Chavez Beats Back His Student Opposition
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is taking no chances in the runup to a Feb. 15 referendum on term limits, quashing the only effectively mobilized opposition group in Venezuelan — students. Student leaders have called Chavez’s campaign against them an act of desperation but admit it appears to be effective.
The Global Funds Financial Gap
Global Fund programs are increasingly effective and popular among African nations in the effort to fight or eradicate AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis — yet increasing costs associated with these programs have conspired with the weak economy to produce a funding gap. Global Fund leaders hope to encourage the U.S. and other advanced nations to fulfill most or even all of their commitments — such as the $2.7 billion pledged for 20009 during the Bush administration, of which the Global Fund has collected just $1.7 billion.
China birth defects ‘up sharply’
Throughout China and especially in coal-producing regions such as Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, officials are noting a worrying uptick in the incidence of birth defects — a trend they attribute to pollution. A study by China’s National Population and Family Planning Commission found that birth defect incidence had grown a staggering 40% from 2001 to 2006, though the actual number of defects was not provided. Environmental activists are hailing the news release as a victory.
BURKINA FASO: Cutters turn razors on babies to evade FGM/C law
Female circumcision practitioners in Burkina Faso have shifted to carrying out their duties on increasingly younger babies to avoid scrutiny of those attempting to enforce laws against the practice.
UNICEF feels the pinch of the food price crisis
UNICEF estimates it will require as much as 1,100 tons in food aid per month to stave off crisis in Ethiopia — just one site among many areas suffering from malnutrition. One of the leading costs for the UN food agency, combating malnutrition in a bare minimum of crisis states will require $1 billion — a global appeal target that will ensure the continuation of UNICEF’s programs in these areas.
New Child-Friendly Malaria Drug Presents Distribution Challenge
Anti-malaria drug manufacturers recently overcame one hurdle by introducing a small, cherry-flavored pill to appeal to children. However, with this innovation comes another problem: how to distribute the new drug through the poor distribution networks in Africa. Medications such as anti-malarials often experience “pill pileups” when aid personnel cannot establish routes to get the drugs to people who need them.
RPT-FEATURE-India grapples with high maternal death rate
UNICEF reports poverty and poor access to health care are contributing to a high death rate among pregnant women in India. Annually, about 78,000 women in India die giving birth, mostly in rural areas, which have not shared in the country’s economic boom.
WFP in race to feed 6.5 mln in southern Africa
More than 6 million people in southern Africa are in need of food aid, 5.5 million of them in Zimbabwe alone, where the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, the World Food Programme said Friday. The agency remains tens of millions of dollars short of the funds necessary to meet the need.
Polio’s Last Stand
Efforts to eradicate polio stand right at the brink of a final victory, but the disease’s ability to spread quickly, easily and often silently combined with governance and logistical challenges makes the battle difficult to win even with millions in donor funds available for the fight.
