Index Home Earliest faith based charities Philanthropy is often related to religion. Before 1900s church was a base for most international charities. These derived their name from a saint. For instance, St John of God who worked for the ill lived between 1495 and 1550. In his name his followers set-up an order of brothers of… Continue reading International philanthropies in health: How were they named?
Author: rjoshimgims
Slithering serpents and health-care
Index Home Towards the end of 20th century, JK Rowling created Harry Potter. Slytherin was one of its four houses. This house had serpent as a symbol, and its inmates were cunning, resourceful, took leadership roles, and were ambitious. Some consider Slytherins as evil, and others as a necessity. As in Harry Potter, slimy, slithering and… Continue reading Slithering serpents and health-care
Story behind world’s first international health organisation
It was 1870. A mysterious disease had struck Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. Men and women would develop fever, muscle pains, yellow eyes, and would die as their liver would fail. This was yellow fever. In a few years, it was seen all over south and Central America. About a decade later, in 1881, a… Continue reading Story behind world’s first international health organisation
Global recognition of Child rights
Index Home Child rights are less than a 100 years old Children have rights, and today all countries recognise them. Firstly, all children have a right to education. All governments provide for free and publicly funded school systems. Secondly, children have a right to health. Most states, international agencies, and local charities focus on maternal… Continue reading Global recognition of Child rights
Mission immunisation and polio eradication
Home Index Today polio stands eliminated from all but two countries in the world. India was declared to have eliminated polio in the year 2014. Ten years later about 65 odd cases are still reported annually from Pakistan and Afghanistan. 24th October is world polio day, and we still await its global eradication. Origins of poliomyelitis… Continue reading Mission immunisation and polio eradication
Two tools for child survival: ORS & Growth charts
Home Index Two ubiquitous child-survival tools, oral rehydration solutions (ORS) and growth charts, are less than 50 years old. Both of these tools are simple, intuitive, and logical. In the 1980s, many developing countries celebrated these tools through postage stamps. Let’s take a look at some of them in this blog. Eureka moments are often gradual… Continue reading Two tools for child survival: ORS & Growth charts
Breast feeding: A preferred infant nutrition in postage stamps
Home Index Have you ever wondered about old baby-food advertisements. In these advertisements, we could see healthy-chubby infants and happy composed mothers. Once frequent on television and in print media, these have faded away. Often these advertisements projected condensed milk as a preferred option. In India we had sought to curtail these in 1992. Eventually they… Continue reading Breast feeding: A preferred infant nutrition in postage stamps
Celebrating motherhood in postal stamps
Home Index A child is born Childbirth is a beginning, of an independent human life. This event is universal to all creatures. It has its beginnings in conception, a union of two cells in human body, that have a capacity to create all the other organ systems and eventually an entire human body. After nine… Continue reading Celebrating motherhood in postal stamps
Health stamp series from New Zealand
Index Home Whenever a commodity is in popular use, governments leverage it to raise money for a variety of purposes. Today, when we buy petrol, diesel, cigarettes, alcohol, gold etc, we also pay a surcharge or a cess. This cess may be for agriculture, education, construction of roads, infrastructure or environment. Back in early 1900s, postage… Continue reading Health stamp series from New Zealand
Family: a disease buster
Index Home Family is a social unit. Living together brings about interactions, caring, and also provides additional purpose in our lives. Our personalities depend on mentoring and sharing of thoughts. Almost all religious institutions promote family life as virtuous, and a tool to bind societies. There are various connotations to the word “family”. It is a… Continue reading Family: a disease buster