Global Health Weekly News Round-Up

Politics and Policies:

• The Obama administration is about to issue standards for health insurance exchanges in the new healthcare law, where consumers and small businesses will be able to buy coverage from competing private plans (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/10/health/policy/obama-administration-to-set-health-care-exchange-rules.html).
• Lawmakers of Idaho, concerned with its high rate of skin cancer are considering legislation that would restrict tanning salon use among minors (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/us/melanoma-leads-idaho-to-consider-limit-on-tanning-salons.html ).
• A Cleveland Democrat has introduced Senate Bill 307 for the regulating men’s reproductive health (Source: http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/bill-introduced-to-regulate-mens-reproductive-health-1341547.html ).

Programs

• National and international representatives to collaborate on improving language and patient safety on April 30, 2012 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 6^th Annual National Medical Interpreter Certification Open Forum . It is an effort to make every stakeholder to understand the importance of error-free communication to avoid negative health outcomes to vulnerable populations (Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-leaders-to-address-language-access-at-the-6th-annual-national-medical-interpreter-certification-open-forum-in-tulsa-oklahoma-142041633.html ).
• MSD announced the launch of their diabetes education for healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. The British Medical Journal (BMJ) in collaboration with Leicester University with healthcare professionals will receive a five day training course from the panel of local and international members (Source: http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093491497 ).
• Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) awards $2.3 million in funds to organizations that make a direct impact on children’s health and well-being (Source: http://rmhc.org/epk/media-materials/latest-news-stories/ ).
• Novartis launches a new drug in Ghana for the treatment of type 2 Diabetes and hypertension (Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201203071059.html ).
• Nigeria’s health minister has announced that country would immediately buy fifty five pounds of morphine for the nation’s hospitals and would form an alliance with a new nonprofit organization (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/health/policy/nigeria-to-import-morphine-in-pain-relief-initiative.html ).

Research

• A study published in the journal, Cell Reports, reveals how a clot-busting enzyme is switched on, which removes the disease-causing clots and clears up the damaged tissue (Source: http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20121103-23200.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencealert-latestnews+(ScienceAlert-Latest+Stories) ).
• According to a study, females infected with sexually transmitted disease caused by Mycoplasma genitilium, are more likely to acquire HIV infection (Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/common-bacterial-std-more-than-doubles-hiv-risk-in-women/922420/ ).
• According to a study, one in two children in Australia is bullied (Source: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/120310/bully-bullying-cyberbullying-australia-shools-children-r-rated-films ).
• According to a study, elevated levels of C-reactive protein associated with inflammation and heart disease is also linked with a condition called pre-diabetes (Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120311/jsp/nation/story_15235883.jsp ).
• A research study shows BCG vaccine is effective in children in preventing tuberculosis irrespective of the sources/ manufactures of the vaccine (Source: http://www.biotechmashup.com/beta/Medicine/Comparative_Tuberculosis_TB_Prevention_Effectiveness_in_Children_of_Bacillus_Calmette_Gu_rin_BCG_Vaccines_from_Different_Sources_Kazakhstan ).
• According to a study computerized patient records may not cut health costs and may actually encourage doctors to order expensive tests more often (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/business/digital-records-may-not-cut-health-costs-study-cautions.html ).
• The researchers at Norwich Medical School, United Kingdom, show a relationship between main subclasses of flavonoids to determine the risk of ischemic, hemorrhagic and total stroke (Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/03/the-incredible-power-of-citrus-fruits-to-reduce-risk-of-stroke/254031/ ).
• A study published in the journal Health Affairs show that if the people are given option, they will go for the expensive healthcare (Source: http://www.nationaljournal.com/healthcare/people-like-expensive-health-care-study-finds-20120305 ).

Diseases & Disasters

• Deaths are reported in Northern Bangladesh due to the infection caused by Nipah virus (Source: http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/29154/zoonotic-disease-causes-concern-in-bangladesh ).
• Death of eighteen infants in a hospital in the Southern part of Sri Lanka has provoked public protests in the country (Source: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsworld.php?id=651198 ).
• Dr. Osafo, President of the Ghana Kidney Foundation has indicated that over 3,000 Ghanaian’s develop chronic kidney disease every year, with majority between 20-50 years of age (Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/artikel.php?ID=231862 ).
• Temporary toilets in Haiti are probable health threats. The human excreta in the unlined pits are likely carrying pathogens http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106977 .
• The people of Otuzco province of the La Libertad region of Peru have contracted cutaneous anthrax (a bacterial infection) (Source: http://www.examiner.com/infectious-disease-in-national/anthrax-outbreak-peru ).
• First Hantavirus case of 2012 reported by Montana health officials (Source: http://www.examiner.com/infectious-disease-in-national/montana-health-officials-report-first-hantavirus-case-of-2012 ).