Tag: United Nations
March 8, 2014 by nsoleye, posted in APHA IH Section
Today is International Women's Day (IWD) and the official theme for this year is "Equality for women is progress for all."
The origin of International Women's Day dates back to the early 1900's and now every year on March 8, people around the world rally together to commemorate and support women. International Women's Day is not only a time to celebrate achievements, but also a time to reflect on the progress made and call for increased changes. From women's rights and gender equality to abuse and sex trafficking, various social, political, and economic issues concerning women are highlighted and become points of discussion (and even protest) around IWD.
The Millennium Development Goals call for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and during the IWD opening ceremony at the United Nations today, Hilary Clinton, known for being a champion of women, said "women and girls and the cause of gender equality must be at the heart" of the UN's agenda to promote development around the world. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon echoed her sentiments, saying in his message, "This International Women's Day, we are highlighting the importance of achieving equality for women and girls not simply because it is a matter of fairness and fundamental human rights, but because progress in so many other areas depends on it."
This plays nicely into the ongoing debate on the post-2015 development agenda. We all know there are major issues around the access, quality, and availability of health services to women in developing countries, and that these issues are often further complicated by cultural and religious norms. I think it's safe to say that although IWD is only one day a year, the discussion on women's rights as a core component of global development will continue. It is essential.
Here's a roundup of some IWD 2014 content in case you missed it:
Women in Manila attempt to break a Guinness World record
USAID released a short video to complement a recent report assessing progress toward gender equality over the past decade (the full report is available here)
UN Foundation President and CEO Kathy Calvin made a plea for support
Coverage on the protests in India
Video portraits from women in Madagasdcar, Ireland and Nepal
Summaries on IWD activities in the Arab world
Even Google got in on the IWD action
"The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world." — Charles Malik
What does International Women's Day mean to you? Tell us in the comments below.
Tagged Family Planning, Maternal health, MDGs, post-2015 Development Agenda, UN, United Nations, USAIDLeave a comment
Ethiopia Has Reached MDG 4
September 24, 2013 by nsoleye, posted in APHA IH Section
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are goals the United Nations and its global partners established in 2000. There are eight goals focused on addressing worldwide social issues including poverty, health, hunger, inequality, education, environment, and sustainability with the target to make measurable improvements in all these areas by 2015.
Earlier this month, UNICEF released a report outlining trends and progress towards MDG 4, which is to reduce the under-five mortality rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. The report highlights work being done to meet this MDG, as well as challenges and disparities that have slowed progress.
One of the biggest takeaways from the report is that Ethiopia has already achieved MDG 4 despite facing major obstacles such as a severe shortage of health professionals (there is only one doctor for every 36,000 people). The driving forces behind this achievement included strong commitment from the Ethiopian government, support from external organizations, and the use of innovative programs to reach communities throughout the country. Ethiopia joins Bangladesh, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Timor-Leste, and United Republic of Tanzania as another high-mortality country that reached MDG 4 before 2015.
This news is quite timely considering the 68th session of the UN General Assembly opened last week with a focus on defining a post-2015 development agenda. As 2015 approaches, I am eager to see increased analysis of MDG progress and heightened discussions among members of the international development community about what's next for global health. Stay tuned!
Tagged Global Health News, MDGs, MNCH, United Nations1 Comment
Burundi is introducing the second dose of measles vaccine in its vaccination campaign in order to strengthen its efforts to fight preventable diseases.
China has stated that it will assist Cameroon in its fight against malaria as well as to strengthen health policies.
Angola parliament approves main lines of 2013 budget bill. A third of it will be spent on education, health, social welfare and housing.
African government's will implement a health scorecard to reduce child deaths. This monitoring system publicly collects and reports health data.
Ghana is planning to establish its Health Insurance Learning Center to provide expertise and training on health insurance to many countries and institutions across the world.
China plans emergency measures to control Beijing air pollution. The rules will formalize previous ad-hoc measures including shutting down factories, cutting back on burning coal and taking certain vehicle classes off the roads on days when pollution hits unacceptable levels.
Negotiations on the Minamata Convention on Mercury (in Switzerland) among the delegates of 140 United Nations member states state that mercury added products like batteries, switches, thermometers etc. may not be manufactured, imported or exported no later than 2020. Mercury-added dental amalgams are also to be phased out. But certain mercury-added products are to be exempted from ban- like products for military and civil protection, products used in religious practices and some vaccines (with thimerosal) etc.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new type of flu vaccine which is made with a process that does not require the virus to be grown in chicken eggs. This will make it available weeks earlier in the event of a pandemic.
In order to prevent, strengthen, and mobilize the society on HIV/AIDS risks, a project "Proactive" was presented in Angola by the Population Services International (PSI). It will target prostitutes, lorry drivers and gays.
In collaboration with UNAIDS, Tango organized a two-day workshop on combating stigma and discrimination in HIV/AIDS for Civil Society Organizations.
To provide treatment to the needy heart patients mainly children and elderly, the Emirates Heart Group has launched humanitarian missions in Sudan, Egypt and Bosnia.
Guinea worm eradication program is coming to its completion. The reports show that the cases of the parasitic disease were reduced by nearly half in 2012.
For increasing awareness on road traffic safety the Riders for Health-the Gambia (RFH) and the British High Commission have established a Training-cum Resource Center in Gambia.
According to a study done by the researchers of UK, US and Germany, eating with seven servings a day is linked to peak mental well-being.
A study states that the HIV infection rate has declined among the pregnant females in the Republic of Congo from 3.4 percent in 2009 to 2.8 percent in 2012.
According to the World Health Organization, the cases of measles have fallen by 75 percent since 2000 but the rate of vaccination is still quite low to progress towards its complete eradication.
A report states that the Somali women living in Minnesota for 20 years or more have their cultural traditions about pregnancy and birth. They continue to resist cesarean sections, prenatal care and family planning.
A study published in PloS One states that South Africa pays a high cost to treat both drug-resistant and drug-sensitive tuberculosis. It states that drug resistant tuberculosis in South Africa consumed about 32% of the total estimated 2011 national TB budget of $218 million.
A simple radiographic scoring system has been suggested as it is found to reliably rule out active pulmonary tuberculosis in smear negative HIV – uninfected patients. It will potentially reduce the need for further testing in high burden settings.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine states that a 48-week course of antiretroviral medication taken in early stages of HIV infection slows the damage to immune system and delays the need for long term treatment.
According to a study bats are reservoirs for Ebola virus in Bangladesh.
Studies have shown that the cactus fruit could treat diabetes, help to lower cholesterol and have high levels of vitamin C.
A study published in Plos One states that majority of the high risk population in a setting in rural China have been diagnosed with a Cardiovascular Disease related disease. Majority of them did not take any cardiovascular disease drugs and very few of them took some drugs to prevent the diseases.
A study done in University of Gothenburg, Sweden, states that amputations among people with diabetes can be reduced by 50%. They stated that simple interventions like shoe inserts, podiatry, regular check-ups and other simple interventions can help to reduce it.
A new infection caused by ticks similar to Lyme disease has been found in 18 people in southern New England and upstate New York. According to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, this sickness could be infecting more than 4,300 Americans a year with flu-like symptoms and relapsing fevers.
According to a study vitamin D3 supplements are as effective as influenza vaccine. The study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states that those school children who took vitamin D3 supplements were 64 % less likely to contract seasonal influenza A viral infection.
A recently introduced five-in-one vaccine against diphtheria, pneumonia, tetanus, hepatitis B and Hib meningitis have raised health concerns among the doctors in India.
The Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) of the Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health Hong Kong, has confirmed a case of New Delhi metallo-β – lacatamase-1 (NDM-1) Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a 26 year old female.
The Department of Health (Hong Kong) has released a warning on a oral product named 'Chashoot'. They say that it may contain undeclared Western drug ingredients that are dangerous to health.
Tagged Active pulmonary tuberculosis, air pollution, Amputations, Antiretroviral medication, Cactus fruit, cardiovascular disease, Chashoot., Child'd deaths, Cholestrol, Cultural traditions, Diabetes, Diphtheria, Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, Drug-sensitive tuberculosis, Ebola, Family Planning, Five-in-one vaccine, flu vaccine, Food and Drug Administration, Guinea worm eradication program, Health, Health insurance, Health Insurance Learning Center, Health policies, Heart patients, Hepatitis B, Hib meningitis, HIV/ AIDS, Immune system, influenza vaccine, Lyme disease, Measles vaccine, Mental well-being, Mercury added dental amalgams, Mercury added products, Minamata Convention on Mercury, New Delhi metallo- β-lactamase -1 Carbapenemase- producing Enterobacteriaceae, pandemic, Parasitic disease, pneumonia, Podiatry, Population Services International, Pregnant, Prenatal care, Preventable diseases, Proactive, Relapsing fevers, Road traffic Safety, Score card, Seasonal influenza vaccine, Shoe inserts, tetanus, The Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, Thimerosal, ticks, UNAIDS, United Nations, Vaccination campaign, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3Leave a comment
November 25, 2012 by Vaani, posted in News
Politics and Policies
The Obama administration on Tuesday defined the "essential health benefits" that must be offered to most Americans and by allowing employers to offer bigger financial rewards to employees who quit smoking or adopt healthy behaviors.
In the 62nd WHO Regional Committee for Africa session in Luanda, Angola, the World Health Organization (WHO) has presented its updated health promotion strategy for Africa.
The first unrefrigerated vaccine, MenAfriVac vaccine against meningitis has been approved in Africa.
According to the International Status Report released in the Conference of Parties to the WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC), health warnings in cigarette packets in India only cover 40% of the front face of the packet.
According to the researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services the Obama health care reform could provide more than a million women in the U.S. with access to potentially lifesaving tests for breast and cervical cancer.
Scientists are working on small pox vaccine to treat the deadly liver cancer.
According to the reports released by the United Nations (UN), deaths from HIV/ AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa have dropped down by 32% in the last seven years.
A study reveals that malnourished, stunted growth children are growing into obese adults in Africa.
According to a study published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine, increase in suicide in the United States between 2000 and 2010 is attributable to increase in hanging/ suffocation that too has increased among the people aged between 45- 59 years.
A study links between unemployment and heart attack risk.
A study indicates link between a child having a happy teenage and his/ her chances of having a wealthier adulthood.
According to a study published in the journal Nature, compounds inhibiting protein synthesis or by utilizing the gene therapy targeting neuroligins in rats, scientists at the McGill University and the University of Montreal have created new hope for treatment / understanding of autism spectrum disorders.
According to a study published in the journal Radiology concussions may cause brain disruption.
Researchers in Australia are very close to treating a hereditary disease, dilated cardiomyopathy.
Experts say that the lifestyle of people of Mexico has led to having a diabetes disaster in that country.
According to the researchers malaria vaccine is only 30% effective in infants in preventing them getting this deadly disease.
According to the researcher's key to feeling younger is to keep smart phones, watching reality television shows and beating younger relatives at games.
Scientists in Canada have linked "Happy gene" to "Fat gene".
According to a study, up to 20% under the 65s liver disease death has risen in England due to high levels of drinking and obesity.
Scientists have found a link between the drug used to treat Psoriasis inflammation and reduction in dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.
According to the scientists at London, smoking rots the brain by damaging memory, learning and reasoning.
A study reveals that one in every ten children in California, U.S. is uninsured. This is higher than the national average.
A group of Indian and U.S. scientists in their study have predicted hidden epidemic of neurological disability for people of India.
Diseases and Disasters
According to the Germany's national health institute, a patient from Qatar has been confirmed being infected with a new type of coronavirus. He has severe respiratory problems.
Dengue cases on rise in India.
Second death has been reported due to Corona virus.
Large amount of spores of Lichen forming Trechelomonas algae responsible for the red rain in some parts of Sri Lanka.
About 1000 students of a school in Sri Lanka have been hospitalized following some allergic reaction.
Tagged Allergic reaction., Alzheimer's disease, Autism spectrum disorders, Behaviors, Breast and cervical cancer, Cardiomyopathy, Cigarette, Concussions, Coronavirus, dementia, dengue, Diabetes, Epidemic, Essential heath benefits, fat gene, Happy gene, Health promotion strategy, Heart attack, HIV/AIDS, Inflammation, Liver cancer, malaria vaccine, Malnourished, MenAfriVac, meningitis, Obese, obesity, Protein synthesis, Psoriasis, Red rain, Small pox vaccine, smoking, Suffocation, Suicide, Tobacco, Trechelomonas, unemployment, Uninsured, United Nations, Unrefrigerated vaccineLeave a comment