Rural villages in Nigeria have become central to the battle against measles, with public awareness campaigns aimed at boosting immunization rates. Nigerian authorities provide the majority of funding for the effort, with the United Nations Foundation aiding Nigeria with financial and technical support. The UN Foundation and four other international organizations are spearheading an international anti-measles campaign that has helped cut measles deaths from 745,000 in 2000 to 164,000 in 2008.
USAID chief assails proposed aid budget cuts
The U.S. Republican Party’s current budget proposals could lead to the deaths of as many as 70,000 children around the world who depend on U.S. aid, Rajiv Shah, head of U.S. Agency for International Development, warned American lawmakers. Proposed cuts to international affairs allocations would adversely affect anti-malaria, immunization and trained birth attendant programs, Shah said.
AFGHANISTAN: Government hails Taliban decree on schools
Taliban “supreme leader” Mullah Mohammad Omar has issued a decree instructing insurgents not to attack schools and intimidate schoolchildren, according to the Afghan Ministry of Education (MoE). About 350 schools are still closed mainly due to insecurity and threats, thus depriving over 200,000 children of an education, MoE said.
India is on the cusp of ridding country from polio
India is likely to wipe out polio within three years, becoming the first to do so among four countries — Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India — involved in a long-standing Rotary International project aimed at eradicating the disease. Only one case of polio has been reported in the country over the past 11 months.
Cellphones gain ground as Africa health tool
Health services delivered via text messages on cellular telephones are gaining favor within the aid and health communities in Africa as a means to overcome the continent’s health care challenges. While Africa suffers a general deficit of health institutions, infrastructure and professionals, cellphone use is prevalent continentwide.
World’s poorest are losing economic ground
The gap between the poorest countries and the rest of the world has increased over the past four decades, due to factors such as poor education, limited infrastructure and limited ranges of exports, according to a report from the United Nations. Forty-eight countries are rated as Least Developed Countries.
Teachers join Algeria protests
Hundreds of Algerian teachers continue to stage a sit-in in front of the presidential offices in a bid to secure pay increases as Algerian authorities work to fend off mass public protests that have unfolded across the Arab world in recent months. Algerian authorities have promised political reform and given financial incentives to protesting groups, but the strategy has not ended waves of protests and strikes across the country.