The Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index by cyber-security company Surfshark is an annual study that ranks 121 countries by their digital wellbeing based on 5 core pillars — internet quality, internet affordability, e-security, e-infrastructure and e-government.
Digital life allows us to receive online education at any time and almost everywhere. Information for research can be easily found through search engines which can provide thousands of results for a single question.
India has been ranked 52nd out of 121 countries in Digital Quality of Life Index survey. The survey has been carried out by cybersecurity firm Surfshark. The annual survey by the Netherlands-based firm has ranked 121 countries on five factors: internet quality, internet affordability, e-infrastructure, e-government and e-security.
In many nations, ‘digital quality of life’ has merged into the broader concept of overall ‘quality of life’. There’s no other way to look at it now that so many daily activities, including work, education, and leisure, are done online. That’s why it’s crucial to pinpoint the areas in which a nation’s digital quality of life thrives and where attention is needed, which is the precise purpose of the DQL Index”, says Surfshark spokesperson Gabriele Racaityte-Karasauske.
India was ranked 59th last year. This means that it has jumped seven places this time. Surfshark has said that this jump is due to improvement in internet quality in the country. In terms of internet quality, India ranks 16th among 121 countries.
As a matter of fact,
From communication and transport to healthcare and connectivity, the digital technology has enhanced our lives for the better. The best part is that it is ever-evolving by facilitating more advanced features. For instance, we have come far from traditional audio calls to instant messaging and facetime.
We need to bear in mind that
Developing a digital mindset requires cultivating curiosity about technology and its potential. Embrace a mindset of exploration and experimentation. Be open to trying new digital tools, platforms, and software.
The improvements in Digital Quality of Life in India is a step in right direction.
On the otherhand of the spectrum, internet affordability remains a question for the majority of the population. India holds the 28th rank in terms of internet affordability. It considers the time spent working to afford the cheapest broadband and mobile internet. For fixed broadband and mobile internet, Indians must work for 1 hour, 48 minutes, and 44 minutes, 22 seconds each month, respectively.
The Index highlights the gaps in the nation’s digital infrastructure and draws our attention to improving them. It holds the 91st rank in terms of e-infrastructure. Recently, the G20 forum revealed that the adoption of digital public infrastructure has been boosted. This parameter measures the number of active internet users and their smooth online experiences.
With every passing day Digital Quality of Life in India is improving.
The G20 is composed of most of the world’s largest economies’ finance ministries, including both industrialised and developing countries; it accounts for around 80% of gross world product (GWP), 75% of international trade, two-thirds of the global population, and 60% of the world’s land area.
Leaders from the most powerful nations in the world flocked to New Delhi for the G20 Heads of State and Government Summit held on September 9-10.
It has been seen as the rise of India as a global leader .
The culmination of India’s year-long presidency of the G20, the summit envisages to be concluded with the adoption of a G20 Leaders’ Declaration, which will state the participating leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings.
The summit was held at the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex, also known as Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this complex on July 26 this year. It boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including a convention centre, exhibition halls, and an amphitheatre.
As a matter of fact, As of 2023, there are 20 members in the group: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Guest invitees include, amongst others, Spain, the United Nations, the World Bank, the African Union and ASEAN.
United States President Joe Biden on Friday said that he is headed for India to hold discussions with other G20 leaders on several pressing world issues. Taking to his official X (formerly known as Twitter) account, Biden said that every time the G20 engages, it “gets better”.
“I’m headed to the G20 – the premier forum for international economic cooperation – focused on making progress on Americans’ priorities, delivering for developing nations, and showing our commitment to the G20 as a forum that can deliver. Every time we engage, we get better,” Joe Biden said.
As a matter of fact, The main agenda for the annual meeting of the G20 countries in Delhi includes climate change, economic development and debt burdens in low-income countries as well as inflation including food and fertilizers. On each of these issues, there are deep divisions among the participants with the Russia-Ukraine war causing a major schism between Russia and China at one end and the Western Block on the other.
The holding of G20 summit 2023 in India is a big achievement for India.
We live in day and age when the technology has seen lot of Innovation and it has bore more fruits. Television was a big invention so was mobile phone and internet. Although, The flip side of technology is there mainly due to not good use by humans. Kids and children spending too much time on screen is a major worry. This is eating the health and intelligence capacity of children. Parents also give in a wrong manner mobile phones to kids in order to escape from responsibility of care. All this is having negative impacts on our children and youth.
Expert pulse is worried.
Handing phone to your babies could delay their speech, problem-solving skills according to sane opinion.
In this regard, the Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on few days back said handing phone to your babies could lead to delay in their development.
“The more time babies spend on smartphones, the more likely they are to have developmental delay,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
Dr Hassan said parents hand over phones to children to calm them. Also, it allows parents to get other tasks done like cooking, cleaning and washing.
“Letting your baby play with a phone may seem like a simple way to keep them occupied, but it could affect their development,” he said.
“According to a new study published on August 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Paediatrics, babies who spent more time on phones at age one year were more likely to have delays in speech and problem-solving skills,” said Dr Hassan.
“Researchers found that by age two years, babies who had spent up to 4 hours in front of the screen were 3 times more likely to have communication and problem-solving delays, while those who had spent 4 or more hours on screens were 4.78 times more likely to have underdeveloped communication skills, 1.74 times more likely to have subpar fine motor skills and two times more likely to have underdeveloped personal and social skills,” he said.
“By age four years, risk remained only in the communication and problem-solving areas.”
The DAK President said kids develop their language skills by interacting with others including parents and if they are just watching a screen they are not having an opportunity to practice talking.
“Babies need face to face interaction for social development. Looking at people’s faces is when our brain turns on to figure out how to interact with them,” he said
“Screens disrupt interactions and limit opportunities for kids to practice interactive problem-solving skills,” he added.
“Parents should spend time with their kids and delay introducing phones to infants and young children,” said Dr Nisar.
“World Health Organisation and American Academy of Paediatrics recommend that children under age 2 should not be exposed to screens at all and limit screen time to one hour per day for children aged 2-5 years,” he said.
The need of the hour is we cut screen time of our children.
Cricket is a prominent Global Sport. Cricket is among the famous sports of the world . Bat and ball along with wickets are important components of game of Cricket. Bat is among the essential and most significant part of Game of Cricket.
As a matter of fact , Cricket bats are an essential piece of equipment used by every batter. They are used to hit the cricket ball and provide comfort and control to each player. Batsman cherish quality cricket bats.
It is a matter of pride for entire country that bats made in Kashmir valley are shining throughout the world.
Pertinently, bats made of the fine and great Kashmir willow will make an official appearance at the 50-over Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held in October this year in India.
The statistics related to bat industry in Kashmir are worth appreciable.
According to the figures available with the Department of Industries and Commerce, Kashmir, 400 cricket bat-manufacturing units are functional in Kashmir Valley on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, welcoming visitors with willow-clefts piled up on both sides of the road. Of these, 220 units are operational in Anantnag district and 180 in Pulwama district.
It is a good omen the century-old cricket bat industry of Kashmir Valley has become the biggest competitor for the famous English willow cricket bats. The number of cricket-playing nations picking up bats from Kashmir Valley has risen tremendously.
Government is also giving every effort to lift the bat industry of Kashmir. While the government is also in the process to give a unique identification to Kashmir willow bats and the process for giving it a GI tag is going on.
In a matter of great glory and pride for Kashmir it is learnt that 17 international cricketers are to use Kashmir willow bats during ODI World Cup in India.
Cricketers from Kashmir are happy over use of Kashmiri bat at international events.
Mohammad Ayoub Bhat, an avid cricketer states : ” The use of cricket bats from Kashmir valley will be morale booster not just for bat industry of the Kashmir but also cricketers of Kashmir. Many noted global superstars of Cricket are using bats of Kashmir which is a very heartening thing to note. The use of Kashmir made bats is a proud moment for one and all as Kashmir has emerged as bat making hub of India .The bats made in Kashmir are of diverse quality and available in different price ranges. “
With the growing popularity of cricket throughout the world ,the bats of Kashmir are going to be pride of our great country India .
One hopes with full attention the bat Industry of Kashmir will shine throughout the world.u
India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 is nearing its exciting climax. It is the closest to the moon before the tricky landing manoeuvre is attempted on August 23.
The Russian lunar probe Luna-25, too, is also closing in and will attempt a landing between August 21 and 23. Both Russia and India are targeting to land nearer the south pole of the moon.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) feels there is no such race. Both nations will have a new ‘meeting point’ on the moon.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14 from Sriharikota using the Launch Vehicle Mark-3. It reached the moon’s orbit on August 5, and has been orbiting it since then.
Few days back, Chandryaan-3 was put in an orbit of 153 km by 163 km and all lunar-bound manoeuvres were completed. On August 17, the propulsion module and the lander Vikram will separate. The propulsion module will continue its journey in the same orbit.
ISRO Chairman has revealed that the critical part during the soft landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft would be the direction of the spacecraft. He said the velocity at the start of the landing process is almost 1.68 km per second, but this speed is horizontal to the surface of the moon. The Chandrayaan-3 here is tilted almost 90 degrees, it has to become vertical. “The ability to transfer the spacecraft from horizontal to vertical direction is the ‘trick we have to play’ here,” ISRO Chairman said.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said he is more than 100% confident that Chandrayaan-3 will make a safe landing on Moon. He said, “Most of the critical stages are over now…Now I think I’m quite confident, more than 100% it’s going to be a safe landing”.
Chandrayaan-3 success means India set to become fourth country to land on the moon.
ISRO has set three main objectives for the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which include:
Getting a lander to land safely and softly on the surface of the Moon.
Observing and demonstrating the rover’s loitering capabilities on the Moon.
In-site observation & conducting experiments on the materials available on the lunar surface to better understand composition of the Moon.
The satellite was launched aboard the LVM3-M4 rocket in the afternoon of 14 July 2023, at 2:35 pm IST to a EPO perigee of 170 km (106 mi). This will be followed by a series of orbit raising operations (using an on-board LAM and chemical thrusters) to place the satellite in the Trans-lunar injection orbit.
As a matter of fact, Following Chandrayaan-2, where a last-minute glitch in the landing guidance software led to the lander crashing after entering lunar orbit, another lunar mission was proposed.
The launch of Chandrayaan-3 took place on 14 July 2023, at 2:35 pm IST. The lander and rover are expected to land near the lunar south pole region on 23 August 2023.
With the complete success of this great mission India will stamp its authority as global superpower. We all are as Indians proud of our nation.
India is a great country known for many best things.
15 August Independence Day is a special day for entire India when people pay attention or tribute to all of India’s freedom fighters or leaders who fought for freedom. It is a great time when major government buildings are illuminated with fairy lights and tricolor flags, fly over homes and other buildings too. Radio, print, and online media also organize special contests, programs, and articles to promote the day. Films about Indian freedom fighters were also shown on television.
The President gives an “Address to the Nation” on the eve of 15 August Independence Day. The Prime Minister of India raises the Indian flag and delivered a speech at the Red Fort in Old Delhi. Flag-hosting ceremonies and cultural programs are held in the state capitals and are often attended by many schools and organizations. Many people spend the day with family members or close friends. They can have a picnic in a park or private garden, go to the movies, or have lunch or dinner at home or in a restaurant.
There has been curiousty whether this is 76th or 77th Independence day.
The historical context provides insights into this intriguing question. On August 15, 1947, India officially gained its long-awaited independence, culminating in the end of nearly 190 years of British dominance. The initial celebration of this newfound freedom took place on August 15, 1948. Following this line of reasoning, India is set to commemorate its 76th anniversary of Independence.
However, an alternative perspective considers the year 1947 itself as the starting point of India’s independent journey. If one were to count the years from the momentous day that India broke free from British rule, then the completion of 76 years of hard-fought sovereignty would signify that the 15th of August, 2023, is the 77th Independence Day for India.
While both interpretations hold merit the prevailing consensus leans towards designating this occasion as the 76th year of India’s anniversary of independence, while acknowledging that it marks the 77th year since the nation’s liberation in 1947.
India has come off age in past 77 years to be among the leading nations of the world.
became one of the biggest democracies in the world. After more than 77 years of gaining independence, India has walked a long way. India as a nation has built a surplus economy and defiled evil forces from within to remain a democracy. The country has also become one of the most celebrated science and technology hubs.
Expert pulse is From being an education hub of the world in ancient times to becoming the IT hub of the world today, the Indian landscape has come a long way. Taking 15th August 1947 as our frame of reference, we find that there are several fields like Science and Technology, economy, and human development where India has shown remarkable progress. However, some fields like health and education still seem to be taken care of.
It is a proud moment for all of us that India is now the largest democracy of world.
Medical representatives specialize in one area and make the health professionals prescribe the particular product of their company. Their job is to promote the existing medicine to the doctors, pharmacists, and chemists.
It has been a bad trend in the our region by many doctors to accept gifts from the Medical Representatives, a trend which has been criticized by many.
Very recently, Top most Government Hospital of Kashmir The SKIMS administration has curtailed the visits of Medical Representatives to the hospital premises. The prescription of branded medicines has also been banned in the institute.
In this regard ,an order issued by SKIMS reads, “It has been conveyed by Director General Health Services, Government of India, and endorsed by Director SKIMS & Ex. Officio Secretary to Government, that all the medications prescribed in Government Hospitals should be Generic Medicines only and not in any case branded medicines.”
In this regard, it is also reiterated that visits of Medical Representatives to Government Hospitals premises are completely curtailed. Any information about new launch may be communicated by e-mail only,” it reads further.
The larger pulse on ground zero is that
entry of Medical Representatives (MRs) in Government hospitals of Jammu and Kashmir during official hours is causing a mess in hospitals with doctors giving them preference over patients ,and it needs to be curtailed.
In year 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warned India’s top pharmaceutical companies to strictly adhere to marketing ethics, and not to bribe doctors with women, foreign trips and gadgets, ThePrint has learnt.
Government sources had said PM Modi met senior officials from top drug-makers, including Zydus Cadila, Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Wockhardt, in New Delhi on 2 January.
“The issue of unethical use of marketing tactics has been escalated to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) which, in turn, made calls to some top drug-makers and fixed a meeting with the PM,” said a senior government official who attended the meeting.
It has been long felt in Jammu and Kashmir too that medical representatives and doctor nexus is not overall good for health sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
One hopes in Jammu and Kashmir too Patient healthcare would be priority and not the interests of Medical Representatives. Ensuring hassle free and ethical health care for all is the need of the hour.
Corporal punishment has been menace adversely affecting our children especially in schools and homes.
Corporal punishment of people is by hitting them, especially the punishment of children by parents or teachers.
In Indian context, Corporal punishment means any punishment in which a certain amount of physical force is used with the intention of causing some degree of pain or discomfort, however light but sometimes brutal too. This punishment is mostly given by using hands (spanking, slapping, punching, etc.) and/or by hitting (using a stick, belt, shoes, etc.).
Corporal punishment especially of children has been a problem in Jammu and Kashmir too.
In a historic decision aimed at safeguarding the well being and mental health of students, the Department of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) few days issued a circular imposing a ‘blanket ban on corporal punishment and other forms of child abuse’ in all educational institutions within its jurisdiction.
On the otherhand,
The circular cites a report from the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences-Kashmir (IMHANS-K), which raised serious concerns about the adverse effects of corporal punishment on the mental health of school-going children.
Such punitive measures not only hinder the learning process but also create an atmosphere of fear and hostility within the educational institutions, the circular reads.
The DSEK has impressed upon school heads, teaching officials, and educational authorities, both from government and private institutions, to strictly adhere to the ban on corporal punishment and other forms of child abuse.
Manzoor Sultan , an eminent academic expert observed that ” Corporal punishment inflicts long-term harm both physically and mentally on children. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir decision to announce blanket ban on corporal punishment is a welcome decision. The children should never be given corporal punishment. We need to understand that corporal punishment is sometimes viewed on just few paradigms but it also includes verbal abuse of children or demotivating them and causing harm to their creative think. The need of the hour is to ensure also effective monitoring of education system so that children don’t face any problem. It has been seen that Corporal punishment strikes severe fear in the hearts and minds of students and can easily make them to drop out of school. The stakeholders including students , teachers and policy makers along with administrators should use quality interactions to make our education system friendly and creative for all. Back to village has been highly successful , likewise back to School programe should be started to ensure effective interactive sessions with IAS /IPS toppers and scientists, entrepreneurs and role models would make our students career conscious.”
Throughout the world the need of developing quality education system is dependent on creating an atmosphere of love for students.
The pulse of Jammu and Kashmir society is welcoming blanket ban on corporal punishment.
Topaz Shrestha is an Irish/Nepalese PhD researcher from University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. Her area of expertise is in Environmental and Ecopsychology. She is passionate about restoring our bond to the natural world and equal access to nature for all. Her current work revolves around the interconnection between human and environmental health; climate change and psychological well-being. Specifically, she is exploring the relationship between our environment and well-being and how forming a strong connection to the natural world can enhance health and happiness while simultaneously forming the basis for environmental stewardship.
Growing up in rural Ireland, Topaz has noticed the profound effect of spending time in nature on her own well-being and the potential for this connection to support our intrinsic motivation to engage in pro-environmental behaviour. Research demonstrates a consistent positive trend between engagement with nature and improved physical and mental health outcomes. Moreover, the research emphasises that nature-connectedness is one of the strongest predictors of pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, it is of significant concern that urbanisation, environmental degradation and the challenges of modern living are reducing engagement with the natural environment. A presiding narrative is that modern- urbanized lifestyles have diminished healthy human relationships with nature, resulting in many health issues and reduced well-being. Many of us seem physically and psychologically disconnected from nature, which has implications for both personal and planetary well-being. This disconnect is particularly evident within younger generations who are often deprived of direct contact with nature. Longitudinal evidence suggests that over the last few decades, contemporary youth are spending less time outdoors than previous generations (Chawla, 2015; Larson et al., 2019) and that this movement away from nature has had a negative impact on not only our well-being but has engendered an apathetic attitude towards nature that has perpetuated climate inaction and the destruction of ecosystems into adulthood. This wider movement away from nature is reflective of a zeitgeist whereby we perceive ourselves as separate from nature and engage in activity which has ultimately led to the climate crisis we face today.
The government and public health administrations are beginning to recognise the importance of proximity to and engagement with nature as not only a health promotion tool and a
determinant of well-being but also as a powerful catalyst for environmental stewardship. Recently, there is growing interest in this disconnection between humans and nature. This interest has inspired a movement towards a synergistic approach to addressing the climate
crisis in tandem with restoring our bond to the natural world. This interest is predominantly driven by young people who have recognised that they are not merely victims of the climate crisis but can be the agents of change and are subsequently integral to long-term efforts to create a more sustainable and equitable society (WHO, 2022). Young people are often most vocal in calling for urgent and ambitious climate action. According to mental health professionals, the array of climate-related emotions that many young people feel is reflective of their awareness of our disconnection from the natural world and compassion towards the Earth (Diffey, 2022; Hickman, 2020). This awareness and compassion, along with the unique perspective of many young people can act as a catalyst to promote nature-connection and help societies to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.
Topaz’s PhD research focuses on this topic. She is currently working on two interdisciplinary projects at the climate-biodiversity health nexus. Firstly, along with my supervision team made up of Dr Zelda Di Blasi, Dr Sarah Foley and Dr Marica Cassarino, she is carrying out an umbrella review which aims to synthesise the available evidence on nature–based interventions (NBIs). NBIs are health interventions which aim to promote health and wellbeing by bringing you physically and psychologically closer to nature. This project focuses mainly on the intersections of nature–based interventions that enhance mental health and wellbeing, while promoting the restoration of the natural world. This research has an impact at the intersection of two major global crises; mental health and climate change.
Nature-based solutions (NBS); solutions that are inspired by nature, are cost-effective, and synergistically have the potential to provide environmental, economic and social benefits for diverse populations. From her previous work, Topaz recognises that here is a need to consider the personal meaning that people hold for nature if we are to collectively respond to the mental health and climate challenge. Accordingly her second project revolves around the personal meaning that young people hold for the natural world – exploring how young people perceive, experience and make sense of natural spaces and what makes them want to protect it. At a foundational level, more research is required to understand how young people in varying circumstances and SES communities perceive nature, and what their relationship to nature looks like
Interdisciplinary research is crucial to addressing societal challenges, which are generally highly complex. This project which revolves around interdisciplinary collaboration – combining theories and hypotheses from youth work, conservation/biodiversity management and environmental, positive, environmental and ecopsychology – is in alignment with global objectives. The European Union has identified seven priority challenges where targeted investment in research and innovation can have a tangible impact. How we respond to these challenges, nationally and internationally, will be the key determinant of societal development in the coming years. Furthermore, this research addresses issues of health equity and environmental justice. Social inequalities in access to natural spaces and the quality of these environments is one of the biggest barriers we face, which has been echoed in our qualitative findings. The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.7 proposes that “by 2030, [states should] provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.” This project will help to achieve these goals by capturing the individual testimonies of young people which emphasise the need for equal access to nature and ensuring these appeals are shared with people in positions of power/decision-makers.
Additionally, this project aims to ensure that the voices of young people are amplified in a meaningful way. Currently, young people often only have a tokenistic involvement in climate discussions (Diffey et al., 2022; Arora et al., 2022). For instance, during COP26, numerous young activists felt they were involved in the event as a novelty but did not actually feel heard (Brown, 2022). Individuals of all ages and cultural backgrounds should have their lived experiences, opinions and experiential knowledge valued; and they should be encouraged to contribute meaningfully to the solutions we need (Diffey et al., 2022). We envision this research supporting an equitable transition into a society which is characterised by enhanced nature connection and a wider consciousness of our symbiotic relationship with the natural world. We hope that this project empowers young people to understand that they are not merely victims of the climate crisis, but rather they can be the agents of change at the forefront of a global movement towards a happier, more sustainable future. Further, this research may provide individuals with personal reflections on their relationship to nature. We hope that this research will encourage people to reflect on the reciprocal nature we have with the Earth and recognise how human and environmental health are deeply interconnected. This process of reflection and consideration of our connection with the natural world may help to empower people to feel more motivated in the fight against the climate/biodiversity crisis.
This intergenerational collaboration and knowledge exchange, across cultures and disciplines is essential if we are to tackle these issues which are pervasive on a global scale. Young people must be given platforms by governments, institutions and corporations to share their thoughts, feelings, needs and hopes for the future.
Links
Link to Topaz’s Masters thesis, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH). This projected investigated the impact of our environment on vitality, mood and wellbeing. Findings indicated that one’s sense of
wellbeing is closely related to our immediate environment. This research provided insight into the multiple mechanisms through which nature can support human health and emphasised why as a collective we must think about the importance of protecting the natural elements that surround us and increasing people’s opportunities to access them. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/4/2003
Anemia is a worrying disease. Anemia is a problem of not having enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues. Hemoglobin is a protein found in red cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all other organs in the body. Having anemia can cause tiredness, weakness and shortness of breath.
As a matter of fact, there are many forms of anemia. Each has its own cause. Anemia can be short term or long term. It can range from mild to severe. Anemia can be a warning sign of serious illness.
On the otherhand,
Treatments for anemia might involve taking supplements or having medical procedures. Eating a healthy diet might prevent some forms of anemia.
According to the report released recently, 66 percent women in Jammu and Kashmir have anaemia, including 25 percent with mild anaemia, 38 percent with moderate anaemia, and 3 percent with severe anaemia.
“Anaemia is particularly high among rural women, women aged 15-19, and other backward class women, but anaemia exceeds 40 percent for every group of women.”
per the report, during NFHS-4, 49 percent non-pregnant women aged between 15-49 were anaemic, which has increased to 67.3 percent during NFHS-5.
However, slight improvement has been in anaemic condition of pregnant women aged 15-49 as during NFHS-4 46.9 percent women were found anaemic while during NFHS-5 44.1 percent women were found anaemic.
The prevalence of anaemia among children aged between six months to five years has increased to 73 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir in the last few years, Union Health Ministry in its report said.
As per the figures compiled by Union Health Ministry, the prevalence of anaemia among children aged six months to five years is highest in Ladakh (90 per cent), followed by Gujarat (80 per cent), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (76 per cent), Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir (73 per cent), and Punjab and Rajasthan ( 71 percent).
Dr. Ratan Lal Kaul world renowned in Opthamology and neurology fields ,while talking to News Kashmir stated :” Anaemia is very much present in large proportions in Jammu and Kashmir. Children and women are most hit by Anaemia. The reasons are multifold . First and foremost our eating habits are not good. The vegetarian and non vegetarian diet we get is compromised. The food here is of most substandard quality. Poverty is also compounding the problems like Anaemia. Protein deficiency and Vitamin D deficiency is also adding to the diseases like Anaemia.”
One hopes we will take corrective measures to address anemia in Kashmir.
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