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Showing posts from February, 2013

Huffington Post: " South Asia's Water Woes-Is there hope?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ siddharth-chatterjee/post_ 4403_b_2664480.html World Water Day is being celebrated on March 22, 2013.   Even after nearly twenty years since World Water Day started in 1993,  over 1000 children in India die daily from water borne diseases. The entire world is watching India celebrate Kumbh Mela one of the holiest festivals in the Hindu calendar, which happens every 12 years. Sadly the waters of the Ganges where 30 million bathed on February 10, is neither fit for bathing or drinking.  The National Geographic once described the Ganges as a septic tank, and they may be right, as the levels of fecal contamination is really jaw dropping. I thought it would be useful to draw attention to this important event with an opinion piece I have developed with Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO’s (World Health Organization) Deputy Regional Director for the South East Asian Regional Office. We hope this piece will generate a broader discussion on the gri

Forbes: For Child Soldiers, Every Day Is A Living Nightmare

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/12/09/for-child-soldiers-every-day-is-a-living-nightmare/ I sincerely hope 2013 proves auspicious and a harbinger of hope. This terrible tragedy of child soldiers and children exposed to the savagery of armed conflicts is stopped forever. We must see collective and concerted actions to bring this tragic chapter of human history to a close.

The Guardian: To fully eradicate polio, India must go beyond its own borders

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2013/jan/13/eradicate-polio-india-borders On Sunday, January 13, 2013, India marks two years with no reported case of polio. Given the size of population, widespread poverty, poor health and physical infrastructure and pockets of insecurity, this is remarkable. But India still needs to maintain its polio free status for another year, before it can be declared polio free. And until polio is eradicated completely, the threat of polio re-infecting India and other countries hangs like the 'Sword of the Damocles'. Polio is now present in three countries-Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The disease has to be eradicated from these countries in order for the world to rid itself of this crippling disease. We are at the last mile and have to be resolute and unwavering in ensuring the utter and complete demise of polio.

The Hindu: Are Women Not Part of Our Being?

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article3901569.ece My opinion piece in The Hindu, on the scourge of sexual and gender violence in India, which is deeply troubling. Without collective resolve, education, awareness raising and affirmative action this problem will continue to cause misery to many women and children.

Reuters: A clarion call to eradicate polio-India can help

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/blogs/health-and-science/a-clarion-call-to-eradicate-polio-india-can-help 24 October 2012 was World Polio Day. It marks a day of hope for India. For the first time in its history, India has been polio free. India's Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh has stated that this, “gives us hope that we can finally eradicate polio not only from India but from the face of the Earth.” It also marks a day of hope for all children of the world. From a 125 countries where polio was active and crippling millions of children, we are down to three countries. We are at the last mile in eradicating this terrible disease. We have to do everything possible to do just that

Reuters: India's malnutrition plight: The effects are more dire than we think

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/blogs/asia-views/indias-malnutrition-plight-the-effects-are-more-dire-than-we-think/ November 19, is the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary. President Pranab Mukherjee together with celebrity Bollywood actor and UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador Aamir Khan launch one of the Government of India’s most ambitious campaigns to combat malnutrition. This marks a very important step to invest in the early childhood development of the country's children. India has more malnourished children than sub Saharan Africa. The statistics are frightening and left unchecked do not augur well for the country's human development. 

Forbes: As Deaths Mount In Pakistan, Ending Polio Becomes An Act Of Courage

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/12/27/as-deaths-mount-in-pakistan-ending-polio-becomes-an-act-of-courage/ In December 2012 hope in Pakistan's polio eradication efforts was punctuated by the reckless killing of 9 health workers. These health workers knew of the risks they faced and yet demonstrated compelling acts of courage and devotion to their work. My OP/ED today in Forbes is a tribute to these brave health workers. The end of polio is in sight. This is the moment our collective resolve matters most.