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Hepatitis E vaccine successful in clinical trial: Study

In a Clinical trial in China, a vaccine has been found to protect against Hepatitis E. Hepatitis E virus, usually spread via contaminated food and faeces usually runs its course before the patient recovers. However it can cause severe illness in elderly people and has a mortality rate of 1 to 3 percent. It can also kill 5 to 25 percent of affected pregnant women and those who survive can suffer high rates of miscarriage. Around a third of the world's population have been infected by the virus say researchers.

22 Aug 2010

U.S. boosts aid relief to Pakistani flood victims; U.N. donors meet about funding

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) visited Pakistan on Thursday "to assess the damage and relief efforts" as flooding continues and millions remain in need of humanitarian aid, the New York Times reports. According to the newspaper, Kerry "said the United States would increase its flood aid to $150 million" (Masood/Gall, 8/19).

20 Aug 2010

Scientists produce atlas of worm infection prevalence, distribution throughout Africa

On Tuesday at the 12th International Congress of Parasitology, a group of scientists, led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, launched an online series of maps showing the distribution and prevalence of worm infections across Africa, Tropika.net reports (Chinnock, 8/17).

19 Aug 2010

IR USA increases fundraising goal for Pakistan flood victims to $4M

Islamic Relief USA, a Washington, D.C.-based relief and development organization, today announced that it has increased its fundraising goal for the Pakistan flood victims to $4 million due to the worsening conditions in the region. It has also collected more than $23 million in in-kind donations.

19 Aug 2010

State Department report documents U.S. efforts to expand developing countries' access to safe drinking water, sanitation

The State Department on Monday released its 5th annual Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act report (.pdf) to Congress detailing "U.S. efforts to expand access to safe drinking water and sanitation, improve water resources management and increase water productivity in developing countries," NAN/234NEXT.com reports (8/17).

19 Aug 2010

Serious funding shortfalls jeopardize UNICEF's humanitarian operation in Pakistan

UNICEF warned today that serious funding shortfalls are jeopardizing its humanitarian operation in Pakistan. UNICEF is extremely concerned at the lack of funds for its water and sanitation operation, with millions of children at risk from water-borne diseases.

18 Aug 2010

World Bank to provide $900M in emergency funding for Pakistan floods, country's High Commissioner provides rough damage estimate

The World Bank on Monday "pledged to reroute money from other projects to provide $900 million in emergency funding to help Pakistan" with its flood recovery efforts, the New York Times reports (Ellick, 8/17).

18 Aug 2010

Canadian Red Cross ramps up relief efforts in flood ravaged Pakistan

The Canadian Red Cross is ramping up relief efforts in flood ravaged Pakistan. A Red Cross distribution planned for Sunday will put much-needed emergency supplies into the hands of 400 families in the SWAT valley. The supplies, funded by Canadian donations, will include tents, blankets and hygiene kits.

13 Aug 2010

Floods: U.N. issues $459.7M appeal for Pakistan, China concerned about disease outbreaks after mudslides

The U.N. appealed for $459.7 million on Wednesday "to aid flood victims in Pakistan as the magnitude of the disaster widened, with about one-fifth of the country submerged and the annual monsoon season still potent," the New York Times reports (MacFarquhar, 8/11).

13 Aug 2010

The Australian examines development of low-cost water purifiers by Indian companies

The Australian reports on how four large businesses in India are developing low-cost water purifiers for some of the country's "poorest of the poor."

13 Aug 2010

Opinions: HIV prevention research; Foreign aid; Sanitation; Aid, self-reliance

"Microbicides, vaccines and other new approaches will one day join proven HIV-prevention strategies, including condoms, male circumcision and clean needles. How soon that day comes will depend on whether funders and the scientific community can develop the more collaborative approaches to HIV prevention research needed to address this fast-moving epidemic," Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise leaders Alan Bernstein, executive director, and Peter Piot, chair, write in a Globe and Mail opinion piece.

11 Aug 2010

Al Shabaab demands World Vision to close operations in Somalia

World Vision Somalia received a demand today from Al Shabaab to close operations in Somalia. World Vision guards were disarmed and their keys were taken. Nothing was removed from the offices although Al Shabaab representatives occupied the offices.

10 Aug 2010

U.N. says nearly 14M Pakistanis affected by floods

On Monday the U.N. said that 13.8 million people have been affected by the floods in Pakistan as the death toll has now reached 1,600, Agence France-Presse reports.

9 Aug 2010

Also in Global Health News: Food production and climate change; Poverty and hunger in India; Composting toilets in Malawi

A new discussion paper, led by a researcher from the University of Nairobi and produced by the International Food Policy Research Institute, examines how 10 sub-Saharan African countries have adapted food production to mitigate the effects of climate change, IRIN reports. The paper found that most countries use crops that mature faster and are tolerant of frequent and intense droughts.

9 Aug 2010

Department of Agriculture advises consumers to discard Jersey Hollow Farm's raw milk

The Department of Agriculture today advised consumers who purchased raw milk from Norman Z. and Edith B. Sauder, of Jersey Hollow Farm in Kutztown, Berks County, to discard the product immediately because of potential bacterial contamination.

7 Aug 2010

Risk of epidemic is high in Pakistan: Canadian Red Cross

The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is ramping up its relief operations in response to flooding in Pakistan. Over three million people have been affected as the worst flooding in 80 years wreaks havoc across 70 per cent of the country. Despite a rapid humanitarian response Red Cross officials warn that the worst may be yet to come.

6 Aug 2010

Opinions: AIDS 2010; Clean water, sanitation; Russia's HIV/AIDS epidemic; Financial tax; Medical abortion in developing countries

A VOA News editorial by the U.S. government reflects on last month's International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010, including key advancements such as the vaginal microbicide gel found to offer women some protection against HIV infection as well discussions about funding for the fight against HIV/AIDS and how the "criminalization of drug abuse and persecution of homosexuals" in the world is compromising efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.

4 Aug 2010

Need for shelter in Haiti; Avoiding disease outbreaks; Presidential election

USAID Director Rajiv Shah "says shelter and rubble removal are immediate priorities in the reconstruction efforts in earthquake-devastated Haiti," VOA News reports. Shah briefed the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Thursday, and also "said between 300,000 and 400,000 units of shelter are needed. He said aid workers are trying to provide about 135,000 transitional structures right now."

31 Jul 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

A Center for Global Development memo offers suggestions for the U.S. to improve its commitment to policies that benefit poor countries after it ranked 17th out of 22 wealthy in the 2009 Commitment to Development Index. Among a set of 20 recommendations, the authors suggest the U.S. "[i]ncrease foreign aid, especially through such vehicles as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which gives to relatively well-governed countries, or a global 'Cash on Delivery' fund that would pay countries after making confirmed progress toward agreed-upon outcomes, thereby reducing the proliferation of aid projects," the authors write(Prieto/Roodman).

31 Jul 2010

Polio cases in India lowest in a decade; Vaccination effort begins in Afghanistan

This year "India has reported the lowest number of polio cases in [the] January-June period ... in a decade," PTI/ZeeTV reports. Twenty-four cases were detected between January and June this year, compared to 151 in the corresponding 2009 period, and 317 in January-June 2008 (7/29).

30 Jul 2010

Sanitization News and Research

Hepatitis E vaccine successful in clinical trial: Study

U.S. boosts aid relief to Pakistani flood victims; U.N. donors meet about funding

Scientists produce atlas of worm infection prevalence, distribution throughout Africa

IR USA increases fundraising goal for Pakistan flood victims to $4M

State Department report documents U.S. efforts to expand developing countries' access to safe drinking water, sanitation

Serious funding shortfalls jeopardize UNICEF's humanitarian operation in Pakistan

World Bank to provide $900M in emergency funding for Pakistan floods, country's High Commissioner provides rough damage estimate

Canadian Red Cross ramps up relief efforts in flood ravaged Pakistan

Floods: U.N. issues $459.7M appeal for Pakistan, China concerned about disease outbreaks after mudslides

The Australian examines development of low-cost water purifiers by Indian companies

Opinions: HIV prevention research; Foreign aid; Sanitation; Aid, self-reliance

Al Shabaab demands World Vision to close operations in Somalia

U.N. says nearly 14M Pakistanis affected by floods

Also in Global Health News: Food production and climate change; Poverty and hunger in India; Composting toilets in Malawi

Department of Agriculture advises consumers to discard Jersey Hollow Farm's raw milk

Risk of epidemic is high in Pakistan: Canadian Red Cross

Opinions: AIDS 2010; Clean water, sanitation; Russia's HIV/AIDS epidemic; Financial tax; Medical abortion in developing countries

Need for shelter in Haiti; Avoiding disease outbreaks; Presidential election

Recent releases in Global Health

Polio cases in India lowest in a decade; Vaccination effort begins in Afghanistan

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (2nd Edition) eBook

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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