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Statement by IMF on South Asia earthquake disaster

Mr. Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement today regarding a massive earthquake affecting seven nations in South Asia:

27 Dec 2004

Red Cross Red Crescent launches appeal for victims of the Bay of Bengal earthquake and tsunamis

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched a preliminary appeal for 7.5 million Swiss francs to assist some 500,000 people and bring immediate support to relief operations of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries in the region after the strongest earthquake in 40 years caused massive tidal waves

27 Dec 2004

CARE Australia launches Tsunami emergency appeal

CARE Australia has launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving assistance to the survivors of yesterday’s devastating southern Asia earthquake.

27 Dec 2004

American Red Cross response to South Asian Tsunami waves

The largest earthquake to strike the globe since 1964 has caused devastating tsunami waves that have killed thousands in south Asia. The 8.9-magnitude quake hit December 26 off the coast of Indonesia, triggering these extremely large waves that have brought massive flooding, damage and loss of life in the region.

27 Dec 2004

Medecins Sans Frontieres prepares to deliver assistance to Southeast Asia

Following the severe earthquake that has hit Southeast Asia, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is preparing an emergency intervention in a number of affected countries. Already ten MSF emergency workers have been mobilised to evaluate the needs in India, Malaysia and Indonesia.

27 Dec 2004

UNICEF ready to respond to quake victims in South Asia

UNICEF country offices circling the Indian Ocean are assessing damage from the Sumatra earthquake that touched off a series of tsunamis early today, killing thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of children and their families in jeopardy.

27 Dec 2004

United Nations relief experts rush to Indian Ocean countries

United Nations relief experts are headed to Sri Lanka to help coordinate the international response to the massive tidal waves that struck the Indian Ocean nation after a series of earthquakes rocked the western coast of Northern Sumatra in Indonesia as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

27 Dec 2004

World Vision launches response to Tsunami devastation

World Vision relief teams in Asia are dispatching emergency supplies -- blankets, water, medicines and tents -- to thousands of people left homeless by Sunday's tsunamis devastating coastlines for between Indonesia and East Africa.

27 Dec 2004

Laser therapy may be considered by arthritis patients as a safe Vioxx alternative

Adverse events of long term medication with NSAIDs and particularly coxibs, has recently received much attention in the Vioxx matter. Consequently, Vioxx has been withdrawn and Prexige has been withheld from the market. The whole group of coxibs, are now under special observation by drug agencies in both Europe and the United States.

27 Dec 2004

FDA go ahead for first of kind genetic lab test

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the marketing of the first laboratory test system that will allow physicians to consider unique genetic information from patients in selecting medications and doses of medications for a wide variety of common conditions such as cardiac disease, psychiatric disease, and cancer.

27 Dec 2004

Australia pledges $10 million for Tsunami emergency relief

The Australian Government has approved an immediate allocation of $10 million for emergency relief operations in countries affected by yesterday's tidal waves.

27 Dec 2004

Ballet dancers’ brains reveal the art of imitation

Scientists have discovered that a system in our brain which responds to actions we are watching, such as a dancer’s delicate pirouette or a masterful martial arts move, reacts differently if we are also skilled at doing the move.

27 Dec 2004

Course of injections in childhood might help protect people from heart disease later in life

A course of injections in childhood might help protect people from heart disease later in life. And for those whose arteries are already clogged up, a dose of antibodies could provide immediate benefits. That's the enticing vision raised by animal studies.

26 Dec 2004

Update on world antimalarial drug supply

On 8 November, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a shortfall of artemether + lumefantrine, an artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) used to treat malaria, for the period between November 2004 and March 2005

26 Dec 2004

World Health Organization's new global report on iodine deficiency

The number of countries where iodine deficiency is a public health problem has halved over the past decade, says the World Health Organization (WHO) in a new global report on iodine status.

26 Dec 2004

Spinal cord injury and obesity

Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System are looking at how people with spinal cord injury burn calories and how that is affected by their muscle mass and body weight. The goal is to make better recommendations to people with spinal cord injury, but the research will also translate into greater understanding of obesity in the general population as well.

26 Dec 2004

New gel promotes healing by gluing bone pieces together

A new material that fuses biological and synthetic substances at the molecular level speeds bone and cartilage repair. Its creators at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology say laboratory studies have shown the new gel promotes healing by gluing bone pieces together and stimulating tissue development.

26 Dec 2004