The government of Angola, and its partners in the Measles Initiative, the Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative are launching a major health campaign to provide life-saving interventions for Angolan children. The integrated campaign is targeting more than 3.5 million children with measles and polio vaccinations, vitamin A, de-worming medication, and, in seven provinces, long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLIN's). The campaign begins on July 12 in Luanda, with an official launch event on July 13 in Mbaza Congo.
This campaign is a follow-up to a previous measles campaign in 2003, which reached 96 percent of the targeted group. The current campaign demonstrates the importance of follow-up immunization activities in a country where only 64 percent of children receive routine measles immunizations. As a part of the Angolan government's Maternal and Child Health Mortality Reduction Program, the campaign will focus on vulnerable children, especially those in border regions where there has been a re-emergence of measles outbreaks.
"The number of reported measles cases declined dramatically after the successful 2003 campaign," says Angela Kearney, a representative of UNICEF Angola, "but routine coverage still requires strengthening in many provinces."
Drawing on the successful experience in 2003, additional life-saving health interventions will be integrated into the upcoming measles campaign. Approximately 800,000 insecticide treated nets will be distributed across seven provinces where malaria transmission rates are highest. Insecticide treated nets are proven to be one of the most effective methods for preventing malaria, a leading cause of death and disability for children in Angola. Children under age five will also receive polio vaccinations, vitamin A and de-worming medication.
The integrated campaign will be carried out with support from the Measles Initiative, a partnership formed to reduce measles deaths in sub-Saharan Africa that is led by the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Additional supporters in this campaign include: USAID, the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, the Global Fund, CORE, the governments of Japan and Norway, CIDA, Rotary International and DFID. ExxonMobil contributed financial resources and will provide approximately 70,000 LLIN's to protect children against malaria.
Since 2001, the Measles Initiative has vaccinated more than 213 million children in more than 40 African countries, saving approximately 1.2 million lives. Through the financial and technical support of the Measles Initiative and the commitment of African governments, measles deaths in Africa have fallen 60 percent between 1999 and 2004. This decline represents significant progress toward the overall goal of reducing measles deaths worldwide by 90 percent by 2010.
Background:
The Measles Initiative, launched in 2001, is a long-term commitment and partnership among leaders in public health and supports the goal of reducing measles deaths globally by 90 percent by 2010 compared to 2000. Measles Initiative partners include the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, CDC, WHO and UNICEF.
Largely due to the technical and financial support of the Measles Initiative and the commitment from African governments, more than 200 million children have been vaccinated against measles and an estimated 1.2 million lives have been saved since 2001. Building on this achievement, in 2005, the Initiative has expanded its technical and financial support to countries in Asia, where total measles deaths are highest outside of sub-Saharan Africa.
The Initiative will also continue to carry out integrated campaigns in which health workers provide not only measles vaccines, but also other interventions such as insecticide-treated nets for malaria prevention, vitamin A, de-worming medication and polio vaccines.
Since 2001, the Measles Initiative has mobilized more than $200 million and supported more than 40 African countries and three Asian countries to implement high-quality measles vaccination campaigns. As a result of these campaigns, as well as improvements in routine immunization activities, global measles deaths have dropped by 48 percent from 871,000 in 1999 to an estimated 454,000 in 2004. The largest reduction occurred in Africa, the region with the highest burden of disease, where estimated measles cases and deaths dropped by 60 percent.
Supporters of the Measles Initiative also include: the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI Alliance), The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Vodafone Group Foundation, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Japanese International Agency for Cooperation (JICA), Department for International Development of the United Kingdom (DFID), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Izumi Foundation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, and governments.
Measles is one of the leading vaccine-preventable childhood killers in the world. In 2004, it was estimated that there were 454,000 measles deaths globally - this translates to more than 1,200 deaths every day or 50 every hour. The overwhelming majority of these deaths, that is 410,000 out of 454,000, are children under the age of five.
A safe and highly effective vaccine has been available for more than 40 years and costs less than US $1, making measles vaccinations one of the most cost-effective public health interventions available for preventing deaths. Despite this, millions of children remain at risk.
For more information about the Measles Initiative, log on to measlesinitiative. To make a financial contribution, call 1-800 RED CROSS or to make a secure online donation, log on to measlesinitiative.
American Red Cross
National Headquarters
2025 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
redcross
вторник, 28 июня 2011 г.
суббота, 25 июня 2011 г.
WFP Expanding Food Distributions to Pakistan Earthquake Survivors
The United Nations World Food Programme today
began expanding its food distributions to mountain villages near the
epicentre of last Saturday's earthquake. Operations are hampered, however,
by severe damage to roads and landslides, with many areas still accessible
only by air.
Trucks loaded with high energy biscuits fanned out in several different
directions from Muzaffarabad in an effort to reach as many people as
possible in villages that have received little or no assistance since the
earthquake struck. Some 25,000 people are feared dead and hundreds of
thousand have been left homeless and destitute.
"We headed south, but after 10 km, the road had gone ? the tarmac was
buckled like a staircase. We got a message through to the villagers and
they came down on foot to collect the food," said Mia Turner, a WFP staff
member travelling with the convoy. "We are going to have to use helicopters
reach most of the people out there."
WFP will be using a fleet of 14 helicopters to support the relief operation
- six more than originally planned. Four are already in the country and
have started airlifting food to earthquake victims in and around the town
of Manshera, some 30 km west of Muzaffarabad. Two heavy-lift helicopters
are now on their way to Pakistan from Malaysia, aboard a giant Antonov-124
cargo plane. They are due to arrive this evening. Four more are due next
week.
Apart from the damage to roads, access is further complicated by the sheer
weight of traffic on those that remain open, causing jams and tailbacks
several kilometres long. WFP is also concerned that falling temperatures in
the mountains will present a serious problem for the hundreds of thousands
of people still without shelter.
"Even the people we have been able to reach have little more than a sheet
of plastic to protect themselves against the elements. Temperatures at
night are plummeting and there are now forecasts of snow," Turner said.
Forty light trucks diverted from WFP's Afghanistan operation to help the
relief effort have been loaded with tents and blankets and are expected to
reach the earthquake zone within the next two days. Other aid agencies and
the Pakistan army have also been putting up tents and some are distributing
food.
WFP trucks carrying food are being dispatched every day from Islamabad to
Muzaffarabad and the surrounding area, a journey taking a minimum of 12
hours. To ensure a continuing supply of biscuits ? vital at this early
stage of relief, when people still lack the means to prepare food ? WFP is
sending another plane carrying medical supplies and biscuits from its
humanitarian depot in Brindisi tomorrow. This is in addition to a flight by
an Airbus of the global express, logistics and mail company, TNT, the same
day, carrying 32 tons of BP5 high energy biscuits, donated by Norway.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: each year, we give food to
an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs,
including 61 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's poorest
countries. WFP -- We Feed 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
Video footage available : Contact Jonathan Dumont, WFP/Rome,
Tel
+39-06-6513-3152, Mob. +39-340-224-9140
For more information please contact (email address:
firstname.lastnamewfp):
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
Gregory Barrow, WFP/London, Tel. +44-20-75929292, Mob. +44-7968-008474
Amjad Jamal, WFP/Islamabad, Tel +92-51-111937937, Mob. +92-300-8500989
Mia Turner, WFP/Muzaffarabad, Tel +92-300-8552864, Thuraya
+882-1654-200-356
Casey Kauffman, WFPcameraman/Muzaffarabad, Tel +39-348-6099466, Thuraya
+882-165-420-7027
Robin Lodge, WFP/Rome, Tel +39-06-6513-3201, Mob. +39-340-866-2992
wfp
began expanding its food distributions to mountain villages near the
epicentre of last Saturday's earthquake. Operations are hampered, however,
by severe damage to roads and landslides, with many areas still accessible
only by air.
Trucks loaded with high energy biscuits fanned out in several different
directions from Muzaffarabad in an effort to reach as many people as
possible in villages that have received little or no assistance since the
earthquake struck. Some 25,000 people are feared dead and hundreds of
thousand have been left homeless and destitute.
"We headed south, but after 10 km, the road had gone ? the tarmac was
buckled like a staircase. We got a message through to the villagers and
they came down on foot to collect the food," said Mia Turner, a WFP staff
member travelling with the convoy. "We are going to have to use helicopters
reach most of the people out there."
WFP will be using a fleet of 14 helicopters to support the relief operation
- six more than originally planned. Four are already in the country and
have started airlifting food to earthquake victims in and around the town
of Manshera, some 30 km west of Muzaffarabad. Two heavy-lift helicopters
are now on their way to Pakistan from Malaysia, aboard a giant Antonov-124
cargo plane. They are due to arrive this evening. Four more are due next
week.
Apart from the damage to roads, access is further complicated by the sheer
weight of traffic on those that remain open, causing jams and tailbacks
several kilometres long. WFP is also concerned that falling temperatures in
the mountains will present a serious problem for the hundreds of thousands
of people still without shelter.
"Even the people we have been able to reach have little more than a sheet
of plastic to protect themselves against the elements. Temperatures at
night are plummeting and there are now forecasts of snow," Turner said.
Forty light trucks diverted from WFP's Afghanistan operation to help the
relief effort have been loaded with tents and blankets and are expected to
reach the earthquake zone within the next two days. Other aid agencies and
the Pakistan army have also been putting up tents and some are distributing
food.
WFP trucks carrying food are being dispatched every day from Islamabad to
Muzaffarabad and the surrounding area, a journey taking a minimum of 12
hours. To ensure a continuing supply of biscuits ? vital at this early
stage of relief, when people still lack the means to prepare food ? WFP is
sending another plane carrying medical supplies and biscuits from its
humanitarian depot in Brindisi tomorrow. This is in addition to a flight by
an Airbus of the global express, logistics and mail company, TNT, the same
day, carrying 32 tons of BP5 high energy biscuits, donated by Norway.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: each year, we give food to
an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs,
including 61 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's poorest
countries. WFP -- We Feed 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
Video footage available : Contact Jonathan Dumont, WFP/Rome,
Tel
+39-06-6513-3152, Mob. +39-340-224-9140
For more information please contact (email address:
firstname.lastnamewfp):
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
Gregory Barrow, WFP/London, Tel. +44-20-75929292, Mob. +44-7968-008474
Amjad Jamal, WFP/Islamabad, Tel +92-51-111937937, Mob. +92-300-8500989
Mia Turner, WFP/Muzaffarabad, Tel +92-300-8552864, Thuraya
+882-1654-200-356
Casey Kauffman, WFPcameraman/Muzaffarabad, Tel +39-348-6099466, Thuraya
+882-165-420-7027
Robin Lodge, WFP/Rome, Tel +39-06-6513-3201, Mob. +39-340-866-2992
wfp
среда, 22 июня 2011 г.
Escalating Violence And Shortage Of Health Workers Threatens Health In Iraq
Escalating violence and widespread insecurity, combined with a worsening shortage of health workers, are putting severe pressure on the health of the Iraqi population. This pressure increases as people move within the country and into neighbouring countries in search of safer places to live.
more were seriously injured by gunshots, shrapnel wounds and burns. As the violence continues, these emergency needs are increasing the load on a public health system that is already stretched thin, and people are dying as a result. The government estimates that almost 70% of critically injured patients with violence-related wounds die while in emergency and intensive care units due to a shortage of competent staff and a lack of drugs and equipment.
WHO is concerned that health services within and outside Iraq will not be able to cope with the influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, as people continue to leave their homes and move within and out of the country. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 2 million Iraqis are IDPs and as many as 2 million more have already left the country for neighbouring countries, in particular Syria and Jordan. These figures are expected to rise. WHO is concerned by the deteriorating condition of health care in Iraq and the increasing burden placed on host communities as they serve more and more people within and outside Iraq.
WHO will highlight these concerns at the UNHCR international conference "Addressing the Humanitarian Needs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Inside Iraq and Neighbouring Countries", which is being held from 17 to 18 April 2007 in Geneva.
Shortage of basic services
The health situation for the general population is poor, with a shortage of basic services: 80% of people lack effective sanitation, 70% lack access to regular clean water, and only 60% have access to the public food distribution system. Diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections, worsened by increased levels of malnutrition, account for about two thirds of deaths among children under five. The chronic child malnutrition rate is estimated at 21%, according to the findings of the 2006 UNICEF Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS3).
In addition, public health gains during the last few years could be lost if the current situation is not urgently addressed. Currently, Iraq is polio free for the sixth consecutive year, but routine immunization coverage remains low, increasing the risk of the importation of polio or of other disease outbreaks. Some positive achievements in the surveillance of communicable diseases could be lost quickly if these efforts are not maintained.
Access to health care in central Iraq and in Baghdad is heavily restricted by security threats, putting the injured at risk, as well as those who need treatment for chronic ailments, or services for pregnant women, children and the elderly. Health centres are suffering from reduced staff and unreliable supplies despite the efforts of the national and international partners. The daily violence coupled with difficult living and working conditions are pushing hundreds of qualified and experienced health staff to leave the country.
WHO's health priorities for Iraq are to assist the authorities to prevent and contain potential disease outbreaks, cope with the burden of injuries through emergency medical services, improve access to essential services, and ensure the availability of basic supplies like medicines, medical supplies and equipment, potable water, and power and fuel for health facilities.
WHO is active in Iraq to assist national health authorities and civil society organizations in restoring basic public health services and in strengthening emergency services in hospitals The pre-positioning of medicines, medical and emergency supplies at appropriate locations is also key.
"WHO will continue to support Iraq and help the countries in the region strengthen their existing health services to meet people's needs," said Dr Hussein Gezairy, Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of WHO.
WHO is present in Iraq with a team of 77 country officers at national and provincial levels, backed by WHO international technical teams. One of their main tasks is to support the Ministry of Health to sustain national surveillance and early warning system and immunization campaigns.
who.int
more were seriously injured by gunshots, shrapnel wounds and burns. As the violence continues, these emergency needs are increasing the load on a public health system that is already stretched thin, and people are dying as a result. The government estimates that almost 70% of critically injured patients with violence-related wounds die while in emergency and intensive care units due to a shortage of competent staff and a lack of drugs and equipment.
WHO is concerned that health services within and outside Iraq will not be able to cope with the influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, as people continue to leave their homes and move within and out of the country. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 2 million Iraqis are IDPs and as many as 2 million more have already left the country for neighbouring countries, in particular Syria and Jordan. These figures are expected to rise. WHO is concerned by the deteriorating condition of health care in Iraq and the increasing burden placed on host communities as they serve more and more people within and outside Iraq.
WHO will highlight these concerns at the UNHCR international conference "Addressing the Humanitarian Needs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Inside Iraq and Neighbouring Countries", which is being held from 17 to 18 April 2007 in Geneva.
Shortage of basic services
The health situation for the general population is poor, with a shortage of basic services: 80% of people lack effective sanitation, 70% lack access to regular clean water, and only 60% have access to the public food distribution system. Diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections, worsened by increased levels of malnutrition, account for about two thirds of deaths among children under five. The chronic child malnutrition rate is estimated at 21%, according to the findings of the 2006 UNICEF Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS3).
In addition, public health gains during the last few years could be lost if the current situation is not urgently addressed. Currently, Iraq is polio free for the sixth consecutive year, but routine immunization coverage remains low, increasing the risk of the importation of polio or of other disease outbreaks. Some positive achievements in the surveillance of communicable diseases could be lost quickly if these efforts are not maintained.
Access to health care in central Iraq and in Baghdad is heavily restricted by security threats, putting the injured at risk, as well as those who need treatment for chronic ailments, or services for pregnant women, children and the elderly. Health centres are suffering from reduced staff and unreliable supplies despite the efforts of the national and international partners. The daily violence coupled with difficult living and working conditions are pushing hundreds of qualified and experienced health staff to leave the country.
WHO's health priorities for Iraq are to assist the authorities to prevent and contain potential disease outbreaks, cope with the burden of injuries through emergency medical services, improve access to essential services, and ensure the availability of basic supplies like medicines, medical supplies and equipment, potable water, and power and fuel for health facilities.
WHO is active in Iraq to assist national health authorities and civil society organizations in restoring basic public health services and in strengthening emergency services in hospitals The pre-positioning of medicines, medical and emergency supplies at appropriate locations is also key.
"WHO will continue to support Iraq and help the countries in the region strengthen their existing health services to meet people's needs," said Dr Hussein Gezairy, Regional Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of WHO.
WHO is present in Iraq with a team of 77 country officers at national and provincial levels, backed by WHO international technical teams. One of their main tasks is to support the Ministry of Health to sustain national surveillance and early warning system and immunization campaigns.
who.int
воскресенье, 19 июня 2011 г.
GOP Reps. Object To Kenya Constitution Over Abortion Provisions
As Kenyans prepare for a referendum on a draft constitution, three Republican U.S. House members have accused the U.S. Embassy in Kenya of violating the "little-known" Siljander Amendment, which bans federal foreign aid for abortion-related lobbying, the New York Times reports.
The draft constitution preserves Kenya's existing abortion ban and outlines exceptions if "in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law."
The lawmakers -- Reps. Darrell Issa (Calif.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) and Christopher Smith (N.J.) -- claim that embassy officials have urged Kenyan voters to approve the draft. In a May 6 letter to State Department, Government Accountability Office and U.S. Agency for International Development officials, the lawmakers wrote that the draft would "enshrine a new constitutional right to abortion" and "dramatically change Kenya's abortion law."
The U.S. embassy maintains that it has not explicitly advocated for approval of the constitution, though public statements by U.S. Ambassador Michael Rannenberger "leave little doubt" that he would like the document ratified, according to the Times. Rannenberger said in April, "The government of the United States welcomes Parliament's overwhelming approval of Kenya's harmonized draft constitution," adding, "Unity in support of the draft will bring the Kenyan people together."
The draft's abortion provisions have prompted U.S. groups on both sides of the abortion debate to send representatives to Kenya. Under Kenya's current ban, thousands of women die each year from clandestine abortion procedures, abortion-rights advocates say. Abortion-rights supporters also oppose a clause that says, "The life of a person begins at conception," while abortion-rights opponents claim that the constitution would allow "abortion on demand" (Gettleman, New York Times, 5/14)GOP Reps. Object To Kenya Constitution Over Abortion Provisions
May 17, 2010 — As Kenyans prepare for a referendum on a draft constitution, three Republican U.S. House members have accused the U.S. Embassy in Kenya of violating the "little-known" Siljander Amendment, which bans federal foreign aid for abortion-related lobbying, the New York Times reports.
The draft constitution preserves Kenya's existing abortion ban and outlines exceptions if "in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law."
The lawmakers -- Reps. Darrell Issa (Calif.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) and Christopher Smith (N.J.) -- claim that embassy officials have urged Kenyan voters to approve the draft. In a May 6 letter to State Department, Government Accountability Office and U.S. Agency for International Development officials, the lawmakers wrote that the draft would "enshrine a new constitutional right to abortion" and "dramatically change Kenya's abortion law."
The U.S. embassy maintains that it has not explicitly advocated for approval of the constitution, though public statements by U.S. Ambassador Michael Rannenberger "leave little doubt" that he would like the document ratified, according to the Times. Rannenberger said in April, "The government of the United States welcomes Parliament's overwhelming approval of Kenya's harmonized draft constitution," adding, "Unity in support of the draft will bring the Kenyan people together."
The draft's abortion provisions have prompted U.S. groups on both sides of the abortion debate to send representatives to Kenya. Under Kenya's current ban, thousands of women die each year from clandestine abortion procedures, abortion-rights advocates say. Abortion-rights supporters also oppose a clause that says, "The life of a person begins at conception," while abortion-rights opponents claim that the constitution would allow "abortion on demand" (Gettleman, New York Times, 5/14).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2010 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
Serious Hearing Loss, Balance Issues Among Sacrifices Soldiers Make For Our Nation
This Memorial Day, the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) will pause to remember the price our military pays for protecting our freedoms even when it does not cost their lives.
Gunfire can have a profound impact on soldiers' hearing, and the long-term effects carry over to their post-military lives. A recent study published earlier this year in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery found soldiers are at substantial risk of hearing loss due to the "impulse noise" associated with gunfire, often leading to acoustic trauma in 10 to 15 percent of soldiers returning from active military duty (Olszewski, et al, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2007, Vol. 136, Number 1).
The study recommends better hearing protection for military professionals who may be exposed to gunshots and similar noise. Additionally, otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons are actively working to help soldiers with balance issues related to explosions and gunfire, as well as repairing facial fractures and wounds to the head and neck.
"We must continue to understand the long-term impact of active military duty on our military personnel," said AAO-HNS Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, David R. Nielsen, MD. "Long-term hearing loss is a major concern, and severely impacts our soldiers' abilities to transition back to civilian life. Likewise, injuries to the face, head, and neck are serious issues our physicians and surgeons are working hard to correct. We must continue to research how we can support and protect them as they serve our nation, while preserving their quality of life when they leave active duty."
The military also offers an opportunity for building professional maturity among many of the Academy's finest otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons.
"We are fortunate that many of our members learned the value of otolaryngology while serving in the military," Nielsen said. "Our nation's military hospitals are among the finest when it comes to providing care for military and civilian patients, and on this Memorial Day, we say to them 'Thank you for your efforts.'"
About the AAO-HNS
The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (entnet), one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents more than 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's mission: "Working for the Best Ear, Nose, and Throat Care."
American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS)
One Prince St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
United States
entnet
Gunfire can have a profound impact on soldiers' hearing, and the long-term effects carry over to their post-military lives. A recent study published earlier this year in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery found soldiers are at substantial risk of hearing loss due to the "impulse noise" associated with gunfire, often leading to acoustic trauma in 10 to 15 percent of soldiers returning from active military duty (Olszewski, et al, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2007, Vol. 136, Number 1).
The study recommends better hearing protection for military professionals who may be exposed to gunshots and similar noise. Additionally, otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons are actively working to help soldiers with balance issues related to explosions and gunfire, as well as repairing facial fractures and wounds to the head and neck.
"We must continue to understand the long-term impact of active military duty on our military personnel," said AAO-HNS Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, David R. Nielsen, MD. "Long-term hearing loss is a major concern, and severely impacts our soldiers' abilities to transition back to civilian life. Likewise, injuries to the face, head, and neck are serious issues our physicians and surgeons are working hard to correct. We must continue to research how we can support and protect them as they serve our nation, while preserving their quality of life when they leave active duty."
The military also offers an opportunity for building professional maturity among many of the Academy's finest otolaryngologists and head and neck surgeons.
"We are fortunate that many of our members learned the value of otolaryngology while serving in the military," Nielsen said. "Our nation's military hospitals are among the finest when it comes to providing care for military and civilian patients, and on this Memorial Day, we say to them 'Thank you for your efforts.'"
About the AAO-HNS
The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (entnet), one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents more than 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's mission: "Working for the Best Ear, Nose, and Throat Care."
American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS)
One Prince St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
United States
entnet
суббота, 18 июня 2011 г.
WHO And UN Need To Change The Way They Work To Address Africa's Problems
Moving from small-scale success to sustainable health improvements in Africa will require effective cooperation between the UN's many agencies and other multilateral institutions, states an Editorial in The Lancet.
The UN health agency - the World Health Organization (WHO) - has released its long overdue African Regional Health Report. The document is a disappointing effort and one that reveals WHO's weaknesses rather than its strengths, states the Editorial. The report suffers from being light on facts and heavy on well-rehearsed rhetoric. Much is lifted from past WHO World Health Reports and supplemented by data from other institutions. There are some useful anecdotes, for example one on Rwanda's success in reducing road traffic accidents, but these are not enough to create a strategy for Africa's renaissance, states the Editorial.
The document follows on from a report delivered to the outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan last week by the High-Level Panel on UN System Wide Coherence. Entitled Delivering as one the report describes the UN as struggling to cope with unpredictable funding streams, bad governance, and out-of-date business practices. The report suggest a 'one UN' policy as a solution. There would be one presence at country level, with one leader, one budget, and possibly one office.
The Lancet comments: "Margaret Chan has said her term as WHO Director- General should be measured by its impact on the health of Africa. But to address the real causes of Africa's problems the two new multilateral incumbents 'both Chan and UN Secretary-General elect Ban Ki-moon' must change the way these organisations do business, and quickly."
Contact: Joe Santangelo
Lancet
The UN health agency - the World Health Organization (WHO) - has released its long overdue African Regional Health Report. The document is a disappointing effort and one that reveals WHO's weaknesses rather than its strengths, states the Editorial. The report suffers from being light on facts and heavy on well-rehearsed rhetoric. Much is lifted from past WHO World Health Reports and supplemented by data from other institutions. There are some useful anecdotes, for example one on Rwanda's success in reducing road traffic accidents, but these are not enough to create a strategy for Africa's renaissance, states the Editorial.
The document follows on from a report delivered to the outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan last week by the High-Level Panel on UN System Wide Coherence. Entitled Delivering as one the report describes the UN as struggling to cope with unpredictable funding streams, bad governance, and out-of-date business practices. The report suggest a 'one UN' policy as a solution. There would be one presence at country level, with one leader, one budget, and possibly one office.
The Lancet comments: "Margaret Chan has said her term as WHO Director- General should be measured by its impact on the health of Africa. But to address the real causes of Africa's problems the two new multilateral incumbents 'both Chan and UN Secretary-General elect Ban Ki-moon' must change the way these organisations do business, and quickly."
Contact: Joe Santangelo
Lancet
пятница, 17 июня 2011 г.
As Summer Approaches, Red Cross Blood Supplies Reach Dangerous Levels
Blood supplies in
southeastern Michigan have been depleted due to emergency needs and low
donor turnout. The American Red Cross is issuing a call to action to
everyone who can, to donate blood.
As of this morning, the Southeastern Michigan Blood Service Region of
the American Red Cross had no units of Type O-negative -- the universal
blood type -- on its shelves. Type B-negative was below a one-day supply.
Shortages of Type O-negative can be serious since hospitals may use it
in most emergency trauma cases when there is not enough time to determine a
patient's blood type. Shortages of Type B-negative compound the situation
since people with Type B-negative can only receive blood from Type
O-negative or Type B-negative donors. The shortage of these two blood
types, according to Red Cross officials, has been the norm for the past
year or more, and individuals with these blood types make up just nine
percent of the general population.
"Donations of Type O-negative and Type B-negative blood are the most
crucial, but we are calling on all eligible donors -- regardless of blood
type -- to help ensure that blood is available when needed. Other blood
types are at dangerously low levels as well," says Diane Ward, CEO of the
American Red Cross Southeastern Michigan Blood Services Region.
Traditionally, the Red Cross sees a drop in donations during the summer
months due to vacations and other activities. However, the need for blood
grows because of increased highway accidents and other hospital
emergencies.
"The Red Cross is encouraging new and previous blood donors to join the
battle against summer blood shortages," Ward adds. "Make a date to give
blood once, or even twice, between June and September. Each time you give,
you can help save up to three lives."
American Red Cross
redcross
southeastern Michigan have been depleted due to emergency needs and low
donor turnout. The American Red Cross is issuing a call to action to
everyone who can, to donate blood.
As of this morning, the Southeastern Michigan Blood Service Region of
the American Red Cross had no units of Type O-negative -- the universal
blood type -- on its shelves. Type B-negative was below a one-day supply.
Shortages of Type O-negative can be serious since hospitals may use it
in most emergency trauma cases when there is not enough time to determine a
patient's blood type. Shortages of Type B-negative compound the situation
since people with Type B-negative can only receive blood from Type
O-negative or Type B-negative donors. The shortage of these two blood
types, according to Red Cross officials, has been the norm for the past
year or more, and individuals with these blood types make up just nine
percent of the general population.
"Donations of Type O-negative and Type B-negative blood are the most
crucial, but we are calling on all eligible donors -- regardless of blood
type -- to help ensure that blood is available when needed. Other blood
types are at dangerously low levels as well," says Diane Ward, CEO of the
American Red Cross Southeastern Michigan Blood Services Region.
Traditionally, the Red Cross sees a drop in donations during the summer
months due to vacations and other activities. However, the need for blood
grows because of increased highway accidents and other hospital
emergencies.
"The Red Cross is encouraging new and previous blood donors to join the
battle against summer blood shortages," Ward adds. "Make a date to give
blood once, or even twice, between June and September. Each time you give,
you can help save up to three lives."
American Red Cross
redcross
четверг, 16 июня 2011 г.
Disaster Medicine Ethical Guidelines Needed For US Health-care Professionals
A new invited article in the August 2008 edition of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery calls on the U.S. medical community to develop a national consensus on ethical guidelines for physicians who care for patients, victims, and casualties of disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or terrorist attacks.
The article, authored by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery's Ethics Committee Chair, G. Richard Holt, MD, MSE, MABE, MPH, calls for the establishment of a virtue-based, yet practical and ethical approach to medical care under extreme conditions. It also calls for the establishment of medical school curricula that will train our nation's future physicians for disaster response.
Dr. Holt discusses the problems associated with disaster medicine, citing the unique needs and environments created by not only the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, but also the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the devastation the storm caused in New Orleans and the Southeast United States. According to Dr. Holt, the situation requires discussion ahead of time so healthcare workers are aware of the challenges they may face, as well as their responsibilities during a disaster event.
This call-to-action is especially timely as the U.S. faces another brutal hurricane season. Hurricane Dolly alone has affected hundreds in eastern New Mexico, with residents facing serious health threats from rising flood waters, contaminated water supplies, and power outages.
Dr. Holt also argues that educating physicians on these issues as part of standard medical school training will give them exposure to disaster-unique practices such as casualty triage and prioritization, as well as altered standards of care, and the moral and ethical responsibilities of physicians to care for disaster victims.
"Making difficult ethical decisions in patient care during natural disasters and other mass casualty events"
G. Richard Holt
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - August 2008 Vol. 139, Issue 2, Pages 181-186
DOI: 10.1016/j.otohns.2008.04.027
Click here to view abstract online
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery is the official scientific journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). The article's author, Dr. G. Richard Holt, is chair of AAO-HNS' ethics committee. Dr. Holt is a professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
About the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents nearly 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's mission: "Working for the Best Ear, Nose, and Throat Care."
entnet
Source - Matt Daigle
American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
The article, authored by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery's Ethics Committee Chair, G. Richard Holt, MD, MSE, MABE, MPH, calls for the establishment of a virtue-based, yet practical and ethical approach to medical care under extreme conditions. It also calls for the establishment of medical school curricula that will train our nation's future physicians for disaster response.
Dr. Holt discusses the problems associated with disaster medicine, citing the unique needs and environments created by not only the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, but also the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and the devastation the storm caused in New Orleans and the Southeast United States. According to Dr. Holt, the situation requires discussion ahead of time so healthcare workers are aware of the challenges they may face, as well as their responsibilities during a disaster event.
This call-to-action is especially timely as the U.S. faces another brutal hurricane season. Hurricane Dolly alone has affected hundreds in eastern New Mexico, with residents facing serious health threats from rising flood waters, contaminated water supplies, and power outages.
Dr. Holt also argues that educating physicians on these issues as part of standard medical school training will give them exposure to disaster-unique practices such as casualty triage and prioritization, as well as altered standards of care, and the moral and ethical responsibilities of physicians to care for disaster victims.
"Making difficult ethical decisions in patient care during natural disasters and other mass casualty events"
G. Richard Holt
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery - August 2008 Vol. 139, Issue 2, Pages 181-186
DOI: 10.1016/j.otohns.2008.04.027
Click here to view abstract online
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery is the official scientific journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). The article's author, Dr. G. Richard Holt, is chair of AAO-HNS' ethics committee. Dr. Holt is a professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
About the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, one of the oldest medical associations in the nation, represents nearly 12,000 physicians and allied health professionals who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. The Academy serves its members by facilitating the advancement of the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and by representing the specialty in governmental and socioeconomic issues. The organization's mission: "Working for the Best Ear, Nose, and Throat Care."
entnet
Source - Matt Daigle
American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery
Haiti Six Months After The Quake: Risks, Support And Opportunities Impact The Lives Of Children In Haiti
Six months after the strongest earthquake to hit Haiti in 200 years, the challenges to meet the needs of more than 800,000 affected children and their families remain daunting.
View report: Children of Haiti: Milestones and looking forward at six months
The earthquake left behind a death toll of over 220,000 persons and over 300,000 injured in an already fragile nation. Some two million persons have been displaced from their homes and some 1.6 million of them remain in overcrowded displacement camps. The country's infrastructure, never strong, was devastated with 60 per cent of government infrastructure destroyed and over 180,000 homes uninhabitable.
The earthquake in Haiti was a disaster for children and it isn't over yet," said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director. "UNICEF and its partners are working hard every day to save lives and help children claim their future."
Today, safe water is being provided to some 1.2 million people through our partnership with other aid organizations and UNICEF is directly providing water to 330,000. More than 275,000 children have been immunized against major vaccine preventable diseases. Nutrition programmes are providing food to some 550,000 people with special needs -- children under five and lactating women - and some 2000 children with severe acute malnutrition are now receiving life-saving therapeutic feeding and care. 500,000 children in total have received basic education materials, 185,000 children from UNICEF's own programmes. And special training has been provided to some 2,300 teachers and 3,000 education personnel.
The education sector was hard hit by this disaster, with 3,978 schools damaged or destroyed -- 80 per cent of all schools in the earthquake zone. This has compounded an already fragile situation where less than half of school-aged children were attending school before the earthquake.
Three months ago, the Government with the support of UNICEF took up the challenge of getting all Haiti's children into school. Temporary schools have been slowly restoring structure and stability to the lives of earthquake affected children and also providing a locus for other health and protection initiatives. The focus now is to expand access to learning opportunities for all children, particularly the hardest to reach, across the nation.
Accelerating site clearance, identifying solutions for relocation of displaced families occupying school grounds and speeding up school construction to ensure space is available before the next school year are both challenges and priorities for UNICEF and its partners. UNICEF is also working with the Government to alleviate the burden of school fees in a context where ninety per cent of schools are fee-based and not public.
Details of UNICEF's assessment of conditions in Haiti and its activities since the earthquake are contained in a report, titled Children of Haiti: Milestones and looking forward at six months, launched in Geneva today.
Source:
UNICEF
View report: Children of Haiti: Milestones and looking forward at six months
The earthquake left behind a death toll of over 220,000 persons and over 300,000 injured in an already fragile nation. Some two million persons have been displaced from their homes and some 1.6 million of them remain in overcrowded displacement camps. The country's infrastructure, never strong, was devastated with 60 per cent of government infrastructure destroyed and over 180,000 homes uninhabitable.
The earthquake in Haiti was a disaster for children and it isn't over yet," said Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director. "UNICEF and its partners are working hard every day to save lives and help children claim their future."
Today, safe water is being provided to some 1.2 million people through our partnership with other aid organizations and UNICEF is directly providing water to 330,000. More than 275,000 children have been immunized against major vaccine preventable diseases. Nutrition programmes are providing food to some 550,000 people with special needs -- children under five and lactating women - and some 2000 children with severe acute malnutrition are now receiving life-saving therapeutic feeding and care. 500,000 children in total have received basic education materials, 185,000 children from UNICEF's own programmes. And special training has been provided to some 2,300 teachers and 3,000 education personnel.
The education sector was hard hit by this disaster, with 3,978 schools damaged or destroyed -- 80 per cent of all schools in the earthquake zone. This has compounded an already fragile situation where less than half of school-aged children were attending school before the earthquake.
Three months ago, the Government with the support of UNICEF took up the challenge of getting all Haiti's children into school. Temporary schools have been slowly restoring structure and stability to the lives of earthquake affected children and also providing a locus for other health and protection initiatives. The focus now is to expand access to learning opportunities for all children, particularly the hardest to reach, across the nation.
Accelerating site clearance, identifying solutions for relocation of displaced families occupying school grounds and speeding up school construction to ensure space is available before the next school year are both challenges and priorities for UNICEF and its partners. UNICEF is also working with the Government to alleviate the burden of school fees in a context where ninety per cent of schools are fee-based and not public.
Details of UNICEF's assessment of conditions in Haiti and its activities since the earthquake are contained in a report, titled Children of Haiti: Milestones and looking forward at six months, launched in Geneva today.
Source:
UNICEF
среда, 15 июня 2011 г.
Katrina's Lasting Impact
New Orleans residents who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina were over five times more likely to experience serious psychological distress a year after the disaster than those who did not.
That is one of the findings from a study presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America in New Orleans.
The study, conducted by University of Michigan researcher Narayan Sastry and Tulane University's Mark VanLandingham, examines the mental health status of pre-Katrina residents of the City of New Orleans in the fall of 2006---one year after the hurricane. It also describes and analyzes disparities in mental health by race, education and income.
Based on a pilot survey that drew a stratified, area-based probability sample of pre-Katrina dwellings in the city, the study is one of the first to provide data representative of the pre-hurricane population. It was designed by the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization.
A total of 144 individuals participated in the pilot study, including many who moved away from the area after the disaster and had not returned a year later. More than half the study participants were black, nearly two-thirds had a high school diploma or less education, and nearly 60 percent were unmarried. Nearly three-fourths were employed in the month before the hurricane hit.
According to Sastry, who is affiliated with RAND and with the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), about 60 percent of study participants had no psychological distress at the time of the interview, while about 20 percent had mild-to-moderate mental illness and another 20 percent had serious mental illness.
To assess mental illness, respondents were asked a series of questions from a widely used measure of general psychological distress. How often during the past 30 days, they were asked, did you feel nervous, hopeless, restless or fidgety, depressed, that everything was an effort, and worthless"
Blacks reported substantially higher rates of serious psychological distress than whites, Sastry and Van Landingham reported. Almost one-third of blacks were found to have a high degree of distress, compared to just six percent of whites. Those with higher incomes and more education were much less likely to experience serious psychological distress, and those born in Louisiana were much more likely to have serious distress.
The researchers also examined how the extent of housing damage was related to psychological distress a year after the disaster. They found that those who lost their homes were five times more likely than those who did not to have serious psychological distress. In all, about 66 percent of the respondents reported that their homes were badly damaged or unlivable.
"Our findings suggest that severe damage to one's home is a particularly important factor behind socioeconomic disparities in psychological distress, and possibly behind the levels of psychological distress," Sastry said. "These effects may be partly economic, because, for most families who own their home, home equity is the largest element of household wealth.
"Apart from the financial losses, severely damaged or destroyed housing may prevent people who want to return to New Orleans from doing so because they lack a place to live. This affects their social ties, their employment, and many other factors.
"The magnitude and permanence of a housing loss suggests that for many people, the psychological consequences of this experience could be profound and lasting."
Sastry and VanLandingham emphasize that these findings are preliminary, and that a larger study is now being planned.
The RAND Gulf States Policy Institute (RGSPI) is a project of RAND's Labor and Population research unit, and designed the study described above. RGSPI was created in 2005 to provide a long-term capacity to develop informed public policy in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The creation of RGSPI reflects a long-term commitment by the RAND corporation to work to find the most effective solutions to the long-term challenges facing the region.
Established in 1948, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) is among the world's oldest academic survey research organizations, and a world leader in the development and application of social science methodology. ISR conducts some of the most widely-cited studies in the nation, including the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, the American National Election Studies, the Monitoring the Future Study, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the Health and Retirement Study, and the National Survey of Black Americans. ISR researchers also collaborate with social scientists in more than 60 nations on the World Values Surveys and other projects, and the Institute has established formal ties with universities in Poland, China and South Africa. ISR is also home to the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the world's largest computerized social science data archive. Visit the ISR web site at isr.umich/ for more information.
Source: Diane Swanbrow
University of Michigan
That is one of the findings from a study presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America in New Orleans.
The study, conducted by University of Michigan researcher Narayan Sastry and Tulane University's Mark VanLandingham, examines the mental health status of pre-Katrina residents of the City of New Orleans in the fall of 2006---one year after the hurricane. It also describes and analyzes disparities in mental health by race, education and income.
Based on a pilot survey that drew a stratified, area-based probability sample of pre-Katrina dwellings in the city, the study is one of the first to provide data representative of the pre-hurricane population. It was designed by the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization.
A total of 144 individuals participated in the pilot study, including many who moved away from the area after the disaster and had not returned a year later. More than half the study participants were black, nearly two-thirds had a high school diploma or less education, and nearly 60 percent were unmarried. Nearly three-fourths were employed in the month before the hurricane hit.
According to Sastry, who is affiliated with RAND and with the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), about 60 percent of study participants had no psychological distress at the time of the interview, while about 20 percent had mild-to-moderate mental illness and another 20 percent had serious mental illness.
To assess mental illness, respondents were asked a series of questions from a widely used measure of general psychological distress. How often during the past 30 days, they were asked, did you feel nervous, hopeless, restless or fidgety, depressed, that everything was an effort, and worthless"
Blacks reported substantially higher rates of serious psychological distress than whites, Sastry and Van Landingham reported. Almost one-third of blacks were found to have a high degree of distress, compared to just six percent of whites. Those with higher incomes and more education were much less likely to experience serious psychological distress, and those born in Louisiana were much more likely to have serious distress.
The researchers also examined how the extent of housing damage was related to psychological distress a year after the disaster. They found that those who lost their homes were five times more likely than those who did not to have serious psychological distress. In all, about 66 percent of the respondents reported that their homes were badly damaged or unlivable.
"Our findings suggest that severe damage to one's home is a particularly important factor behind socioeconomic disparities in psychological distress, and possibly behind the levels of psychological distress," Sastry said. "These effects may be partly economic, because, for most families who own their home, home equity is the largest element of household wealth.
"Apart from the financial losses, severely damaged or destroyed housing may prevent people who want to return to New Orleans from doing so because they lack a place to live. This affects their social ties, their employment, and many other factors.
"The magnitude and permanence of a housing loss suggests that for many people, the psychological consequences of this experience could be profound and lasting."
Sastry and VanLandingham emphasize that these findings are preliminary, and that a larger study is now being planned.
The RAND Gulf States Policy Institute (RGSPI) is a project of RAND's Labor and Population research unit, and designed the study described above. RGSPI was created in 2005 to provide a long-term capacity to develop informed public policy in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The creation of RGSPI reflects a long-term commitment by the RAND corporation to work to find the most effective solutions to the long-term challenges facing the region.
Established in 1948, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) is among the world's oldest academic survey research organizations, and a world leader in the development and application of social science methodology. ISR conducts some of the most widely-cited studies in the nation, including the Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, the American National Election Studies, the Monitoring the Future Study, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the Health and Retirement Study, and the National Survey of Black Americans. ISR researchers also collaborate with social scientists in more than 60 nations on the World Values Surveys and other projects, and the Institute has established formal ties with universities in Poland, China and South Africa. ISR is also home to the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the world's largest computerized social science data archive. Visit the ISR web site at isr.umich/ for more information.
Source: Diane Swanbrow
University of Michigan
вторник, 14 июня 2011 г.
World Bank Approves $10M Grant To Rwanda For HIV/AIDS Efforts
The World Bank recently approved a $10 million grant for Rwanda to help the country's HIV/AIDS efforts, the New Times/AllAfrica reports. According to a World Bank release, the funding is in addition to an initial grant of $30.5 million, which was allocated two years ago. The new funding will "assist the government in consolidating the gains from the initial investments, focusing on interventions with the most significant impact with regard to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care," the statement said.
The $10 million grant will bolster prevention efforts aimed at target groups, support the expansion and integration of HIV/AIDS treatment and care, and ensure that such efforts are sustainable, the Times/AllAfrica reports. It also will help nongovernmental organizations fund school fees and launch projects aimed at generating income, such as microfinance initiatives. According to the Times/AllAfrica, these goals align with Rwanda's recently revised National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan (Majyambere, New Times/AllAfrica, 4/28).
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.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
The $10 million grant will bolster prevention efforts aimed at target groups, support the expansion and integration of HIV/AIDS treatment and care, and ensure that such efforts are sustainable, the Times/AllAfrica reports. It also will help nongovernmental organizations fund school fees and launch projects aimed at generating income, such as microfinance initiatives. According to the Times/AllAfrica, these goals align with Rwanda's recently revised National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan (Majyambere, New Times/AllAfrica, 4/28).
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.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
понедельник, 13 июня 2011 г.
WFP Steps Up Food Deliveries In Somalia; Warns Of Growing Piracy
The United Nations World Food Programme said a second round of
food distributions started today to 122,500 people either driven
from
Mogadishu or who had recently returned but warned that a new spate
of
piracy threatened to strangle WFP's main supply routes to Somalia.
"We are expanding our distributions to the displaced - many of whom
are
women and children - with this round of distributions, which means
WFP
should be reaching 80 percent of the 150,000 we plan to feed," said
Peter
Goossens, WFP Somalia Country Director in Nairobi.
"But just when we are reaching more people, incidents of piracy
against
ships off Somalia are again on the rise and are threatening to cut
the
fastest and most efficient way - by sea - to move large amounts of
food
assistance to the needy in Somalia during this crisis," he said.
"In the hope of enriching themselves, these pirates are very
cruelly
playing with the lives of the most vulnerable women and children who had
to
leave their homes because of fighting. We appeal to the Somali
authorities
to act to stop these pirates before they cause more misery both to
the
crews of hijacked ships and to the people who rely on WFP food for
their
survival," Goossens added.
Food distributions began on Friday to 30,000 displaced in Merka, south
of
Mogadishu. In the coming days, WFP food will also reach 25,000 people
in
Mogadishu, 13,000 in Baidoa to the northwest, 32,000 near Afgoye west
of
the capital, 13,500 in Brava and 9,000 in Qoryoley district southwest
of
the capital.
WFP in late April and early May distributed food to 114,000
displaced
people and returnees. The latest distributions to a total of 122,500
people
include 22,000 people who did not receive food in the last round. Some
of
those fed in early May only required a single two-week ration.
The United Nations estimates that between 300,000 and 400,000 people
fled
Mogadishu since 1 February. The International Committee of the Red
Cross
and the non-governmental organisation CARE are also feeding
substantial
numbers of the displaced from Mogadishu.
Pirates have hijacked at least five ships off Somalia this year,
including
two in the past week alone. Several unsuccessful attacks have also
been
recently reported. In 2005, a similar spate of piracy in Somali
waters,
including the hijacking of two WFP-chartered vessels, forced the agency
to
suspend all deliveries of food assistance by sea to Somalia for weeks.
v
In 2007, WFP plans to assist 1 million people across Somalia,
including
800,000 in the southern and central regions. Those in the south and
centre
include the 150,000 newly displaced by the recent fighting in
Mogadishu.
This effort is expected to cost an additional US$10 million.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: on average, each year, we
give food to 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs,
including 58 million hungry children, in 80 of the world's poorest
countries. WFP - We Feed People.
wfp
food distributions started today to 122,500 people either driven
from
Mogadishu or who had recently returned but warned that a new spate
of
piracy threatened to strangle WFP's main supply routes to Somalia.
"We are expanding our distributions to the displaced - many of whom
are
women and children - with this round of distributions, which means
WFP
should be reaching 80 percent of the 150,000 we plan to feed," said
Peter
Goossens, WFP Somalia Country Director in Nairobi.
"But just when we are reaching more people, incidents of piracy
against
ships off Somalia are again on the rise and are threatening to cut
the
fastest and most efficient way - by sea - to move large amounts of
food
assistance to the needy in Somalia during this crisis," he said.
"In the hope of enriching themselves, these pirates are very
cruelly
playing with the lives of the most vulnerable women and children who had
to
leave their homes because of fighting. We appeal to the Somali
authorities
to act to stop these pirates before they cause more misery both to
the
crews of hijacked ships and to the people who rely on WFP food for
their
survival," Goossens added.
Food distributions began on Friday to 30,000 displaced in Merka, south
of
Mogadishu. In the coming days, WFP food will also reach 25,000 people
in
Mogadishu, 13,000 in Baidoa to the northwest, 32,000 near Afgoye west
of
the capital, 13,500 in Brava and 9,000 in Qoryoley district southwest
of
the capital.
WFP in late April and early May distributed food to 114,000
displaced
people and returnees. The latest distributions to a total of 122,500
people
include 22,000 people who did not receive food in the last round. Some
of
those fed in early May only required a single two-week ration.
The United Nations estimates that between 300,000 and 400,000 people
fled
Mogadishu since 1 February. The International Committee of the Red
Cross
and the non-governmental organisation CARE are also feeding
substantial
numbers of the displaced from Mogadishu.
Pirates have hijacked at least five ships off Somalia this year,
including
two in the past week alone. Several unsuccessful attacks have also
been
recently reported. In 2005, a similar spate of piracy in Somali
waters,
including the hijacking of two WFP-chartered vessels, forced the agency
to
suspend all deliveries of food assistance by sea to Somalia for weeks.
v
In 2007, WFP plans to assist 1 million people across Somalia,
including
800,000 in the southern and central regions. Those in the south and
centre
include the 150,000 newly displaced by the recent fighting in
Mogadishu.
This effort is expected to cost an additional US$10 million.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: on average, each year, we
give food to 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs,
including 58 million hungry children, in 80 of the world's poorest
countries. WFP - We Feed People.
wfp
Loyola Pitches In To Give The Gift Of Warmth To The Needy This Winter
Forecasters are predicting that this coming winter will be colder, icier and snowier than recent years across the Midwest.
Combined with the slow economy, many people will be hard-pressed to obtain clothing warm and adequate enough to get them safely and snuggly through the next few months.
To help out, the Loyola Center for Health at Homer Glen and the Loyola Center for Health at Orland Park are collecting donations of gently used winter coats, hats and gloves to benefit the MorningStar Mission Ministries in Joliet. Donations are being accepted through Monday, Nov. 15.
"This is our way of bringing Loyola out to the community by helping people who are in a great deal of need," said Jan Gora, RN, one of the Loyola employees who helped organize the coat drive, the third one in a row.
MorningStar Mission Ministries is a non-denomination organization that serves the homeless and less fortunate in Joliet and surrounding areas in Will County. It provides food for the hungry and clothing and shelter for the homeless.
"A lot of us live in this area. Working in our own community is a good feeling," Gora said. "MorningStar is a local place that's doing a lot of good for a lot of people so we thought we'd give them a hand."
Winter clothing of all sizes is being accepted, though there is a particular need for children's wear. Clothing is being accepted from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at:
* Loyola Center for Health at Homer Glen, 15750 Marian Drive.
* Loyola Center for Health at Orland Park 16621 S. 107th Court, Orland Park.
Source:
Loyola University Health System
Combined with the slow economy, many people will be hard-pressed to obtain clothing warm and adequate enough to get them safely and snuggly through the next few months.
To help out, the Loyola Center for Health at Homer Glen and the Loyola Center for Health at Orland Park are collecting donations of gently used winter coats, hats and gloves to benefit the MorningStar Mission Ministries in Joliet. Donations are being accepted through Monday, Nov. 15.
"This is our way of bringing Loyola out to the community by helping people who are in a great deal of need," said Jan Gora, RN, one of the Loyola employees who helped organize the coat drive, the third one in a row.
MorningStar Mission Ministries is a non-denomination organization that serves the homeless and less fortunate in Joliet and surrounding areas in Will County. It provides food for the hungry and clothing and shelter for the homeless.
"A lot of us live in this area. Working in our own community is a good feeling," Gora said. "MorningStar is a local place that's doing a lot of good for a lot of people so we thought we'd give them a hand."
Winter clothing of all sizes is being accepted, though there is a particular need for children's wear. Clothing is being accepted from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at:
* Loyola Center for Health at Homer Glen, 15750 Marian Drive.
* Loyola Center for Health at Orland Park 16621 S. 107th Court, Orland Park.
Source:
Loyola University Health System
воскресенье, 12 июня 2011 г.
USAID Implements Behavior Change And Social Marketing Program In Rwanda
The American people,
through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and
a consortium of four partners, will assist in building the capacity of
Rwandan institutions to implement HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria and child
survival programs. The Behavior Change and Social Marketing (BCSM) project
will involve district stakeholders, the private sector and Government of
Rwanda. The five-year cooperative agreement will provide $20 million in
technical support, contributing substantially to Rwanda's national goals
and the targets of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR) and President's Malaria Initiative (PMI).
"Social marketing increases access to life-saving products," said Ryan
Washburn, Acting Mission Director for USAID in Rwanda. "The Behavior Change
and Social Marketing project will reach thousands of Rwandans with
essential health products and information."
The BCSM partnership is led by Population Services International (PSI)
in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication
Programs, Community Habitat Financing and Rwandan Partner Organizations.
Together, they will implement five critical objectives:
References
1. Improve access to health products related to HIV/AIDS, malaria,
reproductive health and child survival through social marketing;
2. Develop and manage education and information activities that promote
better health practices;
3. Develop and enhance services and referrals, particularly mobile HIV
counseling and testing, for the most at-risk populations;
4. Build the technical capacity of Rwandan institutions to manage and
implement similar programs in the future;
5. Increase the availability of data and evidence to strengthen
HIV/AIDS, malaria, reproductive health and child survival programs.
For more information about USAID and its programs in Rwanda, visit
usaid.
U.S. Agency for International Development
usaid
through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and
a consortium of four partners, will assist in building the capacity of
Rwandan institutions to implement HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria and child
survival programs. The Behavior Change and Social Marketing (BCSM) project
will involve district stakeholders, the private sector and Government of
Rwanda. The five-year cooperative agreement will provide $20 million in
technical support, contributing substantially to Rwanda's national goals
and the targets of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR) and President's Malaria Initiative (PMI).
"Social marketing increases access to life-saving products," said Ryan
Washburn, Acting Mission Director for USAID in Rwanda. "The Behavior Change
and Social Marketing project will reach thousands of Rwandans with
essential health products and information."
The BCSM partnership is led by Population Services International (PSI)
in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication
Programs, Community Habitat Financing and Rwandan Partner Organizations.
Together, they will implement five critical objectives:
References
1. Improve access to health products related to HIV/AIDS, malaria,
reproductive health and child survival through social marketing;
2. Develop and manage education and information activities that promote
better health practices;
3. Develop and enhance services and referrals, particularly mobile HIV
counseling and testing, for the most at-risk populations;
4. Build the technical capacity of Rwandan institutions to manage and
implement similar programs in the future;
5. Increase the availability of data and evidence to strengthen
HIV/AIDS, malaria, reproductive health and child survival programs.
For more information about USAID and its programs in Rwanda, visit
usaid.
U.S. Agency for International Development
usaid
суббота, 11 июня 2011 г.
World Bank Delays $260M Loan To Kenya Amid Allegations Of Government Corruption
The World Bank on Tuesday delayed $260 million in loans to Kenya earmarked for HIV/AIDS, education and banking reform programs due to corruption concerns within the Kenyan government, the SAPA/Mail & Guardian reports (SAPA/Mail & Guardian, 1/31). The Kenyan Ministry of Health in February 2005 said that it had failed to distribute $54 million in funding to fight HIV/AIDS. Richard Abura, a Kenyan health ministry spokesperson, said the delay in distributing the money was caused by conditions -- including contracting with an agency to ensure that the funds are "well spent" and hiring 78 accountants to manage the funds -- set by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Abura said the government took nine months to meet the conditions. U.S. Ambassador to Kenya William Bellamy said that corruption is the reason why only a fraction of $70 million in U.S. funding for HIV/AIDS programs had been disbursed, and other donors -- including the World Bank and the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria -- have not disbursed millions more in funding because they also are reluctant to contribute until the problem is resolved (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/3/05). Officials on Tuesday said the loans, which were approved in October 2004, will not be disbursed until bank officials are certain that President Mwai Kibaki's administration is adhering to its pledges to fight corruption. World Bank Country Director for Kenya Colin Bruce said bank officials currently are investigating the situation and are preparing an "integrity report" on Kenya that "will be the basis for releasing the money" (SAPA/Mail & Guardian, 1/31).
"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.
"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.
пятница, 10 июня 2011 г.
Cameroon-Critical Nutritional Situation For Refugees From Central African Republic
The civil war and violence that are tearing apart the Central African Republic (CAR) have led to the exodus of some 78,000 people to Chad, Sudan, and Cameroon, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Since 2006, more than 26,000 members of the nomadic Bororo tribe have been forced to take refuge at over 59 sites along Cameroon's eastern border. After a year with insufficient protection and assistance, these refugees have fallen into a cycle of vulnerability that, in recent months, has led to a serious deterioration in their medical and nutritional situation.
In the town of Gbiti, in the country's East Province, the results of anthropometric measurements of 771 children between six months and five years of age show severe acute malnutrition of 3.9%, as well as moderate acute malnutrition of 7.4%. Even more critical figures have been found among 5 to 10 year olds, with 7.5% severe and 16.3% moderate levels of malnutrition. Given that young children are most vulnerable to malnutrition, these figures clearly reflect the worsening food situation of these refugees and the delay in sending assistance. Furthermore, the excessive mortality rates at the sites around Ngaoui, Ndokayo, and Gbiti - between three and seven deaths per 10,000 people per day, which is three to seven times higher than the emergency threshold - are alarming and constitute one of the most visible signs of the distress among CAR refugees.
"The situation of these people, who have been neglected for too long, has reached a critical phase in terms of nutrition," stressed Christian Captier, General Director of MSF in Switzerland, during his last visit to the region.
In response to this situation, MSF has begun distributing supplementary food rations in the East Province, where more than 12 tons of food have already been distributed to 2,398 recipients (children under the age of 10 and their mothers) across three sites, as an interim measure until the United Nations starts coordinating the general distribution of food. These food rations are accompanied by active screening and the implementation of a medical and nutritional care strategy for the most urgent cases, in collaboration with Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health, in the most critical areas.
MSF expresses its concern and urges humanitarian actors to act as quickly as possible to provide nutritional and medical assistance to these populations, who have been neglected for too long.
MSF has been present in Cameroon since 1984 and works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health on HIV/AIDS projects in Yaound?© and Douala. MSF also has a team at Akonolinga Hospital, for the treatment of a neglected disease: the Buruli ulcer.
doctorswithoutborders
In the town of Gbiti, in the country's East Province, the results of anthropometric measurements of 771 children between six months and five years of age show severe acute malnutrition of 3.9%, as well as moderate acute malnutrition of 7.4%. Even more critical figures have been found among 5 to 10 year olds, with 7.5% severe and 16.3% moderate levels of malnutrition. Given that young children are most vulnerable to malnutrition, these figures clearly reflect the worsening food situation of these refugees and the delay in sending assistance. Furthermore, the excessive mortality rates at the sites around Ngaoui, Ndokayo, and Gbiti - between three and seven deaths per 10,000 people per day, which is three to seven times higher than the emergency threshold - are alarming and constitute one of the most visible signs of the distress among CAR refugees.
"The situation of these people, who have been neglected for too long, has reached a critical phase in terms of nutrition," stressed Christian Captier, General Director of MSF in Switzerland, during his last visit to the region.
In response to this situation, MSF has begun distributing supplementary food rations in the East Province, where more than 12 tons of food have already been distributed to 2,398 recipients (children under the age of 10 and their mothers) across three sites, as an interim measure until the United Nations starts coordinating the general distribution of food. These food rations are accompanied by active screening and the implementation of a medical and nutritional care strategy for the most urgent cases, in collaboration with Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health, in the most critical areas.
MSF expresses its concern and urges humanitarian actors to act as quickly as possible to provide nutritional and medical assistance to these populations, who have been neglected for too long.
MSF has been present in Cameroon since 1984 and works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health on HIV/AIDS projects in Yaound?© and Douala. MSF also has a team at Akonolinga Hospital, for the treatment of a neglected disease: the Buruli ulcer.
doctorswithoutborders
Disaster management: better management of hospital resources and staff is the answer
Better management of current hospital resources and staff could greatly improve preparedness for disasters such as the
tsunami that hit South East Asia a month ago, according to an article by J Christopher Farmer and colleagues, to be published
in the journal Critical Care.
To date, disaster medical response has predominantly focused on pre-hospital issues such as triage, evacuation, and transport
of casualties, and has largely assumed that hospital management would occur as planned.
The intensive care unit (ICU) is an essential link in the chain of events that follow a disaster, write Farmer and
colleagues. Hospitals across the world have limited bed capacity and staffs are often not prepared for critical situations.
As recent events have shown, hospitals can quickly be overwhelmed in the event of a disaster. This is also the case in
countries where hospital facilities are thought to be large, modern and sufficiently equipped. For example, after the
terrorist bombing in Bali in 2002, 15 patients requiring mechanical ventilation were sent to an Australian hospital, which
could only care for a maximum of 12 ventilated patients. Floods in Houston Texas in 2001 quickly led to unavailability of ICU
beds. Innumerable examples of attacks and environmental disasters have reinforced that hospital capacity is the major
rate-limiting factor during a disaster medical response.
In the paper, Farmer and colleagues suggest improved, hospital-focused training, more detailed co-operation between
hospitals, and the dual use of hospital infrastructure and resources. For example, resources currently directed for hospital
patient safety could be repurposed to improve training, planning, and effectiveness of the disaster medical response. They
argue that critical care professionals should be offered better, more targeted disaster medical training that includes
exercises in realistic disaster situation simulations, emphasizing hospital response. In addition, web-based knowledge
collections should be available to health workers for last minute, quick and easy querying at the time of an event.
Co-operation between hospitals in the vicinity of a disaster must improve, with improved communications, better training and
planning, and triage algorithms that can help move hospital staff as opposed to patients. Currently, for a large-scale
disaster patients are segregated to specific facilities according to condition or patient-based resource allocation. Planning
and preparedness would allow for a better, more efficient exchange of material and human resources when needed.
In all, the most pressing needs are education and training, and more detailed planning that acknowledges the specific
disaster medical needs of hospitals and ICU's worldwide.
This press release is based on the following article:
Engendering enthusiasm for sustainable disaster critical care response: why this is of consequence to critical care
professionals?
Saqib I. Dara MD, Rendell W. Ashton MD, J. Christopher Farmer MD
Critical Care 2005, 9.2 (in press)
This article is available at: ccforum/inpress/cc3048
Critical Care (ccforum) is published by BioMed Central (biomedcentral), an independent online publishing house committed
to providing Open Access to peer-reviewed biological and medical research. This commitment is based on the view that
immediate free access to research and the ability to freely archive and reuse published information is essential to the rapid
and efficient communication of science. BioMed Central currently publishes over 100 journals across biology and medicine. In
addition to open-access original research, BioMed Central also publishes reviews, commentaries and other
non-original-research content. Depending on the policies of the individual journal, this content may be open access or
provided only to subscribers.
tsunami that hit South East Asia a month ago, according to an article by J Christopher Farmer and colleagues, to be published
in the journal Critical Care.
To date, disaster medical response has predominantly focused on pre-hospital issues such as triage, evacuation, and transport
of casualties, and has largely assumed that hospital management would occur as planned.
The intensive care unit (ICU) is an essential link in the chain of events that follow a disaster, write Farmer and
colleagues. Hospitals across the world have limited bed capacity and staffs are often not prepared for critical situations.
As recent events have shown, hospitals can quickly be overwhelmed in the event of a disaster. This is also the case in
countries where hospital facilities are thought to be large, modern and sufficiently equipped. For example, after the
terrorist bombing in Bali in 2002, 15 patients requiring mechanical ventilation were sent to an Australian hospital, which
could only care for a maximum of 12 ventilated patients. Floods in Houston Texas in 2001 quickly led to unavailability of ICU
beds. Innumerable examples of attacks and environmental disasters have reinforced that hospital capacity is the major
rate-limiting factor during a disaster medical response.
In the paper, Farmer and colleagues suggest improved, hospital-focused training, more detailed co-operation between
hospitals, and the dual use of hospital infrastructure and resources. For example, resources currently directed for hospital
patient safety could be repurposed to improve training, planning, and effectiveness of the disaster medical response. They
argue that critical care professionals should be offered better, more targeted disaster medical training that includes
exercises in realistic disaster situation simulations, emphasizing hospital response. In addition, web-based knowledge
collections should be available to health workers for last minute, quick and easy querying at the time of an event.
Co-operation between hospitals in the vicinity of a disaster must improve, with improved communications, better training and
planning, and triage algorithms that can help move hospital staff as opposed to patients. Currently, for a large-scale
disaster patients are segregated to specific facilities according to condition or patient-based resource allocation. Planning
and preparedness would allow for a better, more efficient exchange of material and human resources when needed.
In all, the most pressing needs are education and training, and more detailed planning that acknowledges the specific
disaster medical needs of hospitals and ICU's worldwide.
This press release is based on the following article:
Engendering enthusiasm for sustainable disaster critical care response: why this is of consequence to critical care
professionals?
Saqib I. Dara MD, Rendell W. Ashton MD, J. Christopher Farmer MD
Critical Care 2005, 9.2 (in press)
This article is available at: ccforum/inpress/cc3048
Critical Care (ccforum) is published by BioMed Central (biomedcentral), an independent online publishing house committed
to providing Open Access to peer-reviewed biological and medical research. This commitment is based on the view that
immediate free access to research and the ability to freely archive and reuse published information is essential to the rapid
and efficient communication of science. BioMed Central currently publishes over 100 journals across biology and medicine. In
addition to open-access original research, BioMed Central also publishes reviews, commentaries and other
non-original-research content. Depending on the policies of the individual journal, this content may be open access or
provided only to subscribers.
четверг, 9 июня 2011 г.
Persistent Flooding Devastates The Midwest And South Central US
Heavy rain and flooding continues to plague the Midwest and South Central US submerging thousands of residences and businesses and leaving 22 people dead. The American Red Cross was among the first on the ground and continues to respond to the torrential storm systems throughout Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin by providing food, shelter, counseling and other assistance made possible by funds from the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
The Red Cross asks the public to please give generously to the Disaster Relief Fund in support of these disasters. The Disaster Relief Fund is the financial resource through which the Red Cross can provide immediate relief to disaster victims before the first donations have been given in response to these disasters. Donations from the Disaster Relief Fund have enabled Red Cross volunteers and employees to be stationed across the affected areas providing flood victims, families, children and elderly with essential resources needed to cope with the immediate aftermath of the floods.
The Red Cross has opened shelters, providing residence with a dry place to stay and hot meals. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) are driving through flooded communities distributing food, clean-up kits and comfort kits to families, individuals and rescue workers who cannot make it to a shelter or are involved with clean-up efforts. Licensed Red Cross mental health professionals are helping families and individuals cope with the fear and stress from the trauma of flood disasters.
Financial contributions are still needed to support Red Cross relief efforts, and more hazardous weather is forecasted for already flooded areas. The Red Cross response in Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin is expected to cost millions of dollars.
"The Red Cross will continue to work with community partners to identify resources that can aid in the recovery of individuals and families affected by the floods," said Kathleen Loehr, Interim Senior Vice President of Development at the American Red Cross. "It is only through the public's continued support of the Disaster Relief Fund that we are able to provide lifesaving services during these times of multiple disasters."
Americans can support the Disaster Relief Fund and help provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by visiting redcross or call 1-800- RED CROSS to make a donation.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS 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.
The Red Cross asks the public to please give generously to the Disaster Relief Fund in support of these disasters. The Disaster Relief Fund is the financial resource through which the Red Cross can provide immediate relief to disaster victims before the first donations have been given in response to these disasters. Donations from the Disaster Relief Fund have enabled Red Cross volunteers and employees to be stationed across the affected areas providing flood victims, families, children and elderly with essential resources needed to cope with the immediate aftermath of the floods.
The Red Cross has opened shelters, providing residence with a dry place to stay and hot meals. Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) are driving through flooded communities distributing food, clean-up kits and comfort kits to families, individuals and rescue workers who cannot make it to a shelter or are involved with clean-up efforts. Licensed Red Cross mental health professionals are helping families and individuals cope with the fear and stress from the trauma of flood disasters.
Financial contributions are still needed to support Red Cross relief efforts, and more hazardous weather is forecasted for already flooded areas. The Red Cross response in Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin is expected to cost millions of dollars.
"The Red Cross will continue to work with community partners to identify resources that can aid in the recovery of individuals and families affected by the floods," said Kathleen Loehr, Interim Senior Vice President of Development at the American Red Cross. "It is only through the public's continued support of the Disaster Relief Fund that we are able to provide lifesaving services during these times of multiple disasters."
Americans can support the Disaster Relief Fund and help provide food, shelter, counseling and other assistance to the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by visiting redcross or call 1-800- RED CROSS to make a donation.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS 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.
среда, 8 июня 2011 г.
WFP Warns Of Catastrophe Looming In Horn Of Africa
In the run up to the African Union summit in Khartoum this month, WFP has warned that a humanitarian catastrophe would engulf the drought-stricken Horn of Africa unless WFP receives urgent donations to provide emergency food aid for an estimated 5.4 million people.
In collaboration with governments and other partners, WFP has raised the alarm in recent months about the worsening impact of drought, especially on pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa.
Hit by drought
Pending the results of current assessments, the estimated numbers of people hit by drought are: 2.5 million in Kenya, 1.4 million in Somalia, 1.5 million in Ethiopia and 60,000 in Djibouti.
Children's health and nutrition are deteriorating because many of them are eating just one meal each day and the livestock that many families depend on for food are dying in large numbers from exhaustion and lack of water and food.
In arid northeastern Kenya, women and small children are begging at roadsides for drinking water and food from motorists.
Increasing needs
"In all four countries, it is clear that WFP will have to expand its existing operations to drought-affected populations in order to address the increasing needs.
"While final figures on the number of people in need of urgent assistance are still being established, donors must respond now if we are going to avert a humanitarian catastrophe," said Holdbrook Arthur, WFP Regional Director for Eastern and Central Africa.
Comprehensive review
In mid-2005, concerns over the deteriorating food security situation in the region led WFP to undertake, in partnership with other concerned stakeholders, a comprehensive review of the food situation among pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Greater Horn of Africa.
As a result, WFP is establishing a long term, well-coordinated and integrated early warning system and aims to enhance coping strategies and diversify income generation and livelihood activities, as well as strengthen governance, to support pastoralist communities.
"The emergency we face in the Horn today is the result of successive seasons of failed rains. Consequently, pastoralists living in these arid, remote lands have very few survival strategies left and desperately require our assistance to make it through until the next rains," said Arthur, speaking in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.
Joint alert
In Kenya, more than 2.5 million people will require assistance in 2006 according to a joint alert released on 19 December 2005 by the government, WFP and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS).
This represents a dramatic increase from the previous 1.1 million people being assisted by WFP and will require an extra 236,000 metric tons of food valued at US$140 million.
Ongoing field assessments by WFP and its partners in 27 of the most-affected districts in north and east Kenya will determine the exact areas and number of people in need.
"Grave concern"
"There are indications that the number of people in need in Kenya because of drought could rise as the year progresses.
"This is of grave concern, especially as WFP's current emergency operation is inadequately funded, and without additional contributions, we could be forced to halt our much-needed food assistance in February," said Arthur.
Southern Somalia
In southern regions of Somalia, the situation is deteriorating with an estimated 1.4 million people in urgent need of assistance because of poor deyr rains in October and November.
Somalia is headed for the worst cereal harvest in a decade and pastoralists in the south are forced to concentrate along rivers and in the few remaining green pastures.
WFP plans to feed one million people in Somalia through June 2006, while the non-governmental organization CARE will assist the remaining 400,000.
Food stocks low
However, WFP's food stocks are already low and it needs an additional 59,000 tons at a cost of some US$46 million to ensure that it can provide much-needed food to the most vulnerable.
To compound the already grave situation in southern Somalia, piracy has hampered WFP's efforts to provide food aid. In 2005, two ships carrying relief food were hijacked, forcing WFP to find alternative delivery routes.
WFP now uses road transport through northern Kenya as well as Djibouti - both of which are more expensive and slower.
Drought in Djibouti
In Djibouti, WFP currently assists more than 47,000 pastoralists. With the worsening drought in this smallest of the Horn of Africa countries, it is feared that this number will increase in the coming months to more than 60,000 people.
Ethiopia assessments
In Ethiopia, initial findings of pastoral assessments of the main rain season indicate that approximately 1.5 million pastoralists in the southern Somali region and perhaps an estimated 250,000 in the Borena zone of the Oromiya region will require food assistance from January-June 2006.
This is on top of some 5.5 million people already being assisted by WFP through its various operations in Ethiopia.
WFP's in-country contingency and carry-over stocks of 165,000 tons of food in Ethiopia and generous new contributions for 2006 will be used to cover the needs of these people. In 2005, WFP gave food to more than a million people in the drought-prone Somali region.
WFP (World Food Programme)
In collaboration with governments and other partners, WFP has raised the alarm in recent months about the worsening impact of drought, especially on pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the Horn of Africa.
Hit by drought
Pending the results of current assessments, the estimated numbers of people hit by drought are: 2.5 million in Kenya, 1.4 million in Somalia, 1.5 million in Ethiopia and 60,000 in Djibouti.
Children's health and nutrition are deteriorating because many of them are eating just one meal each day and the livestock that many families depend on for food are dying in large numbers from exhaustion and lack of water and food.
In arid northeastern Kenya, women and small children are begging at roadsides for drinking water and food from motorists.
Increasing needs
"In all four countries, it is clear that WFP will have to expand its existing operations to drought-affected populations in order to address the increasing needs.
"While final figures on the number of people in need of urgent assistance are still being established, donors must respond now if we are going to avert a humanitarian catastrophe," said Holdbrook Arthur, WFP Regional Director for Eastern and Central Africa.
Comprehensive review
In mid-2005, concerns over the deteriorating food security situation in the region led WFP to undertake, in partnership with other concerned stakeholders, a comprehensive review of the food situation among pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the Greater Horn of Africa.
As a result, WFP is establishing a long term, well-coordinated and integrated early warning system and aims to enhance coping strategies and diversify income generation and livelihood activities, as well as strengthen governance, to support pastoralist communities.
"The emergency we face in the Horn today is the result of successive seasons of failed rains. Consequently, pastoralists living in these arid, remote lands have very few survival strategies left and desperately require our assistance to make it through until the next rains," said Arthur, speaking in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.
Joint alert
In Kenya, more than 2.5 million people will require assistance in 2006 according to a joint alert released on 19 December 2005 by the government, WFP and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS).
This represents a dramatic increase from the previous 1.1 million people being assisted by WFP and will require an extra 236,000 metric tons of food valued at US$140 million.
Ongoing field assessments by WFP and its partners in 27 of the most-affected districts in north and east Kenya will determine the exact areas and number of people in need.
"Grave concern"
"There are indications that the number of people in need in Kenya because of drought could rise as the year progresses.
"This is of grave concern, especially as WFP's current emergency operation is inadequately funded, and without additional contributions, we could be forced to halt our much-needed food assistance in February," said Arthur.
Southern Somalia
In southern regions of Somalia, the situation is deteriorating with an estimated 1.4 million people in urgent need of assistance because of poor deyr rains in October and November.
Somalia is headed for the worst cereal harvest in a decade and pastoralists in the south are forced to concentrate along rivers and in the few remaining green pastures.
WFP plans to feed one million people in Somalia through June 2006, while the non-governmental organization CARE will assist the remaining 400,000.
Food stocks low
However, WFP's food stocks are already low and it needs an additional 59,000 tons at a cost of some US$46 million to ensure that it can provide much-needed food to the most vulnerable.
To compound the already grave situation in southern Somalia, piracy has hampered WFP's efforts to provide food aid. In 2005, two ships carrying relief food were hijacked, forcing WFP to find alternative delivery routes.
WFP now uses road transport through northern Kenya as well as Djibouti - both of which are more expensive and slower.
Drought in Djibouti
In Djibouti, WFP currently assists more than 47,000 pastoralists. With the worsening drought in this smallest of the Horn of Africa countries, it is feared that this number will increase in the coming months to more than 60,000 people.
Ethiopia assessments
In Ethiopia, initial findings of pastoral assessments of the main rain season indicate that approximately 1.5 million pastoralists in the southern Somali region and perhaps an estimated 250,000 in the Borena zone of the Oromiya region will require food assistance from January-June 2006.
This is on top of some 5.5 million people already being assisted by WFP through its various operations in Ethiopia.
WFP's in-country contingency and carry-over stocks of 165,000 tons of food in Ethiopia and generous new contributions for 2006 will be used to cover the needs of these people. In 2005, WFP gave food to more than a million people in the drought-prone Somali region.
WFP (World Food Programme)
вторник, 7 июня 2011 г.
Money needed now to help earthquake survivors through winter
Hundreds of thousands of people affected by the earthquake in Pakistan face the unnecessary risks of death, illness and further injury as winter approaches. People need shelter, safe drinking water and access to health care now and throughout the winter in order to survive.
The earthquake and aftershocks have killed over 53 000 people and injured an estimated 75 000, including many health staff. The latest available assessments show that 291 health facilities have been destroyed and 74 partially damaged of a total of 564 in the area. Less than half continue to operate.
The World Health Organization (WHO), with other health partners, is taking action and has already made a difference with the help of timely donations. Tens of thousands of people have had access to surgery, medicines, vaccination and other public health measures care.
To expand access to health care for the thousands who still need it now, to provide health care throughout the winter, and to prevent and respond to any outbreaks, WHO is appealing for a total of US$ 27.57 million, as part of the revised United Nations Appeal. So far, US$ 11 million has been pledged to WHO since 8 October.
"Without more help now, the second wave of deaths in Pakistan is coming. We cannot wait to see images of people freezing to death or dying of preventable disease before we act. With the money received so far, WHO, its partners and the Ministry of Health have made a difference to people's lives. The revised appeal will scale-up WHO's support," said Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Representative of the Director-General for Health Action in Crises.
The revised appeal will increase WHO's support to the Ministry of Health in tackling four vital areas of health.
Increased access to health care
To date, tens of thousands of people have received medical treatment at civil and military health facilities but many people with major medical and surgical needs in remote areas are still being found. People with complicated injuries will need follow-up care and people with chronic disease such as diabetes, heart and kidney disease need access to regular treatment.
WHO has already sent supplies and medicines to meet the healthcare needs of 270 000 people for one month. More medical and surgical supplies are in the pipeline.
Preventing disease and suffering
Poor water quality and lack of adequate sanitation has increased the risk of communicable diseases such as diarrhoeal illness and measles. To quickly spot outbreaks and prevent epidemics, WHO has supported the Ministry of Health to build a disease surveillance system involving over 200 medical experts and staff. The disease surveillance system will be expanded to all affected areas.
As a preventive measure WHO and UNICEF are supporting the Ministry of Health and other health partners in vaccination campaigns against tetanus and measles. Over 50 000 children have been vaccinated so far. More vaccines and other supplies are currently being made available.
Addressing mental health needs
Many of the 3.5 million people affected by the earthquake have experienced extreme loss - of their homes, family and livelihoods The fact that many bodies have not been and may never be recovered is also a source of mental distress.
Based on the experience of previous disasters, severe mental disorders (psychosis, severe depression, and anxiety disorders) may be seen in between 3-4% of the affected population. In the Pakistan earthquake situation this means 120 000-160 000 persons may need treatment for severe mental disorders. Up to 15% or 600 000 may be expected to suffer from mild and moderate mental disorders.
In response to the increased need for mental health and psychosocial support, WHO is working closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners to train mental health workers in providing psychological care to earthquake survivors. The Ministry of Health has already deployed four teams of specialists to the most affected areas.
Health coordination
WHO, through its network of national and expatriate staff in Islamabad and five field offices in Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Balakot, Bagh and Rawalakot continues to support the Ministry of Health in coordinating with dozens of health actors already operating in the affected areas.
To help humanitarian actors better target their health interventions, WHO has created a website link whopak/disaster/ containing practical health information such as guidelines for best practices, lists medical supply needs and situation reports. WHO continues to answer health queries through an email address healthwhopak and a hotline telephone service Tel: +92 51 250 5176 / 926 3240.
The revised WHO Appeal is part of the larger United Nations Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP): Flash Appeal 2005 for South Asia Earthquake seeking a total of US$ 549 585 941 for six months.
who.int
The earthquake and aftershocks have killed over 53 000 people and injured an estimated 75 000, including many health staff. The latest available assessments show that 291 health facilities have been destroyed and 74 partially damaged of a total of 564 in the area. Less than half continue to operate.
The World Health Organization (WHO), with other health partners, is taking action and has already made a difference with the help of timely donations. Tens of thousands of people have had access to surgery, medicines, vaccination and other public health measures care.
To expand access to health care for the thousands who still need it now, to provide health care throughout the winter, and to prevent and respond to any outbreaks, WHO is appealing for a total of US$ 27.57 million, as part of the revised United Nations Appeal. So far, US$ 11 million has been pledged to WHO since 8 October.
"Without more help now, the second wave of deaths in Pakistan is coming. We cannot wait to see images of people freezing to death or dying of preventable disease before we act. With the money received so far, WHO, its partners and the Ministry of Health have made a difference to people's lives. The revised appeal will scale-up WHO's support," said Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Representative of the Director-General for Health Action in Crises.
The revised appeal will increase WHO's support to the Ministry of Health in tackling four vital areas of health.
Increased access to health care
To date, tens of thousands of people have received medical treatment at civil and military health facilities but many people with major medical and surgical needs in remote areas are still being found. People with complicated injuries will need follow-up care and people with chronic disease such as diabetes, heart and kidney disease need access to regular treatment.
WHO has already sent supplies and medicines to meet the healthcare needs of 270 000 people for one month. More medical and surgical supplies are in the pipeline.
Preventing disease and suffering
Poor water quality and lack of adequate sanitation has increased the risk of communicable diseases such as diarrhoeal illness and measles. To quickly spot outbreaks and prevent epidemics, WHO has supported the Ministry of Health to build a disease surveillance system involving over 200 medical experts and staff. The disease surveillance system will be expanded to all affected areas.
As a preventive measure WHO and UNICEF are supporting the Ministry of Health and other health partners in vaccination campaigns against tetanus and measles. Over 50 000 children have been vaccinated so far. More vaccines and other supplies are currently being made available.
Addressing mental health needs
Many of the 3.5 million people affected by the earthquake have experienced extreme loss - of their homes, family and livelihoods The fact that many bodies have not been and may never be recovered is also a source of mental distress.
Based on the experience of previous disasters, severe mental disorders (psychosis, severe depression, and anxiety disorders) may be seen in between 3-4% of the affected population. In the Pakistan earthquake situation this means 120 000-160 000 persons may need treatment for severe mental disorders. Up to 15% or 600 000 may be expected to suffer from mild and moderate mental disorders.
In response to the increased need for mental health and psychosocial support, WHO is working closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners to train mental health workers in providing psychological care to earthquake survivors. The Ministry of Health has already deployed four teams of specialists to the most affected areas.
Health coordination
WHO, through its network of national and expatriate staff in Islamabad and five field offices in Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Balakot, Bagh and Rawalakot continues to support the Ministry of Health in coordinating with dozens of health actors already operating in the affected areas.
To help humanitarian actors better target their health interventions, WHO has created a website link whopak/disaster/ containing practical health information such as guidelines for best practices, lists medical supply needs and situation reports. WHO continues to answer health queries through an email address healthwhopak and a hotline telephone service Tel: +92 51 250 5176 / 926 3240.
The revised WHO Appeal is part of the larger United Nations Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP): Flash Appeal 2005 for South Asia Earthquake seeking a total of US$ 549 585 941 for six months.
who.int
General Practice Support For Bush Fire And Flood Victims, Australia
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is deeply saddened by the tragic impact of the ongoing bushfires in Victoria and New South Wales and the disastrous floods in Queensland. The general practice profession is on the front line of supporting victims and is offering a number of services to help families come through this difficult time.
"The scale of the disaster in loss of human life and injury has been shocking. The college sends its heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones or who may know people who remain unaccounted for," said Dr Chris Mitchell, RACGP President and GP in northern NSW.
"We are also saddened by the reported death of Dr Chris Towie, a GP in Reedy Creek, north of Kinglake West. Additionally, we are saddened at the death of Professor Bob Pierce, a sleep disorder expert at the Austin Hospital, who died in Kinglake. We extend our sympathy and condolences to their families, colleagues and patients.
"So many families are facing the consequences of lost livelihoods, damaged property and lost livestock. The damage to bush land, wildlife and the broader environment is significant.
"General practitioners, including GP locums, are providing ongoing, vital support to communities that have borne the brunt of the fires.
"Most clinical care provided in the community in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as bush fires, is provided by GPs and associated allied health professionals. Rural general practice is well equipped to provide patient care in these extreme situations.
"Those people who have come through this ordeal and who need care and support can visit their GP to ensure their health is maintained as they rebuild their lives, their livelihoods and their homes," said Dr Mitchell.
The RACGP acknowledges the role played by the Rural Workforce Agency Victoria (RWAV) in co-ordinating locum relief to practices and Divisions affected by the bushfires. GPs who wish to support the volunteer effort should contact Tony Mackinnon, RWAV, at tonymrwav.au or for more information see rwav.au
RACGP GP Support Program
This program provides support services for GPs. GPs can access our GP Support program service by calling 1300 366 789 for a free confidential appointment. RACGP members can access up to three free consultations each financial year - and additional services if required. Contact our GP Support Service by calling 1300 366 789 for a free confidential appointment. Go to racgp.au/gpsupport for a full list of locations.
GP Psych Support
This service is made available to GPs who are seeking patient management advice from psychiatrists.
GP Psych Support
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
In supporting patients, GPs can refer to The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health's (ACPMH) easy-to-use algorithm outlining the treatment of adults with Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The RACGP has endorsed this resource and worked closely with ACPMH to ensure this algorithm was 'useable' and relevant for the day to day practice of the GP. A copy of the complete Guidelines, and for resources for families and carers, please refer to
here.
Articles from Australian Family Physician (AFP)
The online version of the official journal of the RACGP features a number of articles focusing on managing trauma and disasters, visit racgp.au/disasterresources
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
The APS has provided the following two links; these resources feature advice on coping with the impact of natural disasters. Visit psychology.au/publications/tip_sheets/disasters or
psychology.au/news/media_releases/5dec2006
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian general practice. The RACGP has the largest general practitioner membership of any medical organisation in Australia and represents the majority of Australia's general practitioners.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
"The scale of the disaster in loss of human life and injury has been shocking. The college sends its heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones or who may know people who remain unaccounted for," said Dr Chris Mitchell, RACGP President and GP in northern NSW.
"We are also saddened by the reported death of Dr Chris Towie, a GP in Reedy Creek, north of Kinglake West. Additionally, we are saddened at the death of Professor Bob Pierce, a sleep disorder expert at the Austin Hospital, who died in Kinglake. We extend our sympathy and condolences to their families, colleagues and patients.
"So many families are facing the consequences of lost livelihoods, damaged property and lost livestock. The damage to bush land, wildlife and the broader environment is significant.
"General practitioners, including GP locums, are providing ongoing, vital support to communities that have borne the brunt of the fires.
"Most clinical care provided in the community in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as bush fires, is provided by GPs and associated allied health professionals. Rural general practice is well equipped to provide patient care in these extreme situations.
"Those people who have come through this ordeal and who need care and support can visit their GP to ensure their health is maintained as they rebuild their lives, their livelihoods and their homes," said Dr Mitchell.
The RACGP acknowledges the role played by the Rural Workforce Agency Victoria (RWAV) in co-ordinating locum relief to practices and Divisions affected by the bushfires. GPs who wish to support the volunteer effort should contact Tony Mackinnon, RWAV, at tonymrwav.au or for more information see rwav.au
RACGP GP Support Program
This program provides support services for GPs. GPs can access our GP Support program service by calling 1300 366 789 for a free confidential appointment. RACGP members can access up to three free consultations each financial year - and additional services if required. Contact our GP Support Service by calling 1300 366 789 for a free confidential appointment. Go to racgp.au/gpsupport for a full list of locations.
GP Psych Support
This service is made available to GPs who are seeking patient management advice from psychiatrists.
GP Psych Support
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
In supporting patients, GPs can refer to The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health's (ACPMH) easy-to-use algorithm outlining the treatment of adults with Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The RACGP has endorsed this resource and worked closely with ACPMH to ensure this algorithm was 'useable' and relevant for the day to day practice of the GP. A copy of the complete Guidelines, and for resources for families and carers, please refer to
here.
Articles from Australian Family Physician (AFP)
The online version of the official journal of the RACGP features a number of articles focusing on managing trauma and disasters, visit racgp.au/disasterresources
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
The APS has provided the following two links; these resources feature advice on coping with the impact of natural disasters. Visit psychology.au/publications/tip_sheets/disasters or
psychology.au/news/media_releases/5dec2006
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian general practice. The RACGP has the largest general practitioner membership of any medical organisation in Australia and represents the majority of Australia's general practitioners.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
понедельник, 6 июня 2011 г.
UNICEF And IPU Join Forces To Stop Violence Against Children
At the 116th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), meeting in Nusa Dua (Indonesia), UNICEF and IPU members said more can be done to halt violence against children in every country.
According to the United Nations Secretary General's recently released study on the subject, violence against children is widespread, underacknowledged and extremely damaging. The physical, emotional and psychological scars of violence can have severe implications for a child's development, health and ability to learn.
"The best way to deal with violence against children is to stop it before it happens," said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Toshi Niwa. "Working through coordinated national strategies to prevent and respond to violence against children, governments and parliaments must build a protective environment that allows children to live without the threat of abuse and exploitation."
"Violence perpetuates poverty, illiteracy and early mortality," said the IPU President, Pier Ferdinando Casini. "Widespread violence robs society of its potential for development and impedes progress towards the Millennium Development Goals."
To help parliaments tackle this problem, UNICEF and the IPU have launched a handbook designed specifically for parliamentarians. "With this handbook, we hope that parliaments will have some of the tools they need to create a more protective environment for children," President Casini added.
The parliamentarians and international organizations from over 100 countries attending the week-long meeting in Indonesia are discussing strategies to enhance religious tolerance, promote equal rights and combat violence against children.
"It is great to see so many legislators here committed to taking action to end violence," said Niwa. "Parliamentarians can and should be among the foremost champions of child protection. They can legislate, oversee government activity, allocate financial resources and, as leaders within their nations, advocate for change."
Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organization, currently has 148 affiliated national parliaments and seven associated regional assemblies. The world organization of parliaments also has an Office in New York, which acts as its permanent observer with the United Nations.
UNICEF works in 150 countries. It undertakes child protection programmes in almost all of them, focusing on children without caregivers, the worst forms of child labour, and violence against children. Over the last two years, the organization has allocated over 240 million dollars to its work on child protection.
ipu.
unicef.
According to the United Nations Secretary General's recently released study on the subject, violence against children is widespread, underacknowledged and extremely damaging. The physical, emotional and psychological scars of violence can have severe implications for a child's development, health and ability to learn.
"The best way to deal with violence against children is to stop it before it happens," said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Toshi Niwa. "Working through coordinated national strategies to prevent and respond to violence against children, governments and parliaments must build a protective environment that allows children to live without the threat of abuse and exploitation."
"Violence perpetuates poverty, illiteracy and early mortality," said the IPU President, Pier Ferdinando Casini. "Widespread violence robs society of its potential for development and impedes progress towards the Millennium Development Goals."
To help parliaments tackle this problem, UNICEF and the IPU have launched a handbook designed specifically for parliamentarians. "With this handbook, we hope that parliaments will have some of the tools they need to create a more protective environment for children," President Casini added.
The parliamentarians and international organizations from over 100 countries attending the week-long meeting in Indonesia are discussing strategies to enhance religious tolerance, promote equal rights and combat violence against children.
"It is great to see so many legislators here committed to taking action to end violence," said Niwa. "Parliamentarians can and should be among the foremost champions of child protection. They can legislate, oversee government activity, allocate financial resources and, as leaders within their nations, advocate for change."
Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organization, currently has 148 affiliated national parliaments and seven associated regional assemblies. The world organization of parliaments also has an Office in New York, which acts as its permanent observer with the United Nations.
UNICEF works in 150 countries. It undertakes child protection programmes in almost all of them, focusing on children without caregivers, the worst forms of child labour, and violence against children. Over the last two years, the organization has allocated over 240 million dollars to its work on child protection.
ipu.
unicef.
воскресенье, 5 июня 2011 г.
Ugandan Children Are Among The First To Receive Abbott's Lower Strength Aluvia (lopinavir/ritonavir) Tablet
Abbott made its new lower-strength lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) tablet, known as Aluvia® in developing countries and Kaletra® in developed countries, available to children living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda a step the company hopes will begin to improve the lives of the 2.3 million children worldwide living with HIV/AIDS. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends LPV/r for the treatment of children who no longer respond to "first line" HIV medicines.
As the first and only co-formulated protease inhibitor tablet that can be used in children, the new lower-strength tablet has the same benefits as the original tablet. The tablet does not require refrigeration and can be taken with or without food two important advances in delivering HIV medicine in developing countries.
Abbott shipped the medicine to Uganda under a waiver order approved by the country's government. Waiver orders allow medicines to be shipped, before they are approved in a specific country, provided that the national government gives specific permission. However, Abbott accepts waiver orders only after a medicine has been approved by at least one stringent regulator. The Ugandan Government approved the shipment when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the lower-strength tablet on November 9. The Ugandan Government's early approval of the waiver order allowed Dr. Victor Musiime of theJoint Clinical Research Centre in Kampalato write the first prescription for the lower-strength tablet just days after it had received marketing authorization in the United States. Other African governments are now also talking to Abbott about the possibility of waiver shipments.
Abbott is also working with African governments to try to expedite registration of this medicine across the continent. Registration in most developing countries can only take place once the regulatory body in the country or region where the medicine is made has approved it, in this case the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
"Nine out of every ten children with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. We developed Aluvia with the distinct needs of children in the developing world in mind," said Mark Masterson, vice president, Asia, Africa, Australia, Central Europe region, Abbott International.
Abbott has invested in sufficient manufacturing capacity to meet the anticipated global demand for the Aluvia tablets and plans to register the lower-strength Aluvia tablet in 150 countries broader registration than any other pediatric HIV medicine. The company will supply the lower-strength tablet at half the price of the original tablet in developing countries. Both the original strength and lower-strength versions of Abbott's Aluvia tablets are more affordable in these 69 countries than any generic copy.
"Introduction of second-line medicine for children living with HIV will help restore hope for millions of parents and children who would otherwise face a bleak future if first-line therapy failed," said Dr. Peter Mugyenyi, chair and director, Joint Clinical Research Centre (Uganda's pioneer AIDS research and treatment institution), and chairman of African Dialogue on AIDS."Co-formulated lopinavir/ritonavir is a WHO-recommended second-line HIV treatment regimen for children, and Abbott is making its latest, most innovative version available to our most vulnerable sector of society: children who live in poor countries."
Abbott's effort to provide African children with HIV treatments is part of its five-point global strategy to expand access to HIV treatments around the world by:
-- Focusing on pediatric HIV care
-- Continuing to innovate with an eye on the needs of the developing world
-- Investing in manufacturing capacity to ensure consistent, quality supply
-- Offering tiered and affordable pricing
-- Broadening registration of life-enhancing medicines
About Abbott's FDA-Approved Lower-Strength Aluvia Tablet
Abbott's new Aluvia tablet is a lower-strength LPV/r formulation intended to prevent HIV from spreading within the immune system. It is the first and only co-formulated protease inhibitor tablet that can be used in children and is suitable for pediatric patients who meet weight and age requirements for dosing and are reliably able to swallow the tablet intact.
Developed using breakthrough melt-extrusion technology (Meltrex™), the new lower-strength tablet formulation offers the same benefits as the original full-strength tablet but contains 100 mg of lopinavir and 25 mg of ritonavir, as compared to the 200 mg lopinavir and 50 mg ritonavir in the original tablet.
About Abbott's Commitment to Fighting HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS is a global problem that demands shared commitment and shared responsibility. Abbott is committed to working with governments, multilateral organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society to expand access to HIV/AIDS treatments around the world.
Through its Access program, Abbott provides its HIV medicines at no-profit pricing in many developing countries. Since April 2007, Abbott has offered its HIV medicines in two pricing tiers across 115 low- and lower-middle-income countries. In addition, Abbott has consistently made its medicines available at a price below that of any generic competitor in each of the pricing tiers.
Abbott and Abbott Fund are investing more than $100 million in developing countries through the Abbott Global AIDS Care programs focusing on four areas: strengthening health care systems; helping children affected by HIV/AIDS; preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and expanding access to testing and treatment.
According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the WHO, in 2006, an estimated 2.3 million children under the age of 15 were living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Last year alone, an estimated 530,000 children were infected with HIV, and 380,000 children died of AIDS. The WHO recommends lopinavir/ritonavir as one of three protease inhibitor (PI) options for the treatment of children who no longer respond to first-line HIV medicines. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends lopinavir/ritonavir for the initial treatment of children with HIV.
For more information about Abbott's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, please visit our Web site at abbott/hiv.
About KALETRA
Indication and Important Safety Information for lopinavir/ritonavir
Indication
Kaletra is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infected adults and children above the age of two years. It is used in combination with other antiretroviral agents.
Kaletra does not cure HIV infection or AIDS and does not reduce the risk of passing HIV to others.
Kaletra Important Safety Information
Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information. For U.S. safety information visit KALETRA.
Kaletra should not be taken by patients who have had an allergic reaction to any of its ingredients, including lopinavir or ritonavir, or any of the excipients, or by patients with severe liver problems.
Taking certain medications with Kaletra could cause serious side effects that could be life threatening. Do not take Kaletra with astemizole, terfenadine, midazolam, triazolam, pimozide, cisapride, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, and methylergonovine, rifampicin, amiodarone, vardenafil and products containing St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).
Medical advice and approval must be sought before Kaletra is taken with medicines that lower blood cholesterol (e.g. lovastatinor simvastatin), some medicines affecting the immune system (e.g., cyclosporin, sirolimus (rapamycin), tacrolimus), various steroids (e.g., dexamethasone, fluticasone propionate, ethinyl oestradiol), other protease inhibitors, certain heart medicines such as calcium channel antagonists, (e.g., felodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine) and medicines used to correct heart rhythm (e.g., bepridil, systemic lidocaine, quinidine), antifungals, (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole), morphine-like medicines (e.g., methadone) anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital), warfarin, certain antibiotics (i.e., rifabutin, clarithromycin), certain antidepressants (e.g. trazodone) and voriconazole.
Kaletra may interact with erectile dysfunction agents (e.g., sildenafil or tadalafil). Lower doses of these medicines should be prescribed in patients taking Kaletra.
Kaletra may interact with digoxin (heart medicine); monitoring by a physician is recommended.
Taking Kaletra with certain medicines can cause increased levels of these other medicines in the body. This could increase or prolong their effects and/or adverse reactions, which may result in serious or life-threatening problems. Because of this, patients must tell their doctor about all medicines they are taking or planning to take, including those medicines that can be bought without a prescription and herbal preparations.
Patients using an oral contraceptive or using a patch contraceptive to prevent pregnancy should use an additional or alternative type of contraception since Kaletra may reduce the effectiveness of these products.
Pregnant or nursing mothers should not take Kaletra unless specifically directed by their doctor.
Kaletra oral solution contains 42 percent alcohol. While taking Kaletra oral solution, patients should not take any medicines that may cause a reaction with alcohol such as disulfiram.
It is important that Kaletra oral solution is taken with food. Kaletra tablets may be taken with or without food. It is important that Kaletra tablets are swallowed whole and not be chewed, broken or crushed.
Cases of pancreatitis have been reported in patients taking Kaletra. Liver problems, which can be fatal, have also been reported. Patients should tell their doctor if they have had liver disease such as chronic hepatitis B or C as they are at increased risk for severe and potentially fatal liver adverse events. These patients may require blood tests for control of liver function.
Redistribution, accumulation or loss of body fat may occur in patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy. Patients should contact their doctor if they notice changes in body fat.
In patients taking protease inhibitors, increased bleeding (in patients with hemophilia type A and B) has been reported.
Combination antiretroviral therapy may cause new cases of diabetes and high blood sugar or worsening of existing diabetes, as well as increased fats and raised lactic acid in the blood. The long-term risks for complications due to increases in triglycerides and cholesterol are not known at this time. In addition, large amounts of triglycerides have been considered a risk factor for pancreatitis.
In some patients with advanced HIV infection and a history of opportunistic infection, signs and symptoms of inflammation from previous infections may occur soon after anti-HIV treatment is started. Symptoms of infection should be reported to a doctor immediately.
Some patients taking combination antiretroviral therapy may develop a bone disease called osteonecrosis. Signs and symptoms are joint stiffness, aches and pains (especially in the hip, knee and shoulder) and difficulty in movement. These symptoms require that patients contact their doctor.
In lopinavir/ritonavir adult clinical trials, the very commonly reported (>1 out of 10 persons treated) and commonly reported (less than 1 out of 10 but more than 1 out of 100 persons treated) side effects of moderate to severe intensity were diarrhea, insomnia, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abnormal stools, dyspepsia, flatulence, gastrointestinal disorder, rash, lipodystrophy, weakness and abnormal liver enzymes. This is not a complete list of reported side effects.
In children two years of age and older, the safety profile is similar to that seen in adults.
For more information about Kaletra, please consult your local prescribing information.
Storage Conditions
Kaletra tablets do not require any special storage conditions.
Kaletra oral solution: Store in a refrigerator (2o-8o C). If kept outside of the refrigerator, do not store above 25o C and discard any unused contents after 42 days (6 weeks). Avoid exposure to excessive heat.
About Abbott
Abbott has been a leader in HIV/AIDS research since the early years of the epidemic. In 1985, the company developed the first licensed test to detect HIV antibodies in the blood and remains a leader in HIV diagnostics. Abbott retroviral and hepatitis tests are used to screen more than half of the world's donated blood supply. Abbott has developed two protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV.
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
For more information on Abbott's HIV/AIDS programs, please visit abbott/HIVAIDS and abbottglobalcare.
View drug information on Clarithromycin; Kaletra Capsules and Oral Solution; Warfarin Sodium tablets.
As the first and only co-formulated protease inhibitor tablet that can be used in children, the new lower-strength tablet has the same benefits as the original tablet. The tablet does not require refrigeration and can be taken with or without food two important advances in delivering HIV medicine in developing countries.
Abbott shipped the medicine to Uganda under a waiver order approved by the country's government. Waiver orders allow medicines to be shipped, before they are approved in a specific country, provided that the national government gives specific permission. However, Abbott accepts waiver orders only after a medicine has been approved by at least one stringent regulator. The Ugandan Government approved the shipment when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the lower-strength tablet on November 9. The Ugandan Government's early approval of the waiver order allowed Dr. Victor Musiime of theJoint Clinical Research Centre in Kampalato write the first prescription for the lower-strength tablet just days after it had received marketing authorization in the United States. Other African governments are now also talking to Abbott about the possibility of waiver shipments.
Abbott is also working with African governments to try to expedite registration of this medicine across the continent. Registration in most developing countries can only take place once the regulatory body in the country or region where the medicine is made has approved it, in this case the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).
"Nine out of every ten children with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. We developed Aluvia with the distinct needs of children in the developing world in mind," said Mark Masterson, vice president, Asia, Africa, Australia, Central Europe region, Abbott International.
Abbott has invested in sufficient manufacturing capacity to meet the anticipated global demand for the Aluvia tablets and plans to register the lower-strength Aluvia tablet in 150 countries broader registration than any other pediatric HIV medicine. The company will supply the lower-strength tablet at half the price of the original tablet in developing countries. Both the original strength and lower-strength versions of Abbott's Aluvia tablets are more affordable in these 69 countries than any generic copy.
"Introduction of second-line medicine for children living with HIV will help restore hope for millions of parents and children who would otherwise face a bleak future if first-line therapy failed," said Dr. Peter Mugyenyi, chair and director, Joint Clinical Research Centre (Uganda's pioneer AIDS research and treatment institution), and chairman of African Dialogue on AIDS."Co-formulated lopinavir/ritonavir is a WHO-recommended second-line HIV treatment regimen for children, and Abbott is making its latest, most innovative version available to our most vulnerable sector of society: children who live in poor countries."
Abbott's effort to provide African children with HIV treatments is part of its five-point global strategy to expand access to HIV treatments around the world by:
-- Focusing on pediatric HIV care
-- Continuing to innovate with an eye on the needs of the developing world
-- Investing in manufacturing capacity to ensure consistent, quality supply
-- Offering tiered and affordable pricing
-- Broadening registration of life-enhancing medicines
About Abbott's FDA-Approved Lower-Strength Aluvia Tablet
Abbott's new Aluvia tablet is a lower-strength LPV/r formulation intended to prevent HIV from spreading within the immune system. It is the first and only co-formulated protease inhibitor tablet that can be used in children and is suitable for pediatric patients who meet weight and age requirements for dosing and are reliably able to swallow the tablet intact.
Developed using breakthrough melt-extrusion technology (Meltrex™), the new lower-strength tablet formulation offers the same benefits as the original full-strength tablet but contains 100 mg of lopinavir and 25 mg of ritonavir, as compared to the 200 mg lopinavir and 50 mg ritonavir in the original tablet.
About Abbott's Commitment to Fighting HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS is a global problem that demands shared commitment and shared responsibility. Abbott is committed to working with governments, multilateral organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society to expand access to HIV/AIDS treatments around the world.
Through its Access program, Abbott provides its HIV medicines at no-profit pricing in many developing countries. Since April 2007, Abbott has offered its HIV medicines in two pricing tiers across 115 low- and lower-middle-income countries. In addition, Abbott has consistently made its medicines available at a price below that of any generic competitor in each of the pricing tiers.
Abbott and Abbott Fund are investing more than $100 million in developing countries through the Abbott Global AIDS Care programs focusing on four areas: strengthening health care systems; helping children affected by HIV/AIDS; preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and expanding access to testing and treatment.
According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the WHO, in 2006, an estimated 2.3 million children under the age of 15 were living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Last year alone, an estimated 530,000 children were infected with HIV, and 380,000 children died of AIDS. The WHO recommends lopinavir/ritonavir as one of three protease inhibitor (PI) options for the treatment of children who no longer respond to first-line HIV medicines. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends lopinavir/ritonavir for the initial treatment of children with HIV.
For more information about Abbott's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, please visit our Web site at abbott/hiv.
About KALETRA
Indication and Important Safety Information for lopinavir/ritonavir
Indication
Kaletra is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infected adults and children above the age of two years. It is used in combination with other antiretroviral agents.
Kaletra does not cure HIV infection or AIDS and does not reduce the risk of passing HIV to others.
Kaletra Important Safety Information
Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information. For U.S. safety information visit KALETRA.
Kaletra should not be taken by patients who have had an allergic reaction to any of its ingredients, including lopinavir or ritonavir, or any of the excipients, or by patients with severe liver problems.
Taking certain medications with Kaletra could cause serious side effects that could be life threatening. Do not take Kaletra with astemizole, terfenadine, midazolam, triazolam, pimozide, cisapride, ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, and methylergonovine, rifampicin, amiodarone, vardenafil and products containing St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).
Medical advice and approval must be sought before Kaletra is taken with medicines that lower blood cholesterol (e.g. lovastatinor simvastatin), some medicines affecting the immune system (e.g., cyclosporin, sirolimus (rapamycin), tacrolimus), various steroids (e.g., dexamethasone, fluticasone propionate, ethinyl oestradiol), other protease inhibitors, certain heart medicines such as calcium channel antagonists, (e.g., felodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine) and medicines used to correct heart rhythm (e.g., bepridil, systemic lidocaine, quinidine), antifungals, (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole), morphine-like medicines (e.g., methadone) anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital), warfarin, certain antibiotics (i.e., rifabutin, clarithromycin), certain antidepressants (e.g. trazodone) and voriconazole.
Kaletra may interact with erectile dysfunction agents (e.g., sildenafil or tadalafil). Lower doses of these medicines should be prescribed in patients taking Kaletra.
Kaletra may interact with digoxin (heart medicine); monitoring by a physician is recommended.
Taking Kaletra with certain medicines can cause increased levels of these other medicines in the body. This could increase or prolong their effects and/or adverse reactions, which may result in serious or life-threatening problems. Because of this, patients must tell their doctor about all medicines they are taking or planning to take, including those medicines that can be bought without a prescription and herbal preparations.
Patients using an oral contraceptive or using a patch contraceptive to prevent pregnancy should use an additional or alternative type of contraception since Kaletra may reduce the effectiveness of these products.
Pregnant or nursing mothers should not take Kaletra unless specifically directed by their doctor.
Kaletra oral solution contains 42 percent alcohol. While taking Kaletra oral solution, patients should not take any medicines that may cause a reaction with alcohol such as disulfiram.
It is important that Kaletra oral solution is taken with food. Kaletra tablets may be taken with or without food. It is important that Kaletra tablets are swallowed whole and not be chewed, broken or crushed.
Cases of pancreatitis have been reported in patients taking Kaletra. Liver problems, which can be fatal, have also been reported. Patients should tell their doctor if they have had liver disease such as chronic hepatitis B or C as they are at increased risk for severe and potentially fatal liver adverse events. These patients may require blood tests for control of liver function.
Redistribution, accumulation or loss of body fat may occur in patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy. Patients should contact their doctor if they notice changes in body fat.
In patients taking protease inhibitors, increased bleeding (in patients with hemophilia type A and B) has been reported.
Combination antiretroviral therapy may cause new cases of diabetes and high blood sugar or worsening of existing diabetes, as well as increased fats and raised lactic acid in the blood. The long-term risks for complications due to increases in triglycerides and cholesterol are not known at this time. In addition, large amounts of triglycerides have been considered a risk factor for pancreatitis.
In some patients with advanced HIV infection and a history of opportunistic infection, signs and symptoms of inflammation from previous infections may occur soon after anti-HIV treatment is started. Symptoms of infection should be reported to a doctor immediately.
Some patients taking combination antiretroviral therapy may develop a bone disease called osteonecrosis. Signs and symptoms are joint stiffness, aches and pains (especially in the hip, knee and shoulder) and difficulty in movement. These symptoms require that patients contact their doctor.
In lopinavir/ritonavir adult clinical trials, the very commonly reported (>1 out of 10 persons treated) and commonly reported (less than 1 out of 10 but more than 1 out of 100 persons treated) side effects of moderate to severe intensity were diarrhea, insomnia, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abnormal stools, dyspepsia, flatulence, gastrointestinal disorder, rash, lipodystrophy, weakness and abnormal liver enzymes. This is not a complete list of reported side effects.
In children two years of age and older, the safety profile is similar to that seen in adults.
For more information about Kaletra, please consult your local prescribing information.
Storage Conditions
Kaletra tablets do not require any special storage conditions.
Kaletra oral solution: Store in a refrigerator (2o-8o C). If kept outside of the refrigerator, do not store above 25o C and discard any unused contents after 42 days (6 weeks). Avoid exposure to excessive heat.
About Abbott
Abbott has been a leader in HIV/AIDS research since the early years of the epidemic. In 1985, the company developed the first licensed test to detect HIV antibodies in the blood and remains a leader in HIV diagnostics. Abbott retroviral and hepatitis tests are used to screen more than half of the world's donated blood supply. Abbott has developed two protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV.
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
For more information on Abbott's HIV/AIDS programs, please visit abbott/HIVAIDS and abbottglobalcare.
View drug information on Clarithromycin; Kaletra Capsules and Oral Solution; Warfarin Sodium tablets.
суббота, 4 июня 2011 г.
Funding For NHS Humanitarian Projects Doubled, England
The amount of money available to English NHS teams carrying out humanitarian work overseas is to double to ?40,000 next year, the British Medical Association, Royal College of Nursing and Department of Health announce (Friday 9 December, 2005).
Next year, the Humanitarian Fund, which receives ?20,000 from the Department of Health in England, will be supplemented by ?15,000 from the BMA and ?5,000 from the RCN.
Since December 2004, 15 NHS projects have been awarded grants from the fund, which is administered by the BMA's International Department. They include:
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust - a team of 20 staff travelled to Pui in Romania and within six days refurbished two classrooms and installed indoor toilets for the local school.
Sheffield - a team, mainly from Sheffield Health and Social Research Consortium, is assisting the education of health officers in Tigray in Ethiopia to help them reduce maternal mortality.
Bradford Teaching NHS Trust - multidisciplinary teams are training healthcare staff in Bangladesh to perform new micro-surgery techniques on children and adults with hearing problems.
Royal Free Hospital, London - a research nurse from the Marie Curie Palliative Unit will help mothers to improve the nutrition of children under the age of two in the Mae Lae camp on the border between Thailand and Burma.
Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust - working with a team of Iranian doctors to set up a trauma training system.
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust - helping train doctors and nurses in India.
Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust - working to help Malawian healthcare staff tackle physical disability in children, including cerebral palsy.
The deadline for submitting applications for grants next year is 10 February 2006.
Commenting on the fund, Dr Edwin Borman, chair of the BMA's International Committee, said: "NHS teams achieved an incredible amount last year, and with twice as much money available, they'll be able to do even more. It's not a one-way process - the doctors and nurses who return from these projects gain skills that they bring back to their work for the NHS."
Dr Beverly Malone, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "The Humanitarian Fund gives nurses and other health professionals a chance to help improve the health of communities in developing countries. Getting involved with these kinds of humanitarian projects can also broaden and develop staff skills - with great benefit to the NHS. We hope that nurses take this opportunity to apply for funding and make a real difference to developing communities."
Sir Nigel Crisp, Chief Executive to the NHS said: "Many NHS staff actively contribute to international development programmes and respond to international emergencies. I am pleased that this fund, now in its third year, is able to offer additional support to these staff. I do believe that, as well as offering support to communities in developing countries, this fund acts as a stimulus for professional development and growth. This has to be of benefit to the NHS on their return."
bma
Next year, the Humanitarian Fund, which receives ?20,000 from the Department of Health in England, will be supplemented by ?15,000 from the BMA and ?5,000 from the RCN.
Since December 2004, 15 NHS projects have been awarded grants from the fund, which is administered by the BMA's International Department. They include:
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust - a team of 20 staff travelled to Pui in Romania and within six days refurbished two classrooms and installed indoor toilets for the local school.
Sheffield - a team, mainly from Sheffield Health and Social Research Consortium, is assisting the education of health officers in Tigray in Ethiopia to help them reduce maternal mortality.
Bradford Teaching NHS Trust - multidisciplinary teams are training healthcare staff in Bangladesh to perform new micro-surgery techniques on children and adults with hearing problems.
Royal Free Hospital, London - a research nurse from the Marie Curie Palliative Unit will help mothers to improve the nutrition of children under the age of two in the Mae Lae camp on the border between Thailand and Burma.
Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust - working with a team of Iranian doctors to set up a trauma training system.
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust - helping train doctors and nurses in India.
Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust - working to help Malawian healthcare staff tackle physical disability in children, including cerebral palsy.
The deadline for submitting applications for grants next year is 10 February 2006.
Commenting on the fund, Dr Edwin Borman, chair of the BMA's International Committee, said: "NHS teams achieved an incredible amount last year, and with twice as much money available, they'll be able to do even more. It's not a one-way process - the doctors and nurses who return from these projects gain skills that they bring back to their work for the NHS."
Dr Beverly Malone, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "The Humanitarian Fund gives nurses and other health professionals a chance to help improve the health of communities in developing countries. Getting involved with these kinds of humanitarian projects can also broaden and develop staff skills - with great benefit to the NHS. We hope that nurses take this opportunity to apply for funding and make a real difference to developing communities."
Sir Nigel Crisp, Chief Executive to the NHS said: "Many NHS staff actively contribute to international development programmes and respond to international emergencies. I am pleased that this fund, now in its third year, is able to offer additional support to these staff. I do believe that, as well as offering support to communities in developing countries, this fund acts as a stimulus for professional development and growth. This has to be of benefit to the NHS on their return."
bma
Government Study On Children Living In Katrina Trailers Muddled By Delays, Confusion
A government study to track the health of children who lived in FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina is still stuck in the planning stages, three years after families first began complaining about health problems related to formaldehyde in their temporary homes. See interactive timeline
The Centers for Disease Control, which is supposed to conduct the study, hasn't figured out how it will find the children, many of whom moved out of the trailers months or even years ago. It also hasn't settled on a scientific methodology, according to interviews and documents obtained by ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative newsroom.
Before the work can actually begin, the study must be approved by the White House's Office of Management and Budget. The CDC also must get money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fund the study. The final bill could reach $87 million, according to Michael McGeehin, who is leading the study.
Families moved into 140,000 FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005. In February 2008, the CDC urged people to move out of the trailers because formaldehyde levels were high enough to cause health problems. Today only about 10,000 trailers remain occupied.
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of formaldehyde, which can increase the risk of cancer and asthma attacks and can cause severe skin, ear, nose, and throat irritations. The chemical is found in the glue that is used to make plywood and particleboard in most trailers.
Heidi Sinclair, a Baton Rouge-based pediatrician who treated dozens of children for symptoms related to formaldehyde exposure, said many of her patients have moved to different parts of the country.
"CDC should have started doing this a year before they wanted to start the study," said Sinclair, who got an email from the CDC in October asking her to join a panel that will help find the children. "These people are going to be impossible to track down. Most of them have pay-as-you-go cellphones and have already moved."
The CDC hopes to enroll 6,000 children and monitor their health for as long as six years.
Brad Miller (D-NC), chair of a House subcommittee that has issued several reports slamming the CDC's handling of the formaldehyde problem, said the agency's approach to the children's health study is "unconscionable."
"The longer it takes to launch this study, the more difficult it will be to locate participants, characterize their exposures accurately, and identify life-changes since leaving the trailers that might influence health outcomes down the road," Miller said in a statement to ProPublica. "We owe those children, whose health may have been compromised due to the public housing provided them, a better effort than this."
The CDC began talking about doing a children's study more than a year ago. It highlighted the study last month in its response to a report by Miller's subcommittee and a story by ProPublica, blaming the CDC for producing a flawed study that FEMA used to suppress public concerns about formaldehyde. But the news release gave few details and did not mention a start date.
McGeehin hopes to get enough money from FEMA by the end of the year to allow contractors to begin bidding on the project. He'd like to award the contract in the spring.
"It's a long process to get this going unfortunately, but it needs to be done," he said. "One concern we have is tracking people who were in the area and where they live now, but there are methods to do that and we will do the best we can."
David Williamson, the CDC official in charge of developing a registry of the trailer occupants, said FEMA has their names and their pre-Katrina addresses, but has no information about where they live now. He said the CDC asked FEMA for its data in June, but he doesn't know when it will be delivered.
"There is a set of procedures to keep people's information confidential and secure, and we are going through that with FEMA now," Williamson said.
Lindsay Huckabee, whose five children experienced frequent nosebleeds and other respiratory problems while they lived in a FEMA trailer, isn't surprised by the study's slow pace.
"It's part of the way things have been going with this. Talks get started a year after you find out about a problem, and then it takes another year for the problem to be addressed," Huckabee said. "Not that I want to knock progress, but it is discouraging to see how things are going."
During her family's year in a FEMA trailer, Huckabee said her daughter developed asthma so severe that she was often hospitalized. The health of all her children has improved since they moved, Huckabee said, but she's worried they might have problems in the future. People exposed to high levels of formaldehyde can develop cancer decades later.
"It's frustrating not knowing what to expect," Huckabee said. "Some people say that the formaldehyde could cause problems for life. Others say my kids should be fine now that they are out of the trailer."
After the CDC settles on the study's scientific methodology and on a contractor to do the work, the Office of Management and Budget still has to weigh in. OMB reviews are standard for large projects, McGeehin said.
The OMB has been criticized by some in Congress for injecting politics into federal scientific studies and rulemaking. Earlier this year CDC chief Julie Gerberding's congressional testimony on climate change was edited by the OMB to minimize the health consequences of waterborne diseases, extreme weather events and intense heat.
The OMB also played a role in delaying EPA studies of the health risks of formaldehyde and many other contaminants, according to a report released this year by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.
"The problem with that review is that there are no scientific experts at OMB that would be reviewing this," said Rick Melberth, director of regulatory policy at OMB Watch, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit. "I think the public will be outraged to know there is a White House review of this study by non-scientists."
A CDC scientist who has had many studies reviewed by OMB said the review process is "characterized by endless review and re-review."
"It's like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard," said the scientist, who did not want to be quoted by name for fear of retribution. "There is just an unprecedented level of scrutiny by a range of vested interests."
ProPublica obtained a PowerPoint presentation (see last page) from a May meeting of the CDC's Board of Scientific Counselors indicating that OMB would begin reviewing the children's study in July of this year and the results would be published in January 2015. But McGeehin said he won't send the study to OMB until the project's contractor is selected and has had time to review it.
Scott Needle, who was running a clinic in Bay St. Louis, Miss. when Katrina hit, has been waiting more than two years for the government to do a comprehensive children's study.
Many of his patients' families moved into FEMA trailers after they lost their homes, and children soon began showing up at his clinic with cold and flu symptoms that never seemed to subside no matter how many times he treated them. In April 2006, when news reports began linking formaldehyde to those symptoms, he asked the Mississippi State Department of Public Health to investigate whether formaldehyde was causing the problem. He said he was told that the state didn't have the resources for such a study and that he should contact the CDC, which he did.
In July 2007 the CDC agreed to evaluate 144 children living in FEMA trailers, but the methodology didn't directly address Needle's concerns.
The study was restricted to children who had respiratory problems before the hurricane and it focused only on how many times they had been hospitalized. Researchers found that children who lived in the trailers were hospitalized a bit more often than children who didn't, but the difference was so slight that they didn't draw any conclusions. The final report didn't mention the word formaldehyde.
Needle, who now practices medicine in Florida, has doubts about the new study, too.
"If the study had been done earlier, maybe we could have teased out some answers," he said. "Now I don't know if there would be any way to know."
Source
Mike Webb
Director of Communications
ProPublica
One Exchange Plaza/55 Broadway, 23rd Fl.
New York, NY 10006
propublica
The Centers for Disease Control, which is supposed to conduct the study, hasn't figured out how it will find the children, many of whom moved out of the trailers months or even years ago. It also hasn't settled on a scientific methodology, according to interviews and documents obtained by ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative newsroom.
Before the work can actually begin, the study must be approved by the White House's Office of Management and Budget. The CDC also must get money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fund the study. The final bill could reach $87 million, according to Michael McGeehin, who is leading the study.
Families moved into 140,000 FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005. In February 2008, the CDC urged people to move out of the trailers because formaldehyde levels were high enough to cause health problems. Today only about 10,000 trailers remain occupied.
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of formaldehyde, which can increase the risk of cancer and asthma attacks and can cause severe skin, ear, nose, and throat irritations. The chemical is found in the glue that is used to make plywood and particleboard in most trailers.
Heidi Sinclair, a Baton Rouge-based pediatrician who treated dozens of children for symptoms related to formaldehyde exposure, said many of her patients have moved to different parts of the country.
"CDC should have started doing this a year before they wanted to start the study," said Sinclair, who got an email from the CDC in October asking her to join a panel that will help find the children. "These people are going to be impossible to track down. Most of them have pay-as-you-go cellphones and have already moved."
The CDC hopes to enroll 6,000 children and monitor their health for as long as six years.
Brad Miller (D-NC), chair of a House subcommittee that has issued several reports slamming the CDC's handling of the formaldehyde problem, said the agency's approach to the children's health study is "unconscionable."
"The longer it takes to launch this study, the more difficult it will be to locate participants, characterize their exposures accurately, and identify life-changes since leaving the trailers that might influence health outcomes down the road," Miller said in a statement to ProPublica. "We owe those children, whose health may have been compromised due to the public housing provided them, a better effort than this."
The CDC began talking about doing a children's study more than a year ago. It highlighted the study last month in its response to a report by Miller's subcommittee and a story by ProPublica, blaming the CDC for producing a flawed study that FEMA used to suppress public concerns about formaldehyde. But the news release gave few details and did not mention a start date.
McGeehin hopes to get enough money from FEMA by the end of the year to allow contractors to begin bidding on the project. He'd like to award the contract in the spring.
"It's a long process to get this going unfortunately, but it needs to be done," he said. "One concern we have is tracking people who were in the area and where they live now, but there are methods to do that and we will do the best we can."
David Williamson, the CDC official in charge of developing a registry of the trailer occupants, said FEMA has their names and their pre-Katrina addresses, but has no information about where they live now. He said the CDC asked FEMA for its data in June, but he doesn't know when it will be delivered.
"There is a set of procedures to keep people's information confidential and secure, and we are going through that with FEMA now," Williamson said.
Lindsay Huckabee, whose five children experienced frequent nosebleeds and other respiratory problems while they lived in a FEMA trailer, isn't surprised by the study's slow pace.
"It's part of the way things have been going with this. Talks get started a year after you find out about a problem, and then it takes another year for the problem to be addressed," Huckabee said. "Not that I want to knock progress, but it is discouraging to see how things are going."
During her family's year in a FEMA trailer, Huckabee said her daughter developed asthma so severe that she was often hospitalized. The health of all her children has improved since they moved, Huckabee said, but she's worried they might have problems in the future. People exposed to high levels of formaldehyde can develop cancer decades later.
"It's frustrating not knowing what to expect," Huckabee said. "Some people say that the formaldehyde could cause problems for life. Others say my kids should be fine now that they are out of the trailer."
After the CDC settles on the study's scientific methodology and on a contractor to do the work, the Office of Management and Budget still has to weigh in. OMB reviews are standard for large projects, McGeehin said.
The OMB has been criticized by some in Congress for injecting politics into federal scientific studies and rulemaking. Earlier this year CDC chief Julie Gerberding's congressional testimony on climate change was edited by the OMB to minimize the health consequences of waterborne diseases, extreme weather events and intense heat.
The OMB also played a role in delaying EPA studies of the health risks of formaldehyde and many other contaminants, according to a report released this year by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.
"The problem with that review is that there are no scientific experts at OMB that would be reviewing this," said Rick Melberth, director of regulatory policy at OMB Watch, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit. "I think the public will be outraged to know there is a White House review of this study by non-scientists."
A CDC scientist who has had many studies reviewed by OMB said the review process is "characterized by endless review and re-review."
"It's like listening to fingernails on a chalkboard," said the scientist, who did not want to be quoted by name for fear of retribution. "There is just an unprecedented level of scrutiny by a range of vested interests."
ProPublica obtained a PowerPoint presentation (see last page) from a May meeting of the CDC's Board of Scientific Counselors indicating that OMB would begin reviewing the children's study in July of this year and the results would be published in January 2015. But McGeehin said he won't send the study to OMB until the project's contractor is selected and has had time to review it.
Scott Needle, who was running a clinic in Bay St. Louis, Miss. when Katrina hit, has been waiting more than two years for the government to do a comprehensive children's study.
Many of his patients' families moved into FEMA trailers after they lost their homes, and children soon began showing up at his clinic with cold and flu symptoms that never seemed to subside no matter how many times he treated them. In April 2006, when news reports began linking formaldehyde to those symptoms, he asked the Mississippi State Department of Public Health to investigate whether formaldehyde was causing the problem. He said he was told that the state didn't have the resources for such a study and that he should contact the CDC, which he did.
In July 2007 the CDC agreed to evaluate 144 children living in FEMA trailers, but the methodology didn't directly address Needle's concerns.
The study was restricted to children who had respiratory problems before the hurricane and it focused only on how many times they had been hospitalized. Researchers found that children who lived in the trailers were hospitalized a bit more often than children who didn't, but the difference was so slight that they didn't draw any conclusions. The final report didn't mention the word formaldehyde.
Needle, who now practices medicine in Florida, has doubts about the new study, too.
"If the study had been done earlier, maybe we could have teased out some answers," he said. "Now I don't know if there would be any way to know."
Source
Mike Webb
Director of Communications
ProPublica
One Exchange Plaza/55 Broadway, 23rd Fl.
New York, NY 10006
propublica
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