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Study Examines Relationship Between Conflict, Rise In NTDs In Middle East, North Africa

March 2, 2012 Morning Briefing

A study published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Disease on Tuesday examines the relationship between political conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and “the spread or re-emergence of a variety of tropical diseases — some previously eliminated or controlled — affecting an estimated 65 million people” in the region, VOA News reports (Sinha, 3/1). “The report, authored by global health leaders Dr. Peter Hotez, Dr. Lorenzo Savioli and professor Alan Fenwick, reveals the high prevalence and uneven distribution of [neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)] such as schistosomiasis, lymphatic filiariasis, dengue fever and Rift Valley fever in the MENA region and suggests opportunities for NTD control, especially in high-risk populations in Egypt and Yemen,” the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases writes in an article on its website.

China’s AIDS Action Plan Calls For Education, Condom Distribution To Stem Spread Of HIV

February 29, 2012 Morning Briefing

China’s State Council, or cabinet, on Wednesday “published the country’s AIDS Action Plan for the 12th Five-Year Program period (2011-2015) on the website of the Chinese government, http://www.gov.cn,” Xinhua/China.org.cn reports (2/29). According to the plan, “China hopes to cap the number of people living with HIV/AIDS at 1.2 million by 2015, up from around 780,000 at present,” by promoting condom use, reducing stigma and discrimination, and educating urban and rural populations, as well as local officials, about the disease, Reuters notes (Blanchard, 2/29). In addition, the plan aims to implement interventions among people at higher risk of infection, such as drug users, and increase the rates of HIV testing and treatment, according to Xinhua (2/29).

Funding Gaps Could Hinder Future Of Health Care In Africa, Report Says

March 2, 2012 Morning Briefing

The “improvement and extension of health care in Africa is … being constrained by gaps in financing,” according to a new report (.pdf) by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) based on research commissioned by Janssen Pharmaceutica, a Belgian subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, the Financial Times’ “beyondbrics” blog reports (Wheatley, 3/1). The report, titled “The Future of Healthcare in Africa,” “discusses the continent’s traditional health care issues, such as communicable diseases or financing health care in economically difficult circumstances” and “also addresses less well-known topics, such as the threat of obesity and heart disease, the use of mobile technology, development of more preventive care, and more,” according to the Janssen website (3/1). The report “identif[ies] the key trends shaping African health care systems” and uses them “to develop [five] scenarios that depict the possible health landscape on the continent in 2022,” a Janssen press release (.pdf) states (3/1).

World Recognizes 9th Annual International Day Of Zero Tolerance To FGM/C

February 7, 2012 Morning Briefing

As the international community on Monday marked the ninth annual International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), the U.N. and international and human rights organizations called for an end to FGM/C and are appealing for tougher legislation to halt the practice that has affected up to 140 million girls and women worldwide, according to WHO statistics, VOA News reports (Schlein, 2/6). “The United States stands in consensus with women, governments, and donors around the world in a commitment to provide the energy and resources necessary to end this harmful traditional practice that violates girls’ right to bodily integrity, harms their health, and reduces their status in society,” USAID writes on its website (2/6).

CSIS Report Examines Changing Role Of Private Sector In Global Health

February 2, 2012 Morning Briefing

This report, published by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) on Tuesday and titled “The Private-Sector Role in Public Health,” reflects on an evolution in the roles and responsibilities of business in global health over the recent decades. “Private-sector engagement was among the main issues addressed at the recent 4th High Level Forum for Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea,” CSIS writes on its website, adding, “[A]s Lars Thunell, executive vice president and CEO of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), observed, ‘This could be the turning point where we recognize the mutually supportive roles of the private and public sectors in promoting development'” (Sturchio/Goel, 1/31).

Romney Assailed For Mass. Effort To Stop Care For Sick Girl

November 15, 2011 Morning Briefing

The Miami Herald reports that a conservative website has raised questions about the former governor’s role in a case in which a state agency sought to stop life support for a young girl who later came out of her coma.

Global Health Issues Allow For Reporting On Broad Spectrum Of Challenges, Journalists Say At Seminar

January 3, 2012 Morning Briefing

GlobalPost’s “Global Pulse” blog describes a December seminar, titled “Global Health and Story Telling in the Digital Age” and sponsored by GlobalPost and the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, at which “journalists discussed challenges they faced in covering global health during a time of shrinking budgets and within an industry struggling to balance hard-hitting coverage with the need to continually update websites and attract readers.” According to the blog, “Global health reporting can and should be a ‘window’ into addressing the spectrum of challenges facing the world, from political to economic and scientific, journalists said” (Kriel, 12/28).