logo
Covid orphaned girl receives first cheque in country

Covid orphaned girl receives first cheque in country

Hans India8 hours ago

Rajamahendravaram: In a landmark moment, the very first cheque under the Mission Vatsalya - PM CARES for Children Scheme, was handed over in Rajahmundry. The beneficiary, Prathipati Sunia Suma Mani from Dommeru village in Kovvur mandal of East Godavari district, received the cheque during a special event held on Friday. The PM CARES for Children Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support children, who lost their parents to Covid-19 before turning 18 years of age. As per the scheme, eligible children are entitled to financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh, which is deposited in a fixed deposit account. The amount will be handed over to the beneficiary when they turn 23 years old. The first such cheque under this scheme was formally presented to Suma Mani at a ceremony held at Police Kalyana Mandapam in Dommeru.
The event was attended by Rajahmundry MP Daggubati Purandeswari, MLC Somu Veerraju, MLAs Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary and Adireddy Srinivas, and East Godavari District Collector P Prasanthi. The dignitaries congratulated the beneficiary and reaffirmed the government's commitment to the welfare and protection of children affected by the pandemic. This initiative marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the PM CARES for Children Scheme across India.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pandemic worsened childhood vaccination rates globally; India, 7 other nations had over half of unvaccinated kids in 2023: study
Pandemic worsened childhood vaccination rates globally; India, 7 other nations had over half of unvaccinated kids in 2023: study

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

Pandemic worsened childhood vaccination rates globally; India, 7 other nations had over half of unvaccinated kids in 2023: study

While there has been unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening diseases since the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and a wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges with global coverage rates of the original EPI-recommended vaccines declining sharply beginning in 2020—resulting in an estimated 15.6 million children missing the full three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine or a measles vaccine between 2020 and 2023, as well as 15.9 million children not receiving any polio vaccine, and 9.18 million missing out on the tuberculosis vaccine. The study estimates that disruptions to immunisation services during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in around 12.8 million additional unvaccinated zero-dose children globally during the four pandemic years (2020-2023). Wide discrepancies remain, with markedly lower coverage and higher rates of under and unvaccinated children in low- and middle-income countries. In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (53%) and South Asia (13%)—Nigeria (2.48 million), India (1.44 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, 882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000). 'The challenge now is how to improve vaccine delivery and uptake in areas of low coverage,' said lead author Dr Emily Haeuser in the report. 'The diversity of challenges and barriers to immunisation vary widely between countries and within communities, with rising numbers of displaced people and growing disparities due to armed conflict, political volatility, economic uncertainty, climate crises, and vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, underscoring the need for new, tailored solutions,' she added. The success of the past 50 years is partly the result of a doubling of global coverage for the original vaccines against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (first dose 49% to 89%; and all three doses 40% to 81%), measles (37% to 83%), polio (42% to 80%), and tuberculosis (38% to 83%) between 1980 and 2023. Additionally, there has been a 75% drop in the number of unvaccinated zero-dose children worldwide from 58.8 million in 1980 to 14.7 million in 2019, as well as the introduction and scale-up of critical new lifesaving vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and a second dose of the measles vaccine. The analysis indicates that accelerated progress will be necessary to achieve the 2030 target of halving the number of zero-dose children compared to 2019 levels, with only 18 of 204 countries and territories estimated to have already met this target as of 2023. Two-thirds (65%) of the zero-dose children that need to be reached by vaccination between 2023 and 2030 live in sub-Saharan Africa (4.28 million) and South Asia (1.33 million). To increase vaccine acceptance and uptake, the authors call for more concerted efforts to tackle vaccine misinformation and hesitancy. As Dr. Haeuser explained, 'Successful vaccination programmes are built on understanding and responding to people's beliefs, concerns, and expectations. Vaccination services must prioritise trust-building, engage community leaders, and tailor interventions with more culturally appropriate local strategies to improve vaccine confidence and uptake.' Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More

Health Talk: India ranks 2nd in unvaccinated kids but comparison somewhat flawed
Health Talk: India ranks 2nd in unvaccinated kids but comparison somewhat flawed

Hindustan Times

time2 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Health Talk: India ranks 2nd in unvaccinated kids but comparison somewhat flawed

India has had the most number of unvaccinated children— 1.4 million— after Nigeria (2.5million), of the 15.7 million unvaccinated children globally in 2023, data published in The Lancet on Tuesday said. The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974 (HT Photo/ Representative photo) According to the paper, at least half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children in the same year were living in just eight countries, with 53% in sub-Saharan Africa and 13% in south Asia. The Democratic Republic of Congo (882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000) were the other countries with high unvaccinated children load globally. In the south Asian region, the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children in 2023 after India were Pakistan (419,000), Nepal (11,000), and Bangladesh (6,000). The paper also has new projections through 2030 on global childhood vaccine coverage that shows that the world will fail to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) immunisation goals unless substantial improvements are made in the next five years. 'The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in 1974. Despite the progress of the past 50 years, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death…,' read the paper. Also Read: Health Talk | Need for quick vaccine development to save lives While India has been ranked as the country with the second highest number of zero-dose children, the comparison is somewhat flawed. As the ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, has been maintaining that India's vaccination coverage among children has been growing steadily but owing to the country's large population, their comparison with most other countries cannot be without error. Last year, officials aware of the matter in the government, responded to vaccination coverage estimates released by WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that showed at 1.6 million India had the second highest zero-dose children in the world after Nigeria with 2.1 million unvaccinated children. The officials said that the estimates were flawed as the country's base population had not been taken into consideration while calculating the numbers and if the population had been considered then the percentage would be much less. Also Read: Health Talk | The crucial role of effective vaccine coverage in tackling antimicrobial resistance It is a valid argument as any numbers coming from India— without considering its baseline population— would seem through the roof. The estimation has to grow more nuanced.

Whoop, Garmin, Fitbit: Best premium fitness trackers in 2025
Whoop, Garmin, Fitbit: Best premium fitness trackers in 2025

Indian Express

time3 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Whoop, Garmin, Fitbit: Best premium fitness trackers in 2025

Fitness trackers are getting smarter, sleeker and more feature-packed than ever. From real-time heart rate and SpO2 tracking to advanced sleep analysis, today's wearables are built for much more than counting steps. Whether you're a gym regular or just trying to build better habits, here's a look at some of the best premium fitness trackers available in India right now. Fitbit's Charge 6 blends smart features with serious fitness tracking. It offers ECG, a form of advanced heart tracking, built-in GPS, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) tracking, and workout detection across more than 40 exercise types. The bright AMOLED screen displays Google Maps, Wallet, and even YouTube Music controls. Fitbit's Active Zone Minutes help optimise workout intensity, while the 7-day battery life ensures minimal downtime. The Charge 6 also syncs with gym equipment (if able to) and includes six months of Fitbit Premium, giving access to deeper insights and personalised recommendations. You can buy it for as low as Rs 14,799. For data-focused users, the Garmin Vivosmart 5 offers a reliable and no-fuss fitness companion. It features a monochrome OLED touchscreen and tracks heart rate, SpO2, stress levels, sleep stages, and even energy levels through Garmin's 'Body Battery' metric. While there is no built-in GPS, it lets you track your location when using the phone GPS. Safety features include emergency alerts and LiveTrack. With up to 7 days of battery life, this slim and lightweight tracker has a water resistance level of up to 50 m deep, making it ideal for both workouts and showers. It is currently selling for Rs 12,990. The FitVII Ole is a feature-rich tracker equipped with a 1.78-inch AMOLED display, 24/7 heart rate, SpO2, blood pressure tracking, and sleep analysis. It supports over 100 sport modes and comes with IP68 water and dust resistance. You also get smart notifications, weather updates, and breathing training. The Ole stands out with its Apple Watch-inspired design and customisable watch faces. The device claims up to 7 days of battery life with regular use, making it one of the best-looking smart trackers under Rs 11,000. It is available on Amazon for Rs 10,878. Favoured by elite athletes like Virat Kohli and LeBron James, the Whoop 4.0 doesn't have a display and focuses entirely on performance recovery, strain, and sleep metrics. The tracker pairs with a powerful app that offers detailed health analytics, daily recovery stores, and coaching insights. It features 24/7 monitoring of heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, and blood oxygen, and is waterproof up to 10 metres. The sensor fits into various accessories like arm sleeves or compression wear, and the minimalist design sets it apart from traditional wearables. However, a subscription is required to use the device. You can buy it for Rs 30,000 with a complimentary 12-month membership. For users who want a slim and simple fitness band, the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers great value. It includes heart rate tracking, SpO2, skin temperature variation, stress management, and sleep stage analysis. The bright AMOLED screen displays call, text, and app notifications. While it lacks built-in GPS, it supports connected GPS and offers up to 10 days of battery life. Lightweight and swimproof, the Inspire 3 also supports mindfulness sessions and guided breathing, making it a great entry-level premium tracker for everyday wellness. It is currently available for Rs 8,899. (This article has been curated by Arfan Jeelany, who is an intern with The Indian Express)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store