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UNAIDS, NGOs partner to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe in New York on Monday signed a partnership agreement with several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) pledging to work towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa, Agence France-Presse reports. Presidents Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda attended the signing ceremony.

23 Sep 2009

Snowe: Baucus Bill is 'solid starting point' but process should slow down

"Republican Senator Olympia Snowe says the Finance Committee's health care bill is a 'solid starting point' but needs to be improved," The Associated Press reports. "The Maine senator is seen as the only Republican on the panel who could end up voting for the bill, so her comments are closely watched." In her opening statement at the Finance Committee mark-up today, "Snowe praised the bill for holding down costs and taking a stab at medical malpractice reform.

23 Sep 2009

Also in global health news: Combating sleeping sickness in eastern Africa; China commits to developing countries; Latin America development

The African Development Bank on Tuesday announced it will award eastern African countries $70 million to help fight the neglected tropical disease, trypanasomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness, over six years, the Monitor/allAfrica.com reports (Pacutho, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

Academy of Friends announces its 2009-2010 fundraising for 11 Bay Area HIV/AIDS service organizations

Academy of Friends proudly announces its 2009-2010 fundraising for 11 Bay Area HIV/AIDS service organizations. Known for its annual Academy Awards® Night Charity Gala and monthly social events, AOF raised more than $7.5 million benefitting over 70 organizations serving more than 250,000 people over the last 30 years.

23 Sep 2009

Many amendments already introduced to Senate Finance bill

The Salt Lake Tribune: "Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has 51 ways he wants to change the latest health reform proposal including one amendment that would ease a tax on high-end insurance plans for 'any state with a name that begins with the letter 'U.'

23 Sep 2009

Abbott, Coherex Medical sign multi-year distribution agreement

Salt Lake City-based Coherex Medical, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a multi-year distribution agreement with global health care company Abbott for the Coherex FlatStent™ EF PFO Closure System.

23 Sep 2009

Amnesty International report highlights maternal mortality 'emergency' in Sierra Leone

"One in eight women in Sierra Leone risks dying of pregnancy and childbirth complications exacerbated by a combination of poverty, discrimination, inequality and government mismanagement," according to an Amnesty International report, released Tuesday, Reuters AlertNet reports (Fominyen, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

New heart surgery method raises questions for reformers

A new method for performing cardiac catheterizations may be more comfortable, shows a lower chance of complications such as severe bleeding, and allows patients to be discharged more quickly, potentially saving money, the Washington Post reports.

23 Sep 2009

Clinton Global Initiative meeting begins, will address investment in women, girls

The Clinton Global Initiative's (CGI) 2009 meeting, which begins Tuesday in New York, has added a new theme to its agenda - "investing in women and girls to narrow the gender gap," Bloomberg reports in an article examining the conference.

23 Sep 2009

Oncology Metrics and Altos Solutions to merge

Altos Solutions and Oncology Metrics llc, today announced the planned merger of the two companies, creating a combined technology and knowledge data company serving community-based oncology practices. The merged company will be known as Altos Solutions and will be headquartered in Los Altos, California.

23 Sep 2009

British Prime Minister to unveil $1b effort to improve health systems in developing countries

During the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday is scheduled to announce that Britain is teaming up with Norway, the Netherlands and Australia to invest $1 billion to strengthen the health systems in developing countries, the Financial Times/NineMSN reports (Jack, 9/21).

23 Sep 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Political intimidation has always been part of the current Congress's health-care strategy: "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu" is tattooed on every lobbyist and industry rep in Washington. But Max Baucus's latest bullying tactics are hard to believe by even these standards, as the Senate Finance Chairman has sicced federal regulators on the insurer Humana Inc. for daring to criticize one part of his health bill (9/22).

23 Sep 2009

Baucus: Several changes to make health bill affordable for middle class

"Under pressure from fellow Democrats, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee endorsed additional measures to defray the cost of insurance for working class families on Tuesday as the panel opened debate on sweeping health care legislation,"

23 Sep 2009

New AIDS treatment center to open in Washington, DC

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the US’ largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider, which provides medical care and/or services to more than 100,000 individuals in 21 countries worldwide, is honored to announce the September 24th grand opening of AHF’s first AIDS treatment center in Washington, DC, where the HIV rate is now reported to be 3%—higher than the rate in Lagos, Nigeria.

23 Sep 2009

Chan calls for additional H1N1 vaccines for poor countries during WHO Asia-Pacific regional meeting

During the WHO Asia-Pacific regional meeting Monday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan discussed the organization's efforts to ensure that poor nations have access to H1N1 vaccines, VOA News reports (Bayron, 9/21).

23 Sep 2009

Government orders additional H1N1 vaccine

Associated Press/Boston Globe reports that on Monday, "the United States ordered more swine flu vaccine, bringing its eventual total to 251 million doses, up from the long-planned 195 million doses.

23 Sep 2009

After criticisms, Baucus expects big changes to health bill

The Senate Finance Committee is meeting beginning today to consider chairman Max Baucus' health proposal and is very likely to make substantial changes.

23 Sep 2009

HealthRock to promote health education

The $1 trillion cost and massive government role envisioned by the Obama Administration’s health care reform plan (The Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009) continue to create controversy in Congress and throughout the nation.

23 Sep 2009

African leaders to form alliance to eliminate malaria deaths

African leaders, who are scheduled to meet in New York on Wednesday, are expected to launch an effort - the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) - to eliminate all malaria deaths on the continent by 2015, the Daily Independent/allAfrica.com reports (Shokunbi, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

U.S. FDA bans flavored cigarettes

One of the first provisions of the new federal law regulating tobacco products will take effect Tuesday as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces a ban on candy, fruit and other flavored cigarettes.

22 Sep 2009