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The International Association of National Public Well being Institutes (IANPHI), has awarded its 1st short- and mid-term technical assistance grants to public wellness institutes in five nations. The awards are the result of a $20 million, five-year grant last year from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Emory University, in partnership with Finland’s National Public Wellness Institute, KTL, to support IANPHI.

IANPHI is an international alliance dedicated to optimizing public well being service delivery and decision-making globally by improving national public well being institutes (NPHIs) around the globe. Jeffrey Koplan, MD, MPH, vice president for academic well being affairs at Emory University’s Woodruff Wellness Sciences Center and former director with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is IANPHI president and principal investigator for the IANPHI grant. IANPHI was established in 2006 with 39 founding members; ten new members joined the association in its second General Assembly this year in Beijing, China.

The new grants contain 3 short-term technical assistance grants to NPHIs in Iran, Thailand and Uganda. The Institute of Public Health Study in Iran was given a grant to create a training program on disaster management and risk reduction, together with the peer assistance of national and international partners.

“Iran will be the sixth most disaster prone country within the world,” says the institute’s director, Professor Alireza Mesdaghinia. “About four thousand people die and an additional 55,000 are affected by natural disasters annually. Its capability to respond is very limited, however, because of the shortage of well-trained disaster response teams, including policy, planning and field operations.”

A second short-term grant to Thailand’s National Institute of Well being will support training in biosafety and risk assessment for laboratory staff. Upon completion of their instruction, trainees will assume responsibility for the institute’s biosafety activities.

A one-year grant towards the Ugandan Viral Study Institute is aimed at increasing the institute’s contributions to public health within the nation, with emphasis on partnerships and sustainability. Funds will be used to develop and executive a strategic strategy, establish a computer-equipped resource center and build affiliations with others working to boost public well being in Uganda. The grant will also support improvements within the institute’s financial and grants management systems.

The Institutos Nacional de Salud in Colombia will use a three-year IANPHI grant to implement a pilot site for the study of chronic diseases, which have become a major public well being problem in that country. The project will integrate surveillance, research and monitoring functions and boost capacity on the local level, eventually leading towards the establishment of a sustainable network of surveillance and analysis sites to guide national-level public well being decision-making.

A grant to the Nigerian Institute of Medical Investigation will help strengthen monitoring and surveillance systems for infectious diseases; develop a coordinated technique for emergency preparedness; establish systems for field and outbreak investigation and create a framework for new functions including wellness promotion and chronic disease.

In addition, 3 seed grants were awarded to institutes in Cuba, Guinea Bissau and Uganda to support public wellness study in low-resource countries.

IANPHI soon will award long-term technical assistance grants of up to five years with all the goal of helping produce national public wellness institutes in countries that already have some public well being infrastructure. These grants will involve visits by teams from other countries’ public health institutes and support of specific projects.

“Although it is still a young endeavor, IANPHI is well positioned to act as a catalyzing point for national public well being institute development, leadership and advocacy and thus strengthen international health security,” says Dr. Koplan. “Over the past year our member public health institutes have been in the forefront of protecting our wellness security through their roles in detecting and containing avian influenza, coping with natural disasters, investigating new outbreaks of disease and strengthening their routine disease surveillance systems.”

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Contact: Holly Korschun
Emory University

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Persistent drought and plagues of locusts ravaged Timor-Leste’s harvest in 2007, cutting production of main crops by as much as 30 per cent and leaving one-fifth with the population in need of food assistance, says a report issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as well as the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

To avert a major food crisis, between 210,000 and 220,000 vulnerable people living in outlying locations across the island nation will require far more than 15,000 tonnes of emergency food assistance, particularly throughout the six months of the coming ‘lean season’, from October 2007 to March 2008.

“A poor harvest this year has worsened the already fragile livelihoods of people all over Timor but especially amongst the poorest people living in rural and more remote districts,” said Anthony Banbury, WFP’s Regional Director for Asia. “And for a lot of of those displaced by the conflict during last year’s crisis, who continue to live outside of their communities, a restricted domestic food supply means they will continue to rely on food assistance.”

The new report, based on a joint assessment mission carried out by the two UN agencies in March and April, suggests substantial reductions in all of the country’s crops due in large component to recurring drought, especially on the north coast, and an outbreak of locust infestations within the western regions.

Production of maize, Timor’s most essential crop, declined by 30 per cent to 70,000 tonnes. Output of cereals, cassava as well as other tubers dropped by 25-30 per cent although rice production decreased by 20 per cent.

“Producers are in urgent require of maize and rice seeds, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs to prepare for the subsequent cropping season,” said Henri Josserand, Chief of FAO’s Global Data and Early Warning Technique. “We should continue to closely monitor the drought situation and any further locust infestations to assist offer Timorese farmers using the best data and assistance.”

The cereal deficit in 2007/08 (April/March) is estimated at 86,000 tonnes. With commercial imports anticipated at 71,000 tonnes, including an expected Government purchase of 16,000 tonnes for a national strategic food reserve, there remains a cereal deficit of 15,000 tonnes which will should be bridged via international food assistance.

The FAO/WFP report also noted that the severe food crisis earlier this year, with commodity price hikes along with the virtual disappearance of rice from the market, highlighted the have to boost food security policies, strategies and implementation mechanisms.

In addition to those affected by crop failure, Timor also has nearly 100,000 internally displaced individuals living in Dili or with relatives in the districts as a result of the political crisis that began in 2006. The IDP households have been supported with food assistance considering that May 2006.

In view with the needs in Timor, UN agencies will be seeking funding for essential agricultural inputs and food assistance.

Read the full report: click here

http://www.wfp.org

1 (2 votes)

First lady Laura Bush on Monday is scheduled to leave on her third visit to Africa in an effort to highlight programs funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief as well as the President’s Malaria Initiative, the Washington Post reports. Bush will visit Mali, Mozambique, Senegal and Zambia during the five-day trip. The trip “should show U.S. taxpayers the president’s support of pressing humanitarian causes,” Bush stated for the duration of a recent CNN interview, adding, “We want the American folks to know, because it is their taxpayer money that’s performing it.” She also said that the HIV/AIDS pandemic does “seem like an insurmountable issue, but the fact is, you’ll be able to measure progress because you’ll be able to see how several people truly get therapy.” Based on Bush, mother-to-child HIV transmission has been all but eliminated within the U.S. — an achievement that can be replicated elsewhere (Fletcher, Washington Post, 6/25).

Bush throughout the trip also will deliver 5 scholarships to girls in Senegal to mark the launch of a program that may offer 555,000 scholarships to elementary schools within the region by 2010, the Chicago Tribune reports. “You have to give [the Bush] administration a lot of credit on Africa,” Princeton Lyman — senior fellow for Africa studies in the Council on Foreign Relations, a former ambassador to various African countries and former senior State Department official — stated. He added, “The AIDS commitment is rather extraordinary, and there is no question that it has galvanized resources much more than anything before it.” Tom Hart, director of governmental relations for DATA, stated that the president “deserves credit for helping break a political mold within the U.S. response to AIDS,” adding, “The disease is nonetheless outpacing us, but there is a political sea change in Washington in attitudes toward Africa. This president has definitely contributed to that.”

Some advocates say that money for education programs — especially in a region where education and preventing mother-to-child transmission are vital to HIV/AIDS efforts aimed at the next generation — is inadequate, the Tribune reports. “The scholarships have certainly helped some girls,” Gene Sperling, director with the Center for Universal Education, said, adding, “But there is really little sense inside the world that the U.S. has helped any African nation take a big step forward on education” (Silva, Chicago Tribune, 6/25).

NPR’s “All Points Considered” on Friday included a discussion with Bush about PEPFAR and her trip to Africa (Norris, “All Issues Considered,” NPR, 6/22). Audio as well as a partial transcript with the segment are obtainable on-line. In addition, PRI’s “The World” on Friday included a discussion with Paul Zeitz, executive director with the Global AIDS Alliance, about funding for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa below the Bush administration (Werman, “The World,” PRI, 6/22). Audio with the segment is offered on-line.

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You’ll be able to view the whole Kaiser Everyday Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a totally free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Loved ones Foundation . ? 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Household Foundation. All rights reserved.

5 (1 votes)

The mortality rate among men and women who lived in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005 increased by 47% through the first six months of 2006 compared using the rate in the years before the hurricane, based on a study recently published in the journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, USA Today reports. To measure the combined mortality rate of individuals who returned to New Orleans right after the hurricane and those who remained in other cities, researchers in the New Orleans Wellness Department compared the number of death notices published every month in the New Orleans Times-Picayune through the 1st six months of 2006 towards the number published every month in 2002 and 2004.

According to the study, 1,317 death notices on average were published per month from January 2006 to June 2006, compared with an average of 924 death notices per month in 2002 and 2004. The figures indicate that the death rate has risen to 91 per 100,000 individuals because the storm from 62 per 100,000 individuals, based on the study.

Kevin Stephens, director with the city’s wellness department and lead author with the study, stated, “We’re facing a lot of health care challenges. I’m sure that has a significant impact on mortality.” Stephens added that men and women who no longer live in New Orleans typically have trouble obtaining well being care in their current locations. Jullette Saussy, director of New Orleans EMS, said, “The lack of primary care, of mental well being care and of long waits in emergency rooms all have (worsened) people’s normally controllable chronic diseases.”

A separate study published within the same journal finds that much more than 4,486 doctors from three parishes within the New Orleans area have been displaced, creating a shortage that continues to be a issue at a lot of hospitals. The second study was led by Kusuma Madamala with the American Medical Association (Sternberg, USA Today, 6/22).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You’ll be able to view the entire Kaiser Daily Wellness Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Household Foundation . ? 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Loved ones Foundation. All rights reserved.

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The AMA today voted to support federal legislation to increase resources for global and domestic tuberculosis (TB) control.

“About one-third of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis, and drug resistant strains of TB are spreading around the globe,” said J. James Rohack, M.D., AMA board member. “About 10-14 million Americans are infected with latent TB. Together with the newest class of anti-TB drugs over 40 years old as well as the increase in multi-drug resistance, we need to have new tools to fight this killer disease.”

American Medical Association
http://www.ama-assn.org

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2 (1 votes)

As the country braces itself for yet much more heavy rain at the weekend, NHS Direct has urged anyone on medication to remember to:

– Think ahead and purchase any repeat prescriptions just in case flooding prevents them from getting to the pharmacy at a later stage
– Where possible keep all medication on the second floor and if possible in a water-tight container
– Pack all necessary medicines within the unfortunate event of having to be evacuated.

NHS Direct is also stressing how critical it’s not to take any medication that may have been damaged by flood water. In this situation it really is advisable, if possible, to speak towards the local pharmacist and if necessary buy replacement medication.

The 24-hour telephone service (0845 4647) is poised to take calls from anyone concerned by flood-related health issues.

NHS Direct has also posted comprehensive wellness advice on its website (http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk) – relevant information, sourced from the Wellness Protection Agency, is also now offered on NHS Direct Interactive digital TV.

Floodwater and sewage typically leaves muddy deposits. However, experience from previous flooding and sewage contamination has shown that any risk to wellness is small. Well being risks can be minimised by taking general hygiene precautions and by the use of protective clothing (waterproof boots and gloves) whilst cleaning up.

Harmful bacteria may be present in sewage and animal slurry, and this can pass into flood water, although it can be most likely to be extremely diluted. If you or anyone in your family members gets symptoms including sickness, diarrhoea or tummy cramps, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or speak with your GP.

Those affected by the flooding may also need to take some time to consider their mental health at the same time. Sleeplessness, anxiety, anger, hyperactivity, mild depression, or tiredness are normal, and may go away with time. If you get any of these symptoms long-term contact NHS Direct or your GP.

There is also plenty of other advice available on NHS Direct On the web and on the digital TV channels, like suggestions about:

– Cleaning up inside your home
– Cleaning gardens and play areas
– Cleaning clothes and bedding
– Returning to your home
– Food preparation and storage
– If your drinking water becomes contaminated
– How to deal with chemical hazards

NHS Direct has these days also supplied the Humanitarian Centre in Sheffield with relevant contact materials – leaflets and health credit cards.

NHS Direct provides confidential well being advice and data around the clock. If you are feeling ill, and are unsure what to do; would like to find out far more about a condition or therapy; or need details of local well being services, NHS Direct can assist. You can:
– visit http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk;
– go to NHS Direct Interactive on digital TV – on Sky Digital, press the ‘Interactive’ button and scroll down the menu to page 2 – on Freeview, go to Channel 108;
– or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647*.

– *Calls expense a maximum of 5 pence per minute from a BT landline. Calls from mobiles as well as other networks may vary. Your service provider may charge a minimum price per call. A confidential interpretation service is available in numerous languages. For patients’ safety, calls to NHS Direct are recorded
– NHS Direct is in the forefront of 24 hour well being care delivering telephone and e-health data services day and night direct to the public
– NHS Direct provides health information and advice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.– NHS Direct handles around 6.5 million telephone calls a year
– The NHS Direct website http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk attracts approximately 2 million visits every single month
– NHS Direct on Freeview was launched just before Christmas 2006 and together with all the service on Sky Digital means that over 14 million households have access to hundreds of pages packed with well being data. These consist of:
- Answers to common well being questions,
- Advice on healthy living for example: eating properly, exercise and giving up smoking
- Data about NHS Services
- Features on long-term wellness conditions
- News on present health issues
– NHS Direct is accessed on Freeview by going to channel 108.
– NHS Direct Interactive on Sky Digital TV consists of 3000 pages of information on 500 health topics.
– NHS Direct Interactive on Sky Digital is accessed by pressing the interactive button on the Sky Digital remote control, scrolling down to NHS Direct Interactive and pressing Select.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

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The Globe Bank has pledged to offer 10 billion Kenyan shillings, or about $151 million, throughout the subsequent 4 years for HIV/AIDS programs in Kenya, the country’s Unique Programs Minister John Munyes stated Sunday in the course of a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Nation/AllAfrica.com reports. He added that other donors are expected to present an additional 10 billion shillings toward fighting the epidemic. The Kenyan government is expected to distribute 30 billion shillings, or about $450 million, to the National AIDS Control Council for community-based AIDS programs, Munyes said (Nation/AllAfrica.com, 6/25).

In related news, NACC Chair Miriam Had been recently announced that the number of new HIV instances in Kenya declined from 85,000 in 2004 to 60,000 in 2005, Reuters reports. Had been added that HIV prevalence declined from 6.1% to 5.9% during the same period. In accordance with Reuters, officials stated the reduction is because of wider access to antiretroviral drugs, increased condom use plus a reduction in risky sexual behavior. The government has set a goal of reducing HIV prevalence to less than 5.5% by 2010, Reuters reports (Reuters, 6/25). “The active and collaborative involvement of a wide range of partners — including public and private sectors, civil society organizations, faith-based community and donors, under the coordination of the National Aids Control Council — is undoubtedly a factor in Kenya’s good results to date,” Had been said. Munyes said, “Apart from reduction in prevalence, the government also wants to reduce the rate of new infections, which we view as a better measure for achievement within the war against AIDS.” According to Munyes, the country prevented 39,132 deaths in 2005 as a result of increased access to antiretrovirals, and also the number of averted deaths is “expected to grow as we increase treatment” access. He said the number of deaths from AIDS-related illnesses in Kenya is about 115,000 annually, or 150 deaths day-to-day (Nation/AllAfrica.com, 6/25). “Although we have made impressive progress in fighting AIDS, we still face a big challenge ahead of us,” Munyes said (Reuters, 6/25).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You’ll be able to view the entire Kaiser Day-to-day Wellness Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family members Foundation . ? 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family members Foundation. All rights reserved.

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Six African governments and also the United Nations recently agreed on a road map to tackle the root causes of rising hunger across the drought-plagued Horn of Africa, warning that the next major crisis could force more than 20 million people into needing emergency assistance.

The road map was the result of months of planning capped by two days of talks in Nairobi that ended few days ago in between government representatives of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda, regional bodies, donors, international financial institutions, analysis organizations, the private sector, non-governmental organisations as well as the United Nations.

“The hard work starts now,” said Kjell Magne Bondevik, UN Special Humanitarian Envoy to the Horn of Africa. “We have identified what works best and where. The biggest challenge is to scale up successes to extinguish hunger inside the Horn rather than just fighting fires each and every time 1 breaks out.”

“The Horn is hit by some of the world’s most severe food crises and they are coming faster and far more furious because of climate change, environmental degradation, political and armed conflicts plus a host of other variables,” he said. “We all now need to show the commitment to end this cycle of despair and disaster, which if not stopped could subsequent see over 20 million folks in want of assistance.”

“None of this will perform, however, unless the best responses are escalated across the region,” he said. “If we want to change the Horn so it supports people rather of increasingly generating them victims, I appeal to you all to back this campaign on behalf of those brave survivors of one of many harshest environments in the globe. Otherwise this failure will only haunt us all.”

Far more than 70 million people – 45 percent with the total population – inside the Horn live in abject poverty and face food shortages. Inside the past six years, 4 key droughts hit the region.

The result of government-led consultations using the support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Globe Food Programme is a road map to scale-up prioritized interventions in the six countries. National talks since January produced a list of 170 productive projects, an armoury of interventions that can be extended and expanded inside the battle against hunger.

“In the Horn of Africa to end this scourge, we have to protect and rebuild the livelihoods with the food insecure and enhance their long-term resilience to shocks such as droughts. This is what we hope to do in this comprehensive partnership,” stated FAO Assistant Director-General Tesfai Tecle.

“Breaking the cycle of hunger in the Horn of Africa requires joint efforts by all stakeholders – governments with the region, UN agencies, NGOs and donors,” said Paul Gulleik Larsen, Director of the Office of the WFP Executive Director. “The challenge of meeting Millennium Development Goal 1 of cutting hunger in half is large, however it is doable. The fact that six countries have joined this consultation shows an encouraging level of political commitment.”

Six sets of priorities for partnerships for food security within the Horn of Africa had been identified:

– Broad alliances to support millions of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists
– The environmental challenge; combating land degradation and desertification
– The role of ladies as a primary force for rural transformation;
– Livelihoods diversification and income-generating activities for the food insecure;
– Risk management and crisis response;
– Institutional strengthening and community-focused capacity building.

The 170 best projects drawn from the six countries consist of amongst many others growing trees, rehabilitating land, veterinary services for drought-stricken pastoralists; agricultural advisory services for farmers; bee-keeping; dairy development; fisheries; micro-enterprises; eco-tourism; digging water wells and irrigation systems, and establishing vegetable gardens.

http://www.wfp.org
http://www.fao.org

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The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted to reduce President Bush’s funding request for the Millennium Challenge Corporation and to increase aid for HIV/AIDS programs, including the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the AP/Yahoo! News reports (Taylor, AP/Yahoo! News, 6/28). MCC is a program meant to encourage economic and political reforms in developing countries (Kaiser Everyday HIV/AIDS Report, 2/6).

The Senate’s foreign aid bill would reduce Bush’s $3 billion request for MCC to $1.2 billion. It also would improve Bush’s $4.2 billion request for global HIV/AIDS programs by $940 million, including $590 million for the Global Fund, the AP/Yahoo! News reports (AP/Yahoo! News, 6/28).

The bill, which passed the House last week, also would allow Bush and future presidents to waive the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief’s abstinence spending requirement. By law, at the least one-third of HIV prevention funds that focus countries get by means of PEPFAR must be used for abstinence-until-marriage programs. Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.), who helped draft the original abstinence spending requirement, said that he is confident the Bush administration will continue to promote the requirement. He added that future presidents might waive the requirement (Kaiser Every day HIV/AIDS Report, 6/22). The measure now goes towards the Senate floor, Reuters reports (Reuters, 6/28).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the whole Kaiser Everyday Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Well being Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a cost-free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Family members Foundation . ? 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Household Foundation. All rights reserved.

5 (1 votes)

In January, 2008, The Society for Mucosal Immunology (SMI) and Nature Publishing Group (NPG) will launch Mucosal Immunology, a new publication.

Mucosal Immunology will be launched with Dr. Brian Kelsall, with the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as the journal’s Editor-in-Chief. Dr. Kelsall along with the journal’s editorial team aim to supply a forum for both basic and clinical scientists to discuss all aspects of immunity and inflammation involving mucosal tissues.

Dr. Kelsall explains, “Mucosal Immunology will be the first journal dedicated to this field of science. I am greatly looking forward to collaborating with NPG on this essential project.”

Scientists of mucosal immunology aim to better comprehend diseases for example AIDS, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease. Mucosal Immunology will be devoted to publishing high-quality original investigation, scholarly reviews, commentaries, editorials and letters that reflect the interests of scientists studying gastrointestinal, pulmonary, nasopharyngeal, oral, ocular, and genitourinary immunology. In addition, Mucosal Immunologyaims to present a primary method of communication for the SMI governing board and its members by means of the publication of society news, announcements of planned meetings and conferences, discussions of policy concerns, and advertisements for job and training opportunities.

NPG was chosen by SMI as the publisher because of its strategic capabilities and experience in publishing premier scientific journals. “NPG joins the SMI partnership with great enthusiasm” stated Annette Thomas, NPG’s Managing Director, concerning the new partnership.

About SMI

The Society for Mucosal Immunology (SMI) was formed in 1987 to advance study and education related towards the field of mucosal immunology. These days the Society represents a diverse group of more than 700 scientists and clinicians from 37 countries. Mucosal immunologists focus on the sites at which most antigens enter – the mucosal surfaces with the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urogenital tracts. These surfaces comprise the body’s very first line of defense against an array of pathogenic microbes.

http://www.socmucimm.org

About NPG

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is a division of Macmillan Publishers Ltd, dedicated to serving the academic, specialist scientific and medical communities. NPG’s flagship title, Nature, may be the world’s most highly-cited weekly multidisciplinary journal and was very first published in 1869. Other publications and services incorporate Nature research journals, Nature Reviews, Nature Clinical Practice, a range of prestigious academic journals, including society-owned publications, news content from news@nature.com and scientific career information from Naturejobs.

http://www.nature.com

NPG is a global company, with headquarters in London and offices in New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, Tokyo, Paris, Munich, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Gurgaon, Madrid and Basingstoke.

Mucosal Immunology