Zinc supplementation can reduce subsequent morbidity in children recovering from diarrhoea and respiratory illness in developing countries. However, whether routine supplementation would decrease morbidity and mortality in populations with zinc defi ciency is unclear. The researchers assessed the eff ect of daily zinc supplementation on children in southern Nepal. Oct 6-12, 2007

AT the time of independence, India faced the twin problems of acute and chronic undernutrition of its children. This was essentially a result of low dietary intake because of poverty and low purchasing power, high prevalence of infection because of poor access to safe drinking water, sanitation and health care and poor utilization of available facilities due to low literacy and lack of awareness.

Malnutrition is the underlying cause of half of under-five child deaths. So even though the proximate cause of children dying may be measles, diarrhoea, diphtheria, jaundice or malaria, the real reason is that they are so weakened by malnutrition that their small bodies are unable to withstand infection. Half of Uttar Pradesh's children (52%) were malnourished when the last National Family Health Survey (1998), the second, took place; half of them (47%) are still malnourished according to the latest NFHS (2005-6), the third.

The third National Family Health Survey (nfhs) was carried out during 2005 and 2006. Preliminary findings reveal

A health camp conducted in Sama, 60 km north of Bageshwar in Uttaranchal in November, revealed that anaemia, chronic infections, gout, tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis are the common ailments

Assam is the highest tea producer state in the country. There is scarcity of reliable information on health and nutritional status among tea garden population of Assam to enable initiating public health response to their health needs.