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Chinese bird flu expert will head the WHO

Dr. Margaret Chan, a Chinese expert on bird flu, is to be the next head of the World Health Organization (WHO).

8 Nov 2006

Shortage of health workers in developing countries is affecting global health efforts

The critical shortage of health workers in developing countries is affecting global health efforts, including the fight against HIV/AIDS, and must be addressed, a panel of experts said Tuesday at an event sponsored by the Global Health Council, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Oct 2006

Trial involving medical workers accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV involves 'profound political issues'

The "scientific community, AIDS activists and Libyan government would do well to recognize ... the political and diplomatic import of the case" involving five Bulgarian nurses and one Palestinian doctor accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV, Laurie Garrett, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, writes in a PLoS Medicine opinion piece (Garrett, PLoS Medicine, 10/26).

30 Oct 2006

Bill and Melinda Gates put their money where it's needed

Bill Gates is once again putting his money into helping improve lives in developing countries.

25 Oct 2006

Boston Globe examines the funding approach of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The Boston Globe on Sunday examined the funding approach of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has a $31.9 billion endowment and a commitment of $30 billion from Berkshire Hathaway Chair Warren Buffett.

24 Oct 2006

Urgent action required to increase pandemic influenza vaccine supply

A set of activities identified in the World Health Organization's (WHO's) new Global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply requires immediate and sustained action and funding, if the world is to be prepared for an influenza pandemic to which there would be almost universal susceptibility.

23 Oct 2006

Boston Globe examines influence religious conservatives might have on USAID

The Boston Globe as part of a series examined the amount of influence religious conservatives might have on grants administered by USAID, including HIV prevention grants for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

16 Oct 2006

WHO influenza pandemic task force meets for first time

The World Health Organization (WHO) Influenza Pandemic Task Force (IPTF) met for the first time on 25 September at WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

28 Sep 2006

Health workforce exodus will push health systems to the brink of collapse

What will happen if the Western Pacific's health workforce, seeking better-paying jobs and professional advancement abroad, continue to migrate as the region's population ages, the burden of chronic disease rises and new health threats emerge?

21 Sep 2006

Businesses, Government, NGOs launch alliance to address HIV, TB in China

The Global Health Initiative of the World Economic Forum on Monday launched a public-private partnership that aims to address tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in China, China Daily reports.

14 Sep 2006

Life expectancy in the U.S. - differences

U.S residents in eight groups based on geography, income and race have significant differences in life expectancy, according to a study published on Monday in the journal PloS Medicine, USA Today reports (Sternberg, USA Today, 9/12).

13 Sep 2006

Three top global health positions need filling

Three key global health posts are to be filled later this year, and the individuals selected to fill the vacancies will help shape the global strategy to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS, the Wall Street Journal reports.

5 Sep 2006

Lancet calls for transparency in selection of new Executive Director for Global Fund

The secrecy surrounding the selection process for the next Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria could irrevocably damage the organisation's ability to improve global health, states an Editorial in this week's issue of The Lancet.

31 Aug 2006

Waterborne infectious diseases could soon be consigned to history

Waterborne infectious diseases, which bring death and illness to millions of people around the world, could largely be consigned to history by 2015 if global health partnerships integrate their programmes, according to Alan Fenwick writing in Science.

28 Aug 2006

New plan to confront HIV-related health worker shortages

Launch of a coordinated global plan to address a major and often overlooked barrier to preventing and treating HIV/AIDS: the severe shortage of health workers, particularly in developing nations.

15 Aug 2006

Serious gaps in Indian public knowledge about HIV

As India gears up implementation of national plans to fight HIV, infectious diseases experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere are pointing out serious gaps in public knowledge about the disease and identifying early problems in private clinics, where 70 percent of HIV-infected Indians receive their everyday medical care.

15 Aug 2006