Foreign Policy Blogs

Health

Jim Yong Kim: A Global Health Champion for the World Bank?

Jim Yong Kim: A Global Health Champion for the World Bank?

United States President Barack Obama announced today that he was nominating Dr. Jim Yong Kim for president of the World Bank.  This was a surprise to almost everyone, as Dr. Kim is not a traditional pick by any means: a medical anthropologist and physician, current president of Dartmouth College, co-founder of the non-profit Partners in Health […]

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Shedding a Light on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Shedding a Light on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Neglected tropical diseases have been getting a bit of press recently, possibly because it’s been a slow news week or two in the world of global health.  Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are so named because they’re precisely that: generally ignored by funders, scientists, advocacy organizations, and governments.  They are often endemic in developing countries, where […]

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HIV & Hormonal Contraception, Obama’s 2013 Budget, and Polio in Pakistan

HIV & Hormonal Contraception, Obama’s 2013 Budget, and Polio in Pakistan

  This week, the WHO upheld its current guidelines in relation to use of hormonal contraception and women living with HIV.  President Obama released his administration’s budget request for 2013, with some surprising news for US global heath policy.  Finally, polio eradication efforts in Pakistan have been hamstrung by government health care and regulatory incompetency […]

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Komen vs. Planned Parenthood: Implications for Global Health

Komen vs. Planned Parenthood: Implications for Global Health

The Internet has exploded over the past couple of days with news that Susan G. Komen, the largest breast cancer organization in the US, would halt funding for Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of reproductive health services in the US.  A virtual uprising on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms by Komen and Planned […]

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The Global Fund Gets A Shot in the Arm

The Global Fund Gets A Shot in the Arm

Well, the Global Fund has had a big week.  It’s been ten years since the creation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and the recent news about the fund has not been great: internal divisions, questions about improper funding allocations, missing money, and financial shortfalls.  On the other hand, the Global […]

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Update on “Totally Drug Resistant” Tuberculosis

Update on “Totally Drug Resistant” Tuberculosis

Last week, I discussed the breaking news of an emerging strain of “totally drug resistant” tuberculosis (TDR-TB)* in Mumbai.  This week, the Indian government denied the findings, arguing that the twelve cases were in fact extensively drug resistant (XDR, not “extremely,” as I wrote previously).  The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that nine […]

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Ringing in 2012: Totally Drug Resistant TB, the US Needle Exchange Funding Ban, and M-Health in Kenya

Ringing in 2012: Totally Drug Resistant TB, the US Needle Exchange Funding Ban, and M-Health in Kenya

I can’t believe a new year has come upon us so quickly.  Unsurprisingly, there are already global health issues cropping up.  In perhaps the most troubling news, India has reported that there are at least 12 cases of totally drug resistant tuberculosis in the country.  President Obama signed a ban on US government funding for […]

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World AIDS Day Round-Up

World AIDS Day Round-Up

Thursday, December 1, was World AIDS Day.  Each year, people gather worldwide to remember those lost to or affected by HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness.  It’s also a time to reflect on what’s been accomplished and what remains to be done, and the day serves as a time for politicians, celebrities, implementers, and activists to […]

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Global Health: Year In Review

Global Health: Year In Review

Although global health in 2011 was overshadowed by the economic recession and related budget cuts by donor countries, there were a few rays of hope to be found.  Much progress has been made in combating some global epidemics and more attention has been paid to others.  Innovations in global health, from simple solutions to harnessing […]

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Taking Stock for World Pneumonia Day

Taking Stock for World Pneumonia Day

Tomorrow (November 12) is World Pneumonia Day.  Although it seems that there’s a commemorative event almost every day to increase awareness about various illnesses or health issues, pneumonia is one that the world should remember and take action on.  Pneumonia is currently the number one killer of children worldwide, more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and measles […]

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Reading Day: Crowdsourcing HIV, Bioengineering Mosquitoes, and the G20 Summit

Reading Day: Crowdsourcing HIV, Bioengineering Mosquitoes, and the G20 Summit

  This week, UNAIDS has launched a new project to work with young people for a youth-centered HIV strategy.  Scientists are moving into the next stages of deploying genetically-modified mosquitoes to combat insect-borne diseases like dengue, and concerns about the risks of bioengineering have been raised.  The G-20 Summit in Cannes could not get out […]

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We Are the 99%: Ending Polio

We Are the 99%: Ending Polio

Monday was World Polio Day, and there was much to celebrate: as of now, the world has seen a 99% reduction in polio cases. That’s incredible news.  We have reached a point where polio could be wholly eradicated in less than five years.  Isn’t it nice to hear that it is possible to successfully combat […]

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Reading Day

Reading Day

There are exciting new developments in the fight against malaria. More attention must be paid to mental illness around the world. Finally, a community-based program out of Senegal is stamping out female genital cutting, and the model should be developed to be scalable and replicable for areas where the practice endures. Malaria Developments: As fellow […]

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Is an End to Malaria Near?

Is an End to Malaria Near?

Every day across the globe children die from preventable diseases.  One of the biggest and most preventable killers is malaria.  Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.  According to the World Malaria Report 2010, there were 225 million cases of malaria and an […]

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HIV/AIDS News

HIV/AIDS News

Earlier this month, a study published in The Lancet discussed findings that hormonal contraceptives doubled the risk of HIV infection and transmission.  The study examined 3,790 sero-discordant heterosexual couples (meaning that one of the two has HIV) in seven African countries.  Some of the women were using hormonal contraceptives, mostly injectable (such as Depo-Provera) but […]

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