Can randomized trials eliminate global poverty?, By Jeff Tollefson, August 12, 2015, Nature: “In 70 local health clinics run by the Indian state of Haryana, the parents of a child who starts the standard series of vaccinations can walk away with a free kilogram of sugar. And if the parents make sure that the child finishes the injections, they also get to take home a free litre of cooking oil. These simple gifts are part of massive trial testing whether rewards can boost the stubbornly low immunization rates for poor children in the region. Following the model of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that are commonly used to test the effectiveness of drugs, scientists randomly assigned clinics in the seven districts with the lowest immunization rates to either give the gifts or not…”
Tag: Global poverty
Global Poverty
UN states set goal to end poverty, hunger in next 15 years, By Edith M. Lederer (AP), August 3, 2015, ABC News: “The 193 member states of the United Nations have reached agreement on a new development agenda for the next 15 years that calls for eradicating poverty and hunger, achieving gender equality, improving living standards and taking urgent action to combat climate change. The draft agreement reached Sunday evening outlines 17 goals with 169 specific targets on issues ranging from ending poverty ‘in all its forms everywhere’ to ensuring quality education and affordable and reliable energy, and protecting the environment…”
Global Poverty
Global poverty drops sharply, with China making big strides, U.N. report says, By Somini Sengupta, July 6, 2015, New York Times: “Dire poverty has dropped sharply, and just as many girls as boys are now enrolled in primary schools around the world. Simple measures like installing bed nets have prevented some six million deaths from malaria. But nearly one billion people still defecate in the open, endangering the health of many others. These are among the findings that the United Nations released Monday as part of a final report on the successes and failures of the Millennium Development Goals, a set of targets established 15 years ago to improve the lives of the poor…”