Archives: Morning Breakouts

NBC News' "World Blog" reports on the emergence of drug-resistant malaria along the border between Thailand and Cambodia. "The Pailin area [in Cambodia] is now the epicenter of a fight to contain a growing resistance to Artemisinin, which is the world's main anti-malarial drug," the blog writes before noting the global health community's efforts to contain the spread of drug-resistant malaria.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will travel to Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday to co-chair a commission that aims to establish benchmarks for the U.N.'s $40 billion maternal and child health initiative that was establish at last year's Millennium Development Goal summit, the Canadian Press/Toronto Star reports (1/23).

"A massive U.S. aid program that has made Pakistan the world's second-largest recipient of American economic and development assistance is facing serious challenges, people involved in the effort say," the Wall Street Journal reports in an article detailing the difficulties.

BMJ News reports on the ongoing external investigation of the WHO's handling of the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic, following recent statements to the WHO's executive board meeting by review committee chairman, Harvey Fineberg. Despite initial expectations that the external review committee would produce a draft of its findings in January, Fineberg "said the panel was planning a meeting on 28-30 March, and it would distribute in advance to all WHO member nations copies of a draft summary of its principal findings, conclusions, and recommendations, for comments and reactions, before it finalises the report."

Individuals traveling across East Africa on Friday were ordered to begin receiving mandatory yellow fever vaccines in an effort "to contain an outbreak of the disease in Uganda," which has sickened an estimated 190 people, resulting in 48 deaths as of Dec. 30, 2010, the Citizen reports (Ubwani, 1/22).

The Republican House to-do list also includes action by oversight committees to investigate waivers given in regard to the health law. Meanwhile, KHN details six provisions from the sweeping measure that the GOP may seek to repeal or replace.

Senate Republicans say they need to have a vote on repealing the health overhaul - even if they are going to lose - in order to be "on the record" about what they want and to make good on their campaign promises.

According to USA Today, whistle-blowers helped federal agents recover this record-breaking amount in health care fraud judgements.