India bears a huge burden of hemoglobinopathies, and the most prevalent is thalassemia. The different types of thalassemia include minor, major and intermedia, based on the α/β-globin chain inequality. This review aimed to understand the current prevalence of thalassemia in different regions of India and communities affected by it, along with the management of β-thalassemia major (β-TM) and β-thalassemia (β-thal) minor patients. A comprehensive electronic search for relevant articles was conducted using two databases, i.e. PubMed and Science Direct. Articles published in English from India between January 2009 and September 2021 were included. Studies from other countries, genetic and molecular characterization studies, and articles published in other languages were excluded. The prevalence of β-thal trait in Central India ranged between 1.4 and 3.4%, while 0.94% β-TM was reported among the patients with anemia. In South India, the prevalence of β-thal trait was between 8.50 and 37.90% and β-TM was reported to be between 2.30 and 7.47%. Northern and Western Indian states had a higher thalassemic burden. In Eastern India, tribal populations had a higher prevalence of β-thal trait (0.00–30.50%), β-TM (0.36–13.20%) and other hemoglobinopathies [Hb E (HBB: c.79G>A)/β-thal] (0.04–15.45%) than nontribal populations. Additionally, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes of low socioeconomic status and low literacy rates were affected by β-thal. Almost all Indian states reported β-thal; however, it is mostly concentrated in eastern and western parts of the country. Well-integrated strategies and effective implementation are needed at State and National levels to minimize the burden of β-thal.

Medical laboratories (MLs) are vital in global healthcare delivery, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and supporting clinical decision-making. This systematic review examines the multifaceted contributions of ML, emphasizing their importance in pandemic preparedness, disease surveillance, and the integration of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Medical laboratories are equally crucial to clinical practices, offering essential diagnostic services to identify diseases like infections, metabolic disorders, and malignancies. They monitor treatment effectiveness by analyzing patient samples, enabling healthcare providers to optimize therapies. Additionally, they support personalized medicine by tailoring treatments based on genetic and molecular data and ensure test accuracy through strict quality control measures, thereby enhancing patient care. The methodology for this systematic review follows the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to systematically map evidence and identify key concepts, theories, sources, and knowledge gaps related to the roles and impact of MLs in public health delivery. This review involved systematic searching and filtering of literature from various databases, focusing on studies from 2010 to 2024, primarily in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The selected studies were analyzed to assess their outcomes, strengths, and limitations regarding MLS roles, impacts, and integration within healthcare systems. The goal was to provide comprehensive insights and recommendations based on the gathered data. The article highlights the challenges that laboratories face, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where resource constraints hinder effective healthcare delivery. It discusses the potential of AI to improve diagnostic processes and patient outcomes while addressing ethical and infrastructural challenges. This review underscores the necessity for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to enhance laboratory services, ensuring that they are accessible, efficient, and capable of meeting the evolving demands of healthcare systems. Overall, the findings advocate for strengthened laboratory infrastructures and the adoption of advanced technologies to improve health outcomes globally.

The emerging predictors of childhood undernutrition include household food insecurity (HFI) and inadequate diet diversity (DD). Geographical, socio-cultural, economic, and demographic factors contribute to HFI. Earlier, HFI was often considered an outcome of hunger and poverty leading to undernutrition. The increasing availability of data related to childhood DD and its direct association with undernutrition indicates that DD could mediate the relationship between HFI and undernutrition. This narrative review examined the association of HFI and/or DD with undernutrition in children younger than 5 years in the Indian subcontinent; and the current programmes and policies. The current evidence showed a possible association between HFI and DD either independently or together with childhood undernutrition. Until now, nutrition-specific interventions to address moderate and severe forms of undernutrition were focused, with a limited attention on nutrition-sensitive approaches to improve HFI and DD. Interventions which improve HFI and DD may be included in the existing programmes and would help address the undernutrition in children younger than 5 years.

Background/Objectives: Malnutrition in children is a challenge in South Asian countries, and understanding its relation with variety of social and economic conditions is imperative. The present systematic review examined the association between maternal employment and the nutritional status of children up to twelve years old from South Asia. Methods: An electronic search for research articles published in the English language between January 2011 and December 2024 was conducted in PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases. Results: A total of 10,247 articles from five South Asian countries were screened, resulting in the inclusion of 19 studies in the review based on well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings showed that the association between maternal employment and children’s nutritional status was context-dependent, with adverse effects in children (stunting, wasting, and growth failure) when mothers worked in unskilled sectors—in low-paying jobs. Children of urban mothers had poor nutritional status, often exacerbated by the lack of or limited childcare support and financial assistance during their work absences. Additionally, many South Asian countries implemented maternal and paternal leave policies and benefits; however, the implementation challenges reduced maternal access to these benefits and predominantly favored mothers working in formal sectors. Conclusions: This systematic review underscores the necessity to strengthen the employment benefit programs for working women in South Asian countries, especially for mothers working in informal sectors. The provision of childcare assistance and supplementary financial benefits to women employed in informal sectors is essential to improve the child nutritional outcomes.