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World Bank announces additional $5m grant to fight cholera in Haiti

The World Bank on Tuesday "announced a $15 million grant to Haiti to fight a persistent cholera epidemic," SAPA/Health24 reports. In a press release, the bank said it approved an additional $5 million to be added to a previously announced $10 million grant. "The funds, said the organisation in [the] statement, will go towards public campaigns to prevent infection and increase the capacity of Haiti's health ministry to deal with the emergency," the news service writes (1/19).

20 Jan 2011

Health care, financial reform skirt Obama review, the Wall Street journal reports

President Barack Obama's government-wide review of federal regulations will have little effect on two of the president's major regulatory victories: an overhaul of Wall Street and the health care market, according to a White House budget official.

20 Jan 2011

WHO Director-General expresses concern over public mistrust of vaccines

During the WHO's executive board meeting Monday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan expressed concerns over what she called a "'worrisome' public mistrust of vaccines, following signs of a tail-off in flu vaccination," Agence France-Presse reports (1/18).

20 Jan 2011

Africa's economic expansion not strong enough to reach poverty MDG, U.N. report says

"Africa's economy expanded by 4.7 percent in 2010 and is expected to maintain similar growth over the next two years," according to the U.N.'s World Economic Situation and Prospects 2011 report, which was released Tuesday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Deutsche Presse-Agentur/M&C reports.

20 Jan 2011

Polls offer mixed views of Americans' views on health law, repeal

Varying polls offer slightly different takes on where the American public stands regarding the health overhaul, its impact on the economy and whether it should be undone. Democrats are stepping up to try to sway these opinions. Meanwhile, a vocal physician organization has stepped into the fray in opposition of the overhaul.

20 Jan 2011

Failure to use research evidence leads to inefficiencies, reduced quality of life, says Dr. Sharon

Health care systems around the world are failing to use evidence obtained through research when making decisions, causing inefficiencies and reduced quantity and quality of life, according to a leading expert in the field of "knowledge translation."

20 Jan 2011

The long-term view: GOP hopes for scaled-back health plan; Dems see health care second-chance

News outlets report on the big-picture health policy goals of both parties. Republicans see the repeal effort as stretching far beyond today's House vote while the stretch of time may help Democrats.

20 Jan 2011

6 states join multi-state legal challenge against health law

The new tally in the lawsuit, led by the state of Florida, is 26.

20 Jan 2011

House to vote today on health law repeal

In the GOP-led effort to repeal the health overhaul, the dynamics of the health reform debate return to center stage. This time, in what is viewed as a symbolic effort in the lower chamber, many reports indicate the tone was collegial.

20 Jan 2011

Medicare's therapy policy under attack

Meanwhile, the AP reports on how some insurers are profiting from "playing the float."

20 Jan 2011

Viewpoints: Sebelius and Vilsack on rural health; Many thoughts on repeal vote; State budget cuts

As former governors from the Heartland, we've seen firsthand how Americans in rural areas struggle to get the health care they need. Whether it's a farmer losing his health insurance because he has no good choices or a mom putting off a treatment because there aren't enough doctors nearby, rural Americans often go without critical preventive care or key procedures.

20 Jan 2011

House votes to repeal health law

The new Republican majority in the House of Representatives late Wednesday fulfilled a campaign pledge and passed a bill to repeal the federal health care law. The vote was 245 to 189. However Senate Democrats have said that they will not take up the measure.

20 Jan 2011

Roundup: Arizona Medicaid waiver?; 'Sweeping' Texas budget cuts; Wisconsin tort reform; Aspen's 'dismal' health coverage

The Legislature will meet in special session today to give Gov. Jan Brewer authority to seek a Medicaid waiver from the federal government, the first step to cutting health care for 280,000 Arizonans. Brewer and Republican lawmakers say the move is needed to balance the state budget and keep the rest of the state's Medicaid program intact.

20 Jan 2011

El Camino Hospital introduces CHI program to educate Chinese community on health disparities

El Camino Hospital has launched a Chinese Health Initiative, designed to address the troubling and unique health disparities in the Silicon Valley's Chinese community and to accommodate their cultural preferences in education, screening and health care delivery.

19 Jan 2011

Swedish patient swallows dentist’s drill bit

In an unfortunate incident, a patient who attended a dental clinic in Västmanland county, Sweden to have the filling from a recently repaired tooth cleaned, swallowed the dentist’s drill bit.

19 Jan 2011

Home blood pressure monitors can help people keep blood pressure in check

A recent research review has concluded that home blood pressure monitors can help people keep their blood pressure in check and possibly cut down on medication – as long as patients and their doctors put those home readings to good use. For years, Omron Healthcare, Inc. has reminded Americans how important home blood pressure monitoring is when it comes to reducing their risk of a heart attack or stroke, and truly wants people to take the news to heart in 2011.

19 Jan 2011

Best friends influence children's physical activity

Boys and girls who take part in physical activity with their best friend in the neighbourhood where they live have higher levels of physical activity, new research has found. With many children not doing enough physical activity the findings could help with the UK's current health care concerns.

19 Jan 2011

First Edition: January 19, 2011

Today's headlines and news coverage offer details about the House health law repeal debate, which started yesterday.

19 Jan 2011

Race and region play major role in health outcomes of people infected with HIV

Women, nonwhites, and people in the southern United States who were newly infected with HIV and followed for an average of four years experienced greater HIV/AIDS-related morbidity compared to men and people of other races living in other regions of the country. The findings, published in the February 15 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, underscore the urgent need to improve the health of these populations in order to reduce HIV-related morbidity and mortality in the U.S.

19 Jan 2011

Home health care can lower US hospital costs: New study

A nationwide increase in the use of home health care can save the U.S. billions of dollars in hospital costs, according to the results of a new study conducted by Frank Lichtenberg, the Courtney C. Brown Professor of Business at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and a Research Associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research.

19 Jan 2011