Massive slums have become major features of cities in many low-income and middle-income countries. Here, in the fi rst in a Series of two papers, we discuss why slums are unhealthy places with especially high risks of infection and injury. We show that children are especially vulnerable, and that the combination of malnutrition and recurrent diarrhoea leads to stunted growth and longer-term eff ects on cognitive development. We fi nd that the scientifi c literature on slum health is underdeveloped in comparison to urban health, and poverty and health.

Cities are growing differently today than before. As much as 70 percent of people in emerging cities in Asia, Africa and Latin America is under-served.

PM2.5 concentrations were measured in residential indoor environment in slums of central India during 2012–2013. In addition, a suite of chemical components including metals (Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Mo, Se, Sb, Na, Mg, K and Hg), ions (Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, F−, Cl−, NH4+, NO3− and SO42−) and carbon (OC and EC) were analyzed for all samples. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations were found to be several folds higher than the 24-h national ambient air quality standard (60 µg/m3) for PM2.5 in India, and the concentrations were found to vary from season to season.

While facing serious problems with poverty in vast areas of the nation's less-developed cities, the government is confident in sharing its zero slum target by 2019 at the upcoming global meeting on

NEW DELHI: An environment ministry committee has recommended reduction of the "no development zone" (NDZ) as specified under the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) notification 1991.

An analysis of bacterial community structure and antibiotic resistance gene content of interconnected human faecal and environmental samples from two low-income communities in Latin America was carried out using a combination of functional metagenomics, 16S sequencing and shotgun sequencing; resistomes across habitats are generally structured along ecological gradients, but key resistance genes can cross these boundaries, and the authors assessed the usefulness of excreta management protocols in the prevention of resistance gene dissemination.

Cryptosporidiosis is a common cause of infectious diarrhea in young children worldwide, and is a significant contributor to under-five mortality. Current treatment options are limited in young children. In this study, we describe the natural history of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in a birth cohort of children in Bangladesh and evaluate for association with malnutrition.

Original Source

With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) now agreed, the real test of their success lies in their implementation. Over half the world's population now live in cities and by 2050 this will rise to two-thirds. Most of this growth will take place in developing countries due to rising migration from rural areas.

The National Green Tribunal today directed Delhi government and other concerned authorities to expeditiously decide on rehabilitation of slum clusters near railway tracks.

As part of the policy on untenable slums, the state government will provide Rs 4 lakh grant per dwelling unit to an urban local body.Giving a major boost to the efforts of Rajkot Municipal Corporat

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