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WHO creates new safety checklist for surgical teams to use in operating theatres

With major surgery now occurring at a rate of 234 million procedures per year - one for every 25 people - and studies indicating that a significant percentage result in preventable complications and deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a new safety checklist for surgical teams to use in operating theatres, as part of a major drive to make surgery safer around the world.

24 Jun 2008

Public health agencies call on G8 leaders to allocate increased resources to health programs worldwide

The heads of several organizations involved in public health issues worldwide on Tuesday called on the Group of Eight industrialized nations to invest more resources in health and disease programs, the AP/USA Today reports.

11 Jun 2008

European businesses not properly advised on how to prepare for flu pandemic

A new report entitled Business Continuity Planning and Pandemic Influenza in Europe, published by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), has found huge gaps and differences across Europe in the level of advice given to businesses to prepare for a possible influenza pandemic.

11 Jun 2008

Philadelphia Inquirer examines health care price transparency issue

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday examined the issue of "price transparency," in which hospitals and health systems make their charges for treatments more apparent.

10 Jun 2008

South Los Angeles residents face difficulties receiving medical care for variety of reasons

A shortage of primary care physicians and low Medi-Cal reimbursement rates have made South Los Angeles "one of the most difficult places in the nation to both receive and give medical care," the New York Times reports.

8 Jun 2008

UK to provide about $12 billion to improve health services in developing countries, fight HIV/AIDS, official says

United Kingdom International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander on Monday announced that the government will provide six billion British pounds, or $11.8 billion, over seven years to improve health services and systems in developing countries to fight HIV/AIDS, AFP/Google.com reports (AFP/Google.com, 6/2).

3 Jun 2008

Members of European Parliament discuss food labelling and heart health

Members of the European Parliament Heart Group meet today, 3 June, in Brussels, to discuss the link between nutrition and cardiovascular diseases and how labelling of food can help people choose products that are better for their hearts and vessels.

2 Jun 2008

3 million now receiving anti-retroviral therapy HIV drugs

The close of 2007 marks an important step in the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Nearly 3 million people are now receiving anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new report jointly launched today by WHO, UNAIDS and UNICEF.

2 Jun 2008

Delegates at Tokyo conference discuss ways to address health issues, including HIV/AIDS, in Africa

About 2,500 delegates from 52 African countries, United Nations agencies and aid groups met Wednesday in Yokohama, Japan, for the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development to discuss strategies aimed at solving health issues, including HIV/AIDS, and other challenges on the continent, the Kyodo News reports (Tang, Kyodo News, 5/27).

30 May 2008

US$28 million needed for Myanmar says WHO

WHO and its Health Cluster partners in Myanmar have launched a six-month and US$ 28 million action plan to provide immediate health care for cyclone survivors and to support longer-term efforts to rebuild the country's ravaged health system.

30 May 2008

Experts say time to change strategies for HIV prevention in Africa

Experts on HIV/AIDS are calling for a change of strategies in dealing with HIV prevention in African countries.

12 May 2008

House Energy and Commerce Committee approves bill to reauthorize community health centers program

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 1343) that would reauthorize the federal community health centers program through fiscal year 2012, CQ Today reports (Mattingly [1], CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

Lawsuit filed to stop 10% Medicaid provider payment rate reduction in California

A number of groups that represent hospitals, physicians, dentists and other health care providers in California on Monday filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court to prevent a scheduled 10% reduction in reimbursements under Medi-Cal, the state Medicaid program, the Wall Street Journal reports.

6 May 2008

Social networking, malaria and philanthropy partnership

Philanthropy just got easier and a lot more accessible to the public thanks to the social networking power of the Internet and a ground-breaking partnership between a young British entrepreneur, a global health think tank and an African medical research institute.

20 Apr 2008

20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from PTSD or major depression

Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan - 300,000 in all - report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slight more than half have sought treatment, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

17 Apr 2008

Climate change and human health

Scientists tell us that the evidence the Earth is warming is "unequivocal." Increases in global average air and sea temperature, ice melting and rising global sea levels all help us understand and prepare for the coming challenges.

7 Apr 2008

Doctors are warning that climate change is already affecting people's health

Doctors in Australia are warning that by 2020 there will be a growing number of illnesses related to climate change.

7 Apr 2008

Removing barriers to the distribution of life-saving vaccines

Barriers to the distribution of life saving vaccines in low income countries can and should be overcome, say experts in this week's issue of the BMJ.

4 Apr 2008

Prenatal syphilis screening rates: Are they being accurately reported?

Prenatal syphilis screening, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, medical professional organizations, and public health authorities, is critical to preventing still births and serious birth defects in babies of affected mothers.