WB/UNICEF paper shows progress in reducing extreme poverty among children stalled from 2019 to 2022; Mpox vaccine study begins in DRC; S. Africa study shows heavy alcohol use among fathers affects pregnancy outcomes; India highlights adolescent obesity and malnutrition; Odisha launches Vitamin A and deworming drive.
1. WB / UNICEF - Global Trends in Child Monetary Poverty
Daylan Salmeron-Gomez, Solrun Engilbertsdottir, Jose Antonio Cuesta Leiva, David Newhouse, and David Stewart
World Bank Group & UNICEF, July 2023
Click here for the article: [URL_HERE]
Summary:
– Extreme child poverty fell from 20.7% in 2013 to 15.9% in 2022.
– 49.2 million children were lifted out of extreme poverty, but ~30 million fewer than expected without COVID-19 disruptions.
– Progress stalled: the 2022 rate (15.9%) is the same as 2019, reflecting three years of lost gains.
– In 2022, 333 million children lived below $2.15/day; 829 million below $3.65/day; 1.43 billion below $6.85/day.
– Children remain more than twice as likely as adults to live in extreme poverty, comprising over half of the extreme poor while just 31% of the population.
2. DRC - Mpox Vaccine Study
Unknown author
Multimedia Group Limited, September 2025
Click here for the article: [URL_HERE]
Summary:
A new trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo will test the LC16m8 vaccine amid a major Mpox outbreak, declared a continental emergency by WHO and Africa CDC. Backed by CEPI, IVI, and Japan’s health institutes, the study will track efficacy and safety in hotspot zones, including among children. DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said the country will be the first in Africa to collect real-world field data, while Africa CDC’s Jean Kaseya called it “a vital step in protecting Africa’s most vulnerable, especially children.” Japan has donated three million doses, and researchers say results could guide vaccination strategies across endemic regions.
3. S. Africa - How Fathers' Drinking Habits Affect Children's Growth
Wendy Dondolo
News South Africa, September 2025
Click here for the article: [URL_HERE]
Summary:
New research from Stellenbosch University shows that fathers’ alcohol consumption during pregnancy may affect children’s growth, head size, and verbal IQ, especially when both parents drink. The study, based on data from Western Cape Grade 1 learners, found that binge drinking by fathers—and particularly by both parents—had the most damaging effects. While paternal drinking alone did not increase the risk of FASD, combined parental drinking was linked to severe outcomes, including lower height, smaller head size, and reduced verbal IQ. The study suggests paternal alcohol use may exert epigenetic or sperm-quality effects, underscoring the need to consider fathers in FASD prevention strategies.
4. India - How Obesity and Malnutrition Collide Among Adolescents in Uttar Pradesh
Times of India, September 2025
Click here for the article: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/up-faces-obesity-and-malnutrition-among-adolescents/articleshow/123858900.cms?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Summary:
New research in Uttar Pradesh, India, highlights a troubling dual burden of malnutrition among adolescents. Data show high rates of obesity — 32.5% in boys and 45.8% in girls — alongside persistent anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies. Experts warn that the coexistence of overnutrition and undernutrition among youth could undermine long-term health outcomes. School-based interventions and improved nutrition policies are being recommended to address both obesity and undernourishment simultaneously.
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