Polio strikes war-torn central Africa
The resurgence of polio cases in Africa during 2010 has prompted warnings from the World Health Organization and a massive multicountry vaccination program. Health officials blame insufficient vaccination programs for an outbreak of cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Congo that has killed almost 200 people and paralyzed more than 2,000.
Rural areas face challenges to eradicate extreme poverty
Over the past decade, about 350 million people left the ranks of extreme poverty, but more than a billion continue to subsist on less than $1.25 per day, according to a UN report. About 70% of the world’s poorest people are rural dwellers, per the Rural Poverty Report from the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Polio virus is found in New Delhi sewers
Indian officials are on alert after the discovery of polio virus in New Delhi sewers as part of a surveillance program aimed at preventing outbreaks. India has sent samples to the World Health Organization for further analysis.
UN battles polio outbreak in DR Congo
The United Nations is calling for a cease-fire in the conflict-ridden eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to try to stem a sudden outbreak of polio. Millions of children are at risk of the disease, say officials, who last month launched a vaccination campaign aimed at reaching some 72 million children under 5 in 15 countries across Africa.
Hunger takes a back seat to politics in Afghanistan
Politics are trumping humanitarian issues in Afghanistan, where one in four people still do not have enough food to eat according to a UN official. “The humanitarian situation seems to be a second thought,” UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg said Sunday in an interview.
Meningitis vaccine campaign begins in West Africa
West Africa launches a massive campaign today to inoculate tens of millions of people against bacterial meningitis with a new vaccine. Supporters hope to save 150,000 lives by 2015 as a result of the effort and bring an end to annual meningitis epidemics that sweep across the continent.
UN: Western youth need more AIDS education
Wealthy countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany have seen an increase in the number of new AIDS cases because young people, especially men, have become complacent. A surge in AIDS cases in Eastern Europe and Central Asia is being attributed primarily to drug use.
Africa can achieve food security in a generation
African countries can achieve food self-sufficiency within a single generation despite the strains of climate change, according to an international study led by Harvard University. Efforts to support small-scale farmers and introduce crops that are more resistant to harsh weather conditions could end Africa’s dependency on international food aid, researchers reported.
UN: Western youth need more AIDS education
Wealthy countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany have seen an increase in the number of new AIDS cases because young people, especially men, have become complacent. A surge in AIDS cases in Eastern Europe and Central Asia is being attributed primarily to drug use.
Africa can achieve food security in a generation
African countries can achieve food self-sufficiency within a single generation despite the strains of climate change, according to an international study led by Harvard University. Efforts to support small-scale farmers and introduce crops that are more resistant to harsh weather conditions could end Africa’s dependency on international food aid, researchers reported.
New approach for treating Kenya’s AIDS infants
Hewlett-Packard has teamed up with the Clinton Health Access Initiative to help infants infected with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. The project, which involves building five data collection and analysis centers, aims to drastically cut the time need for diagnosis and accelerate treatment for tens of thousands of infected youngsters.
World AIDS Day efforts look to protect progress
Dozens of landmarks in 13 countries including the Sydney Opera House and New York’s Empire State Building turned red today to mark World AIDS Day at a time when infections rates in many countries are falling but a decrease in available funding threatens to derail progress. Advocates hope to raise awareness on testing and prevention, and put focus on the goal of ending mother-to-child transmission by 2015. Global infection rates have declined almost 20% according to the United Nations, but 33 million people are still living with HIV/AIDS.
Chewing tobacco fuels oral cancer in India children
A 2-cent tobacco product peddled to children in India is contributing to the country’s world-leading rates of oral cancer. Sales of gutka, the granular tobacco blend promoted by so-called “gutka barons,” are projected to double by 2014.
