Prolonged Grief: A New Mental Disorder?
Raja Rosenhagen The issue is not whether certain mental conditions are real—they are. It is how we conceptualize them and what we think treating them requires.
Astrology, Mental health and the Economics of Well Being
Maahira Jain Ultimately can the mental health system single-handedly address the concerns of inequality and economic access in society?
A Conversation With Dr. Arvinder Singh About Grief, Mental Health and Well-Being
Dr. Arvinder Singh With the recent addition of prolonged grief in the DSM-5 Open Axis asks Dr. Arvinder Singh whether there is a need for such a diagnosis, and how one can understand mental health, well being and whether it can be made more accessible.
Keeping Up With Covid
Reya Daya Almost a month after the onset of the third wave, most Covid ICU beds across the country remain empty. Trends across Europe follow suit, with Omicron cases resulting in fewer hospitalizations. This begs the question – can India begin to live with the virus, and what will our new normal look like?
‘There is as much cacophony in policy-making corridors as there is out on the streets’: Immunologist Satyajit Rath on Scientific Policymaking
Dr. Satyajit Rath Satyajit Rath reflects on the precarious distinction between experts and non-experts, how ‘fear’ is universal and what policymakers can do to speak with a scientific temper.
Exploring Crevices in Global Healthcare Systems: An Analysis of Health Beyond COVID-19
Saman Fatima The response to this second wave of the virus is yet again lockdown impositions, curfews, shutting down of hospitals, conversion of these spaces into temporary covid wards, thereby, posing a halt on other medical services, while the question remains – can we sustain our healthcare systems in periods of crisis? And can we…
Covid-19 Vaccines: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Amrita Singh What are the differences between all the Covid-19 vaccines out there? Why does the Pfizer vaccine have to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius? Is it true that Covaxin can give you Covid? What are vaccines, anyway? This article explains how the immune system actually works, how vaccines confer immunity and why the…
Menstrual Health in Rural India
Ananya Rao The state’s emphasis on sanitary pads above all other forms of menstrual hygiene, without the ability to provide enough, is not only economically expensive and environmentally unsustainable but also weans women away from traditional methods such as cloth without providing a viable alternative. Further, the solution is also ineffective as it does not…
On Building A Virtual Therapeutic Relationship
Avantika Bhatia Rising mental health concerns are being increasingly recognized as a significant implication of the pandemic. Psychotherapists are on the frontline of providing support for these concerns while adjusting to the new online medium of conducting therapy. What does it mean to do therapy online? How can one establish a framework for therapy and…
Evaluating the Implications of Privatization in India’s COVID-19 Inoculation Drive
Anjana Ramesh India’s vaccination drive has witnessed considerable private sector involvement – from the development of vaccine candidates, to their mass-production. The recent announcement confirming the allowance of private distribution of vaccines has furthered this involvement. What implications does privatization of inoculation drives hold for India and its public healthcare capabilities?
The Cost of the Cure: Understanding the Implications of India’s COVID-19 Inoculation Drive
Aarohi Sharma India’s vaccination program is in full swing. However, absence of trial data assuring the safety and efficacy of one of the vaccine candidates has attracted sharp criticism and created public apprehensions about the safety of the program. How did India’s vaccination program reach this point – and what implications does it hold for…
Road to Recovery: A Conversation on Covaxin with Prof. Gautam Menon
“Whenever one is administering a vaccine to a healthy person, one would like to know that it has been worth it. Does the vaccine, for example, provide protection against the disease to more than 50% of the population it is administered to?”
Is COVID over? – Why we have stopped talking about COVID-19
Isha Deshmukh The world is seeing yet another major wave of COVID-19 infections with many countries re-enforcing lockdowns. While the virus continues to dominate our lives, it seems to have stopped dominating our conversations. Why have we stopped talking about COVID?
A Vaccine isn’t The End – Distributional Challenges Lie Ahead
Pravish Agnihotri Multiple vaccines for COVID-19 are nearing their release for public usage. But availability is just the beginning. How does the distribution look like in terms of prioritisation and infrastructure? Who gets it first and how will it reach them?
Busting Kangana’s Myths: The Science of Mental health
Aradhya Sharma Kanagana’s recent tweets are proof of how little the average Indian understands mental health and its science. Here is a short crash course.
The Infamous Smog: Crop burning and much more
Hiteshi Ajmera Year after year, almost every newspaper prints scathing columns condemning the smog that settles in the Delhi-NCR region due to crop burning. Why do farmers continue to burn crops? Is the smog caused solely due to crop burning?
Give Me Liberty, COVID, or Cow Urine
Isha Deshmukh COVID-19 has already claimed more than a million lives. Despite the very real threat, people continue to politicise the virus, deny it and spread baseless facts and treatments. What has happened to our scientific temperament in a time when we needed it most?
National Digital Health Mission & Privacy: Should we be worried?
Aradhya Sharma What could be the security implications of the new National Digital Health Mission? Will security and privacy policies be followed? If not, why should we be worried?
Sitting inside the black mirror and peeking at the world beyond
Simantini Ghosh Most of the social media apps are based on the psychology of persuasion and more dangerously, addiction. This type of learned behavior is extremely difficult to extinguish and can lead to extreme polarization amongst other well-being concerns.
Online Work and No Play: Implications of Online Education on Young Children
Aradhya Sharma Children have been stuck at home for almost six months now. How will this harm their cognitive and social development?
National Education Policy 2020: Implications for Students with Disabilities
Monika Bhalvani There is still a long way for us to go in terms of Education Policies in India. Given the complex nature of how different disabilities manifest, we need to take into account multiple factors at both the planning and implementation stages in this process.
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