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'The Hunger Games' film could raise awareness about hunger

In this post in State Department's "DipNote" blog, Paul Weisenfeld, assistant to the administrator of the USAID Bureau of Food Security, writes of the new film "The Hunger Games," "I was struck by how much the premise relates to the very heart of what we are trying to address at USAID and through Feed the Future."

23 Mar 2012

Clinton announces U.S. water partnership to address global water challenges

Speaking at State Department headquarters in recognition of World Water Day on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "announced a new partnership of organizations to apply the nation's abundant experience in water issues to solving global water challenges," according to IIP Digital.

23 Mar 2012

Md. launches health reform website for consumers; Calif. public option lives on

Maryland is launching a health care reform website to educate residents on how they can use benefits in the health law. In California, health reform already affects most residents while the state gets set to offer a version of its own "public option" to buy health insurance.

23 Mar 2012

High Court health law action already making political waves

As supporters and opponents of the law formulate strategies to take advantage of the buzz surrounding next week's oral arguments, a new report looks at how much has been spent in public opinion ads on the law.

23 Mar 2012

Lancet editorial calls for TB control, elimination efforts to be on G20 agenda

In anticipation of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, commemorated on March 24, this Lancet editorial examines TB control and elimination efforts in 2012 and beyond. "Tuberculosis killed 1.45 million people in 2010 and about 500,000 people have drug-resistant disease," the editorial states, adding, "Despite a woeful funding gap in 2012 of $1.7 billion, tuberculosis incidence is falling (from 9.4 million in 2009 to 8.8 million in 2010)."

23 Mar 2012

Research roundup: Unequal 'culture of quality' in hospitals; Peer-support for stressed doctors

Comparison Of Hospital Performance In Trauma Vs Emergency And Elective General Surgery –This study compared outcomes of trauma patients and patients having either elective or emergency surgery in the same hospital. Researchers thought that "hospital performance reflected institutional culture, and, thus, would be similar across all services."

23 Mar 2012

Slight drop in infant, child, maternal mortality indicators for Africa, report says

According to a report drafted by the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union (A.U.) Commission that reviews the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for Africa, the continent recorded a slight drop in infant, child, and maternal mortality in 2011, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.

23 Mar 2012

Viewpoints: Ryan budget not a balanced diet; DEA war on pharmacies; The debate over Medicaid block grants

The mother of all tax expenditures - the tax-free treatment of employer-sponsored health insurance - amounts to $2 trillion over 10 years in lost income-tax revenue, not including the additional impact on payroll tax collections.

23 Mar 2012

Political Cartoon: 'Bounty Hunter?' by Nate Beeler

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Bounty Hunter?" by Nate Beeler.

23 Mar 2012

Efforts must continue to bring clean water, sanitation, food to the world

In a post on Science Blogs' "The Pump Handle," Liz Borkowski, a research associate at the George Washington University School of Public Health's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, recognizes World Water Day, discusses the importance of access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

23 Mar 2012

Health business sector braces for impact of Supreme Court review, decision

Insurers and other parts of the health care industry are taking steps to brace for what the decision might be while also preparing for the changes the law puts in place.

23 Mar 2012

NGOs release joint statement calling for governments to increase payments to Global Fund to fill gap in TB funding

Ahead of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24, three non-governmental organizations (NGOs) released a joint statement warning that "[a] $1.7 billion funding shortfall to fight [TB] over the next five years means 3.4 million patients will go untreated and gains made against the disease will be reversed," Reuters reports.

23 Mar 2012

Multiresistant bacteria withstand wastewater treatment processes

Large quantities of antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the environment via municipal - and especially hospital - wastewater streams. Although wastewater treatment plants reduce the total number of bacteria, the most hazardous - multiresistant - strains appear to withstand or even to be promoted by treatment processes. This was demonstrated by Eawag researchers in a study carried out in Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.

23 Mar 2012

Administration chides two insurers for 'unreasonable' rate increases

Although the government cannot force the companies to walk back the hikes in nine states, it is seeking to draw attention to the issue and asking for a public justification for the increases.

23 Mar 2012

Hospital news: Community Health Systems victorious over Tenet healthcare

A U.S. District court in Dallas dismissed Tenet's suit against Community.

23 Mar 2012

MCC fact sheet details efforts to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) provides a fact sheet detailing its efforts to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the developing world.

23 Mar 2012

MSF warns MDR-TB is more widespread than previously thought

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says the spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) -- "a form of tuberculosis that does not respond to standard treatment and can kill in a matter of months" -- "is much greater than previously thought," VOA News reports.

23 Mar 2012

Ryan praised for 'sticking his neck out'; Others call budget plan a 'path to nowhere'

Commentators review the federal budget proposal announced Tuesday by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan.

23 Mar 2012

Health policies continue to play role in GOP presidential primary

An analysis by The Associated Press points out that the GOP may be gelling around presidential hopeful Mitt Romney despite his role while governor in advancing the Massachusetts health law. Meanwhile, the AP also reports that rival candidate Rick Santorum offered his support for the budget plan announced this week by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., but said he would be more aggressive in achieving savings. Medicaid would be one of his targets.

23 Mar 2012

Va. voters divided over support for ultrasound law; Other related news

Voters are split over a new Virginia law that mandates women get ultrasounds before an abortion. Abortion and contraception issues are also making news in Iowa, Idaho, Texas, Washington, Kansas and Utah.

23 Mar 2012