Category: Information and Social Media

WHO Video: Towards making every city a healthy city

by ihsection, posted in Information and Social Media

Urban health challenges across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region are acute and increasingly complex. Unplanned urban growth puts millions of people living in urban slums and disadvantaged areas in a particularly vulnerable situation, often with poor health coverage and limited access to social services. The essential value of health equity and social justice is reaffirmed in the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health, adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2012. In response to the challenge, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) has established a Regional Healthy City Network web site to support city planners in their efforts to strengthen intersectoral collaboration, assess health and social inequity and encourage increased access for city dwellers to quality health, environmental, social and cultural services. City planners and authorities are urged to join the Network and register their cities through the website.

The Network hopes that as many as 200 cities will be registered by the end of 2013.

For more information:

http://applications.emro.who.int/hcn/

Global Health as a Bridge to Security (CSIS video)

by nicollerueras, posted in APHA IH Section, Information and Social Media

The connection between global health and national security is an area that can make a strong impact in our relationship with other countries. The United States’ global presence, especially through the military and diplomatic relations can serve as an avenue to improve health in countries lacking in resources.

In this video created by the Center of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), building relationships with other countries by utilizing our resources and expertise to improve healthcare increases that country’s productivity, health, and well-being Ultimately, this provides us with the opportunity to develop a partnership and maintain good relations around the world.

Novartis: Court Case in India Begins (MSF Video)

by ihsection, posted in Information and Social Media

This post was written by Nicolle Rueras.

A recent court case between the Indian Government and pharmaceutical company, Novartis, has caused a stir in the global community. Novartis is challenging Section 3(d) of India’s Patent Act, which requires companies to prove that their drug is more successful than alternative treatments for a disease to receive or extend a patent.

To get around this regulation, many companies begin “evergreening” – making minor changes to a drug that may not improve its efficacy but claim it does in order to extend its patent. If Novartis succeeds, this may open the door for other companies to follow suit, ultimately driving up prices for crucial medicines produced in India and needed around the world.

Guttmacher Institute Video – Abortion Worldwide

by ihsection, posted in Information and Social Media

This post was written by Nicolle Rueras.

Unsafe abortion due to unintended pregnancies has become a leading cause in maternal death, and this practice occurs often in areas where abortion has been outlawed. In fact, abortion rates are higher in areas where the practice has been deemed illegal—evidence that there are other factors to consider. In this video produced by the Guttmacher Institute, family planning and modern contraceptive methods are offered as solutions to lower rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions worldwide.

CSIS Video: FDA as a Global Actor

by ihsection, posted in Information and Social Media

This post was written jointly by Sarah Simpson and myself.

The Food & Drug Administration, better known as the FDA, is the regulatory arm of the US government responsible for ensuring the safety of the food and drugs Americans consume. As our food, drugs and products travel from around the world to our table, the FDA’s role has become increasingly more globalized.

Recently FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg sat down with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Global Health Policy Center to discuss the FDA’s more globalized role. She argues that the FDA serves an often underappreciated role in the global economy, and that it is important that they continue to receive funding to build partnerships, supply chains, and monitoring systems.

Because of this increasing globalization, the FDA has been pursuing more international partnerships and relationships to ensure the safety of imported goods as well as domestic ones. This has led them to create physical offices in several countries around the world such as Chile, South Africa, China, and India.

While the FDA by no means has an unblemished record, this is yet another example of a global health initiative threatened by budget cuts (particularly in an election year), and why we need to fight to maintain funding for global health programs.