Global Fund Aims To Triple Annual Spending By 2010

The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Friday announced that it will need to triple its annual spending to between $6 billion and $8 billion by 2010 to meet the needs of developing countries, Reuters AlertNet reports. According to Global Fund Executive Director Michel Kazatchkine, the new funding goals, which are about three to four times current annual spending, will require additional contributions from the public and private sectors. According to Reuters AlertNet, the Global Fund will seek donations from countries and business to help reach its spending target (Reuters AlertNet, 4/27). Kazatchkine said the new goal is an "inspiring challenge." He added that the increase "will allow the world to do much, much more to reach" goals set by the Group of Eight industrialized nations and the United Nations, such as providing universal access to antiretroviral drugs, providing every African children with an insecticide-treated net and reducing TB deaths by half. The Global Fund supports 30% of HIV/AIDS programs, about two-thirds of TB treatment and 45% of malaria treatment programs worldwide, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. "Programs we support are currently saving 3,000 lives per day," Kazatchkine said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 4/27).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

WHO Sends Medications And Medical Supplies To Earthquake Stricken Area Of Kyrgyzstan

WHO is sending drugs and medical supplies to Kyrgyzstan's mountainous Alaisky district, bordering China, where a 6.6 magnitude earthquake has killed up to 70 people and wounded 100. Remoteness and difficult communications are slowing the country's response but UN agencies are supporting Kyrgyz authorities to gain a better understanding of the damage to the area.



-- World Health Organization link to Kyrgyzstan.

-- Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan



Some Health Facts - Kyrgyzstan

(Source - World Health Organization)



- Mid-year population - 5,115,750

- % of population aged 0-14 years - 31.20

- % of population aged 65+ years - 5.55

- Live births per 1000 population - 21.47

- Crude death rate per 1000 population - 7.23

- Life expectancy at birth, in years - 67.72

- Life expectancy at birth, in years, male - 63.82

- Life expectancy at birth, in years, female - 71.85

- Estimated life expectancy, (World Health Report) - 63

- Estimated infant mortality per 1000 live births (World Health Report) - 52

- Infant deaths per 1000 live births - 29.66

- SDR, diseases of circulatory system, all ages per 100,000 - 713.84

- SDR, malignant neoplasms, all ages per 100000 - 113.88

- SDR, external cause injury and poison, all ages per 100,000 - 92.07

- SDR all causes, all ages, per 100,000 - 1295.02

- Tuberculosis incidence per 100,000 - 123.89

- Hospital beds per 100,000 - 511.58

- Physicians per 100,000 - 252.55

- In-patient care admissions per 100 - 12.93


Total health expenditure as % of gross domestic product (GDP), WHO estimates - 5.40



WHO Country Office, Kyrgyzstan

WHO Information Centre on Health for Central Asian Republics

Chui str. 160

720040 Bishkek

Kyrgyzstan

Tel: +996 312 612680

Fax: +996 312 612681

WHO

Campaign Cuts Malnutrition Rates In Kenya Refugee Camps To Lowest Levels In Years

Three United Nations agencies praised the
international
community for its support to help turn around a devastating
malnutrition
crisis in northern Kenya's Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps.



The gains made in Dadaab and Kakuma are the result of a package of
measures
including a more regular supply of culturally acceptable foods, as well
as
firewood, and the provision of energy-saving cooking stoves and soap
to
ensure that refugees are not compelled to sell a portion of their food
to
buy these basic items.



But the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UN World Food Programme (WFP) and
UN
Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that continued support was vital if
the
gains were not to be quickly lost.



"Real inroads into the scourge of malnutrition are making a
genuine
difference to young children and their mothers," said WFP Kenya
Country
Director Burkard Oberle. "It would be criminal to take our foot off
the
pedal now simply because we can't afford to keep going. These people
need
more support, not less."



Acute malnutrition rates among children under the age of 5 in the
three
refugee camps at Dadaab have dropped dramatically from 22.2 percent
last
year to under 13 percent, according to a recent survey. Initial
results
from a survey in camps at Kakuma indicate a similar downward trend.



Crucially, these figures are now below the emergency threshold of
15
percent. They are also the lowest rates recorded since 2000.



However, malnutrition levels remain serious. Anaemia is even more
worrying,
with rates amongst children reaching 81.4 percent - a slight increase
on
previous figures. An inter-agency initiative is addressing this through
the
provision of double-fortified salt in Dadaab and a pilot project
supplying
micronutrient-rich 'sprinkles' in Kakuma.



"These problems are not going away. It is absolutely essential that we
are
able to maintain a high level of assistance for the refugees, who
entirely
depend on outside assistance," said Eddie Gedalof, UNHCR's
Acting
Representative in Kenya.



WFP has maintained full food rations in the camps in recent months as
well,
ensuring the basic 2,100 kilocalorie daily requirement per refugee and
a
basic, balanced diet.



Also thanks to donor support, supplementary and complementary feeding
has
been expanded, health facilities are better staffed to fight the
constant
threat of malaria and other diseases and refugees have a good supply
of
water.



"Our experience shows that we should not celebrate such short-term
success,
but redouble our efforts to ensure the work continues to have such
a
positive impact," said UNICEF Country Representative in Kenya Olivia
Yambi.



The recent nutrition survey stressed it was essential to maintain
the
provision of wheat flour as the preferred staple of the refugees,
to
continue to provide supplementary micronutrient-rich food and to
provide
basic non-food items such as soap on a more regular basis.



Further progress is necessary in educating mothers on best child
feeding
practices, in addition to more general health education in the camps.



The three UN agencies require a combined total of US$18 million
(WFP
US$10.5 million, UNICEF US$473,000 and UNHCR US$7 million) to ensure
the
full roll out of their operations in Dadaab and Kakuma up to June 2008.



A total of 231,000 refugees, mostly Somali and Sudanese, live in the
camps
at Dadaab and Kakuma. Over 40,000 of them are children under the age of 5.

wfp

Medical Involvement In Torture - From Biko To Guantanamo

It was thirty years ago that Steve Biko died while in police custody in South Africa. An article in The Lancet this week draws a parallel between the role of US military doctors in Guantanamo Bay and the Biko case.


The South African Minister of Justice at the time indicated that Biko died as a result of a hunger strike. A subsequent inquest disclosed that head injuries sustained during the police questioning, along with grossly inadequate medical attention from two physicians (Benjamin Tucker and Ivor Lang) were the causes of death.


In this article (Correspondence) six doctors discuss the accusations of force-feeding prisoners who are on hunger strike in Guantanamo, as well as additional ethical abuses in the War on Terror. The Correspondence is signed by 260 doctors from around the globe. The fact that American authorities have taken no action would be interpreted as a criminal act in England, according to the Royal College of Physicians, UK, say the writers.


"No health-care worker has been charged or convicted of any significant offence despite numerous instances documented including fraudulent record keeping on detainees who have died as a result of failed interrogations. We suspect that the doctors in Guantanamo and elsewhere have made the same mistake as Tucker, who, in 1991, in expressing remorse and seeking reinstatement, said 'I had gradually lost the fearless independence...and become too closely identified with the organs of the State, especially the police force...I have come to realize that a medical practitioner's first responsibility is the wellbeing of his patient, and that a medical practitioner cannot subordinate his patient's interest to extraneous considerations," the authors write.


The authors conclude that the stance of the American medical establishment seems to be one of "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil".


Biko to Guantanamo: 30 years of medical involvement in torture

David J Nicholl, Trefor Jenkins, Steven H Miles, William Hopkins, Adnan Siddiqui, Frank Boulton, on behalf of 260 other signatories

The Lancet - Vol. 370, Issue 9590, 8 September 2007, Page 823

Click here to view the text online (login required)


Written by:

Poorer Countries Need Help With H1N1

Poorer countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are far from ready to deal with an H1N1 pandemic, and will need help to develop stockpiles
of drugs and vaccines, health officials announced on Monday.


Senior health officials from 193 member countries are currently attending the 62nd World Health Assembly which opened yesterday in Geneva. While
the purpose of the meeting is to review the activities of the World Health Organization and set new priorities for the future, the subject of the new
H1N1 outbreaks and preparing for a possible pandemic is likely to dominate the agenda.


The meeting will finish early, on Friday, so that ministers can get back and deal with the crisis in their own countries.


Tonga's health minister said it was fortunate in a way that the new H1N1 strain is affecting affluent countries like the United States, Canada, Spain,
Britain and Japan first, according to a report from Reuters news agency.


"Somehow, somebody decided to start this epidemic in very rich countries ..." said Health Minister Viliami Tangi, who is also deputy prime minister
of Tonga.


"This helped all of us," he said, explaining that poorer nations don't have the medical equipment, people, drugs and vaccine capacity to tackle the
outbreak as well as the richer nations.


African health officials are concerned that if H1N1 starts to spread there it will hit their populations much harder because many people have
HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases.


At present fewer than 100 of the thousands of confirmed cases of new H1N1 have resulted in deaths, showing that the current strain is a mild one
(unlike the much deadlier H5N1 avian flu), but this ratio could change dramatically if and when H1N1 spreads in poorer nations with a high burden of
chronic diseases.


In her opening address, Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, also talked about this.


She said that today, about 85 per cent of people with chronic diseases are in low and middle income countries, and the "implications are
obvious".


"The developing world has, by far, the largest pool of people at risk for severe and fatal H1N1 infections," said Chan, explaining that so far, as many as
25 per cent of H1N1 cases have been accompanied by diarrhoea or vomiting, which is unusual. If the virus is shed via fecal matter, this will be
especially significant in areas with poor sanitation, such as crowded shanty towns.


The world has not seen a pandemic since the emergence of HIV/AIDS, and the resurgence of tuberculosis, including its drug-resistant forms. At
present, there are millions of people affected by these diseases, living in countries with overburdened, underfunded and understaffed health systems,
said Chan, who then posed two questions:















"What will happen if sudden surges in the number of people requiring care for influenza push already fragile health services over the brink?"


"What will happen if the world sees the end of an influenza pandemic, only to find itself confronted, say, with an epidemic of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis?"


Chan urged all delegates to look at "anything and everything" that we can all do "to prevent developing countries from, once again, bearing the brunt of
a global contagion".


She said that while not all people become infected, nearly all people are at risk when a pandemic occurs, and that manufacturing capacity for drugs and
vaccines will not be enough to treat a global population of 6.8 billion people.


"It is absolutely essential that countries do not squander these precious resources through poorly targeted measures," said Chan.


Thailand's delegate said the global financial crisis should not stop the more affluent nations and pharmaceutical companies making sure that antiviral
medicines like Tamiflu and Relenza reach the poorer nations.


Reuters reported that Nimal Siripala de Silva, health minister for Sri Lanka and president of this year's WHO assembly said he hoped officials in
Geneva would reach an agreement about how vaccine makers should deal with samples of viruses they use to make H1N1 injections.


In the case of H5N1 avian flu, developing nations such as Indonesia have been reluctant to provide samples to companies that then patent the
injections and sell them at rates poorer countries can't afford.


Siripala de Silva said it was important to reach a "just and fair resolution" on this problem.


Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu also said that international cooperation was essential.


"Economic globalization has led to a global transmission of diseases. To address this global challenge, a better way is to take global actions," Chen
told the assembly.


He called for better cooperation and a demonstration of solidarity. Nations should support each other by sharing information, technology and
knowledge and work together to stop the disease from threatening the economic and social development of mankind, reported Xinhua, the Chinese
state news agency.


"The Chinese government would like to cooperate with other countries and relevant international organizations in sharing information, technology and
best practices in outbreak response, to better cope with this challenge to global public health," said Chen.


Chen also said China would host an international seminar in Beijing in July to discuss the prevention and control of A/H1N1 influenza, and to share
experience and enhance capacity of response in the event of a pandemic, he added.


Later this week, WHO Director General Chan and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be meeting with chiefs of the top pharmaceutical
companies to talk about vaccine making capacity for H1N1.


The current world capacity for flu vaccines lies with about 20 companies around the world, incuding Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis and Baxter
International, said a report in the Guardian earlier today.


Many health officials are concerned that switching capacity to focus exclusively on H1N1 will cut production of vaccine for seasonal flu, which kills
up to half a million people worldwide every year.


Sources: Reuters, Xinhua, WHO, Guardian.


Written by: , PhD


View drug information on Relenza; Tamiflu capsule.

OptumHealth Provides Free Counseling Help Line For People Affected By The South Carolina Wildfire

OptumHealth Inc. announced that it is providing a free help line to people in South Carolina who are trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the recent wildfire. Staffed by experienced master's-level behavioral health specialists, the free help line offers assistance to callers seeking help in dealing with stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers may also receive referrals to a database of community resources to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues.


The toll-free help line number is 866-342-6892. It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for as long as necessary. The service is free of charge. Resources and information are also available via the Internet in English at liveandworkwell and in Spanish at mentesana-cuerposano.


Previously, OptumHealth's help line assisted individuals free of charge following Hurricane Ike, Tropical Storm Gustav, the floods in North Dakota and Minnesota, Hurricane Dolly, the wildfires in Southern California and the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis.


Such help line services are routinely available to members of UnitedHealthcare courtesy of OptumHealth, the health and wellness business of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). OptumHealth serves customers of its sister companies - such as UnitedHealthcare - as well as customers of non-UnitedHealth Group businesses.


About OptumHealth


OptumHealth Inc. helps individuals navigate the health care system, finance their health care needs and achieve their health and well-being goals. The company's personalized health advocacy and engagement programs tap a unique combination of capabilities that encompass care solutions, behavioral solutions, specialty benefits and financial services. Serving 60 million people, OptumHealth is one of the nation's largest health and wellness businesses, and is a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company. More information about OptumHealth can be found at optumhealth.

Source
OptumHealth Inc.

Hospital Receives 23 Patients After New York Plane Crash

Twenty-three patients were taken to the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center yesterday after a small airplane crashed into a 50-storey building on East 72nd Street, New York.


The hospital treated 14 firefighters, 1 police officer and 9 civilians. Three of them arrived in the Emergency Department.


The hospital says 22 patients have been released. The remaining patient has been admitted to the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center. The patient is in 'fair condition.'


Cory Lidle, a pitcher for the New York Yankees, a baseball team, was killed in the crash.


The FBI said they do not suspect terrorism.


Written by:

G8 Leaders' Statement Condemning ‘Barbaric Attacks'

London Bombing - Statement by the G8, the Leaders of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa and the Heads of the International Organisations represented here.


1. We condemn utterly these barbaric attacks. We send our profound condolences to the victims and their families. All of our countries have suffered from the impact of terrorism. Those responsible have no respect for human life. We are united in our resolve to confront and defeat this terrorism that is not an attack on one nation, but on all nations and on civilised people everywhere.


2. We will not allow violence to change our societies or our values. Nor will we allow it to stop the work of this Summit. We will continue our deliberations in the interests of a better world. Here at this Summit, the world's leaders are striving to combat world poverty and save and improve human life. The perpetrators of today's attacks are intent on destroying human life.


3. The terrorists will not succeed.


4. Today's bombings will not weaken in any way our resolve to uphold the most deeply held principles of our societies and to defeat those who would impose their fanaticism and extremism on all of us. We shall prevail. They shall not.


number-10.uk

First Aid Manual - Ninth Edition - New

The brand new 9th edition of the best-selling First Aid Manual, published by Dorling Kindersley (DK), outlines how to deal with more than 100 medical conditions and injuries, when friends, family or colleagues fall ill or get hurt, whether at home, at work, in the car, in the gym, on holiday or even playing sport.


Publication date: 2nd February 2009 Price: ??12.99

**FIRST AID AWARENESS WEEK: 2nd -9th FEBRUARY 2009**


The First Aid Manual is the only comprehensive, fully illustrated guide to treating casualties in emergency situations on the market, and features up-to-date guidelines and advice on the latest best practice and first aid techniques, including how to treat asthma and severe allergic reactions.



This must-have book is the result of a unique and close collaboration between DK and St John Ambulance, St. Andrew's Ambulance Association, and the British Red Cross, the UK's three leading first-aid societies and, as their official training manual, the book draws on hundreds of years of their combined experience. The 9th edition is still the only guide written and endorsed by all three voluntary organisations and the Health and Safety Executive lists the Manual as the source for first aid protocols to which all workplace first aiders in the UK have to be trained.


The 9th edition First Aid Manual has a fresh new look and has been fully revised, both redesigned and restructured, to ensure that information is more accessible than ever before. Brand new user-friendly, step-by-step photographs, reflecting real-life scenarios, are used throughout the book to show you exactly how to treat casualties.


The book is divided into 13 chapters. The first three new introductory chapters look at the issues around delivering first aid: what it is like to be a first aider, before, during and - critically - after an event; how to stay safe when managing an incident; and how to go about assessing a casualty.



Keep a copy of the First Aid Manual to hand, whether in your home, suitcase, office first aid kit or car glove-box, in case of emergency. This book is not only for first aid trainees, but also for anyone who wants an outstandingly clear, accessible guide showing what to do in any first aid situation at home, work or leisure. Now is the perfect time to make a safe investment: buy a copy of this must-have book and with proper first aid training you could save someone's life.


First Aid Courses


St John Ambulance, St. Andrew's Ambulance Association, and the British Red Cross, are the premier first aid trainers in the UK and offer distinct charitable, voluntary and training services, as well as working together to raise standards in first aid. In addition, their volunteers provide first aid cover at public events such as football matches, concerts, and other large gatherings. Each organisation works with other organisations to provide training and runs regular first aid courses for individuals for use in the home, workplace, and in schools or on holiday.


All of these first aid courses are literally life saving and teach procedures for everyone to follow, as well as giving the confidence to provide effective first aid treatment anywhere, at anytime - whether it's cuts and bruises, a nosebleed or a heart attack.


For further details please visit the relevant organisation's website:


- St John Ambulance - sja.uk

- St. Andrew's Ambulance Association - firstaid.uk

- British Red Cross - redcross.uk/firstaid

UNICEF Launches $500,000 Program In Zimbabwe To Train Teachers To Provide HIV Education

UNICEF on Monday launched a weeklong, $500,000 program in Zimbabwe aimed at training 1,500 primary and secondary teachers on how to provide HIV prevention education, UN News Service reports. About 500,000 children will participate in the program, which will focus on teaching life skills for HIV prevention, addressing gender dimensions of HIV, fighting sexual gender-based violence and providing counseling.

The program also will help teachers to understand and handle their vulnerability to HIV and will examine prevention, care, support and treatment, UN News Service reports. The program will be held at seven teaching colleges in Bulawayo, Harare, Masvingo, Mutare and Mutoko. A similar program last year trained 1,200 teachers from 18 districts. The training will be provided by UNICEF; the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture; the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education; and VVOB-ZimPATH, a Flemish HIV/AIDS education project.

About 20% of Zimbabwe's adult population is HIV-positive. A 2005 decrease in HIV prevalence in the country was attributed to delayed sexual activity among young people, faithfulness and increased condom use, according to UNAIDS (UN News Service, 8/28).

Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Six Months After The Quake: WFP Empowers Haiti To Build Food Security System

Six months after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has moved towards supporting long-term recovery, and building a strong nutritional foundation for the future of all Haitians.



"In the hours immediately after the quake, WFP provided emergency food assistance that prevented this catastrophic event from evolving into a hunger crisis for the people of Haiti and the world," said WFP Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. "Now we are working with the government and other partners on programmes that use a mixture of food and cash for work, school meals and nutritional initiatives to rebuild the food security system in Haiti."


In collaboration with the government and NGO partners, WFP has started temporary job initiatives across Haiti. These vary by region but all are designed to contribute to reconstruction efforts and bolster agriculture. Workers are typically paid with a mix of food and cash. This means that they have money to cover daily expenses such as medicines and clothing, so stimulating the local economy, but also enough food to feed their families.


Some 35,000 women and men are currently employed in WFP food and cash for work programmes which are expected to grow to 140,000 before the end of the year.


"We're supporting huge numbers of people who would otherwise struggle to put food on their tables," said WFP Country Director, Myrta Kaulard, adding that the food and cash packages that are given to individual workers are designed to sustain families of up to 5 people.


In addition, WFP is working with the Haitian Government to provide daily hot meals to 655,000 school-aged children and aims to reach 800 000 children by the end of the year.


"The school meals programme is a cornerstone of our operations in Haiti," said Kaulard. "It is a simple and effective way to guarantee children at least one nutritious meal every day and keep them learning."


WFP is also providing special nutritional food supplements to pregnant and nursing women and children under 5, reaching more than half a million people in June and thereby ensuring that the most vulnerable groups do not slip into malnutrition during this recovery period.


With the hurricane season underway WFP's logistics team has prepositioned enough food to feed 1.1 million people across the country for 6 weeks. WFP has also organized a barge service to link Haiti's main ports to Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo should roads become impassable due to rain and landslides. This service will be available for the entire humanitarian community.


"We need to keep a balance between improving access to food for the most vulnerable Haitians, while taking care not to disrupt local markets or exclude local farmers from selling their produce," Kaulard said, adding that WFP will purchase food locally when possible, as the new harvest brings new products to the market.


Source:

WFP

EARLINET, European Research For Climatic Change Analysis

The prediction of future climate is, undoubtedly, one of the main challenges of our time, marked by the concern about climatic change and its effects, such as drought and natural disasters, poles thaw, rise of the sea level, diseases, etc. Climatic change poses different scientific challenges to researchers from all over the world, which must be tackled with new ideas, reliable data and advanced instruments.



Science must provide conclusive answers, for example, about the climatic effects of human pollution, the deforestation of wide regions of the globe or forest fires. Rigorous, fast and conclusive answers are not possible when scientific challenges have planetary dimensions.



As regards atmospheric physics's knowedge ans its possible effects on climatic change, research groups from all Europe have developed the project EARLINET-ASOS (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network: Advanced Sustainable Observation System). 25 laboratories, located in 12 European countries, carry out weekly measures simultaneously to obtain indispensable data for the carrying out of climatic studies: the analysis of the presence in the atmosphere of aerosol's particles and the determination of its origin.



One of these stations is located in Granada (Andalusian Centre for the Environment), directed by Prof Lucas Alados Arboledas.



"Atmospheric aerosol represents one of the main uncertainties in the estimation of the radiative forcing of climate and, therefore, for the prediction of climatic change,"says Alados. "Aerosols disturb solar radiation in the atmosphere and influence the properties of clouds and rainfall in a way we are still ignorant of."



A few years ago, research works were focused on getting to know the distribution of aerosol particles on a worldwide scale, as well as the properties of the different types of aerosol. The advances were very relevant, but measurements from land, planes or satellite could only measure the quantity, but not its vertical distribution at different heights, a key question, for example, to get to know its effect on climate, which is generally opposite due to the increase of greenhouse gases. This is, whereas global warming is associated with greenhouse gases increase, atmospheric aerosol can contribute to a cooling of the earth's system.



Lidar Network and CALIPSO



"EARLINET (2000) and EARLINET-ASOS (2006) are allowing an improvement in the preparation of a wide quantitative and statistically significant database on aerosol's vertical structure and its temporal development in Europe," says Alados. Satellite CALIPSO was launched to the space in April 2006, which contained the first space lidar station, able to offer a global vision of the vertical structure of aerosol and the clouds over our planet, necessary to express climatic forecasts.



However, if the 25 European lidar stations allow to offer data on a continental scale, they are also essential to validate CALIPSO's global data. The mission will take place all through three years, and will provide essential information on aerosol's properties. Together with other satellites of the "A-Train" constellation, CALIPSO will help to increase our knowledge about climatic system and the possible climatic change.
While CALIPSO is being validated, the observations of EARLINET all over Europe are collecting and processing essential data to get to know and assess the climatic impact of the masses of air with mineral dust arriving from Sahara to Europe, of European forest fires, the differences between the pollution produced in highly industrialized regions of Eastern Europe, the anthropogenic pollution in underdeveloped areas, the anthropogenic pollution which reaches Europe from North America, etc.



12 countries, 25 scientific groups



Thousands of yearly observaciones have turned EARLINET into an essential information source for the future of meteorological science, the assessment of climtic change and a better knowledge of our environment. The stations of the EARLINET consortium can be found from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Polar Circle, from the marine environments of mild climates to Arctic weather, from continental climate to semiarid regions, clean airs of sparsely populated areas to regions highly polluted due to urban concentrations and industry.



References

Prof. Lucas Alados Arboledas



Source: Lucas Alados Arboledas


Universidad de Granada

UN Launches $92 Million Food Appeal For Sahel Countries

The United Nations launched a funding appeal today in Dakar for Sahelian countries for approximately $92 million for 2006. The funds are required to cover the food and nutrition needs of one of the poorest regions in the world.


The appeal targets 4 Sahelian countries - Burkina-Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Niger - and covers 22 humanitarian projects created by various humanitarian organizations, including: FAO, UNDP, WFP, WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and Afrique Verte. The 22 projects cover the areas of agriculture, food aid, nutrition and health.


"We cannot wait until thousands of people, the majority of them women and children, die of hunger or of under-nutrition before we act," said the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Ambassador Ahmedou Ould Abdallah.


"So many lives - notably the lives of thousands of young children - can be saved through the collective efforts of the international community," said the Head of the Regional Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for West Africa, Herve Ludovic de Lys.


The Sahelian countries, which went through a food crisis in 2004/2005, are preparing to go through yet another difficult 'hunger' period despite good, recent harvests. Past crises have considerably weakened family coping capacities and many families are still trying to pay off debts incurred during last year's crisis. Studies by UNICEF show that young children less than 3 years of age are the most vulnerable.


"2005 was one of the worst years that the Sahelian countries have ever seen," said the Deputy Director of the World Food Programme's Regional Office for West Africa, Christine Van Nieuwenhuyse.


"In the Sahelian countries, the first victims of under-nutrition are children," said the Deputy Director of UNICEF's West & Central Africa Regional Office, Theophane Nikyema. "This year, under-nutrition will be responsible for the deaths of more than 300,000 children in the Sahel if measures are not put in place in time. We know what needs to be done, what we need are the means to do so - today."


The Sahel funding appeal completes the West Africa Consolidated Appeal Process for West Africa, which was launched in November 2005.


unicef

Bollywood Actress Priyanka Chopra Becomes UNICEF National Ambassador

UNICEF is delighted to announce the appointment of the Indian cinema's leading lady, Priyanka Chopra as its newest National Ambassador promoting child rights and adolescence.



Ms. Chopra will join Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Sharmila Tagore in supporting UNICEF's work for children in India and around the world.



"I am very honored to formalise my association with UNICEF as their National Ambassador to help bring awareness for Child Rights and adolescence." said Priyanka Chopra at today's signing ceremony in Delhi. "Over the past few years, I have worked very closely with the team at UNICEF to bring awareness to a number of causes related to India's young and I realised that there is so much more to be done. I hope that by lending my voice I can make a difference to their lives."



Ministry of Women and Child Development Secretary D. K. Sikri and UNICEF Representative Karin Hulshof both welcomed the appointment.



"You all know Priyanka Chopra as a shining star of Indian cinema. Now I tell you that she is equally passionate about her work on behalf of children and adolescents," Ms. Hulshof said. "We are proud of the work she has done with us so far on child rights and we are thrilled about all what we will be doing together so that no child gets left behind. Priyanka with her unwavering commitment to child rights will help to create a world fit for children."



Ms. Chopra was 2000's winner of the Miss World competition. She made her entry into the Hindi Film industry in 2002 and since then has taken on acclaimed roles in many groundbreaking films. In 2009, she earned the Best Actress title at the National Film Awards, the most prominent film award ceremony in India.



Ms. Chopra started her collaboration with UNICEF in 2008. Since then, she has recorded a series of public service announcements championing girls' education and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. She has also participated in a media panel discussion to promote child rights.



UNICEF Ambassadors are celebrities with a demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of children. Highly talented in their individual right, they all share an ability to bring children's issues to attention, to galvanize support from the public and lead decision makers and to raise
urgently needed funds for vital UNICEF programmes.



Source:

UNICEF

Statement Of The World Food Programme Executive Director Josette Sheeran From The Libyan Border

On the border of Libya and Tunisia, yesterday, I was surrounded by tens of thousands of people fleeing violence. It is clear the world must increase humanitarian action to prevent a disaster inside Libya. We call for safe humanitarian access, especially to western Libya. Cutting off food supplies must not be used as a weapon.


There are two immediate crises WFP is acting on:


- The urgent need for food for those fleeing Libya and crossing the borders into Tunisia and Egypt;


- The threat to food distribution systems, especially in Libya, where stocks are being depleted, and supply chains are disrupted.


I have pledged WFP's support to partner with the Red Crescent and others to help provide food assistance to those fleeing violence and to prepare for what may be needed in the days and weeks ahead inside Libya.


In response to this regional crisis, we are launching a USD$ 38.7 million emergency operation to provide food assistance to 2.7 million people in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. We are planning for a three month emergency operation that will help shore up Egypt and Tunisian food safety nets and will also purchase food from the region to help ensure that recovery from the disruption can begin immediately.


As I visited the border area, the first airlift of 80 metric tons of high energy biscuits, flown in by WFP on Monday, were being distributed at the crossing points. As part of our contingency planning we have also re-routed shipments of wheat and wheat flour to the Tunisian border and the Libyan port of Benghazi where it will be pre-positioned to meet immediate humanitarian needs that may arise.


WFP has a strong presence inside Libya and we are currently making assessments that will allow us to quickly direct life saving food assistance towards those who are most vulnerable. We call upon the world for immediate support for this appeal.


Source:

WFP

World Food Program Reports 165,347 dead in Tsunami disaster - Operational Update

Total WFP Food Aid Delivered to Date, 7,854 metric tons - Total People Receiving Food Aid, 1,032,500 - Total Dead,
165,347 - Total Displaced, 1,775,264 -


INDONESIA


• Shooting erupted at 3:00 a.m. near the main UN camp for humanitarian aid workers in the Aceh capital of Banda Aceh.
Staff were awoken and dressed but the shooting quickly stopped. No casualties were reported.


• The UN was apparently not the target of the shots. Local security said the shooting was in the air by a policeman or
member of the military.


• The total amount of WFP food dispatched from the port of Medan in North Sumatra from 1-9 January stands at 2,192 metric
tons of mixed commodities including rice, biscuits and noodles. A total of 44 tons was sent from Jakarta to Banda Aceh in the
same period and another 32 tons went to the port of Singkil on the west coast of Aceh province.


SRI LANKA


• After reaching its target yesterday of giving a 15-day supply of food aid to 750,000 people, WFP will begin the next
phase of dispatching enough food for a second 15-day period.


• In the first phase of distribution, WFP distributed more than 5,000 metric tons of food, using nearly 500
trucks, to feed the three-quarters of a million people needing food aid because of the tsunami.


• In the next stage of the operation, WFP will dispatch more than 50 trucks a day, seven days a week.


• In addition to new sub-offices in Galle, Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa, WFP will establish a sub-office in
the northernmost city of Jaffna to support operations in the LTTE-controlled north, currently handled by field offices
in Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu.


• An Airbus A300 cargo jet belonging to WFP's corporate partner TNT arrived in Sri Lanka today carrying seven
temporary warehouses. The massive warehouses, measuring 32 by 10 meters and weighing over 35 tons, will be used to
store food and non-food items, and will complement four other temporary warehouses currently in use.


THE MALDIVES


• UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in the Maldives today and met with Maldives President President Maumoon
Abdul Gayoom. The Secretary-General is scheduled to travel by seaplane tomorrow to visit two of the most affected
islands, Kolhufushi and Vilufushi in Meemu Atoll.


• A third shipment of 38 metric tons of fortified biscuits arrived at Male International Airport today. WFP and
UNICEF are looking into using the biscuits to help feed 25,000 schoolchildren in the Maldives over the next eight weeks.



• At a meeting chaired by the Deputy Finance Minister last night, the Government of the Maldives told WFP that
although they do not need further immediate food assistance, they anticipate possible food shortages in March or April.



• WFP is now planning operations in the Maldives based on an estimate of 50,000 people affected by the tsunami, of whom
12,500 are displaced.















THAILAND


• The WFP assessment mission to southern Thailand wrapped up its work today after meeting with the governors of Phuket
and Ranong provinces.


• The team also met with the Directors of Education in Phuket, Phang-nga, Ranong and Krabi provinces to discuss
assistance to school food programs in the affected areas.


• The assessment team will deliver its report on food needs this week; meanwhile provincial officals will provide WFP
with their assessment of school feeding requirements in the three provinces.


REGIONAL


• Operations continue at the new WFP Humanitarian Air Hub at Subang Air Base in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Two C-130
transports left Subang yesterday with shipments of fortified biscuits, bound for Banda Aceh.


For more information please contact:


Greg Barrow, WFP London. Tel: + 44 20 7592 9292, Mob: + 44 7968 008474

gregory.barrowwfp


Heather Hill, WFP Thailand Mob: +66 1701 9208, Mobile + 662659 8690

email: heather.hillwfp


Michael Huggins, WFP Indonesia Mob: +62 811 864383, Thuraya: +881 6315
53604;
email: Jakarta.guest5wfp


Jordan Dey, WFP Sri Lanka. Tel: + 9411 2586244.
email: jordan.deywfp


Jonathan Dumont, WFP Sri Lanka Mob: +39 340 224 9140; Thuraya: +882 165
4203516.
email: jonathan.dumontwfp


Peter Smerdon, WFP/Indonesia Tel: + 6221 5734332, Mob: + 62 811 186923.

E-mail: peter.smerdonwfp


Caroline Hurford, WFP Rome. Tel: + 3906 65132330. Mob: + 393481325018


Trevor Rowe, WFP New York. Mob: +1 646 8241112, office: +1 212 963 5196

email:roweun


Visit our website: wfp. To access WFP's detailed,
up-to-the-minute
maps on the tsunami crisis, go to hewsweb.

'Revolutionary' Water Treatment Units On Their Way To Afghanistan

The United States Army has taken delivery of the first two units of a "revolutionary" waste-water treatment system that will clean putrid water within 24 hours and leave no toxic by-products, according to scientists at Sam Houston State University.



"The system is based on a proprietary consortium of bacteria - you can find them in a common handful of dirt," said lead scientist Sabin Holland.



"In the right combination and in the right medium, they have the capability to clean polluted water with a very high efficiency very quickly. It truly is a revolutionary solution."



Holland said the physical systems themselves - called "bio-reactors" - use little energy, are transportable, scalable, simple to set-up, simple to operate, come on-line in record time and can be monitored remotely.



The first two units, about the size of standard shipping containers, will be deployed by the Army to Afghanistan.



"The science and engineering technology behind this process have both military and civilian applications," said Holland.



"The technology was developed for remote applications where little infrastructure exists, such as remote military operations, disaster relief and nation-building situations."



"These systems would be immensely useful right now in Haiti," Holland said. "One of the most pressing threats to public health in the aftermath of the recent earthquake is contaminated water and the lack of infrastructure to clean it up."



Holland has managed the research and development of the systems and directs the Texas Research Institute for Environmental Studies at Sam Houston State.



"We have gone from basic research into the bacteria to actual construction and deployment of the systems in seven years. The typical time from discovery to commercialization is 14 years," Holland said.



"The bacteria, the 'bugs,' we are working with are naturally occurring. We have isolated a small subset of them - each bacterium has a specific function - and we have engineered a biofilm that is self-regulating and highly efficient at cleaning wastewater."



Holland and his colleagues have tested and demonstrated the systems' capabilities and effectiveness at several municipal and military sites - to the satisfaction of the Army - by cleaning influent wastewater within 24 hours after set-up to discharge levels that exceed the standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency for municipal wastewater, "leaving less than ten percent of sludge, in most cases less than one percent."



"The typical septic system or traditional waste treatment process can take as long as 30 days and leave 40 to 50 percent sludge," he said.



Part of the recent engineering and component testing were done in partnership with Lamar University and Sul Ross University, Sam Houston State's sister institutions within the Texas State University System.



"The technology is scalable," Sabin said. "We can make the units as large as required for large scale treatment applications, or as small as a single home unit."



The research has been funded over the last three years by U.S. Department of Defense. The first deployable systems have been purchased by the United States Army for use in Afghanistan. The Army's systems will be deployed in rugged terrain and transported by the Army's standard heavy trucks using a standard pallet loading system.



After an extended search for a business partner, Sam Houston State selected a private firm, PCD Inc, of Palestine Texas, to form a limited liability corporation company named Active Water Sciences (AWS), to market, manufacture, sell and further develop the systems.



The University owns a majority interest in the corporation and has licensed the technology to AWS for three years.



"This technology is an elegant, simple system," said Dan Davis, SHSU's associate vice president for research administration and technology commercialization. "We are at a very exciting point in its commercialization."



Sam Houston State University received three patents to protect the technology and engineering associated with a system and has three more patent applications pending.



Source:

Bruce Erickson

Sam Houston State University

WFP Calls For Funds To Curb More Unrest In Haiti

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reiterated its
appeal to the international community for urgent funds to support its
operations in Haiti, the western hemisphere's poorest country, following
the deaths of four people in two days of rioting over rising food prices.



"Riots in Haiti underline the additional need for lifesaving food
assistance," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. "At this
critical
time, we need to stand with the people of Haiti and other countries
hardest
hit by rising food prices."



Last month, WFP launched an extraordinary appeal to donors for
an
additional US$500 million to respond to dramatic increases in global
food
and fuel prices, which have risen an estimated 55 per cent since last
June.
Haiti is the latest country to experience unrest related to soaring
food
and fuel prices (others include: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt,
Indonesia,
Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal).



Haiti -- one of the three countries of the world with the highest
daily
caloric deficit per person (460 kcal/day below the daily requirement
of
2100 kcal/day) -- has been particularly vulnerable to the soaring prices.



WFP has received so far only 13 per cent (or US$12.4 million) of the US$96
million necessary to assist 1.7 million people in Haiti - barely enough to
support operations throughout April. Due to rising costs, WFP recently
revised its funding requirements upwards by 22 percent.



Sheeran urged donors to respond to WFP's appeal for Haiti and elsewhere,
warning that soaring food prices could result in further tension as
already witnessed in a number of countries.



"What we see in Haiti is what we're seeing in many of our operations
around
the world -- rising prices that mean less food for the hungry. A new face
of hunger is emerging: even where food is available on the shelves, there
are now more and more people who simply cannot afford it," said Sheeran.




WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: this year, WFP plans to
feed more than 70 million people in around 80 countries.



WFP now provides RSS feeds to help journalists keep up with the latest
press releases, videos and photos as they are published on WFP. For
more details see: wfp/english/?n=999.



WFP now has a dedicated ISDN line in Italy for quality two-way
interviews
with WFP officials.

wfp

Australian Government Pledges $350M For HIV/AIDS Programs In Asia-Pacific Through 2010

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Monday at the Third Ministerial Meeting on HIV/AIDS in Sydney, Australia, announced that the government has committed an additional 400 million Australian dollars, or about $350 million, for programs to fight HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, the AAP/Sydney Morning Herald reports. The funds will be distributed by 2010 and will be added to the 600 million Australian dollars, or about $528 million, committed by the country last year for such programs, Downer said (AAP/Sydney Morning Herald, 7/23). The money will be distributed through the government's foreign aid agency, AusAID, for HIV/AIDS education and condom distribution programs, the Australian reports.

Efforts will focus primarily on Papua New Guinea, which has experienced significant increases in HIV/AIDS rates during the past 10 years. As of last year, the government had spent 60 million Australian dollars, or about $52 million, in Papua New Guinea and 37 million Australian dollars, or about $32 million, in Indonesia to fight HIV/AIDS. Downer said that without increased action, 1.5 million people in Indonesia and 300,000 people in Papua New Guinea would die by 2025 of AIDS-related illnesses (Marris/Maley, Australian, 7/23). There 8.3 million people living with the disease in the Asia-Pacific, Downer said.

"In the Asia-Pacific region, we don't have a problem on the scale of much of Africa, but we don't want to let it get to that stage," Downer said, adding, "As a significant country in the region, we are determined to play our part to address the problem ... we need to stop the situation deteriorating" (AAP/Sydney Morning Herald, 7/23). In addition, Downer voiced concern that HIV/AIDS rates in Papua New Guinea are under-reported. "My view is there is a lot more that needs to be done in terms of HIV awareness," he said, adding, "The challenge for us in the Asia-Pacific region is to have 100% HIV awareness. I hope we can do that by 2010" (ABC News, 7/23). The announcement coincides with the 4th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention being held in Sydney, Australia (Australian, 7/23).

Reuters on Monday examined the HIV/AIDS epidemic's impact on women in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in Papua New Guinea. Official estimates places the number of people living with HIV in Papua New Guinea at 12,000, but some HIV/AIDS workers say that the actual number is between 80,000 and 120,000, according to Reuters. Papua New Guinea Health Minister Peter Barter at the IAS conference said that polygamy is a major obstacle to HIV prevention efforts in the country. "In many parts of Papua New Guinea, a person can have up to five or six wives and 20 children," Barter said, adding, "We have to change that behavior. It's a cultural matter and it will take some time to do it" (Lee, Reuters, 7/23).

Kaisernetwork will serve as the official webcaster of the IAS conference. Individuals can sign up for a free daily update e-mail and find more information about conference webcasts online.


Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

PURE Bioscience Assists Disaster Relief In Haiti

PURE Bioscience (NASDAQ: PURE) is sending 200,000 two-ounce bottles of IV-7 Ultimate Germ Defense™ silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC)-based water purifier to Project Hope for distribution in earthquake-ravaged areas of Haiti. This quantity is enough to treat up to 40 million gallons of water. San Diego-based CareFusion Corporation sponsored half of the donation.


The water purifier is in the form of a liquid concentrate, with just six drops needed to treat one gallon of water. This convenient and portable solution can be rushed to areas of need more quickly and easily than containers of drinking water.


The purifier is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria, virus and fungus in a stable, non-toxic, tasteless, odorless and colorless solution.


Michael L. Krall, President and CEO of PURE Bioscience, said, "The earthquake victims in Haiti are in desperate need of water that is safe to drink. Sending 200,000 bottles of water purifier to be distributed in areas hard hit by the earthquake will help ensure drinkable water for families until local water systems can be restored."


Source

CareFusion Corporation

Reproductive Health Care Being Restored In Tsunami-Hit Areas

A year after the Indian Ocean tsunami, work is ongoing to restore reproductive health services and address psychosocial needs in affected communities with support from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.


As part of the United Nations coordinated inter-agency response, UNFPA country offices in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Thailand are helping to rebuild and re-equip damaged health facilities, while continuing to provide training and supplies so that local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can offer services at temporary sites and mobile clinics. A key priority is maternal health care.



UNFPA is also is working with various partners to ensure that recovery plans do not overlook the special needs of women and adolescents, including action to prevent sexual violence.



In Indonesia, officials are releasing the findings of a UNFPA-funded census in Aceh and Nias, data that will help guide reconstruction planning. By providing training and supplies, UNFPA has strengthened the capacity of the Aceh Provincial Health Office and local health workers to provide quality reproductive health services in tsunami-affected communities. Eight primary health centres have been equipped with ambulances and instruments for resuscitation and emergency obstetric care. Mobile units are providing similar care to pregnant women in remote villages.


With the Fund's support, 10 community centres have been set up to provide psychosocial counselling and outreach, along with income-generation training, religious and social activities. Through the Indonesian Psychologists Association, counsellors have been trained on basic counselling skills, response to gender-based violence, and adolescent and child psychology.


UNFPA has continued distributing personal hygiene kits to displaced people through its partners whenever needed. Some 320,000 kits have been distributed this year.


In Sri Lanka, UNFPA is supporting the reconstruction of several hospitals and health units that were damaged or destroyed by the tsunami.
Under an agreement with the Ministry of Health and with the technical support of the United Nations Office of Project Services, UNFPA is helping to restore 18 facilities providing reproductive health services. These include a maternity complex, several primary health centres and a dozen medical offices. Most of these projects are due to be completed by June next year. Each facility will have medical equipment and supplies that meet Government specifications. Next year, service providers in the North and East will be trained to upgrade their clinical and counselling skills.


Another area of UNFPA assistance is addressing the psychosocial needs of those affected by the tsunami. The Fund has helped the Directorate of Mental Health to develop a national policy and to train administrators, health workers and social service personnel. UNFPA is also supporting the establishment of 27 women's centres to respond to women's needs and to counter gender-based violence. The centres, due to open in 2006, will provide basic information and support services and strengthen local coping mechanisms.















In the Maldives, UNFPA continues to assist authorities in assessing the reproductive health care and psychosocial support needs of the displaced. It is working to re-equip damaged facilities to restore comprehensive, quality reproductive health services; a large volume of equipment and supplies will arrive in early 2006. Two fully equipped health boats are being procured to provide emergency care, including transport for women facing complications of pregnancy and childbirth.


The Fund has provided reproductive health training for hospital medical staff and community health workers. It has recruited several gynaecologists and midwives from abroad to work in hospitals and mobile clinics as well as to train local staff in 2006.


In Thailand, UNFPA is working in four of the worst-affected provinces to address the reproductive health needs of the local population and migrant-worker communities. The focus is on safe motherhood, family planning, gender equality, HIV prevention and adolescent reproductive health.


Through its support to the World Vision Foundation of Thailand, UNFPA is providing general health care and reproductive health services to some 5,000 migrant workers and their families through mobile clinics.


UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.


unfpa



Distributed for UNFPA by

Peter Robbs Consultants Ltd

U.S. To Launch Health Care Worker Training Program In Mozambique, Health Minister Announces

The U.S. plans to launch a program to train health care workers in Mozambique in an effort to strengthen the country's health system and fight HIV/AIDS and malaria, Mozambican Health Minister Ivo Garrido announced Wednesday after a meeting with HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, AIM/AllAfrica reports (AIM/AllAfrica, 8/22). Leavitt and several U.S. officials are on a 10-day tour of four African countries to highlight programs funded by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President's Malaria Initiative. Their first stop was South Africa, and they also plan to visit Rwanda and Tanzania (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/17).

Guebuza and Leavitt at the meeting discussed Mozambique's health infrastructure and ways to strengthen collaboration on health issues between the two countries. Garrido did not disclose further details on the training program but said priority will be given to health professionals working in rural areas in Mozambique. "We believe that we can do a lot more in this area, being the reason our discussions gravitated around issues such as training of human recourses," Garrido said.

Mozambique has a total of about 800 doctors, and there is about one doctor for every 24,000 residents, according to Garrido. This ratio is "frankly bad, when we consider that on average the developed countries have one doctor for less than 1,000 inhabitants," he said. Leavitt expressed his support for the country's efforts to fight HIV/AIDS and malaria, emphasizing that discussions held with Mozambican authorities will help both countries work together more closely. Current estimates show that Mozambique has an HIV/AIDS prevalence of 16.2%, and malaria is responsible for more than 40% of outpatient visits and 30% of deaths among people admitted to hospitals in the country (AIM/AllAfrica, 8/22).

"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Gates Foundation Commits $280 Million For Research To Fight Global TB Epidemic

The Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation today grants totaling $280 million to help fight
tuberculosis, an epidemic that infects one-third of people on earth and
kills nearly 2 million yearly - mostly in the poorest countries. The 11 new
grants will speed research and development on promising vaccines,
diagnostic tests, and treatments to help reduce the global TB burden.


"TB science has advanced significantly over the past five years, and
these grants build on this momentum and the progress that has been made,"
said Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation's Global Health
Program. "By bringing together a wide range of partners, including
scientists from countries heavily affected by TB, we hope to help translate
promising ideas into tools that can save millions of lives."



The grants focus on three key areas:


-- Vaccine development: $200 million over five years to the Aeras Global
TB Vaccine Foundation to conduct clinical trials of up to six TB
vaccine candidates


-- Diagnostics: $62 million over five years to the Foundation for
Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) to develop TB tests that are more
accurate and simpler to use


-- Drug discovery: Nine grants totaling $18 million to identify new TB
treatments to combat drug resistance



The urgent need for better TB-fighting tools received worldwide
attention earlier this year when an airline passenger from the United
States traveled across borders with drug-resistant TB and exposed fellow
travelers to the disease. This case highlighted the inadequacy of current
TB diagnostic tools, which use technology that is more than 100 years old.
In addition, the TB vaccine is more than 80 years old and rarely works
after childhood, while TB drugs require long and cumbersome regimens, and
are losing their effectiveness to rising drug resistance.



"Even in rich countries, efforts to fight TB are severely hampered by
the lack of effective tools," said Dr. Peter Small, senior program officer
for TB at the Gates Foundation. "Better vaccines, diagnostics, and drugs
could dramatically improve the fight against TB, especially in poor
countries where large numbers of people are affected by the disease."



Grant to Support TB Vaccine Trials



The Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation will use its new grant to
conduct Phase I and II trials of up to six TB vaccine candidates, which are
expected to involve 8,500 participants in 10 countries in Africa, Asia,
Europe, and the United States. The goal is to identify the best TB vaccines
for Phase III trials, the final stage of testing before a new vaccine can
be licensed for use.



"Over the past few years, scientists have gained important insights
into the immune responses needed to protect against TB," said Dr. Jerald
Sadoff, president and CEO of Aeras. "We're working as quickly as possible
to test promising vaccine candidates that could help turn the tide of TB
around the world."
















It has been projected that even a partially-effective new TB vaccine
could avert more than 30 million deaths worldwide by 2030.



Aeras and its partners have assembled a diverse portfolio of TB vaccine
candidates that are ready, or may soon be ready, for clinical trials. Aeras
has also helped establish world-class TB research centers in South Africa
and India, two of the countries most seriously affected by TB.



"Scientists in Africa and other developing countries are playing a
critical role in TB vaccine development," said Dr. Gregory Hussey, director
of the South African TB Vaccine Initiative and professor at the University
of Cape Town. "An effective vaccine is essential for slowing the spread of
TB, and we're proud to be part of the global vaccine effort."



New TB Diagnostics Within Reach



The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) will use its new
grant to advance development of up to 10 new TB diagnostic tests, in the
hope of obtaining World Health Organization approval of one or more tests
within five years.



Over the past few years, FIND and its partners have identified a number
of new diagnostics that could be more accurate than existing TB tests, and
could improve diagnosis of the disease in areas that lack sophisticated
health care facilities.



"The difficulty of diagnosing TB is one of the greatest obstacles to
controlling the disease, particularly in patients who also have HIV/AIDS,"
said Dr. Giorgio Roscigno, CEO of FIND. "We're closer than ever to improved
diagnostics, which will help ensure that people infected with TB receive
prompt and proper care."



The standard test used to diagnose TB misses half of cases, and
requires culturing a patient's sputum sample in the laboratory and
examining it with a microscope after an intensive multi-step process. It
has been estimated that improved diagnostics could help save at least
400,000 lives every year.



Grants to Spur Innovative TB Drug Discovery



The nine grants for early-stage discovery projects will identify leads
for new TB drug compounds that are more effective than current treatment
options.



Developing new TB treatments is an urgent priority because resistance
is growing to drugs that were once widely effective for curing the disease
- last year there were more than 400,000 cases of drug-resistant TB. In
addition, there is a need for faster-acting TB drugs; current drugs must be
taken for at least six months to be fully effective.



"To stay ahead of TB drug resistance, we need to pursue new,
out-of-the- box ideas that have not yet been tested," said Dr. Yamada.
"These grants could help bring about a new generation of more effective
drugs to significantly advance our ability to fight TB."



The TB drug discovery grants announced today include:


-- $7.5 million to Seattle Biomedical Research Institute


-- Two grants totaling $3.7 million to Colorado State University


-- Two grants totaling $2.4 million to Weill Cornell Medical College


-- $1.8 million to Johns Hopkins University


-- $1.7 million to Ordway Research Institute


-- $750,000 to Northeastern University


-- $453,000 to Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne



Grants Support Global Plan to Stop TB



The new grants support priorities in the Stop TB Partnership's Global
Plan to Stop TB, a detailed blueprint for reducing the TB burden over the
next decade. The plan calls for worldwide spending on TB to triple by 2015.



Last year, the foundation pledged to support the plan by providing at
least $900 million in TB funding by 2015. With the new grants announced
today, the foundation has fulfilled more than half of that commitment.



"TB is a major threat, and stopping it must be a top global priority,"
said Dr. Marcos Espinal, executive secretary of the Stop TB Partnership.
"We have an achievable action plan to reduce the TB burden, and it is
encouraging to see new resources going to Stop TB partners to support this
plan."



Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive
lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health,
and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme
poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people,
especially those with the fewest resources, have access to the
opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle,
the foundation is led by CEO Patty Stonesifer and Co-chair William H. Gates
Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.


The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

gatesfoundation/default.htm

American Red Cross Reaches Out To States Affected By Weekend Tornadoes

The American Red Cross is providing shelter, food, and comfort to people across the South as they deal with the aftermath of the deadly tornadoes that swept through the area over the weekend.


The severe weather hit several states, including Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina. Mississippi was hardest hit with numerous tornadoes touching down Saturday. Damage is widespread and thousands are without power. The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi issued States of Emergency for the affected areas.


Throughout the affected states, the Red Cross has numerous shelters open and is providing food and comfort items for those left homeless by the powerful storms. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles are providing meals across the area. Red Cross Disaster Action Teams are also being deployed to offer casework services and assistance and visit families as they try to salvage some of their belongings.


In the aftermath of the tornadoes, the Red Cross offers steps people should take to stay safe. They should return home only when authorities say it is safe to do so. When they do, they should wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes. As they return, they should watch out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines and report them to the utility company immediately. Other safety steps include the following:


- Stay out of damaged buildings.

- Use battery-powered flashlights when examining buildings-do NOT use candles.

- If someone smells gas or hears a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and get everyone out of the building quickly and call the gas company or fire department.

- Take pictures of damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance claims.

- Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

- Keep all family pets under your direct control.

- Clean up spilled medications, bleaches, gasoline or other flammable liquids that could become a fire hazard.


For more information on how to be prepared for tornadoes, visit redcross


Help people affected by disasters like these tornadoes by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for disasters and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting redcross.


Source

American Red Cross

Access To HIV Therapy Jumped In 2006, But Significant Obstacles Remain To Approaching Universal Access To HIV Services

Access to antiretroviral therapy for advanced HIV infection in low- and middle-income countries continued to grow throughout 2006, with more than two million people living with HIV/AIDS receiving treatment in December 2006, a 54% increase over the 1.3 million people on treatment one year earlier in these countries. These encouraging findings were released today in a new report, "Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector," published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and UNICEF.


At the same time, however, the report details a number of key areas in which efforts to scale up services are insufficient if the global goal of moving towards "universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support" for HIV by 2010 is to be achieved. For example, just 11% of HIV-positive pregnant women in need of antiretrovirals to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in low- and middle-income countries are receiving them. Global coverage of HIV testing and counselling remains unsatisfactorily low, as does coverage of prevention and treatment interventions for injecting drug users. And while countries committed themselves to setting targets for universal access by the end of 2006, only 90 had provided data on these by that date.


"The combined efforts of donors, affected nations, UN agencies and public health authorities are providing substantial, ongoing progress in access to HIV services," said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, WHO. "Yet, in many ways we are still at the beginning of this commitment. We need ambitious national programmes, much greater global mobilization, and increased accountability if we are going to succeed."


Access to HIV treatment


The report shows that countries in every region of the world are making substantial progress in increasing access to HIV treatment. More than 1.3 million people in sub-Saharan Africa were receiving treatment in December 2006, representing coverage of approximately 28% of those in need compared to just 2% in 2003. Coverage in other regions varied, from 6% in North Africa and the Middle East, to 15% in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and 72% in Latin America and the Caribbean. Overall, while encouraging trends continue, just 28% of the estimated 7.1 million people in need of treatment in all low- and middle-income countries were receiving it in December 2006.


Funding provided by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was supporting 1 265 000 individuals receiving treatment by the end of 2006. The prices of most first-line ARVs decreased by between 37% and 53% in low- and middle-income countries from 2003 to 2006, and by between 10% and 20% from 2005 to 2006.















"The significant progress outlined in this report in scaling up access to treatment is a positive step forward for many countries in achieving their ambitious goals of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support," said Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "However new data in the report also shows that there is still a long way to go, particularly in the widespread provision of treatment to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV, which remains one of the simplest and cheapest proven prevention methods available," he added.


The number of children receiving treatment increased by 50% in the past year, but from a very low base. In December 2006, only about 115 500 (15%) children of the 780 000 estimated to be in need of HIV treatment had access to it. According to WHO HIV/AIDS Director, Dr Kevin De Cock "urgent priorities are improving access to HIV treatment for children, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as for injecting drug users everywhere". "Access to HIV testing and counselling, a critical entry point for both prevention and treatment services, also needs to be broadened significantly if we are to come near to reaching the targets for universal access by 2010," he added.


"Children continue to be the missing face of the AIDS pandemic," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman, "with too many children still missing out on life-saving treatment and access to other essential services." In 2005, UNICEF, UNAIDS and other partners launched the Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS campaign. Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS targets four key areas: prevention of mother to child transmission; treatment of paediatric AIDS; education programmes for prevention; and support for orphans and vulnerable children.


Challenges and recommendations


Among the report's recommendations for improving the global AIDS response are the following:


Increase efforts to accelerate the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV disease in children. In addition to the need to increase treatment access, progress remains unsatisfactory in the prevention and diagnosis of HIV disease in children. The technical challenges of expanding services for children have been considerable. New approaches to overcoming these, such as the development of appropriate diagnostics and fixed-dose paediatric drug formulations, need to be more widely explored and accelerated.


Introduce a range of strategies to increase knowledge of HIV status. Surveys in twelve high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa showed that a median of just 12% of men and 10% of women in the general population had been tested for HIV and received the results. While client-initiated voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is helping people know their status, provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) in health care settings is emerging as a key additional strategy to expand access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services. The conditions under which testing and counselling are provided must also be improved in order to diminish obstacles to uptake, such as fear of stigma and negative reactions to disclosure.


Accelerate scale-up of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). More than 100 low- and middle-income countries have established PMTCT programmes, yet only seven were reaching 40% or more of HIV-infected pregnant women in 2005. In sub-Saharan Africa, where 85% of HIV-infected pregnant women live, coverage in countries ranges from less than 1% to 54%. Current efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV are far below what is required to meet the UN target of reducing the proportion of children infected with HIV by 50% in 2010.


Improve access to services for most-at-risk populations, including injecting drug users and men who have sex with men (MSM). Injecting drug use is a major mode of HIV transmission in several regions and is emerging as a concern in Africa. Adequate prevention, treatment, and care services need to be provided to this population if a significant impact is to be made on HIV transmission. Resurgent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in MSM in industrialized countries needs to be countered, and prevention needs of MSM in low- and middle-income countries addressed.


Invest in prevention for people living with HIV/AIDS. Persons living with HIV can be the strongest advocates for HIV prevention. Better follow-up is required of individuals diagnosed with HIV in voluntary counselling and testing centres. The health sector should provide a wider range of services and interventions to help people with HIV/AIDS to maximize their health, prevent and treat opportunistic and sexually transmitted infections, reduce the harms associated with injecting drug use, and avoid passing HIV on to others.


Improve access for people living with HIV/AIDS to quality TB prevention, diagnostic and treatment services. Most cases of TB are preventable or curable. Nevertheless, almost one million people living with HIV will develop TB disease each year, leading to nearly a quarter of a million avoidable TB deaths. Chronic underinvestment and inadequate political commitment to TB control in many countries of high HIV prevalence have resulted in high TB incidence among people with HIV/AIDS and have contributed to the development of TB drug resistance. The emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) must now be urgently addressed through increased coordination and availability of prevention, diagnostic, and treatment services, and through comprehensive infection control strategies.


Recognize male circumcision as an important additional HIV prevention intervention. Recent clinical trial data demonstrate a significant reduction in the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection among circumcised men. Male circumcision could have a major public health impact in countries where HIV prevalence is high, transmission is predominantly through heterosexual contact, and rates of male circumcision are low. Such countries should urgently consider scaling up access to safe male circumcision services. Key issues in implementation include the quality and safety of services, cultural considerations, and adherence to human rights principles in the provision of male circumcision, including informed consent, confidentiality, and absence of coercion.


Address concerns about longer-term financial sustainability. Financial concerns, especially with reference to what will be available from major multilateral and bilateral sources in the long term, continue to limit the scope and rate of scale-up in many countries and threaten long-term sustainability. While encouraging reductions have occurred in the price of first-line regimens in most low- and some middle-income countries, the demand for expensive second-line regimens will continue to increase. Unless prices for second-line regimens fall significantly, budgetary constraints may put treatment programmes at risk.


unaids

Ryder System, Inc. Joins The American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program

Ryder today announced it is committing $1 million over the next three years through the Ryder Charitable Foundation to support national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts, making it the newest member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program.


This is Ryder's largest national donation to the Red Cross, although the Miami-based company has been a longtime supporter of the American Red Cross. The majority of the $1 million gift, $850,000, will be designated to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, and the remaining $150,000 will be directed to the Greater Miami & the Keys chapter.


"In these difficult economic times when the need is so great, the generosity of partners such as Ryder allows the American Red Cross to be the helping hand to people in crisis," said Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross. "We are so pleased that Ryder is expanding its philanthropic partnership to both the national and local levels of the Red Cross, and Ryder's multi-year commitment to the Annual Disaster Giving Program enables us to have the resources to provide people with disaster relief for large-scale disasters such as a tornado, hurricane or wildfire, or a smaller disaster like an apartment or house fire in Florida."


Since 1991, Ryder has been a significant philanthropic partner of the Red Cross, providing financial support to national headquarters and the Greater Miami & the Keys chapter, as well as supplying in-kind donations of trucks, sponsoring local Red Cross events and supporting local disaster relief efforts.


The Red Cross has also had a strong national business relationship with Ryder for many years, having been a Ryder National Rental customer since 1989. In addition to the $1 million financial commitment, under the umbrella of its National Rental program, Ryder is extending preferred pricing for rental vehicles to all local Red Cross chapters in the U.S. Ryder will also tap into its base of more than 20,000 U.S. employees as part of a grassroots volunteer effort to support disaster preparedness and response activities in communities where the company operates.


"The American Red Cross is one of the most well respected charitable organizations in the world and we greatly value the contributions it makes to communities where we live and work," said Greg Swienton, Ryder's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "As a transportation and logistics provider, we also understand the complexity and depth of timely resources needed to respond to disasters. It is this strong linkage between Ryder's business and the Red Cross' operational needs that drove us to select the Red Cross as Ryder's primary, national charitable partner. Whether it's through financial support, vehicle donations, or volunteer time from our employees, we want to do all we can to help increase the efficiency, capacity, and cost effectiveness of American Red Cross operations so the organization can continue to prepare and respond quickly and effectively in times of disaster."















Ryder joins 18 other members of the Annual Disaster Giving Program. ADGP members help secure a reliable funding base for disaster relief services that enables the Red Cross to respond immediately to the needs of individuals and families impacted by disaster anywhere in the United States, regardless of cost.


People can join the Annual Disaster Giving Program members in supporting the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and help provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the current floods. Visit RedCross or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make a donation.


Members of the Annual Disaster Giving Program:


American Express

AT&T

AXA Foundation

ConAgra Foods

GE Foundation

FedEx Corporation

JCPenney Company Fund

John Deere Foundation

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Merck & Co, Inc.

MorganStanley

Nationwide Foundation

Raytheon Company

Ryder Charitable Foundation

State Farm

State Street Foundation

Target

The TJX Companies, Inc.

UnitedHealth Group


Help people affected by disasters, like the current floods, by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C., 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting RedCross.


About Ryder


Ryder provides leading-edge transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions. Ryder's stock (NYSE: R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Ryder ranks 399th on the FORTUNE 500®. For more information on Ryder System, Inc., visit ryder.


About the American Red Cross


The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit redcross or join our blog at redcross.

Source
American Red Cross

6.5 million vulnerable North Koreans still in desperate need of food aid

PYONGYANG - The United Nations World Food Programme said that in 2005 it needs 500,000 tonnes of commodities, valued at
US$202 million, to assist 6,500,000 particularly hungry North Koreans.


"The DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] still faces severe food shortages as it seeks to diversify its economy. Our
goal is to ease the shock to the most vulnerable as they make this transition," said Richard Ragan, WFP's Pyongyang-based
Country Director. "Millions of children, women and elderly people are barely subsisting because they lack both the quantity
and quality of nourishment they deserve."


While domestic cereals production is forecast to rise by 2.4 per cent to 4.24 million tonnes in the 2004/05 marketing year
(November-October), it will remain well below the minimum requirement of 5.13 million tonnes, according to a recent
assessment by WFP and its sister UN agency, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).


Two-thirds of the 23.7 million population remain dependent on the government-run Public Distribution System (PDS). The PDS
provides its mostly urbanised recipients with subsidised rations, which have recently been cut to 250 gms of staples per day.
This is enough to meet only half their calorie needs.


The plight of the most vulnerable is aggravated by an economic adjustment process that has led to steep increases in market
prices of basic foods, and sharply lower incomes for millions of factory workers rendered redundant or now employed
part-time.


Some 70 per cent of PDS-dependent households are still unable to satisfy their daily calorie requirements. In 2004, market
prices of cereals tripled. By year's end, one kilogram of rice cost 20 per cent of a typical monthly wage.


Traditional coping mechanisms - animal husbandry, the cultivation of household gardens and hillside plots, the gathering of
wild foods and transfers from relatives - are being supplemented by other small-scale income-generating activities, notably
petty trade and services, allowed under an easing of restrictions on private and semi-private enterprises.


In 2004, WFP aimed to feed 6.5 million people, at a cost of US$ 171 million. Since September 2004, WFP has had sufficient
donations to reach the total number of people targeted for assistance. But earlier, the operation faced periodic funding gaps
that were severe and which reduced the number of people being fed to as low as three million.


"Existing stocks and commitments will allow us to give full cereal rations to our beneficiaries until June," Ragan said. "But
without additional pledges soon, the kind of distribution cuts that have plagued our operation over the past three years,
depriving millions of vital assistance for long periods, will be inevitable."


WFP's operation in 2005 aims to feed 6.5 million people - the same number as in 2004. The largest group to be assisted with
rations are 2.7 million children in nurseries, kindergartens, primary schools and orphanages that fully or largely meet their
nutritional needs. The food basket includes cereals, pulses and vegetable oil, as well as vitamin- and mineral-enriched
blends, biscuits and noodles. Children in hospital are to be similarly supported.















An estimated 300,000 pregnant and nursing women will likewise receive a range of food items designed to help meet their
special dietary requirements.


With food security analyses confirming that elderly PDS-dependents are especially vulnerable, WFP plans to assist more than
900,000 of them this year, including the chronically ill and disabled, the widowed, and couples living alone. Their ration of
cereals is being supplemented with vegetable oil, whose prohibitively high market price has forced a sharp decline in
consumption of vital fats.


The agency will continue to support the poorest urban families - more than 360,000 people - that were added to its list of
beneficiaries last year in response to the reform-induced shifts in vulnerability.


The unemployed and underemployed are a key focus of food-for-work activities designed to promote food security in urban
communities. There is mounting evidence that these people may represent a newly emerging "food insecure" group that is
struggling to cope with the impact of market reforms. Over the course of the year 725,000 people are to receive a two
kilogram-a-day cereal ration - enough for themselves and two family members - in return for engaging in
short-term flood control, land reclamation, irrigation and reforestation schemes.


WFP will also supply raw materials and other inputs to 19 factories that produce micronutrient-enriched blended foods,
biscuits and noodles for millions of underfed infants, children and women.


While insisting its "no access, no food" policy would continue, the agency reiterated its concern about nutritional
conditions in counties and districts its staff cannot enter - 49 out of 203, accounting for about 17 per cent of
the population. WFP also expressed the hope that a government review of humanitarian operations, which
forced a significant reduction in post-distribution monitoring in recent months, would not compromise its
capacity to help the most vulnerable.


WFP's previous emergency operation received a total of US$120 million in funding, with the following donors:
Japan (US$ 39.5 million); Republic of South Korea ($23.3 million); United States ($19 million); Australia ($6.5
million); Canada ($4.3 million); European Union ($5.5 million); Italy ($3.6 million); Germany ($2.8 million); Norway
($1.8 million); Ireland ($932,000); Luxembourg ($808,000); Cuba ($570,000); New Zealand ($523,224); Finland
($390,000) in addition to a number of multilateral and private donors.


WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency. In 2003 WFP fed nearly 110 million people in 82 countries including most of
the world's refugees and internally displaced people.


WFP Global School Feeding Campaign - For just 19 US cents a day, you can help WFP give children in poor countries a healthy
meal at school - - a gift of hope for a brighter future.


Visit our website : wfp


For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastnamewfp):


Gregory Barrow, WFP/London, Tel. +44-20-75929292, Mob. +44-7968-008474

Richard Ragan, WFP/Pyongyang, Tel. +850-2-3817221

Gerald Bourke, WFP/Beijing, Tel. +86-10-65323731 ext 209, Mob. +86-13801054051

Brenda Barton, Deputy Director Communications, WFP/Rome, Tel. +39-06-65132602, Mob. +39-3472582217

Christiane Berthiaume, WFP/Geneva, Tel. +41-22-9178564, Mob. +41-792857304

Trevor Rowe, WFP/New York, Tel. +1-212-9635196, Mob. +1-6468241112, roweun

Jordan Dey, WFP/Washington, Tel. +1-202-6530010 ext. 1149, Mob. +1-202-4223383