Also in Global Health News: Disaster preparedness in Asian health sector; PEPFAR in Uganda; Malnutrition in Chad

IRIN Examines Disaster Preparedness In Asian Health Sectors

IRIN reports on disaster preparedness in Asian health sectors. According to the news service, nine countries working with Bangkok-based Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) "have emergency preparedness plans in place for their health sectors." The article includes comments by Frederick John Abo of the ADPC, who describes several steps countries can take to better prepare hospitals for disasters. IRIN also examines the limitations often placed on aid money for disasters. WHO's Safe Hospitals Coordinator Jonathan Abrahams, "told IRIN that monies coming in after a disaster tended to go to international agencies, doing little to help improve local capacity for the next one." He stressed a "need to build community and national capacities" to prepare for disasters (8/26).

'Infusion' Of Drugs, Financial Assistance To Uganda Through PEPFAR To Boost Numbers Receiving ARVs

"More Ugandan HIV patients are set to receive life-prolonging medication after the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) responded to appeals by healthcare providers overwhelmed by patients they could not afford to treat by lifting funding caps," IRIN/PlusNews reports. Emmanuel Luyirika, director of Mildmay Centre in Kampala said, "As soon as [PEPFAR] sends us the guidelines, we shall start clearing patients" from the center's waiting list of around 1,000. The news service reports, many health centers around the country had "stopped taking on new HIV patients in the past year," while others could only treat patients with a CD4 count below 100, "far below UN World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations that patients start treatment at 350." IRIN/PlusNews notes that PEPFAR supports around "87 percent of the 200,000 Ugandans" on antiretrovirals (ARVs) and examines the recent announcement by U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Goosby that PEPFAR will provide an "immediate infusion" of drugs and financial assistance to Uganda (8/25).

Acute Malnutrition Levels In Chad "Far Exceed" WHO Emergency Threshold, Study Says

"In parts of Chad acute malnutrition levels far exceed the international emergency threshold, according to a new study," IRIN writes. "In the Sahel [region of Africa] we always have high malnutrition rates during the lean season, above the World Health Organization emergency threshold of 15 percent. … But when we see numbers like 27 and 28 percent, it's appalling," Cyprien Fabre, head of the West Africa office of the European Commission's humanitarian aid department said. The article notes that, according to UNICEF figures, "[m]alnutrition has been above the 15 percent threshold in Chad for a decade." The article also examines the aid response in Chad, especially outside the eastern part of the country where "humanitarian agencies are scarce" and more aid is needed (8/24).