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IRIN reports on flooding in Africa

In three separate articles, IRIN reports on the implications of flooding taking place in Africa. "Tens of thousands of people have been affected by flooding in parts of central, eastern and southern Chad following heavy rains in August," the news service writes in the first article, adding that the floods have affected 445,725 people and destroyed 255,720 hectares of cropland.

12 Sep 2012

Children's Hospital Oakland to celebrate 100th birthday

Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland is celebrating its 100th birthday. The free-standing, not-for-profit pediatric medical center was founded in 1912 and opened for business in 1914. Children's Hospital Oakland will celebrate the landmark birthday for two years and kicked off festivities with a birthday party at Children's Fairyland in Oakland on September 8.

12 Sep 2012

Global health policy remains important in election year

In a post on IntraHealth's "Global Health Blog," Rebecca Kohler, senior vice president of corporate strategy and development at IntraHealth, writes about an event held last week on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) that "focused on the vital role of women's health in foreign policy."

12 Sep 2012

Facebook and other social media can enhance organ and tissue donation

When Facebook introduced a feature that enables people to register to become organ and tissue donors, thousands did so, dwarfing any previous donation initiative, write Blair L. Sadler and Alfred M. Sadler, Jr., in a commentary in Bioethics Forum, the blog of the Hastings Center Report, which analyzes the "Facebook effect" on donation.

12 Sep 2012

NCDs must be included in new global development goals

In this post in the Guardian's "Poverty Matters" blog, Johanna Ralston, chief executive of the World Heart Federation, and Ann Keeling, chief executive of the International Diabetes Federation, argue non-communicable diseases (NCDs) must be part of any new global development goals, writing, "NCDs and their risk factors worsen poverty, while poverty contributes to rising rates of NCDs, posing a threat to sustainable development."

12 Sep 2012

Researchers analyze cost-savings achieved by Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration

In an analysis of the cost-savings achieved by an earlier pilot program, the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration (PGPD), researchers found modest estimates of overall savings associated with the PGPD, but larger savings among the dually eligible patients (Medicare and Medicaid), with savings achieved in large part through reductions in hospitalizations, according to a study in the September 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Sep 2012

TPP trade agreement could threaten access to medicines

"Right now, in Leesburg, Va., the office of the U.S. Trade Representative is negotiating a so-called 'trade agreement' -- the 'Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement' -- that could put the lives of millions of innocent civilians at risk" by potentially limiting access to life-saving medications, including antiretroviral drugs, Robert Naiman, policy director at Just Foreign Policy, writes in the Huffington Post Blog.

12 Sep 2012

Annual economic cost of chronic pain is as high as $635 billion: Study

Health economists from Johns Hopkins University writing in The Journal of Pain (www.jpain.org) reported the annual cost of chronic pain is as high as $635 billion a year, which is more than the yearly costs for cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

12 Sep 2012

VOA news examines AIDS among marginalized groups in Burma

VOA News examines AIDS among high-risk groups in Burma, also known as Myanmar. "Burma's AIDS epidemic mostly affects marginalized groups, such as the gay community," the news service writes, adding, "About one percent of Burma's population is HIV-positive," but "among high-risk groups, such as men who have sex with men, health workers estimate as many as 11 percent have HIV."

12 Sep 2012

Romney's shifting stance on health law makes policy, political waves

The GOP presidential nominee's comments Sunday that he would keep parts of the health law triggered questions about how he would cover those with pre-existing conditions, and reinforced doubts within his own party about his commitment to repealing the overhaul. Campaign aides attempted to clarify the comments.

12 Sep 2012

Research examines universal health care coverage in developing countries

"An increasing number of developing countries are introducing universal health care coverage -- and creating new models to do it -- according to research ... by the Results for Development Institute and others, published in the Lancet as part of its universal health care coverage series," IRIN reports.

12 Sep 2012

Leading U.S. nun calls on Republican governors to accept Medicaid expansion

A leading U.S. nun is joining other religious leaders in using a moral argument to try to convince Republican governors that they should implement the health law's Medicaid expansion for the poor.

12 Sep 2012

Weill Cornell to establish new child care center

Weill Cornell Medical College announced today that it will create a child care center for up to 60 children of its faculty, students and staff near its campus on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

12 Sep 2012

U.S. to cover costs of cancer monitoring, treatment for 9/11 first responders

The 70,000 surviving firefighters, police officers and other first responders who raced to the World Trade Center after the attacks of September 11, 2001 will be entitled to free monitoring and treatment for some 50 forms of cancer.

12 Sep 2012

Popular Science magazine names University of Minnesota chemist among ‘Brilliant 10’

University of Minnesota chemist Christy Haynes has been named one of Popular Science magazine's "Brilliant 10," an honor that recognizes an elite group of young scientists whose research is expected to dramatically impact their fields. Haynes' profile was published today on the PopSci website and is featured in the Popular Science magazine now on newsstands.

12 Sep 2012

A new round of polls explores attitudes about presidential candidates, health policies

A new Washington Post-ABC News polls finds President Barack Obama has a slight edge over his challenger Mitt Romney among registered voters. A CNN poll finds Obama has a bigger advantage on health care and Medicare issues. Another poll by United Technologies/National Journal shows Americans increasingly concerned about the future of Medicare, raising warning flags for both parties.

12 Sep 2012

Parents of infants with cystic fibrosis carriers more likely to receive genetic counseling

Parents of newborns with the sickle cell anemia trait were less likely to receive genetic counseling than parents whose babies are cystic fibrosis carriers, a new study from the University of Michigan shows.

12 Sep 2012

Planned Parenthood, anti-abortion group spending, raising money in presidential race

Planned Parenthood is planning a foray in to the presidential race by buying advertising in battleground states aimed at Mitt Romney over his abortion stance. In the meantime, an anti-abortion group is raising money in response to last week's Democratic National Convention.

12 Sep 2012

Serious gaming can enhance surgical skills

Serious gaming can be used to enhance surgical skills, but games developed or used to train medical professionals need to be validated before they are integrated into teaching methods, according to a paper in the October issue of the surgical journal BJS.

12 Sep 2012

U.S. launches workshops in Africa as part of new alliance for food security and nutrition

"In May, President Obama announced the implementation of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition that emerged out of the G8 summit at Camp David," Zach Silberman, a policy associate with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, writes in the USGLC's blog, adding, "As part of the alliance, the United States launched workshops in Africa last week that are geared towards implementing the initiative's goal of boosting public-private partnerships through cooperation between the G8 nations, African countries, and the private sector."

12 Sep 2012