Politics and Policies:
- The European Union has provided more than Euros 250 million for the multi-annual cooperation program in Angola. This project focuses on rural development of the country by providing / improving various facilities including health, education, water and sanitation etc.
- The government of United States has signed an agreement to fund $31,075,000 to Benin to help the country in the areas of health and gender equality.
- Smoking faces ban in Mental hospitals in U.S.
- Genetic changes to food may get uniform labeling in the United States.
Programs:
- The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has committed US$12.6 million to the government of Liberia for its fight against the deadly HIV/AIDS.
- A five-year partnership program has been signed between the Government of Liberia and Chevron-Liberia limited in collaboration with the Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas (US) to provide pediatric health services to the children of Liberia.
- SOS Childrens Villages and Johnson & Johnson has announced nursing and mid-wifery scholarship program to provide family-based care for the orphaned and abandoned children in Ethiopia.
- The University of The Gambia (UTG) has launched a Global Environmental and Occupational center (GO Health) in Collaboration College of Public Health, University of Iowa, US in Faraba Banta, Kombo East. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is funding the projects. The center will conduct research and training to improve health of the people in the West- African sub-region and beyond.
- The United Nations Mission in Liberia Ghana Battalion 16 has donated items worth $1000 to 37 military hospitals to improve health care delivery.
- The GAVI Alliance has announced a campaign to offer vaccination against cancer caused by human papilloma virus in girls in eight developing nations of the world.
- Project Concern International has launched a program with MedAwareness which will focus on reducing HIV among Malawi soldiers and their partners through sustained behavior change.
- The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have launched an appeal for Mozambique flood victims.
- Reach Out To Asia (Rota) is launching its educational and community initiatives in Tunisia with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles among the families.
- The Ministry of Health of Uganda has launched a four year nationwide initiative to provide affordable screening and treatment of cervical cancer for Ugandan women.
- The US Agency for International Development (USAID) with Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) has launched “Health for Life” to strengthen the Government of Nepal’s capacity to plan, manage and deliver high quality and equitable family planning, maternal, newborn and child health services.
Research:
- Findings of a study titled Global Mercury Hotspots indicate that Cameroon’s fishes have extremely high concentrations of mercury.
- A study shows that the rise of treatment-resistant strains of tuberculosis in the third world countries might be due to the increase in sale of fake or substandard drugs of tuberculosis in those parts of the world.
- A study drug shows positive results for the treatment of recurrent low grade carcinoma of ovaries.
- According to the fourth annual edition of IHME financing series on the theme:Financing Global Health 2012: The End of the Golden Age” the Global Health funding is coming to an end.
- According to the results of a recent study revaccinating persons with HIV-1 infection who do not respond to the HBV vaccine schedule may help the people.
- Researchers have found new ways of interventions for the people suffering from HIV who inject drugs. They will target these groups with needle and syringe programs, medically assisted therapy and HIV counseling and testing.
- A study states that people who drink black tea are less likely to develop type2 diabetes. The study also showed that high tea consumption was related to lower levels of obesity.
- According to IRIN, Uganda’s childhood immunization program is facing challenges due to inadequate funding, shortage of staff and poor adherence to vaccination schedules.
- A study done by a group of American researchers have shown a possibility of the virus causing whooping cough develop resistance to the vaccines.
- According to a study there is link between smoking marijuana and higher risk of stroke among the young adults.
- Data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration show that one of every three adults with mental illness smokes, compared with one in five adults without mental illness.
- Reports from a study done by Harvard School of Public health show that men who view more than 20 hours of TV have a 44% lower sperm count as compared to those who watch almost no television.
- According to APA’s annual report, Americans aged between 18- 34 years have a higher level of stress as compared to the parents and grandparents generation.
Diseases & Disasters:
- A strong 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked southwestern Columbia on Saturday February 9th.
- Britain is facing one of its biggest out breaks of measles. Reports indicate that the victims of this outbreak are either teenagers who are not vaccinated or who did not get full course.
- Reports indicate death of more than 94 people in India due to Swine Flu since January this year. Most of the cases have been reported from the state of Rajasthan.
- Housing crisis and human waste issues threatens health in Zimbabwe. Thousands of cases of waterborne disease, typhoid have been reported since last few months.
- About 88 people have been reported dead because of the deadly hepatitis E outbreak in South Sudan.
- Health experts in Bangladesh have reported fresh outbreaks of Nipah virus. About ten people have died since last week.
IH CONNECT 