Malaria is an early threat to fetus, study finds
The growth of a fetus can be stunted even when expectant mothers infected with malaria early in their pregnancies no longer show any symptoms, according to a study by a unit of the Mahidol University-Oxford University Tropical Medicine Research Program in Bangkok. The findings bolster the case for earlier prevention even in areas with declining rates of infections, and especially in places such as sub-Saharan Africa, where such treatment usually does not begin until after the first three months of pregnancy.
New blog series features girls helping girls
On the cusp of International Women’s Day, UN Foundation CEO Kathy Calvin reflects on the estimated 283 million adolescent girls living in rural areas who are especially vulnerable to violence, early marriage and death because of pregnancy and childbirth. She said a new series of blogs from young women “who are advocating for political agendas that work for girls” will help ensure that girls living in rural areas are not overlooked.
Nigeria boosts funding for anti-polio drive
Nigeria has nearly doubled funding for its anti-polio efforts, from $17 million to $30 million, in a bid to eradicate the disease from a remaining eight states by 2015. “I believe that the Nigerians that are here are as embarrassed as myself whenever the issues of polio are mentioned in the papers that Nigeria is still a sanctuary of wild polio and that we are becoming a threat to other countries,” said President Goodluck Jonathan. “My commitment to the people of this country is that between now and 2015, when my term of office is expected to end, we will work day and night to make sure that we eradicate polio.”
Hazards of global mining boom take hold
The global surge in large-scale mining in iron, coal and rare metals is, in turn, leading to large-scale land grabs, as well as the devastation of lands, rivers and aquifers across Africa, Asia and Latin America, according to a report by the Gaia foundation. In the northwestern Zamfara region of Nigeria, unprecedented levels of gold mining have reportedly killed more than 400 children and poisoned thousands more.
Poorest children are lost to urbanization, UNICEF says
More than a billion children in urban slums are living without vital services, such as electricity, water and education, and that number is only expected to increase as people continue to flock to cities in the developing world, according to UNICEF’s latest State of the World’s Children report. Many children are unaccounted for by indices such as the Millennium Development Goals because they do not go to school.
Contraception, not prohibition, stops abortions
Global evidence shows that the best way to reduce the abortion rate is to provide better access to contraceptives, not to make abortions illegal, writes Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. “Four-fifths of unintended pregnancies in the developing world occur among mothers who lack access to modern contraception,” he writes.
Nigeria breaks new ground against polio, malaria
Indian pharmaceuticals company Panacea Biotec is teaming up with Emzor Pharma to launch polio vaccines in Nigeria in an effort to duplicate Indian successes against the disease. At the University of Jos, researchers successfully cultivated Artemisia annua, paving the way for local production of the malaria-fighting plant, which could lead to reductions in costs of anti-malaria drugs, and the prevalence of fake imported drugs.
Study suggests link between malaria treatment, child immunity
A study that looked at the effects of malaria treatment on pregnant mice and the immune systems of their offspring suggests a possible link between the use of anti-malarial drugs and compromised immune systems. “Some treatments against disease before or during pregnancy might be beneficial for maternal health but impair infant survival,” said Vincent Staszewski of Edinburgh University.
