The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the important role that a strong healthcare system plays in maintaining the welfare of people as well as ensuring the smooth functioning of the economy.

‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’is a continuation of the work on health systems strengthening. It contributes by suggesting mainstreaming of surveillance by making individual electronic health records the basis for surveillance.

The report identifies major global gaps in WASH services: one third of health care facilities do not have what is needed to clean hands where care is provided; one in four facilities have no water services, and 10% have no sanitation services.

This new report from WHO and UNICEF is an urgent call to transform sanitation for better health, environments, economies and societies. Citing evidence on what works from successful countries and global guidelines, WHO and UNICEF call for strong government leadership and investment in resilient sanitation services.

Improvements in water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and wastewater management in all sectors are critical elements of preventing infections and reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as identified in the Global Action Plan to combat AMR.

This compendium details information about various practices and initiatives implemented by States, Districts and Cities in India for containing and managing the COVID-19 outbreak.

Cooking school meals requires energy. In some countries, families are asked to contribute to fuel expenses or to provide firewood, failing which, children may be refused school meals. The acquisition of fuel, whether it is purchased or collected, is a considerable burden for schools that risks hindering the scale and scope of WFP’s programmes.

The dietary guidelines emphasize promotion of health and prevention of disease, of all age groups with special focus on vulnerable segments of the population such as infants, children and adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly.

The publication, The Right to Information in Times of Crisis, part of UNESCO’s World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development series, examines norms and principles concerning the right to information during public health crises, and highlights the importance of free access to information in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pand