Maternal Health News and Research

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Ahead of U.N. MDG Summit, media outlets examine various aspects of goals

Ahead of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit on September 20-22, the media examines different aspects of the MDGs.

7 Sep 2010

Also in Global Health News: India's antibiotic use; Abstinence curriculum in China; Child, maternal health in India; Plumpy'nut; PEPFAR funds to Uganda

"The health ministry has formed a committee to frame a policy for antibiotic use, following an uproar over a Lancet study that traced a drug-resistant bacterial superbug's origins to India," LiveMint.com reports. The panel will also look into the "excessive use of antibiotics among Indians," partly fueled by self-medication, that has increased resistance to the drugs. The article notes that the Indian government "rejected the findings of the report" but has "taken note of a lack of policy on antibiotics" (Pandeya, 9/3).

7 Sep 2010

VOA News examines U.S. Global Health Initiative

VOA News examines President Barack Obama's $63 billion Global Health Initiative (GHI), noting the initiative's emphasis on cost-effective strategies to improve child- and maternal-health as well as programs to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. The article includes recent comments by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on the role the GHI will play in strengthening health systems and the administration's on-going commitment to global HIV/AIDS programs.

4 Sep 2010

U.N.-NGO meeting concludes with participants calling on world leaders to do more for MDGs

A group of more than 350 non-governmental organizations concluded a U.N. forum in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday with a call for world leaders to step up their commitments to achieving the U.N. Millennium Development Goals, the Australian Associated Press/Sydney Morning Herald reports (Rose, 9/1).

3 Sep 2010

Canadian minister travels to Mali, Mozambique to start rolling out Canada's G8 Muskoka Initiative

The Canadian government started rolling out its maternal health program in Africa as Minister of International Co-operation Bev Oda embarked on a seven-day visit to Mali and Mozambique, the Globe and Mail reports (York, 8/27).

31 Aug 2010

Also in Global Health News: GM mosquitoes; Iodine deficiency in Nepal; South African health workers strike; Novartis to build vaccine plant in Brazil; Population control in Niger

Malaysia is still "considering releasing" up to 3,000 mosquitoes that are genetically modified to "combat dengue fever, in a landmark field trial that has come in for criticism from environmentalists," Agence France-Presse reports. The insects are modified "so that their offspring quickly die," which researchers hope will cull the population and lessen the risk of dengue.

30 Aug 2010

First international technical conference for maternal health development

From August 30 to September 1, more than 600 maternal health experts will gather in Delhi, India, for the Global Maternal Health Conference 2010, the first international technical conference devoted exclusively to maternal health.

30 Aug 2010

IPS explores why some advocates say women-focused MDGs are missing the mark

"A month ahead of the 2010 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) review summit at the United Nations, some women's groups are voicing concern that member states' commitment to women's issues is insufficient and slowing progress towards gender parity worldwide," Inter Press Service reports in an article that examines progress towards reaching women-centered MDGs.

26 Aug 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

In view of World Humanitarian Day, a Huffington Post blog discusses the "lessons" of disaster response and the global "proliferation of humanitarian crises." First, the authors write that "the number of people affected by disasters is on the rise," mostly due to conflict and natural disasters. "Second, and in spite of these trends, U.S. humanitarian assistance is a sound investment. Though only about one-tenth of one percent of the federal budget, our aid not only saves lives, but promotes security and well-being where despair and misery threaten."

21 Aug 2010

Lancet World Report examines how U.N. Women agency will work to address global health issues

A Lancet World Report article examines how many are looking to the new U.N. agency tasked with advancing women's equality and rights to help improve the health of women in developing countries.

10 Aug 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

According to a Lancet Comment, "alcohol remains conspicuously absent from the larger field of research and programming in HIV and substance use. ... Patterns of hazardous alcohol consumption prevail in countries with the most severe HIV epidemics, notably eastern and southern Africa." In addition, "hazardous drinking patterns also dominate in the concentrated epidemics of eastern Europe and Asia, where alcohol use by injecting drug users and other marginalised groups might be an additional barrier to effective efforts to prevent HIV infection."

7 Aug 2010

MOM Project increases access to maternal health care services for internally displaced woman

A community-based maternal health delivery strategy known as the MOM Project dramatically increased access to maternal health care services for internally displaced woman in eastern Burma, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Among the findings, the study showed a ten-fold increase in the proportion of women assisted at delivery by workers skilled in providing emergency obstetric care, including preventing and treating hemorrhage, injectable antibiotics and anticonvulsants, and community-based blood transfusion.

4 Aug 2010

An overview of IntraHealth-UNC Summer Fellows Program

Four master's students and one doctoral candidate from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health shared their global health research and insights at the culmination of a 10-week joint fellowship with IntraHealth International this Wednesday during a poster exhibition and discussion with faculty and staff.

2 Aug 2010

Sen. Appropriations Committee approves $54.1B FY2011 foreign ops spending bill, including $8.2B for global health programs

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a $54.1 billion FY 2011 spending bill for the State Department and related agencies "that includes potentially controversial abortion language," CQ reports.

31 Jul 2010

African leaders agree to expand maternal health campaign as AU Summit concludes

African leaders participating in the 15th African Union Summit, which concluded on Tuesday, agreed to expand a campaign aimed at curbing maternal mortality on the continent and adopted other "key actions" in an effort to reduce infant and maternal mortality, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.

29 Jul 2010

At summit, AU leaders discuss funding challenges for maternal, child health

African leaders focused on the theme of the 15th African Union (AU) Summit on Sunday: maternal and infant mortality on the continent, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports (7/26).

28 Jul 2010

Life-saving interventions can save 11 million African women, children over next five years: Countdown report

In the next five years, 11 million African women and children could be saved by creating near-universal availability of key life-saving interventions, according to The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health and the Countdown to 2015 Decade Report (2000-2010).

27 Jul 2010

Current myths vs. realities in global AIDS funding

Activists at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna are charging developed and developing country governments with writing checques that bounce to the millions of people in need of lifesaving HIV treatment. Despite the gains in treatment numbers reported by WHO, the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition's (ITPC), latest report, Rationing Funds, Risking Lives, documents early warnings of the global pullback on AIDS commitment and funding.

22 Jul 2010

AU Pre-Summit on Gender concludes

The African Union (AU) Pre-Summit on Gender concludes Wednesday after three days of discussion about how African countries could improve progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targeting women and children's health, the Independent reports.

22 Jul 2010

HIV – Rising menace

Nevirapine is considered to be an effective drug that can prevent HIV infection in babies born to mothers with HIV. However a new study shows that only about half of babies born to mothers with HIV receive the drug. The study appeared in the July 21 HIV/AIDS themed issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

20 Jul 2010

Maternal Health News and Research

Ahead of U.N. MDG Summit, media outlets examine various aspects of goals

Also in Global Health News: India's antibiotic use; Abstinence curriculum in China; Child, maternal health in India; Plumpy'nut; PEPFAR funds to Uganda

VOA News examines U.S. Global Health Initiative

U.N.-NGO meeting concludes with participants calling on world leaders to do more for MDGs

Canadian minister travels to Mali, Mozambique to start rolling out Canada's G8 Muskoka Initiative

Also in Global Health News: GM mosquitoes; Iodine deficiency in Nepal; South African health workers strike; Novartis to build vaccine plant in Brazil; Population control in Niger

First international technical conference for maternal health development

IPS explores why some advocates say women-focused MDGs are missing the mark

Recent releases in Global Health

Lancet World Report examines how U.N. Women agency will work to address global health issues

Recent releases in Global Health

MOM Project increases access to maternal health care services for internally displaced woman

An overview of IntraHealth-UNC Summer Fellows Program

Sen. Appropriations Committee approves $54.1B FY2011 foreign ops spending bill, including $8.2B for global health programs

African leaders agree to expand maternal health campaign as AU Summit concludes

At summit, AU leaders discuss funding challenges for maternal, child health

Life-saving interventions can save 11 million African women, children over next five years: Countdown report

Current myths vs. realities in global AIDS funding

AU Pre-Summit on Gender concludes

HIV – Rising menace

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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