India is main supplier of medical goods to UN

16/07/2020 0 Comments read Environment & Development, Health & Science

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 16.07.2020 (SciDev.Net): UN procurement of goods and services from developing countries, economies in transition and least developed countries reached an all-time high of $12.3 billion or 62 per cent of all supplies in 2019, says a newly released report.

Three developing countries — India (US$1.1 billion), Yemen (US$872 million) and United Arab Emirates (US$840.5 million) — were among the top five supplier countries, according to the report launched by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) on 9 July.

UN procurement from suppliers in Asia rose by 15.3 per cent between 2016 and 2019. India was again the second largest supplier to UN organisations, while the US maintained the top spot (US$1.7 billion).

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Polio Fact Sheet

16/10/2009 0 Comments read Disability, Health & Science, Poliomyelitis

The World Health Organisation recommended immunization schedule calls for four doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to be given at birth and at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age in polio-endemic countries like India. There should be an interval of at least four weeks between doses.

Routine immunization provides a basic level of immunity against polio. High routine immunization coverage also reduces the amount of circulating wild poliovirus, thus facilitating eradication.

As part of the supplementary immunization, two doses of OPV are administered to all children aged less than five years in the entire country on a national immunisation day. The two rounds are approximately a month apart. All children are immunized regardless of their prior immunization status.

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Women As Science Conductors

02/06/2007 0 Comments read Gender, Health & Science

By Neena Bhandari

Melbourne, 02.06.2007 (WFS): Experts believe that if women are involved in the spread of practices based on scientific principles, society will stand a greater chance at fighting off problems related to health, environment and food security. From communicating the latest technical advancements in agriculture to ensuring access to antiretroviral and other HIV-related treatments, women and children can help transfer the findings of scientific research into communities. This was discussed at the Fifth World Conference of Science Journalists held here recently.

As Rosemary Okello-Orlale, Executive Director of the African Woman and Child Feature Service (AWCFS), a media NGO focusing on development communication in Africa says, “Being the managers of homes, environment and also the majority of agricultural produce, women are critical group for any science findings. But the role of rural women in implementing scientific research findings and innovations as a strategy to reduce poverty and disease burden is rarely discussed. Most of these women tend to be left out because majority cannot read and write.”

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