarpur. "The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports about the rising number of deaths of children due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar in the past few days," the official said. The commission has issued notices to the secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the chief secretary of Bihar, seeking a detailed report, including on the status of implementation of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Japanese Encephalitis Virus/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (NPPCJA) and other steps taken to deal ...
India likely to add 273 million people between 2019 and 2050: UN report
India, projected to surpass China as the world's most populous country around 2027, is expected to add nearly 273 million people between now and 2050 and will remain the most populated country through the end of the current century, a UN report said on Monday. 'The World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights', published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said the world's population is expected to increase by two billion people in the next 30 years, from 7.7 billion currently to 9.7 billion in 2050. The world's population could reach its peak around the end of the current century, at a level of nearly 11 billion, according to the study, which presents the main results of the 26th round of the UN's global population estimates, projections and global demographic patterns. The new report released here said that more than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in just nine countries, led by India .
NHRC seeks reports from Centre, Bihar govt over rising AES deaths
The NHRC on Monday sought detailed reports from the Union health secretary and the Bihar chief secretary after taking suo motu cognisance of media reports on the rising number of deaths in Muzaffarpur and other districts in the state due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).Issuing notice to the two officials, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said the reports should provide the status of implementation of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Japanese Encephalitis Virus/AES and other steps taken to deal with the painful situation."The Commission would also like to know about the status of the treatment being provided to the children, who are presently hospitalised and relief/rehabilitation provided by the State to the aggrieved families. The response is expected within four weeks," the notice said."The Commission has observed that in spite of reported measures taken by the government agencies, deaths of children in such a large number indicate towards a possible .
Kids in cages: Geneva protest urges UN action on Trump migration policy
Teenagers huddled in a cage outside the UN in Geneva Monday, as protestors demanded that the world body address the "unconscionable" US policy of separating migrant families crossing its southern border. Three teens wearing t-shirts with "#ClassroomsNotCages" scrawled across the front stood inside a small cage erected outside the gates of the United Nations's European headquarters, as dozens of demonstrators urged the UN Human Rights Council take on President Donald Trump's administration. "The action today is about creating more pressure and more exposure of just how terrible and dehumanising this policy of the American government is towards children," said Randi Weingarten, president of American Federation of Teachers, which helped organise the protest. "What the Trump administration is doing is both lawless and immoral, and because it is so focused on children, it is unconscionable," she told AFP. The union was among 15 labour organisations and rights groups that filed a complaint .
Will revisit the issue of framing central law to protect doctors: Union health minister
Amid protests by the medical fraternity across the country over violence against doctors in hospitals, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Monday said the government will "revisit" the issue of drafting a central law regarding the safety of medicos at healthcare facilities. Vardhan said he has already written to all states requesting chief ministers to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence, along with suggesting a model law proposed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). "We will revisit this problem and see if we can do something at the central level about drafting any such law. It was visited earlier by our law people," he told reporters outside parliament. The Union minister further said this is not a Centre versus state issue, while stressing that the safety of doctors was not debatable. "Doctors should not be beaten by anybody in the premises of the hospital or outside and there is no difference of ...
AES: NHRC notice to Health Ministry, Bihar govt over increasing deaths of children in Muzaffarpur
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday sent notices to the Union Health Ministry and the government of Bihar over reports of increasing deaths of children due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur, a senior official said. Nearly 100 children have died of suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Bihar, where doctors strike has paralysed medical and health services. "The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports about the rising number of deaths of children due to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar in the past few days," a senior official said. The commission has issued notices to the secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the chief secretary of Bihar, seeking a detailed report, including on the status of implementation of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Japanese Encephalitis Virus/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (NPPCJA) and other steps taken to deal with the painful situation, the NHRC said in a
Delhi: Protests held outside Bihar Bhawan after AES claims 100 lives in Muzaffarpur
People gathered outside the Bihar Bhawan here on Monday to protest against the dying of children due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar.Angry protesters, who demanded immediate action by the government, were seen shouting slogans and holding placards that read, "If lives of our kids don't matter, what will" and "Punish all the culprits".Annie Raja, wife of CPI National Secretary D Raja while talking to ANI said: "Bihar has seen the death of more than 100 children. However, the government is not taking any action or doing any investigation into the matter."The protesters alleged that the government is not working towards making the health care system more efficient."This is not the first time such a thing is happening. Even in 2014 more than 300 children died. There is still no preparedness by the government to control such an outbreak," she further said."Health minister of Bihar says it is the fate of the children. Ministers uttering such statements .
Muzzafarpur: Case filed against Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan
A case was filed against Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Monday by social worker Tamanna Hashmi for alleged failure to take adequate steps for spreading awareness about encephalitis disease."The death of children could have been minimised or prevented had the government taken steps to spread awareness about encephalitis when there was time. Being the Central and State ministers for Health, it is the responsibility of Harsh Vardhan and Mangal Pandey to spread awareness and prevent the spread of the disease," Hashmi told ANI here.He added that he was distraught by the deaths of so many children in Bihar due to the outbreak of the disease and therefore he had filed the case against the two."I am distraught by the death of so many children from the state and that is why I filed a case against the two in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM)," Hashmi said.Earlier, officials said the death toll due to encephalitis in Muzaffarpur has
33 Russians face new doping allegations
The Russian anti-doping agency says it plans to file doping cases against 33 athletes from a range of sports for using banned treatments from a doctor. The agency, known as RUSADA, says the suspects who used the unspecified "banned method" include 19 track and field competitors two of them athletes with disabilities as well as five cyclists, a boxer and a gymnast. All of them are from a sports academy in Chuvashia in central Russia, a region known for its track and field squads. RUSADA says it reported a sports doctor to law enforcement under a Russian law against inducing athletes to dope. However, RUSADA says the case was closed after authorities ruled her conduct wasn't a crime because she hadn't been officially informed the treatment was banned.
Fresh efforts on to push Myanmarese refugees back
After the proposed deportation of over 200 Myanmarese refugees from Mizoram were deferred two days ago, the administration has taken up fresh initiative to repatriate them, state Home Minister Lalchamliana said Monday. A total of 219 Myanmarese refugees belonging to 54 families are staying in four villages of southernmost Mizoram's Lawngtlai district since November 2017. "The Centre instructed us to deport the foreigners who were in Lawngtlai district's Hmawngbuchhuah village and even use force if necessary," the minister said. Lalchamliana said identification of the refugees was being conducted again as the figures given by the Lawngtlai district administration and the Assam Rifles authorities did not tally. Inspector General of Police John Neihlaia told PTI that the government took firm stand on the issue of foreigners entering the state illegally and that stringent action would be taken against illegal immigrants. The district administration on Saturday deferred the ..
Doctors' strike hits medical services in U'khand too
Medical services were hit across Uttarakhand Monday as doctors throughout the state struck work in solidarity with the striking doctors in West Bengal. OPDs remained closed at both private and government hospitals throughout the state in response to the strike call by the Indian Medical Association, IMA state president DD Choudhury said. Emergency services, however, were kept out of the ambit of the strike which will go on till 6 am Tuesday, he said. OPDs remained closed at all hospitals in the state including Doon Medical College and Hospital, Coronation Hospital, AIIMS, Rishikesh and Rishikesh Government Hospital. Though the OPDs remained closed at AIIMS, Rishikesh, emergency services at the facility remained unaffected, its PRO Harish Thapaliyal said. Doctors at Rishikesh government hospital too struck work from 8 am to 10 am in the morning as a token of protest against the assault on doctors at NRS, Kolkata, IMA secretary (Rishikesh) US Kharola said.
Sri Lanka abusing UN law to make arrests: rights group
Media activists on Monday accused Sri Lankan police of using a UN convention on hate speech to crack down on media freedom and the country's Muslim minority. The Free Media Movement rights group said the police Special Task Force (STF) attempted to arrest a respected journalist for his writing on anti-Muslim riots and Buddhist extremists using the UN-backed law. The STF told a magistrate on Friday they were pursuing freelance writer Kusal Perera under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. "The Free Media Movement strongly condemns the attempts to pursue legal action under the provisions of the ICCPR Act and urges all responsible stakeholders to draw their attention to avoid using the law unfairly," the group said. Police have also drawn criticism over the detention of a Muslim woman during anti-Muslim riots last month. She was wearing a T-shirt with a print of a ship's steering wheel which police mistook for the Dharma Chakra, a Buddhist symbol. The ...
NCST to convene meeting on alleged displacement of tribals from Chhattisgarh due to Maoist violence
The National Commission For Scheduled Tribes (NCST) will convene a meeting to discuss the issue of alleged displacement of tribals from Chhattisgarh due to Maoist violence with the Union ministries of home and tribal affairs. Besides the Union ministries, representatives from Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtara will be invited for the meeting that is likely to take place in June end or early next month, NCST Joint Secretary S K Rathore said. "We discussed the matter at the 115th meeting of the commission held on June 4. The claim is that a lot of people from Chhattisgarh have gone to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra due to violence," he said. Some members of the commission opined that like Kashmiri Pandits fled Jammu and Kashmir due to violence, something like that happened in Chhattisgarh also because of Maoist violence and they wanted to seek ground reports from the four states, Rathore said. "We have called for feedback from these states. We have to ...
College girl dies, parents seek Siddha doctor's arrest
Over 100 people squatted in front of the government hospital here seeking immediate arrest of a Siddha practitioner for alleged misdiagnosis leading to the death of a college girl, police said Monday. The 20-year-old Sathyapriya, a student of Government Arts College here, had been suffering from menstrual problem for the last one year and approached the Siddha practitioner here for treatment, after failing to get a cure from different doctors. Since there had been no improvement in the condition, the parents had lodged a complaint against the practitioner Gurunathan a month ago for providing wrong treatment. As the condition of Sathyapriya started deteriorating last week, she was admitted to the Government hospital here, where she died in the early hours of Monday. The aggrieved parents, along with a large number of relatives, squatted in front of the hospital demanding immediate arrest of Gurunathan for providing the wrong treatment, and also against the police who ...
Haryana cop commits suicide inside Hisar mini-secretariat complex
An assistant sub-inspector of the Haryana Police allegedly committed suicide by hanging on Monday at the mini-secretariat complex here, police said. The body of Rakesh Kumar (44) was found hanging near the stairs of the building this morning, they added. A suicide note was found in ASI Kumar's pocket in which he wrote that he was mentally disturbed and hence was killing himself, police spokesperson Harish Bhardwaj said. The official said Kumar was posted at the Hansi police station and resided at a rented house in Jawahar Nagar area here. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and further investigation is underway, Bhardwaj added.
Hong Kong pro-democracy activist released from jail
Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, an iconic 2014 Umbrella Revolution leader, walked free from a Hong Kong prison on Monday after serving a two-month sentence and urged the territory's Chief Executive Carrie Lam to step down amid days of massive protests against a controversial extradition bill that would allow suspects to be sent to China for trial.
Former first lady Torres takes lead in Guatemala presidential vote
Former first lady Sandra Torres was in the lead after partial results from Guatemala's presidential election, following a tumultuous campaign that saw two leading candidates barred and the top electoral crimes prosecutor flee the corruption-weary country. With 28 per cent of votes counted after Sunday's polls, Torres was on 24 percent while her closest rival Alejandro Giammattei was on 15 percent, the Electoral Supreme Court (TSE) said. With a crowded field of 19 candidates, counting has been slow and no one is expected to poll more than the 50 per cent required to avoid a runoff on August 11. After casting her ballot, Torres, of the center-left Unity of Hope party (UNE), said she was "optimistic, we've worked hard ... I'll be the first woman president." Her closest rival, Giammattei, a doctor from the conservative VAMOS party, denounced an "irregular" electoral process after several candidates were excluded from the race to succeed unpopular outgoing president Jimmy Morales. Morales .
Two held for transporting banned fish variety
Police said on Monday they have seized 70 quintal of the banned Mugera fish in Shamli district and arrested two people. Authorities have banned the sale, storage and transportation of the fish variety because of its public health risks. The two people were transporting the fish in a canter to Haryana when they were arrested in Bhedi Khurd village on Sunday, police said.
Papua New Guinea set to end Australia refugee contract PORT
Papua New Guinea will not renew a contract with an Australian company providing security at Pacific refugee camps, a senior minister has told AFP, in another setback for the deeply controversial policy. Singapore-registered Paladin Holdings provides security and other services at three "transition centres" for refugees being held on Papua New Guinea's remote Manus Island after trying to get to Australia. Canberra has turned back thousands of refugees arriving by sea, instead putting them in offshore camps where mental illness and suicide attempts are rife. The policy has cost Australia billions of dollars and earned it international opprobrium, but remains a vote winner at home. Yet the new government in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea's capital, plans to "terminate (the) Paladin contract by end of this month" said Immigration Minister Petrus Thomas. Thomas said his government had notified Australia's home affairs department that it will launch a "transparent tender process" that ...
Ten killed in Paraguay prison riot: interior ministry
A riot at a prison in Paraguay left 10 inmates dead and 10 wounded, the interior ministry said Sunday. Interior minister Juan Villamayor said that there was a "confrontation" between "two feared criminal organizations" at the prison in San Pedro de Ycuamandiyu, some 400 kilometers northeast of the capital. "All of the dead belong to the narco groups," Villamayor said. One of the organizations involved is originally from the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, while the other is made up of drug traffickers from both countries, according to authorities. The riot began at noon (1600 GMT) and lasted for about three hours, at a time when there were few guards. Five of those killed on Sunday were decapitated and three were burned, Villamayor said. The unrest is the latest in a series of deadly prison riots to hit Latin American countries, including one in Brazil that killed 40 people last month.